Is now a good time to invest in the stock market?

[Fittster]

northandy said:

btdk5 said:

Course you can...

You can, easy i wouldnt call it though!

Doesn't Buffett average 21%, so a random off the internet should easily do that!

[northandy]

Fittster said:

Doesn't Buffett average 21%, so a random off the internet should easily do that!

As i said its not easy, but i imagine buffets average also takes into account some big market crashes.

I only invest long, with shares bought (no spreadbets). I started with 20k in aug11 at 32k now (if i sold everything, paper profit currently about £500) thats after charges, stamp duty etc. I dont short and i assume people make a lot of money there.

Probably about 100 trades over that period.

Would i do it for a living?, no, is it growing my weekend car fund? Yes.

[Mermaid]

northandy said:

I only invest long, with shares bought (no spreadbets). I started with 20k in aug11 at 32k now (if i sold everything, paper profit currently about £500) thats after charges, stamp duty etc.

The FTSE has gone up from 5000 in mid August 2011 to 6600 now, an impressive 32% increase, and you are outpacing the main index in the UK at 60% gain. Well done. But do you think most of the big gains are in the bank?

Upside/downside from hereon for the next 12 months?

[BIRMA]

I have read so much about what the FTSE is going to do over the next three years that my poor brain cell has got itself overloaded but I'm sure I read it is going to rise another 30%. I have since tried to find it for reference but can't find it anywhere.

[northandy]

Mermaid said:

The FTSE has gone up from 5000 in mid August 2011 to 6600 now, an impressive 32% increase, and you are outpacing the main index in the UK at 60% gain. Well done. But do you think most of the big gains are in the bank?

Upside/downside from hereon for the next 12 months?

I keep thinking that, then another opportunity seems to crop up. I dont see it lasting forever, as long as my weekend car fund is higher when i use it next year ill be happy. It also forces me to read the business news a bit more often so its a win win.

Ive also missed some glaring opportunites by bailing too early, supergroup still winds me up. Bought at £3.5 ish sold at £4.5... Bought and sold a few times after, but bought at £ 6.5 sold at £7.5 thinking i had done well... However it carried on to its current £12

As i said i wouldnt like to think i had to do it to pay the mortgage though.

[Mermaid]

northandy said:

I keep thinking that, then another opportunity seems to crop up. I dont see it lasting forever,.

The taper announced later this week will provide you the direction, at least in the short term.

[northandy]

Mermaid said:

The taper announced later this week will provide you the direction, at least in the short term.

Im half cash at the moment, as i havent had time to work out where next more than a strategic decision (and im still tempted to spend it). I meant to sell barc last week but never got round to it, so will be in for the RI now.

[Wacky Racer]

"Sports Direct's shares have risen 86% since the start of the year and the firm easily made it into the latest FTSE 100 reshuffle, which takes effect on 23 September."

[Mermaid]

northandy said:

Mermaid said:

The taper announced later this week will provide you the direction, at least in the short term.

Im half cash at the moment, as i havent had time to work out where next more than a strategic decision (and im still tempted to spend it).
.

Larry Summers has withdrawn his nomination to become Fed Chief - that will probably give the market a boost.