Day Trading or Long term?

[JR Ewing]

Many of the stocks I talked about here nearly 4 years ago no longer exist. A number of them were bought out or went private, and a couple here and there eventually went bankrupt.

I sold out of some of them years ago, and I greatly reduced the $ I had in energy and in more speculative holdings about a year after this thread started.

I also got completely out of Chinese stocks a couple of years ago, and have very little $ in very few of them to this day.

Another funny thing is that I've gradually added small amounts of a large number of stocks to my portfolios since then - despite my "bearishness" that evolved into an "agnostic" attitude towards the broad markets that has become "cautiously optimistic" in more recent times.

Google has been my largest holding for a while now, and most other holdings are significantly smaller.

 

[JR Ewing]

Another thing I've evolved on is my opinion of index funds. I think that for the small investor with limited $, an index fund is probably better than mutual funds.

 

[Rider]

Another thing I've evolved on is my opinion of index funds. I think that for the small investor with limited $, an index fund is probably better than mutual funds.

Any Index Fund in particular? Like Vanguard maybe?

 

[JR Ewing]

Yeah, I'd stick with the reputable names. Low cost broad market exposure is good if you don't have a ton of money, and don't have the time or inclination to pick your own stocks.

The only reservation I have re index funds is that I have found that WHEN you buy a stock and when you sell some or all of it can have a significant impact upon performance.

There are times when stocks that have done great need to not be bought anymore, and to even be partially or totally sold out of. I recently sold out of CLVS after it had gone up 700% in the 12 months prior, and I did the same with PBYI a few months ago after it shot up 150% in a month.

There are times when a stock has dipped or even done poorly for a time when it should be bought / bought heavier. I'm somewhat of a contrarian, at least short term. But of course the trend is your friend - until the end. Both approaches have merit.