Time

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Straits Times Index – Perspectives

The S&P 500 Index is being used as a proxy for the STI. Our study has shown that the STI and S&P 500 are well correlated. The higher liquidity of the S&P 500 gives us a clearer picture of technical price formation versus the relatively illiquid Straits Times Index which experiences opening gaps a lot more frequently. The S&P 500 being greater in market capitalization and trading volume has been ‘leading’ the smaller Straits Times Index and gives a clearer indication of the Straits Times Index’s direction.

The Big Picture
During the first quarter of the year, both indices consolidated at the same time starting from mid January to mid March 2008, forming convergence bottoms – Price traded lower while the RSI (indicator of momentum) moved higher – signaling that momentum was likely to push prices upward. As a result, we have since seen the market rally off from the bottom formed in Q1.

Please draw your attention to the similarity in timing and price action of the consolidations for both the indices – the first down leg was seen in January followed by a long consolidation in February the first half of March before pushing down another leg toward the end of March. Both Leg 1s show the market rejecting the price level in the form of long tailed candles and both Leg 2s show minor consolidations – these are indicators of the indices trading in tandem.

The current rally we are seeing rose from a bottom that took 3 months to form and it is thus unlikely that it will end in 3 months – generally the time taken for the market to rally is longer than the time taken for it to consolidate. However, the current rally has lasted for 3 months straight and we are currently due for a technical correction.

The intermediate trend is still up, but the short term is currently trending down – a ‘healthy correction’.

The Short-Term Trend
Divergence Top
The S&P formed a divergence top in the middle of May: Price spiked higher (forming a rejection candle, circled in white), while the RSI (indicating momentum) moved lower. I.E.: The market made an attempt to move higher, but there was a lack of momentum to follow through, resulting in prices moving lower with momentum and giving rise to the current correction. Given the high level of correlation the STI followed suit and declined together with the S&P 500. Both markets are currently trading around the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level at the time of this report.

Our Assessment
Watch the 50% (S&P: 1371, STI: 3010), 61.8% (S&P: 1327, STI: 2947) and 75% (S&P: 1314; STI: 2878) retracement levels on the charts. Look for the market to consolidate around those levels before building a base for another push higher and the continuation of the intermediate trend.

Summary
The market took 3 months to consolidate during the first quarter of 2008. With a 3 month long consolidation as a base, it is unlikely that the current rally would end in merely 3 months.

The intermediate term trend has a high probability of still being in place, however, in the short term, the market will likely face a correction to the 50% to 61.8%, or perhaps even 75% Fibonacci level of the most recent rally. We are looking for the market to decline and consolidate around those levels before the intermediate trend continues and pushes to higher ground.

The “stop-loss” for this analysis would be if the market trades below the most recent consolidation lows: approximately 1260 for the S&P and 2746 for the STI, in which case the intermediate uptrend would be invalidated.
Research

活着的每一天都是特别的日子

当你看完这篇短文后, 可以马上起身去擦桌子, 或洗碗; 可以把报纸放一边, 闭起眼睛沉思一会; 也可以把这短文传给很多朋友. 当然我希望你选择最后这一项, 谁知道, 你可能回改变很多人的一生.

多年前我跟高雄的一位同学谈话. 那时他太太刚去世不久, 他告诉我说, 他在整理他太太的东西的时候, 发现了一条丝质的围巾, 那是他们去纽约旅游时, 在一家名牌店买的, 那是一条很雅致, 漂亮的名牌围巾, 高昂的价格标签还挂在上面, 他太太一直很舍不得用, 他想等一个特殊的日子才用.

讲到这里, 他停止了, 我也没有接话, 好一会后他说, 再也不要把好的东西留到特别的日子才用, 你活的每一天都是特别的日子.

以后, 每当我想起这几句话, 我常会把手边的杂事放下, 找一本小说, 打开音响, 躺在沙发上, 捉住一些自己的时间. 我会从落地窗欣赏淡水河的景色, 不去管玻璃上的灰尘, 我会拉这太太到外面去吃饭, 不管家里的菜饭该怎么处理.

生活应当是我们珍惜的一种经验, 而不是要挨过去的日子.

我曾经将这段谈话和一为女士分享, 后来见面时, 她告诉我她现在已不像从前那样, 把美丽的磁具放在酒柜里了. 以前她也以为要留特别的日子才拿出使用, 后来才发现那一天从未到来.

[将来], [终有一天]已经不存在她的字典里了. 如果有什么值得高兴的事,有什么得意的事, 她现在就要听到, 就要看到.

我们常想跟老朋友聚一聚, 但总是说[找机会]. 我们常想拥抱一下已经长大的小孩, 但总是等适当的时机. 我们常想写封信给另外一半, 表达一下浓郁的情意, 或甚至想让他知道你很佩服他, 但总是告诉自己不急.

其实每天早上我们睁开眼睛时, 都要告诉自己这是特别的一天. 每一天, 每一分钟都是那么可贵.

有人说: 你该尽情的跳舞, 好象没有人在看你一样. 你该尽情的爱人, 好像从来不会受伤害一样.

我也要尽情的跳舞, 尽情的爱.

你呢? 第一件事是不是与好朋友分享这想法呢?

多年前, 在网络看到这一篇短文, 还特别打印了贴在精致的记录簿里. 最近看到太多的天灾人祸报道, 人的思绪也变灰了.

其实不管是天灾人祸, 人都是必须经历生老死别的. 不管是自然或非自然, 都论不到我们去预测, 也不需要去知道, 一切随遇而安, 则活得自在.

人总是在失去健康的时, 才懂得健康的可贵

人总是在失去空气时, 才记得原来我们都需要空气才能呼吸生存.

就如活在水里的鱼, 离开了水, 才知没有了水, 是活不下去.

生命永不TAKE TWO.

在活着的时候, 好好的活着, 充实的过日子.

节省富翁住组屋案- 严志昌

严志昌-新加坡富翁的专访.

57岁的严志昌已有千万身家,生活却过得朴实无华,现在还住在中等入息公寓.
他每月的股息收入最少五万新币.

年轻时的他曾以为要创业才能致富.而他没有资金也没有知识,而且还需要一份薪水,根本不可能辞去工作.

后来,他老板和他分享有关买股票和投资方面的心得.老板告诉他,只要买了某公司的股票,就像买了一间公司,有了股份,他也是商人.

从此以后,他专心学习,研究股票,做足了准备功夫之后就开始投资买股票.
十三年前,他辞去工作成为全职投资家后,尽管身家千万,他也拒绝买豪华车.

严志昌的投资成功秘诀 – 耐心
“尽早开始学习和投资, 以及耐心是成功的关键.”
“一个人若能提早接触股票, 能够更早有所认识, 即使有时出错了,还是有时间从新开始.”
“一个人必须观察股势, 待股价对了才入场买进.接着, 他一定要有耐心, 不要急于脱手,他应该研究该公司, 了解公司的任何动向,必须等带适当的时机才卖股票.”

童年的他家庭经济不富有,令他缺乏安全感,所以一直都希望得到经济独立,这成为了他奋斗的推动力.

我再重看这专访,是想调整自己购买股票的心态.这几天看着股价起伏不定,忘了KLSE8K说的,心中没有股价.

再看看穷爸富爸所提的现金流的重要性.

我的想法就是购买股票,收取股息.而这些股息就是我日后慢慢累积回来的现金流.

公司年年赚钱的股票才能考虑购入.

但,至于合理的价钱又要怎么算呢?现在为止,我只会用本益比来看…只要每股盈利不是负数字,就不怕了.

巴菲特教你如何投资

成功投资者应该具备的三个条件

一, 独立思考.
不受群众心理影响的性格.
做一件事, 你之所以觉得自己是对的, 并非因为大家都这么做, 而是因为手中的证据及一切合理的愿意, 皆告诉你你的决定是对的.

二, 耐心
投资人应该假设自己一生中只有一张二十格的打卡单, 每做一次的投资决定就打一次卡, 每打一格, 一生中就少一个投资决定可做.

三, 原则
理性. 必须能够控制自己, 不让情绪牵着鼻子走.

巴菲特的“三要三不要

以下是堪称巴菲特投资理念精华的“三要三不要”理财法:

要投资那些始终把股东利益放在首位的企业。
巴菲特总是青睐那些经营稳健、讲究诚信、分红回报高的企业,以最大限度地避免股价波动,确保投资的保值和增值。而对于总想利用配股、增发等途径榨取投资者血汗的企业一概拒之门外。

要投资资源垄断型行业。
从巴菲特的投资构成来看,道路、桥梁、煤炭、电力等资源垄断型企业占了相当份额,这类企业一般是外资入市购并的首选,同时独特的行业优势也能确保效益的平稳。

要投资易了解、前景看好的企业。
巴菲特认为凡是投资的股票必须是自己了如指掌,并且是具有较好行业前景的企业。不熟悉、前途莫测的企业即使被说得天花乱坠也毫不动心。

不要贪婪。
1969年整个华尔街进入了投机的疯狂阶段,面对连创新高的股市,巴菲特却在手中股票涨到20%的时候就非常冷静地悉数全抛。

不要跟风。
2000年,全世界股市出现了所谓的网络概念股,巴菲特却称自己不懂高科技,没法投资。一年后全球出现了高科技网络股股灾。

不要投机。
巴菲特常说的一句口头禅是:拥有一只股票,期待它下个早晨就上涨是十分愚蠢的。

股神陨落:林园25万倍神话止步

伴随着牛市的逐步结束,林园、“777”等一大批为散户投资者所倾心的民间“股神”,一个个也如流星般在中国股市悄然陨落。

在网上,如果用百度搜索一下“林园+股神”,0.18秒以内,你会找到70.5万多个网页。
据悉,林园,43岁,陕西人,之前学医,1984年被分配到深圳某医院从事临床工作,1989年投身股市。2006年初,当股市尚未摆脱熊市的阴影时,林园就公开宣称,十多年来通过股票投资,自己的资产已经从最初的8000元增加到了4亿多元。今年初,他又被爆身家已超过20亿元,18年间,其资产增值超过25万倍。

就是这位“股神”林园,这两天再一次成为一些财经报纸热炒的对象。不过这一次他不再是豪气干云,而是一副英雄气短的模样。有消息说,股神林园旗下信托产品,除了较早成立的林园1期仍保持盈利外,2007年9月成立的林园2期、林园3期,目前双双跌破100元面值,亏损严重,最新净值分别为81.13元和80.77元,半年内净值分别缩水18.87%和19.23%。随着最近几天的进一步暴跌,估计其缩水的百分比可能进一步加大。

难逃亏损厄运 股神林园被深套
只有在退潮时,才能看出谁在裸泳--这句话用在今天的阳光私募业是再合适不过了。
每个月的20号左右,成都的王先生都会收到一条来自深圳的短信,这是深国投发给他的最新信托产品净值变化情况,王先生发现,他购买的林园信托产品净值已经回落到129.69元。
“我的买入成本大概在125元左右,现在盈利都输得差不多了。“不过,看着大盘的惨烈下跌,王先生认为仍能赚钱已实属不易。

股神也被套明星私募难逃亏损厄运
阳光私募号称资金管理更为灵活,并善于防范风险,他们不为排名而追求相对收益,更看重实实在在的绝对收益,其中更有林园、但斌等业界大碗作为产品的舵手。然而,最近半年这些明星私募基金经理管理的信托产品,也难逃亏损的命运。

中国股神:8000元变20亿

林园在精心挑选后,只锁定了20多家企业作为投资对象,但是,记者也注意到,林园买股票,80%左右都会在刚刚买进后下跌,所以林园也特别跟我们强调,进行价值投资,更重要的是要树立一个好的心态,真正了解企业的价值,坚定持有,最终才能得到高额的回报。

林园投资股票,获得亿万回报,但是,在互联网上,对他的议论也众说纷纭,有人说林园是一些利益集团的代言人,也有人说他的财富神话根本就是一场骗局。

“很多人按照林园推荐的股票操作,最后却赔了,所以网上会有这么多反对的声音。”

但是面对种种置疑,林园没有反驳,反而用50万资金购买了8支他认为具有投资价值的股票,并把自己的操作公布在互联网上。

林园:“我当时提出来,12个月不赔钱,3年最少翻一翻,这是我买以前我这么想的,我把最坏的结果,当时我算帐。”
记者:“现在的情况是怎么样的?”
林园:“我们看一看前一段时间,还突破二百万了,到今天是一百七十八万一千六百多,你看我们一直是满仓操作的。”

1年零2个月的时间里,林园50万资金涨了3.5倍,虽然在牛市的行情里,这样的收益率并不算高,但是林园仍然坚守着他的价值理念,不跟风,不动摇,因为他从8000到亿万资产,就是这么走过来的。

林园:“这50万我相信在不长的时间里我们可以看到的就要变成一千万,我就不动,这个你看啊,一千万到一个亿,也没有多长时间。”

很多想短期获得暴利的投机者,对林园的成就很羡慕,但林园告诉记者,虽然价值投资的理念他一直在宣传,但愿意为价值投资坚守的人并不多。

“即使告诉他(投机者)明天这个结果他也受不了,可能他也清楚,可是他受不了,这个煎熬你说怎么办呢,这个办法没用。”

林园的实盘已经从50万达到了170多万,在他看来,这些企业的实际赢利能力,将给这些股票的价值带来稳定的,几何倍数的增长,现在,没有人知道林园实盘里的170万究竟在明年能够裂变成多少,但林园告诉记者,理性投资最大的敌人,就是盲目和贪婪。

林园:“甚至98% 、99%,很多都是人性,人性的弱点决定了这个股市它今天的结果。”

半小时观察:
林园所倡导的价值投资,我们并不陌生,他投资的方法也没有多少高深的地方。可为什么还是有很多投资者亦步亦趋的跟着他,却收获不多呢?用句古人的话,知易行难。而真正的难处就在心态上。

对一个普通投资者来说,听道理是一回事,实际操作又是另外一回事。当你精挑细选之后,拿了钱买了股票,却眼瞅着股价步步下跌的时候,真正经受考验的不是智商,而是信心。如果对自己的判断没有足够的自信,对价值规律没有足够的信任,即使抓住了下金蛋的母鸡,也仍然会以鸡飞蛋打收场。

在瞬息万变的市场上,建立良好的心态,靠的不是心理培训,而是长期的训练和实践,放弃那些关于投机暴富的不切实际的幻想,真正遵循价值投资的客观规律。毕竟,和消息、概念比起来,这些规律才是最可靠的。

林园:我买股票奉行“乌龟政策”

我想从两个方面来阐述我的“乌龟政策”。

选中个股,主动做“乌龟”

我买入股票时首先要满足价格合理或者低估,而多数情况是价格低估的股票又不涨;我也不知道它们什么时候能够上涨。

笨人笨办法,也只能发现被低估的公司后买入,“猫”在里面,等着上涨。

这种等待的时间对我来说也是非常难熬的,要有非常坚韧的毅力,抛弃各种市场的诱惑。不过过去的事实是我买入的个股,它们的股价也不会大跌,不理市场的涨跌,它们的股价总是在10%内波动(相对我的买入价)。

例如,我在2005年4月份买入招行转债,当时买入平均价为102.50元/股,到今年初股改前它的价格仍为102元左右,在近一年的时间内,它就在101~120元波动,我也只能在里面“等待”。

今年5月份我又买入G沪机场,平均价为13元/股,G沪机场在近几个月时间内也是在12~15元之间波动,我只能(文章来源:股市马经 http://www.goomj.com)做“乌龟”。的确,我也不希望长期做“乌龟”但这也不是我能“左右”的,但是从做法上,我是主动做“乌龟”的。

投资组合,集体做“乌龟”

“乌龟政策”的另一层意思是指现阶段,我对市场的判断最乐观的是“牛市初期”。

这时期我要采取“相对防守”的投资策略,因为这个时期,不是所有买入的公司都会同时上涨或下跌的。我必须采取一个有多只股票组合,这个投资组合的总市值也不能波动太大(相对于我的买入价应在10%以内),当股市出现下跌时,组合的总市值也不应该出现明显的亏损,像是一个“乌龟”,这样我才能继续“持有”这样的组合。

我目前真实组合是贵州茅台、五粮液、云白药、G招行、G沪机场、G铜都、G黄山B等股票组合。即使在股市下跌时,我的总市值也是在相对高位稳定的。

我在今年3月21日用100万元现金买入了一个组合,包括:G沪机场8200股、 G民生13860股、G招行 41300股、G黄山4000股、G云天化3800股、G瑞贝卡4700、马应龙2520股、东阿阿胶9500股、G铜都40600股、(文章来源:股市马经 http://www.goomj.com)G铸管30308股、丽江旅游4200股,这个组合从买入后,其总市值也都是相对稳定的,即使大市出现下跌,它也像只“乌龟”。

我买入这个组合时,就已经充分考虑了各种因素,这里面有能保证高派息、低市盈率的个股(G铜都、G铸管),能持续上涨的高增长个股(G沪机场、G民生、G招行、G黄山、G瑞贝卡、丽江旅游),品牌个股(东阿阿胶、马应龙)。这样的组合的结果会是:当大盘下跌时,我的组合也有上涨的个股,以达到总市值相对平衡。过去的事实是,当大盘下跌时,我的组合总市值也不一定跌,这样我才能“满仓持有”。

“乌龟政策”实际上是在股市下跌时,聚集力量,等待时机,我要的结果是这些“乌龟”最终都会变成“兔子”。哈哈哈!

Monday, June 9, 2008

Bull Market Baloney and Bear Market Valuations

Interestingly, as we have observed currently, the bear market is not even fresh into a year (12 months), yet people seem to be complaining that it's "too long" and everyone is hoping against hope that the bear market will end soon and signal the start of the new bull.

From a personal standpoint, I do not advocate either bull or bear as I focus on companies and the external factors which affect my companies' performance. Still, a bear market always makes it all the more attractive to search for bargains amongst the companies listed on SGX due to the low accorded valuations by Mr. Market. A quick scan I did this weekend turned up many companies (many of them China ones) which were trading at single-digit PER, despite decent prospects for growth. Just 8-10 months ago around August to Oct 2007, the same companies were trading at 20-30x PER. Which brings us back to the topic above - bull markets produce a lot of baloney (nonsense) because everyone bids up the prices of companies to absurd levels, bringing about ridiculous expectations which results in wanton speculation and excessive over-valuation. Of course, the term "irrational exuberance" (coined by Alan Greenspan himself) comes to mind but this term is so oft used it is becoming a cliche in itself.

The purpose of this post (which may look and sound like a Sunday ramble) is to highlight the follies of valuations found in a typical bull market and for the investor to recognize this and refrain from participating in the folly and foolishness. The greater fool game always gets played over and over like a macabre game of musical chairs; the last person without a chair gets left holding the baby at amazingly high valuations. Conversely, in our current market, notice that newspapers, newsletters, commentaries and pundits have expressed dire predictons about the market and economy in general; speaking of "record high oil prices" and a "worldwide recession" looming. Just as in bull markets, there is no end to good news; in bear markets there is always no end to bad, pessimistic news.

For the intelligent investor, he will recognize the advantage of bear markets which makes ALL companies cheap, and will take his time to do his careful research in order to identify potential gems. The bear market is very much welcome by true value investors as the only way to purchase companies with a decent margin of safety and at reasonable valuations. Of course, one must always separate the wheat from the chaff; which is why investing is easy but not simple. Some companies really DO deserve to be trading at low valuations and below NAV as their growth prospects may be unexciting, their industry may be stagnating or costs may be rising significantly. All these factors have to be weighed by the astute investor in order to fulfill a checklist of items which qualify a company for investment selection. Patience is always a virtue and the investor should be willing to wait for a good opportunity to accumulate the shares of a superior company.

Thus, it is better for a bear market to slowly drag itself out so as to maximize the time needed for an investor to hunt for good bargains and to purchase a good company. However, the majority of the folks out there are wishing for the exact opposite; for the bear market to end quickly and for the bull to arrive. All I can say is that these people have probably purchased shares during the bull market baloney period (at high valuations) and cannot bear the pain of cutting their losses; thus they hope for a similar rebound to their previously mentally-anchored price so that they can sell at a smaller loss or breakeven to make themselves look less foolish. The problem with this is that capital can be locked up for extended periods of time without decent returns and the effects may be disastruous as one does not have capital to take full advantage of the bear market. Strangely, the wise thing to do is to just accept the loss and move on; but a quick chat with many associates has revealed that this is one of the HARDEST things to do for an individual and thus many simply cling on forever hoping that the company will recover and to wait for valuations to hit baloney levels again.

In case the patient investor runs low on cash while researching companies to purchase, he can always fall back on the dividend income stream which he has set up by purchasing good companies at low valuations in the past. I would strongly advocate that investors purchase some form of yield stock to provide some cash flows as your capital may be locked in for a very long time. Even Warren Buffett's Washington Post pays him a check equivalent to his entire investment every year ! Now how about that for cash flows ? Thus, the two-prong approach of having cash for investment during a bear market and regular cash inflows from holding good companies purchased some time ago can benefit an investor by allowing him to have some yield as well as opening up opportunities for investment.

投资要趁早

股票投资,越早开始越好。

开始得越早,成功的机会越大。

我这里所指的“成功”,有一个定义,就是达到“财务自主”。

“财务自主”是指在我们退休后,有足够的金钱让我们无愁无忧地安度晚年,不必再为五斗米而折腰。

要做到这一点,必须确保在退休后收入不会中断。

理想的数目是在退休后,每个月仍能保持你最后一个月薪金的收入。

终身领薪梦想成真
如果能做到每年收入跟着通货膨胀率而增加,以保持生活素质,那就更妙。
要做到这一点,不能单靠薪金的收入。
一定要学习投资,才能使终身“领薪”,梦想成真。

投资要成功,经验扮演决定性的角色。

经验必须来自实际投资。

每一个行业,都有其诀窍。要摸清楚这诀窍,需从实际的工作中去体验,才能融汇贯通,达到得心应手的地步。

只能意会不能言传
每个行业都有陷阱,必须深入其中才能学习避开陷阱的本领。就好像埋满地雷的战场,必须亲临战地,才有可能探测到地雷所在地,若置身战地之外,是不可能找到地雷的。
避开投资陷阱,需靠经验的启发,有时只能意会,不能言传。
累积经验需要时间。没有经过这个过程,你很难在投资这个领域中生存。

残酷环境生存经验
一头从小养在笼中的狮子,食物不劳而获,长大后放归山林,难以生存。因为它缺乏捕捉别的动物的技术训练和经验。
我最近到墨尔本的乡下,跟一对朋友夫妇住了一个星期,他们退休后在一个风景幽美的山谷,筑室而居,过着隐士般的退休生活。
闲来无事,养了一群鹦鹉,其中大部分是以蛋孵出,从小在笼中长大。
他们告诉我,这类鹦鹉放归山林,根本无法生存。因为他们没有在残酷的大自然环境中生存的条件。

中彩票的人,很少发达。因为财富是从天而降,并非长期累积而成。

中奖人没有投资经验,缺乏判断投资计划可行性的能力,骤然得到大笔资金,在一连串不当的投资中消融了,最后打回原形,仍旧两袖清风。

我们常常听到“富不过三代”这句话,其实有一定的道理。

第一代亲力亲为。通过艰苦奋斗致富,洞悉经营窍门,财富得来不易,懂得珍惜,才能持盈保泰。

第二代目睹第一代创业艰辛,在第一代的提携栽培、竞竞业业、如履薄冰、故能“守业”。创业难,守业亦不易。

第三代在富裕中成长,不知创业艰辛,故不知珍惜;心智未经磨炼,不思进取,反而把精神化在争夺财产上内斗,导致家族分裂,故事业多毁在第三代手中。

吸取教训提升技术
股票市场千变万化,股票投资风险高,挑战大,非有丰富经验,难以成功。
而累积经验,需要时间和实战体验;年轻时就投入,使你有足够的时间,去接受磨炼,身经百战而来的经验,是你的无价之宝,没有任何东西可以取代。

在投资的过程中,每一个人都可能犯错,年轻就开始投资,使你有足够的时间去吸取教训,提升你的投资技术。

跟着年龄的增长,心智的成熟和经验的丰富,使你由“错多对少”,逐渐提升至“对多错少”,使你稳步走上成功的投资之路。

最理想的投资年龄是从走出校门,找到第一份职业时开始。

除了经验以外,股票投资需要对上市公司有深入的认识。

深入的认识,来自长期做功课。根本没有捷径可行。

故投资要趁早,越早越好。

现在就开始

Sunday, June 8, 2008

巴菲特時代再度來臨?

債券市場失靈、股票市場出現動盪﹐私人資本運營基金袖手觀望﹐對沖基金經理和貸款人都在大甩賣。

這些天來﹐沃倫•巴菲特卻是非常愜意。

他說﹐如果時機合適﹐我花錢的速度會比伊梅爾達•馬科斯還快。伊梅爾達是前菲律賓第一夫人﹐也是全球聞名的購物狂。

在過去3年里﹐巴菲特逢低買進的傳統投資策略似乎並不得志﹐大量舉債的私人資本運營基金和對沖基金推高資產價格的幅度超過了他的價值投資模式。

結果是﹐目前他手中掌握著近500億美元的現金。

現在﹐隨著次級抵押貸款市場危機終結了輕鬆賺錢的時代﹐並導致大量資產被低價出售(如Thornburg Mortgage Inc.週一拋售了205億美元的優質住房抵押貸款擔保證券)﹐許多人認為巴菲特將是屹立不倒的最後的買家之一。76歲的巴菲特是控股公司伯克希爾•哈撒威公司(Berkshire Hathaway Inc.)的董事長。

廣告那麼伯克希爾•哈撒威公司正在購買什麼?或將要購買什麼呢?巴菲特恪守著伯克希爾•哈撒威公司不討論潛在交易的政策。但顯然可以想到﹐各領域不同規模的賣家都在同他進行接觸﹐從受到抵押貸款市場和商業票據市場打擊的貸款人到私人資本運營交易的發起者。

一些投資者猜測﹐伯克希爾•哈撒威公司可能會購買抵押貸款機構Countrywide Financial Corp.的部分股份﹐該公司股價因次級抵押貸款風波而大幅下挫。這些投資者說﹐Countrywide的資產包括債務服務業務以及優質住房抵押貸款和住房抵押貸款擔保證券﹐這些可能對巴菲特具有吸引力。

這並不是金融機構第一次要求巴菲特施以援手。1991年﹐他接管Salomon Brothers並出任該公司的首席執行長﹐當時正處於對涉及到美國國債市場的醜聞進行司法調查之際。現在還有許多人讚揚巴菲特在證券監管部門和投資者面前維護了Salomon的良好形象。

7年後﹐他差點出手援助由幾位Salomon舊時同事創辦的對沖基金Long-Term Capital Management﹐但後來改變了主意﹐原因之一在於他想得到的是這家公司的資產﹐如股票、債券和其它證券﹐而不是公司本身和它複雜的合伙人架構。

與LTCM不同的是﹐Countrywide有一些直接貸款業務﹐並且公司有良好的品牌形象和優質住房抵押貸款資產﹐能夠補充伯克希爾•哈撒威公司的其它證券投資。比如﹐伯克希爾•哈撒威公司是富國銀行(Wells Fargo & Co.)和M&T Bank的長期股東﹐這兩家銀行也被譽為具有良好品牌知名度和長期運作歷史的保守型貸款人。

事實上﹐巴菲特已經開始加大了涉足住房抵押貸款擔保證券市場的力度。伯克希爾•哈撒威公司在第二季度公佈﹐旗下保險部門對AA及以上評級的住房抵押貸款擔保證券的投資比第一季度增加了一倍﹐達到了37億美元。

對於其他投資﹐巴菲特沒有詳細闡明。

投資者相信巴菲特可能會投身其中﹐並抓住一些良機。儘管道瓊斯工業股票平均價格指數上週走低﹐但伯克希爾•哈撒威公司通常波動很小的股價卻出現了上漲。週一﹐Berkshire的A類股上漲了2,200美元﹐收於120,700美元﹐漲幅為1.9%。該股自8月10日以來已經上漲了8.2%﹐今年以來共上漲了9.7%。

投資基金Gardner Russo & Gardner的合伙人托馬斯•魯索(Thomas Russo)說﹐現在是伯克希爾•哈撒威公司的市場。魯索管理著約30億美元的資產。加德納(Gardner)也是伯克希爾•哈撒威公司的長期投資者﹐他說﹐巴菲特會從眾多廉價資產中做出最佳投資選擇。

陷入危險境地的私人資本運營交易可能也會吸引伯克希爾•哈撒威公司。這些交易主要依靠債券市場進行融資。德州公用事業公司TXU Corp.將會補充伯克希爾•哈撒威公司旗下的公司組合﹐這當中已經包括公用事業巨頭MidAmerican Energy Holdings。目前﹐TXU正在努力勸說其股東同意將公司出售給Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.和TPG。

如果上述交易失敗﹐巴菲特要做的就是想法兒弄個好價錢﹐但鑒於TXU近期運營業績得到改善﹐這似乎並非易事。另外﹐伯克希爾•哈撒威公司不參加拍賣﹐因此所有交易將不得不與巴菲特私下協商達成。

TXU的發言人不予置評。Countrywide的發言人在電子郵件中表示﹐該公司的政策不允許對有關併購的傳言發表評論。

伯克希爾•哈撒威公司還可能利用已持股公司股價低迷的時機進一步增持股份。比如﹐在過去一年里﹐伯克希爾•哈撒威公司以最高46美元的價格購買了板材生產商USG Corp.的股票﹐目前已累計持有略高於17%的股份。週一﹐該股收於37.96美元。

截至6月30日﹐伯克希爾•哈撒威公司共擁有近470億美元的現金和現金等價物﹐除此之外﹐該公司還持有約740億美元的股票和270億美元的債券﹐巴菲特說﹐如果能夠獲得更好的回報﹐他會毫不猶豫地重新進行投資。

由於伯克希爾•哈撒威公司具有AAA級信用評級﹐因此公司也能獲得低成本的借款。今年以來﹐該公司約有32%的收入來自於Geico和General Re等保險子公司。

巴菲特也不會回避良好的短期交易機會。在2002年的安然公司(Enron Corp.)和WorldCom醜聞後﹐伯克希爾•哈撒威公司購買了25家能源公司和部分電信公司的高收益債券﹐由於各種醜聞﹐這些債券當時的定價都很低。到當年年底﹐Berkshire持有的垃圾債券數量增加了五倍﹐達到83億美元。

在2003年底﹐Berkshire公佈來自這些投資的已實現收益約為11億美元﹐收益率為13.3%。目前﹐伯克希爾•哈撒威公司仍持有29億美元的垃圾債券。巴菲特說﹐如果有人能給他帶來他感興趣的交易﹐他會賣出這些垃圾債券。

有求於他的人看來並不少。巴菲特說﹐這些天來﹐我絕對比幾個月前要受歡迎。但隨後他又自我解嘲說﹐我的起點也低。

數學不好 財務吃虧

或許﹐我們的問題只是數學水平太差了。

官方儲蓄率依然頑固地保持在幾近於零的水平﹐截止9月份的12個月中﹐抵押貸款和消費貸款增長了7.4%﹐而Pew Research Center最近發佈報道稱﹐半數美國人對自己的個人財務狀況的評價是“一般”或“糟糕”。

人們很容易將這一切歸咎於理財不善。但想想是不是還有另一個原因﹕我們的數學能力低下。讓我們來看一看是哪裡出了問題﹐又該如何做得更好。

──損失利息。在最近的一項研究中﹐市場營銷教授Eric Eisenstein和Stephen Hoch發現﹐大多數人都低估了儲蓄的增值空間和借貸的最終成本。

問題是﹕人們是按單一利率而非複利計算。比如說﹐如果我們的投資以每年8%的利率保持十年﹐我們的收益併非許多人想的那樣為80%。

確切地說﹐我們的累計收益將會是116%。記住﹐我們不僅會從最初的投資上獲得利息﹐早期的投資收益也會生息。同樣﹐對於信用卡欠款﹐我們要為最初買東西的錢支付利息﹐還要為遺留下來的尚未支付的利息掏腰包。

任教於Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management的愛森斯坦教授說﹕“人們使用單一利率計算是因為他們不知道別的方法。利率越高、時間範圍越長﹐錯得就越離譜。”他指出﹐這個基本的數學錯誤解釋了人們為什么遲遲不願為退休儲存積蓄﹐以及為什么老是推遲還清信用卡欠款。

──推測錯誤。給我們下絆子的不光是信用卡。Dartmouth College的經濟學教授Victor Stango和Jonathan Zinman的新研究發現﹐我們沒有意識到﹐自己為那些所謂的“低月供”貸款付了多少利息。

這兩位作者分析了美國聯邦儲備委員會(Fed) 1983年消費者財務知識調查的數據。在那次調查中﹐消費者需要回答這樣的問題﹕如果他們貸了1000美元買家具﹐分期12個月償還﹐他們願意最終總共還多少錢。

一些人回答1200美元﹐這意味著實際利率應該是35%。然而﹐當消費者被問及這個還款額對應的利率是多少時﹐98%的人都低估了。

每月還款額越低﹐我們就越有可能低估利率。為什么﹖我們做心算的時候﹐忽視了這樣一個事實﹕每個月的還款都是在減少貸款餘額。在短期貸款的情況下﹐每月還款額中的一大塊都是本金還款。

達特茅斯學院Tuck School of Business的斯坦戈教授說﹕“我們明白這些問題很難。人們會得出錯誤的答案也不稀奇。稀奇的是人們犯的錯誤總是同樣的方向。他們低估儲蓄的好處﹐同時低估舉債的代價。”

我們該如何避免這些錯誤呢﹖試試以下三個策略﹕

──如果你想申請“低月供”貸款﹐問問貸款機構﹐按年的服務費費率是多少。
那會讓你明白月供到底是低還是高。
斯坦戈說﹕“人們不敢問強硬的問題。他們擔心貸款會因此不被批准。他們不想讓自己顯得無知。”

──要想把握住借貸的成本和儲蓄的收益﹐可以試試一些在線的金融計算器。
www.dinkytown.com上有許多此類計算器。

──當你權衡是花還是存的時候﹐記住72定律。
用72除以你預計的投資回報率﹐就能算出讓你的錢翻一倍需要多長時間。
你估計每年的收益率能達到7%﹖用這個數字除72﹐就會知道﹐讓你的錢增加一倍需要10.2年。其中的意義在於﹕如果你存了1000美元﹐十年以後你就會有大約2000美元﹐20年以後就是4000美元──而30年以後就會變成8000美元的“巨款”。

學巴菲特 投資當呼吸

「投資就像呼吸一樣,是二十四小時運作!」巴菲特就是將投資與生活完全貼合,讓他能成為投資富豪,他的投資哲學成為投資寶典,不管是企業定律、經營、財務及市場定律,遵守相關準則,只要能學到巴菲特精神的一半,投資的這門課,就可望高分過關!

巴菲特的投資哲學其實很簡單,一是合夥心態、二是集中投資、長期持有。巴菲特在買進一家企業的股票時,想的不是將來賣出去的價差,他想的是,「買的是這家公司」,以合夥人的心態來買進。他採用的投資方式是: 集中投資在少數幾家一流的企業上,長期持有,累積經營的利潤。

巴菲特最經典一役,是買進大陸國營事業「中國石油」的股份。在油價尚未上漲之前,巴菲特即悄悄的在香港大買中國石油,累積買進股數達23億3800百萬股,買進總成本為4億8800萬美元,到2003年底,價值已升至13.67億美元。也因此,2000年,巴菲特的波克夏公司每股帳面價值為6.5元,2002年升到10美元,2003年進一步提高到21美元。

不過,巴菲特投資並非所向無敵,他也曾失利,例如看壞美元走勢,2005年因巴菲特看空美元,美元遠期合約上虧損了6.19億美元,使得公司上半年在該合約上的累計虧損達到9.26億美元。不過,巴菲特對自己的投資充滿信心,他說,看空美元是長期投資,不會因美元的反彈而改變對美元的看法」如今,美元落勢,證明巴菲特長線投資的堅持再堅持。

綜觀來看,巴菲點經典的投資哲學包含12條定律與15個投資原則,以投資企業定律來說,企業必須簡單且易於了解、企業過去的經營狀況必須穩定、企業長期前景必須看好;至於投資原則,最基本的法則就是要有耐性等待最好的時機出現才作投資,投資就如呼吸一樣,是二十四小時運作的。巴菲特認為,只要勤做功課、勇於認錯,投資並非難事。

巴菲特並不是一開始投資就萬事如意。但他60年投資路上的手法,經過時間的試煉,粹取出的經驗,更值得關注,例如,「別理會『市場』時時刻刻的報價」、「股票市場本來就是狂躁與抑鬱交替出現的場所,不能隨著市場價格而波動」、「持有好公司股票,即使證券市場關門也沒有關係,因為買的是事業不是股票」等。

簡單的說,巴菲特的投資策略,就是理性配置資產,而金融市場仍有理性的脈絡可循,巴菲特的成功,就在於找到這條 理性脈絡並絕不走失。

要在股市有斩获 忌猜股市走向衡量投资

要在股票市场大有斩获 ,除了不能盲目投资,并切忌透过猜测股市走向去衡量那个公司的股票是值得投资。

他说,世上无人能准确的猜测股市走向然后从中获利,因此最保险的方法,是在购买股票之前,务须了解及分析某家公司的运作、背景、财务情况等,来决定是否必须对这家公司做长远的投资。

冯时能从60年代开始在《南洋商报》经济专栏“投票与股市”和“投资路上”撰写评论,给广大读者提供股票投资指南。目前他任职上市公司高级总经理,专注开拓海外业务。

仅3%人靠股票赚钱
他指出,靠股票赚钱的人不多,根据他本身所研究及统计,能真正靠股票赚钱的只有约3%,兼且非常专业的股票投资者,他们都是了解长期投资、利用股市累积财富的专家。
“买某家公司的股票之前,必须清楚有关公司是否有前途、是否赚钱、背后由谁来管理、财务状况是否稳定、由什么因素会影响这家公司的营运等,这些都是有必要了解的。
“为何这么多人买股票,但成功的却寥寥可数?原因只有一个,大部分的人都对投资股票存有不好的印象、错误的观念,也对股票投资不甚了解。与赌博、取巧投机没有分别。”

他说,其实,股票就是一家公司的股份,买股票就等同于入股成为该家公司的股东之一,而不是把买进一家公司的股票,将有关公司的股票当成筹码。

他也说,股友也不鼓励一窝蜂的购买大热的股票,相反的,一些有价值但价廉的公司股票,或许在几年后蓬勃发展,并为股友带来更多的红利。

“不过,最重要的是股友懂得分析这家公司的运作是否能长期的成长,否则是徒然的。”

Indonesia, Philippines hike rates to check soaring prices

IN A fresh attempt by policymakers to curb inflation, central banks in Indonesia and the Philippines increased their benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points on Thursday, the Financial Times (FT) has reported.
Manila's move, which took rates up to 5.25 per cent, was its first in three years. It came hours after the government announced year-on-year inflation had hit a nine-year-high of 9.6 per cent.

As for Jakarta, Thursday's rise to 8.5 per cent followed a similar rise last month, the first since December 2005, when rates hit 12.75 per cent.

Indonesia's year-on-year inflation last month was 10.38 per cent, the highest since September 2006, FT reported.

According to analysts, India and Malaysia, which both hiked petrol prices this week, were also likely to raise rates soon.

Some said the Reserve Bank of India might increase its benchmark rate from 7.5 per cent before its rate-setting meeting next month.

PHILIPPINES
Year-on-year inflation: 9.6%
New benchmark interest rate: 5.25%

INDONESIA
Year-on-year inflation: 10.38%
New benchmark interest rate: 8.5%

Elsewhere, Taiwan's core inflation rate, which measures consumer prices, excluding food and energy, rose from 3.1 per cent to 3.23 per cent last month, its biggest gain in nine years.

China's inflation hit 8.5 per cent in April, but Beijing was expected to announce a small reduction for the year-to-May period.

Jakarta's increase in interest rates was only half as large as many analysts expected. It followed a warning from the state statistics bureau on Monday that the impact of a 28.7 per cent increase in fuel price last month had yet to feed through into the data.

However, Dr Boediono, Bank Indonesia's governor, said he would also use other tools at his disposal to control inflation.

These included acting on the exchange rate and absorbing excess liquidity by moving the benchmark rate from a monthly to an overnight rate, reported FT.

Mr Fauzi Ichsan, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank in Jakarta, said the rise in Indonesia's benchmark rate was 'cautious but probably right' because inflation was being driven by global factors.

He expected interest rates to rise to between 9 per cent and 9.5 per cent at the end of the year.

FT quoted the Philippine central bank as having said its move was partly motivated by indications that supply-driven pressures were beginning to feed into demand.

'Recent business and consumer confidence surveys also indicate an upward shift in inflation expectations, coinciding with increased term spreads on government securities and higher secondary market yields,' the Philippine central bank said.

Mr Frederic Neumann, an economist at HSBC, said the Philippine central bank would probably increase rates gradually to 5.75 per cent by the end of the year.

Faster inflation has increased pressure on President Gloria Arroyo to boost spending for subsidies to help poor households cope with rising food and energy prices.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

理债, 理财

所有东西都是两面的,主要是看那人怎么去运用.金钱是这样,债务也应该是这样.

适当的债务,可以令你更快达到财务自由.就说借贷买房子吧!如果没有银行的借贷,我想现在有很多人还是没有办法买上一个属于自己的"家".如果没有借贷,你可能会需要将你原本投资在股票的一大笔资金套现出来,用来买房子.这无形中又拖慢了你要达到财务自由的脚步了!.

再说信用卡吧!如果能够适当的利用,那你基本上你可以是说你在赚着银行的钱.你一方面利用银行给你的免利息贷款(20天)而你如果将那些现金放在一个DAILY INTEREST的户口,那是不是意味着你是在赚着银行的钱呢?别说没有,我就是其中之一.但我是利用这些现金为我减少着银行的贷款利息.要达到财务自由,不只应该要学会用钱,而且更应该要学会怎么去利用别人的钱为你做事.

当然!有一点我是经常强调的.别在背负着一大笔高利息的债务的同时,还想着去做投资这回事.就拿卡债或个人贷款来说,如果你本身还背着这些债务的,山芭佬还是劝告你,先别想着投资这事情了.先将那些高息的债务先解决吧!信用卡的利息是一年18%,你以为要在投资上每年赚到18%的利润是这么容易吗?山芭佬和你说:很难很难.就算一年给你赚到20%,算起来你也是亏本的.

怎么说?简单的说吧!


20 % - 18 % = 2%
一年的FD是3.7 %.
2 % - 3.7 % = - 1.7%
以上还没计算你买卖的手续费.
按照以上的例子,你为什么还要跳进股海,尝试去赚那可能是负数的回酬?除非你能保证你每年至少能达到22%的回酬,那你的投资才可以勉强说是正数的.(+0.3%)所以理财必须要有一定的程序.必须要先理债,后理财,最后才是投资.

可能你会说你等不及.你想马上就跳进股海赚钱.朋友!股票并没有说你一定要在什么时候就一定要进场的.没有日期的限制.只要还有一天股票市场还在开,那机会就永远还在.只要是个真正的机会,那这机会也不会说你一定要在今天做成的.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Reality check for 99-year lease top-up assumption

Recent decisions show such extensions not a given as govt retains planning flexibility

The market used to assume that the government would top up leases for sites to 99 years as they came up for redevelopment. A series of recent decisions - in which the authorities either declined lease top-ups or allowed them, but for shorter tenures - have put a big question mark over that assumption.

Property players say these decisions could have an impact on investment sales of 99-year leasehold properties or at least the way such deals are structured.

In January, when the proposal for Market Street Car Park's redevelopment into an office tower was made public, owner CapitaCommercial Trust revealed that the authorities declined to top up the lease for the site, which has another 65 years to run.

More recently, the market learnt that the former Crosby House site at 71 Robinson Road - which is being built into a new office block - had its lease topped up in April last year, not to the usual 99 years but 85 years and 10 months instead. This was apparently to match the remaining lease term of SIA Building next door.

BT understands that no lease top-up was granted for Marina House last year, which is proposed to be redeveloped, although HMC Building nearby (being developed into Lumiere condo) got a lease top-up to 99 years earlier. Sources say another building at Cecil Street has also had its lease top-up application rejected. Again, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) may have plans for the streetblock where it is located.

In recent years, the government has topped up leases of nearby sites to the original 99-year term, including 1 Shenton Way (being redeveloped into One Shenton), NatWest Centre (being redeveloped into The Clift) and HMC Building.

The recent decisions appear to run contrary to the perception that the government would generally agree to top up leases of such sites to the original 99 years, so long as the planned redevelopment scheme is in sync with URA's long-term vision for the area.

Instead, Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said: 'The government will generally allow leases to expire, without extension.' It noted that 'the state generally sells land on leasehold to allow it the flexibility to reallocate land to meet socio-economic needs.'

'However, the government has considered and allowed lease extensions based on whether the proposed redevelopment is in line with the government's planning intention and long-term development plans, and factors such as whether there would be significant intensification, or greater optimisation in land use. That remains the government's policy,' SLA said.

SLA evaluates each application on its merits and in consultation with the relevant agencies. The specific circumstances of each development dictate whether it should be given a lease extension - and for how long.

Market Street Car Park's lease was not topped up 'as there is a need to retain planning flexibility over the future development of the site', SLA said.

URA said it evaluates requests for topping up leases based on 'a range of planning considerations in relation to the specific location and context of the area'. This approach gives 'the state flexibility to review the longer-term plan for the area, as and when the existing leases expire or come in for extension in future, and to reconfigure the parcels, if required, to provide for better land utilisation', it added.

In the Central Business District, for instance, the considerations may vary from streetblock to streetblock, URA said, when queried about the unusual lease top-up to 85 years and 10 months for 71 Robinson Road. 'This lease period is sufficient to allow for the owner to redevelop the site to a new modern office building,' URA added.

DTZ executive director Ong Choon Fah said: 'In the past, the government may have been pretty liberal in topping up leases. Now, they've to think of Concept Plan 2011 and how to accommodate a long-term population of 6.5 million people.

'So they have to be more creative and safeguard land for the future, by having a common lease expiry period.'

The head of a property consulting group said: 'URA's probably doing a housekeeping exercise of trying to coordinate lease expiries of buildings in the same streetblock, to give themselves some flexibility. So they may ask: 'What's the longest remaining lease in this block? Let's now try, going forward, to have leases in this streetblock expire at the same time, so that in future, if we want to do anything, we'll be able to do that.'

DTZ's Mrs Ong observes: 'There are many pencil buildings on tiny plots in the CBD. It would be more efficient if the government has common lease expiry periods for adjacent plots so that they may amalgamate them into bigger land parcels and resell them in future.

'It's more efficient to intensify land use for bigger land parcels. Globally too there's a trend of mixed developments, with a live, work, play environment. It's more environmentally friendly and reduces commuting time. For that too you need bigger sites.'

Developers turn landlords as property market stays quiet

With projects held back, firms lease out units bought in collective sales

STAYING ON:
The consortium that bought Lincoln Lodge has allowed occupants to keep renting homes for six months from the sale completion date of July 8.

PROPERTY developers such as Koh Brothers and GuocoLand, which bought collective sale sites during boom times, are now becoming landlords as they wait out the market slowdown.
They are leasing out apartments they bought to existing occupants as a way to generate some income instead of simply leaving them vacant.

If the property upswing had continued, these developers might well have moved quickly to tear down the older homes to put up new developments.

But the sharp slowdown in home sales has put paid to such thoughts for now.

Market observers say renting is a nimble move given present market conditions.

For sellers of units in collective deals who have yet to buy a new home, it is a win-win situation as they would have collected their sale proceeds.

Take, for example, the consortium that bought freehold Lincoln Lodge for $243 million in June last year.

It has decided to allow occupants to keep renting homes for six months from the sale completion date of July 8, and thereafter on a monthly extension basis.

'Upon requests by some of the sellers to stay on, and while waiting for approvals, we have decided to grant them this request by extending a lease,' said Mr Francis Koh, Koh Brothers' managing director and chief executive.

Rents at Lincoln Lodge range from $2,700 to about $4,500 for larger units.

In the middle of last year, at the height of the collective sale frenzy, Koh Brothers bought the Newton site with Heeton Holdings, KSH Holdings and Lian Beng Group for a record $1,449.30 per sq ft (psf) per plot ratio.

A Lincoln Lodge seller, who wished to be known only as Mr Tan, welcomed the rental move as sellers had collected sale proceeds in January, and those who had not bought a home could take their time.

'It's an option...I know someone who negotiated the rent down to $2,500,' he said.

GuocoLand seems to be the early rental front runner.

It offered residents short-term leases at Sophia Court in Adis Road last year, followed by Leedon Heights off Holland Road earlier this year. The leases started in March at Sophia Court and yesterday at Leedon Heights. Both last till Jan 31 next year.

A three-bedroom unit at Leedon Heights costs $2,850 a month, while rents at Sophia Court range from $800 to more than $4,000 a month.

GuocoLand bought Leedon Heights in April last year for $835 million and Sophia Court in late 2006 for $230 million.

Renting out units is a way to 'wait out the current quiet in the market', said Knight Frank's director of research and consultancy, Mr Nicholas Mak.

'If developers were to launch their projects now, it may be challenging for them to reach their target price for some of the projects.'

Frasers Centrepoint said it may offer short-term leases to the former owners of the 185-unit Flamingo Valley, a freehold site in Siglap Road that it bought for $194 million in February last year.

'We had 50 owners who wrote to ask us to extend their lease...They haven't found anything suitable,' said the firm's general manager of development and property, Mr Cheang Kok Kheong.

He said the firm was likely to extend a lease of six months to a year. This would 'give us more time to think about our plans'.

City Developments (CDL) has said it is still exploring the renting option.

Renting out apartments bought in collective sales is not new. CDL did so a few years back, when it rented out all 124 apartments in Kim Lin Mansion in Grange Road.

It had bought it in late 1999 for $251 million, or $996 psf of potential built-up area, but pushed it out for sale only at the height of the property boom last year. It fetched prices of $3,600 psf.

Win-win deal
Developers lease out units to generate income instead of leaving them empty as they sit out the market slowdown.
Sellers of collective sale projects who have yet to buy new homes can stay on in their existing units as tenants.

TOUGH TARGET
'If developers were to launch their projects now, it may be challenging for them to reach their target price for some of the projects.'
MR MAK of Knight Frank, on companies holding out for better prices

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

熱……錢會繼續

中金公司首席經濟學家哈繼銘表示,今年越南多項經濟指標已亮起紅燈,貨幣危機一觸即發。5月份通脹率已達25.2%,5月19日央行將基準利率由8.75厘調升至12厘,銀行貸款利率上升到18厘,仍遠低於通脹率,未能有效控制通脹預期。今年1月至5月貿赤144億美元,外債規模已達240億美元,相等於GDP 30.2%,政府財赤已超過GDP 5%危險線。越南盾今年3月至上周五兌美元貶值2.7%,十二個月期貨較現貨低30%;越南股市今年跌55%。上周惠譽將越南主權評級展望由「穩定」改為「負面」。依家越南情況已同東南亞國家1997年面對亞洲金融危機前差唔多。

《廣州日報》報道,4月份中國外儲備增長744.6億美元,扣除貿易順差及外商直接投資後,不能解釋外流入高達501.8億美元。呢500億美元相信有唔少流入內地房地產及股市,部分則存入銀行。換言之,流動性過剩問題到今年4月仲未解決。由於投機者認為人民幣可見六算,人民幣出現1美元兌6元人民幣前,熱錢仍會流入,估計家熱錢規模已經達6500億美元。冇人知道呢筆資金幾時會流出,一旦出現,將嚴重威脅國內經濟同金融市場穩定性。

1952年美國家庭流動資產係負債250%(即手上現金或隨時可變現投資達負債250%),到去年卻回落到70%(即手上現金或隨時可變現投資係負債金額70%)。美國家庭手上流動資產減除負債最高峰係1990年,達淨流動資產1萬億美元以上;最差係2006年,為淨負債3萬億美元。1990至2006年美國到底發生乜事,令美國家庭由淨流動資產變成淨負債?就係因為次按日漸流行,愈愈多人借錢買樓,美國人從樓價上升中賺錢去消費。到2006年下半年美國樓價唔再上升,去年出現次按危機,鐘擺又由一邊擺向另一邊,長達十七年,由次按支持引發樓價上升潮結束,各位信唔信短期內可以解決?加上美國戰後嬰兒潮開始進入退休潮,愈愈多美國人賣樓套現。從呢個角度睇,美國樓價由2006年下半年開始調整唔會不久將來結束。

索羅斯認為,英國樓按情況較美國更差,依家先開始回落,對英國銀行影響較去年對美國銀行影響更大。英國家庭負債係個人收入148%(美國係125%),而英國金融業佔英國經濟8.5%(美國佔7.5%),加上英國政府決定向外國人抽稅,令唔少高收入外國人打算離開倫敦去蘇黎世,將進一步推低倫敦樓價。

Oppenheimer & Co銀行分析員Meredith Whitney去年曾提出警告,美國樓價回落遲早影響美國銀行。佢最近接受彭博TV訪問認為,另一場信貸危機快將開始。呢次係美國消費項目再次打擊美國銀行業,理由係銀行將信用卡貸款證券化後市場出售。過去消費者唔使擔心信用卡還款能力(因樓價上升,未能支付信用卡貸款亦可轉為樓按──本港亦漸漸流行矣)。信用卡貸款不但息高,而且呆賬率唔高。依家樓價回落,美國人信用卡貸款再唔能夠輕易轉為樓按貸款,8000億美元信用卡貸款點樣處理?

三不买

股票投资风险高,故投资者所承受的精神压力也特别大。尤其是投机者,在买进之后,总是提心吊胆,深恐血汗钱泡汤。所以,身在办公室,心却在股市,时刻生活在烦恼中,情绪受到干扰,甚至与家人的关系也受到影响,所付出的代价实在太大了。

如果生活不快乐,钱赚得再多,也没有意义。

假如你总是为股票而心烦,我劝你还是早日脱离股市,因为你不适合投资股票。

假如你认为股市是一条适合你的投资管道,那么,就必须设法控制自己的情绪,减少股市波动的冲击。

其实,这并不难,只要有正确的投资态度,同时下定决心,遵循一些简单的原则,就可以减少股票投资所引发的烦恼。

我的经验,也许可供参考。

我有三个“不买”的原则!

第一个原则,不买我不放心的公司的股票。

我常常出国,以前是公干,现在是观光。尤其是在退休之后,出国更频仍,一年少则六、七次,多则十次、八次,短则数天,长则大半个月,天涯海角、无远弗届。

在我买进股票的时候,我总是问自己一个问题:假如我出国旅行半个月,而旅途中没有我所买股票的信息,我会担心吗?

如果答案是“会”的话,很明显的,这只股票不恰合我投资。无论基本因素多么强稳,我都不会买进。

第二个原则:不买时时刻刻都要盯住它的股票。

如果在买进之后,我担心公司会“烂”掉;或公司领导人会耍花招把公司掏空;或是买价太高,股价随时下跌而使我蒙受亏损。只要具有以上情况中的任何一种,我都不会买进。

换句话说,在买进后整天要花时间去监视的股票,不恰合我投资。

我不希望终日生活在惶恐不安中,尤其是在退休之后。

第三个原则:在买进一只股票之后,万一股价大跌,我不敢买进更多,这种股票,我也不买。

没有人能担保,买进后股价不会下跌。

坚持原则生活轻松

在买进后,受到熊市的影响,股价一跌再跌,是很平常的事。

假如在股价大跌之后,你不敢买进更多同一只股票,表示你对这只股票,认识不够、信心不足,因此在价值被极度低估时,应该是最好的增加投资的时机,你却不敢加码,因而错过了低价买进好股的良机。

所以,在买进时,我总是问自己:假如股价大跌的话,我敢买进更多吗?

如果答案是“不”的话,我也不会买进。

当然,在股价大跌后,我还要做更多的功课,确定股价的下跌,不是基本因素改变,而是股市下跌的影响,这样才可加码买进。

如果基本因素改变了,即使股价已跌了一大截;我也加码买进,否则的话,我会亏得更多,甚至倾家荡产。

坚守以上的“三不买”,使我生活轻松,旅途愉快。