playing in the stock market

[jonp]

My 401K was converted to a self directed IRA and I have a Roth. I have a number of stocks, mutual funds, ETF's and bonds. I don't go in for fads or the latest hot pick. I research to the best of my ability, try to stay up on current news and forecasts and invest in companies that make stuff with a track record. Lately I've been looking at companies who did good during the last recession or had a great recovery. I've also moved nearly 30 percent into cash.

I adhere to Warren Buffets strategy when he was getting hammered for not investing in the internet bubble someone asked him why. He said "because I don't understand it". If I can't understand what a company is making or doing or see the logic in it I stay away.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

how many folks hold stocks?
ive never ever bought a stock and I feel I could have made a lot of money if I did when encouraged to buy in in the past, like when I met sam Walton in 1988 and he told me I should invest in Walmart stock. and few other times like 1985 when apple came out with the Mac . and sometimes I feel I missed out on google and eBay too
I ve always considered the stock market as gambling, I don't gamble.
but I just heard about a company going public soon that might just be a winner.

If I were looking for an investment opportunity today, I'd research autonomous trucking.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/this-year-...o-one-on-board

https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/...surging-today/

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have had accounts with Schwab and Fidelity since the 80's. I have done well. When the market falls you must just look away and wait. The market has always recovered and gone on to higher values. Take 2008, market value of my portfolio dropped by half, but tripled since the low of 2008. Bought stuff when I could in 2009/2010. Occasionally get rid of a poorly performing item but mostly just let it ride. If you can't look away when the market drops, stay away from being an active investor. Bonds, cd's, savings accounts have returned about 20% of what my equity accounts have provided over the years. Being 'safe' is very expensive. Brokers and advisors may OR MAY NOT be helpful. Read A few books about investing before you spend/lose money. The 'market' IS NOT Las Vegas but you can play and lose or invest and win, there is a difference. Invest in stuff you know and like first, then decide your direction. IPO's are usually risky and require research.

[popper]

IPOs -GlobalFoundries About 100M shares already owned privately, planning IPO to get more cash which could dilute stock by 1/2. This IPO appears to be a buyout of private stockholders (they got stock which they can then hold or sell), so only a portion of available stock goes to the market. Big banks get first choice, retail last.

[farmbif]

I figure people gotta eat
here's what I was looking at

https://www.world-grain.com/articles...c-through-spac

[lightman]

I've dabbled in stocks a little bit over the years. And I made a little bit of money. But if I had stayed at it long enough I figure I would have eventually lost.

But like many of you, I had a 401K plan at work. I had most of it in stock index funds, mostly Blue Chip. Over the long haul it did well. It was a wild ride at times. I remember 1987, 2000, 2007-2008 and 2015. Even parts of 2018 and 2020 were not pretty! When I retired I watched the market and closed out all of the stocks when they were at or near record highs. Then I moved it over to a good friend at Wells Fargo Advisers. He slowly bought back into a few index funds. I run a higher % of stock, about 85%, than the experts recommend for retired people but I have a pension and Social Security. That makes my risk tolerance higher than most.

[gwrench]

I'm sure the current high stock prices will come down hard, but I don't know when. A lot could happen before then.

About a year ago I passed some inheritance money on to my kids. At the time I told them not to invest in stocks because I thought they were overvalued, too high. I recently checked 401 returns on my index funds and one had 83% return in one year!

Nobody knows the future. If you're in it for the long haul it might pay to get at least some money in the market.

[beezapilot]

Start slow. Dollar cost average into the market, no more than you can afford- treat it like a monthly bill. Mutual funds are a fantastic instrument for investing. Look for a "no load / low cost" fund, T. Rowe Price, Fidelity, VanGuard are very good places to start looking. If you feel that there is an area of the market that is going to be "the next thing" chances are good that there is a sector (specialized) fund that will focus on that technology / area of the market. Know that should you venture into independent stocks and IPO's you're trying to get the penny out of the bottom of a barrel of rattlesnakes, until you know the ropes, it is a good place to stay out of.
DO NOT invest money that you think you may need in the next 3 years, it is a long term investment, not a savings account- markets go up and down, if you NEED the money and the market is down- there WILL be a loss when you take it out. When the market is up, skim the cream, re-invest in something else, diversify. Investments should be secondary to an emergency bank account, paying down credit cards and other debit.
It is not a complex as it sounds, often that is because of new terminology. Reloading is much more complicated.

[bangerjim]

Take it from someone who has tons of money in several hundred different stocks in every market venue. ONLY buy stocks that pay dividends! We live off the dividends paid out. The only way you can make money off non-dividend stocks is to sell them. Dividend-paying stocks just sit there, increasing in value (if you ever DO want to sell) and keep sending you checks every month/quarter! A real nice way to make your money work.

But don't put all your eggs (money) in one basket! Have 10% of your worth in precious metals (mainly gold). NOT gold stocks or bullion bars/coins, but real solid gold MINTED US coins you can hold in your hand. I prefer the $20 St. Gaudens coins.

And then have some money in financially guaranteed annuities that hold sold when the markets go down and increase when they go up.

With those three tools in place, you can just sit back and watch the money roll in, no matter what the markets do. NEVER DAY TRADE! Unless you really know what you are doing, have a VERY fast connection and are in front of your computer all day.

IPO's are risky. And you NEVER buy them at the opening prices! Even mid-sized brokers that a back seat to all the mega b rokers on IPO's. We have dabbled in them in years past. Lost a little money on most. They generally shoot way up the 1st few days, then you can buy them, and then normally go down to at or below the opening offering! I recommend sticking with well-know stocks on the boards.

Watch out for "insurance agents" posing as stock brokers! The only get paid when something buys or sells. Our fiduciary investment firm is paid a flat 2.0% per year. Period. They buy, sell, move, invest within our several portfolios all the time (with our approvals) and no hidden fees. Look around for a good fiduciary firm and ask friends you know that have a good chunk of their money invested with them. Avoid the big billboard name firms!!!!!!!

[jaysouth]

I have never "played" or "dabbled" in the market. I have several accounts with Baird and Company, some are tax deferred, 401K and IRA, some are not, one is a Roth. My advisor has put me 60% in mutual funds that rise and fall with the S&P 500, 40% in bonds. The accounts have doubled since I handed the investments over to him in 2016. I check my account once a week and am very pleased. My wife and I live on pensions and social security. None of my grandkids will ever have to borrow money for school or to make a down payment on a house.

[BunkTheory]

the market is manipulated into collapsing every time it hits a certain amount.

The money on the market is imaginary, the money in your old monopoly game has more value in it.

[Land Owner]

If everyone IN the market made a profit, from where would the money come to pay OUT?

I suspect (an opinion) that INSURANCE COMPANIES rule market swings. They have a LOT of our money.

Historically, I don't gamble because I stink at it. NOT being in the market, as diversification of a financial portfolio, is BAD.

Owning LAND is GOOD. You can't eat it, but you can live off of/on it. Selling it takes time. Waiting for the right person to come forward, while suffering through the low-ballers, is painful at times - depending on the property, location, phase of the moon, flood of refugees crossing the border, etc. When a land sale goes right it usually really goes RIGHT - for both Seller AND Purchaser.

[downzero]

the market is manipulated into collapsing every time it hits a certain amount.

The money on the market is imaginary, the money in your old monopoly game has more value in it.

If that's what you really believe, then you should be a billionaire by now. Since you're not, I'm going to call that "conspiracy theory."

[jaysouth]

the market is manipulated into collapsing every time it hits a certain amount.

The money on the market is imaginary, the money in your old monopoly game has more value in it.

In the last 50 years, when did the market "collapse"

[rancher1913]

were you asleep in 2007-2008

[MT Gianni]

07-08 the Market hit a hard bump. If you were smart and had money you bought. My 401K recovered all it "lost" in 18 months. I am retired and a fair risk taker when it comes to my investments, I run about 65% stocks 35% bonds cash and metals. Since the 90's, my stocks have out earned what the metals have by a large amount.

[jonp]

BTW, i also put some money up on Coinbase for crypto. I have quadrupled it but it is just as likely to go to zero so i highly recommend money you wont miss if you do this

[jonp]

07-08 the Market hit a hard bump. If you were smart and had money you bought. My 401K recovered all it "lost" in 18 months. I am retired and a fair risk taker when it comes to my investments, I run about 65% stocks 35% bonds cash and metals. Since the 90's, my stocks have out earned what the metals have by a large amount.

I bought Goldman Sachs bonds at 8% yield right around then. Metals will never make you rich but will never go to zero, either. Or if your the Hunt brothers they might land you in jail.

[Buck Shot]

In the last 50 years, when did the market "collapse"

Peak to Trough (Drop from Peak to Trough)

January 1973 to October 1974 (-48%)
November 1980 to August 1982 (-27%)
August to December 1987 (-34%)
March to October 2001 (-49%)
October 2007 to March 2009 (-57%)

I've heard it said that if averaged over the decades, the stock market generally gives an average annual return of about 10%.

But just as you never want to be the last person to sell in a selloff (thus defining the "bottom"), you never want to be the last person to buy into the Ponzi (thus defining the "top")...

[Edward]

That"s why you get a professional ,on your own you will lose. Panic when it goes down/which ones to buy/when to sell/tax implications /how to develop a portfolio /diversification of investment . Unless you are in that business it is most definitely a crap shoot /loser !