Official Shiny Things thread—Part III

[chrisloh65]

Buying ETFs, doing DCA and having to decide whether to do monthly or quarterly, having to decide between bond vs stocks ETFs ratios, have to calculate and rebalance your portfolios, doing all these are not part of management that requires effort and can also be considered "active management"? Why suddenly all these efforts become "passive management"?

In my opinion, "Passive" or "Active" management is subjective. What is "active management" to you may not be "active" to others?

Similarly, whether people want to time their buying of ETFs, again, is up to them, so I don't know why people would want to claim they are doing "active management" and bad etc, because for all we know, these people may end up earning much higher returns than those who blindly DCA, especially at market peak, like past few months before stock market crash recently.

Some people had saved themselves >20% losses by selling into a rebound 2 week ago and would have come out looking very smart if they deploy their redeemed cash to buy again now at >20% cheaper price.

It involves active management, unless your cash remains as cash forever, and is never deployed to buy properties or stocks.

 

[swordsly]

Really lol at all the people arguing so passionately in this thread when they can simply choose to disagree with his views and follow their own investment methodology

It's all about ego. And that applies to both ends.

 

[swan02]

What do you recommend? Is your portfolio a result of such consultation?

I have not consulted any. I respect the views by Kyith of investment moats, now a financial planner. Might be thinking looking into this ?

My AA was a result of extensive reading from blogs and online research papers.

1. Learned hell a lot from https://earlyretirementnow.com/
2. I’ve learnt emotions are very important in investing from financial samurai blog.
3. Retirement researcher
4. Michael kitces blog
5. Investment moats
6. Many Bogle head forums.
7. and also much from shiny and bbc watcher. I still promote this forum though with some disagreements.

 

[swan02]

It’s a lot more fun this way. Bad publicity is still publicity.

Fights are still way more interesting than Mr flowerpods or palms replies.

It's all about ego. And that applies to both ends.

 

[dullthings]

All, thanks for the discussions and sharing. This forum is one of the few places on the Internet where people debate passionately and seriously, even though every one’s practically anonymous (with the exception of ST). I really value this place very much.

So, please all try to disagree respectfully. Beyond the basics, investment is extremely *subjective*. Our funds come from different sources, and especially if it is hard earned money, we must understand that it is hard to delink emotions from investments (as much as we would like to term it “passive”).

And yes, when you “respectfully disagree”, rest assured that we’ve read your post and might have, in private, even gone on to do further reading based on what you wrote. So there’s no need to reassert yourselves until we openly agree with you.

Didn’t expect the “argument” from few days back to resurface today. Please share constructive insights. The book is merely a starting point for new investors... and if you find yourselves able to challenge it or have the confidence to deviate from it, you are probably no longer a “new investor”, or have no true interest to become invested.

 

[Carbonnade]

Afternoon,

Have recently stumbled across this forum and read the ST book amongst many others. SG expat (30) unsure where I will retire (let alone what country I will be in over the next decade).

My current portfolio has been primarily:

- IWADA - For international exposure
- EIMI - For emerging market exposure
- 10-15 international shares I have liked over the years (how I originally started out)
- Australian Super (Which I dont really count, but consider it enough Aus exposure if I decide to return)
- Cash

I am comfortable with my current ETF exposure/ strategy and when I become more settled will start focusing on the country I plan to retire in. But since I don't know where this will be, I am looking for good international bond ETFs (no bond exposure).

Can anyone recommend good reading materials on this topic? Or specific recommendations to read up on.

 

[hwckhs]

Let's try a different topic.

Do you subscribe to financial news, like Bloomberg, Business Times? Where do you get latest analyst reports? I find Bloomberg TV an interesting way to see the markets in action, but I have run out of my free trial after watching for an hour or two.

I read analyst reports (sector updates, like for REIT) in POEMS and DBS Vickers.

POEMS also has a "News" section with latest (limited number, not all) articles from news agencies worldwide including Business Times, The Straits Times, South China Morning Post, AP etc. The articles are text-only (without images), so a bit dull to read.

 

[zoneguard]

1. Learned hell a lot from https://earlyretirementnow.com/
2. I’ve learnt emotions are very important in investing from financial samurai blog.
3. Retirement researcher
4. Michael kitces blog
5. Investment moats
6. Many Bogle head forums.
7. and also much from shiny and bbc watcher. I still promote this forum though with some disagreements.

I too follow ERN, Wade Pfau, Michael Kitces, the Bogleheads Wiki/forum/blog and for local context, Kyith's Investment Moats as well. Highly recommended if you are interested in financial independence.

 

[highsulphur]

Let's try a different topic.

Do you subscribe to financial news, like Bloomberg, Business Times? Where do you get latest analyst reports? I find Bloomberg TV an interesting way to see the markets in action, but I have run out of my free trial after watching for an hour or two.

I read analyst reports (sector updates, like for REIT) in POEMS and DBS Vickers.

POEMS also has a "News" section with latest (limited number, not all) articles from news agencies worldwide including Business Times, The Straits Times, South China Morning Post, AP etc. The articles are text-only (without images), so a bit dull to read.

I use bbg for work. Sometimes I feel like it's better for me not to know too much on a regular basis for my personal investment

 

[chrisloh65]

Well said indeed!

However, the truth is, not everybody is tolerant to alternative opinions. There could even be a majority that is intolerant of alternative opinions here.

Many people would have received infraction points for revealing their successful investment strategies that deviates from what has been propagated in this thread (like I do). So much so for "This forum is one of the few places on the Internet where people debate passionately and seriously" and "please all try to disagree respectfully." - this will only be true if you don't receive infraction points!

That just goes to show that even the moderator is biased!

All, thanks for the discussions and sharing. This forum is one of the few places on the Internet where people debate passionately and seriously, even though every one’s practically anonymous (with the exception of ST). I really value this place very much.

So, please all try to disagree respectfully. Beyond the basics, investment is extremely *subjective*. Our funds come from different sources, and especially if it is hard earned money, we must understand that it is hard to delink emotions from investments (as much as we would like to term it “passive”).

And yes, when you “respectfully disagree”, rest assured that we’ve read your post and might have, in private, even gone on to do further reading based on what so wrote. So there’s no need to reassert yourselves until we openly agree with you.

Didn’t expect the “argument” from few days back to resurface today. Please share constructive insights. The book is merely a starting point for new investors... and if you find yourselves able to challenge it or have the confidence to deviate from it, you are probably no longer a “new investor”, or have no true interest to become invested.

 

[swan02]

Oh yes I read those as well anything that is free. Including wealth daily and seeking Alpha.

I pay little attention to investment or analyst recommendations for priority or private clients from all banks. But scb I like best. I also recall incorporating the barbell strategy mentioned by DBS. I use this strategy with my cash and idtl combo in my AA. I’m always fearful of an abrupt rise in interest rates.

I’m retired and hence i do not subscribe to many financial modules anymore keeping my expenses down.

I also have moved from individual stock picking to passive but exceptions with sg reits doing some simple fundamentals becuz I disagree with sti Index and needed sg reits to form part of the 50 percent in local shares. The diversification was beautiful.

Bloomberg... was about to subscribe as it’s addictive then PayPal stopped me. Heng !

Let's try a different topic.

Do you subscribe to financial news, like Bloomberg, Business Times? Where do you get latest analyst reports? I find Bloomberg TV an interesting way to see the markets in action, but I have run out of my free trial after watching for an hour or two.

I read analyst reports (sector updates, like for REIT) in POEMS and DBS Vickers.

POEMS also has a "News" section with latest (limited number, not all) articles from news agencies worldwide including Business Times, The Straits Times, South China Morning Post, AP etc. The articles are text-only (without images), so a bit dull to read.

 

[bobobob]

Well said indeed!

However, the truth is, not everybody is tolerant to alternative opinions. There could even be a majority that is intolerant of alternative opinions here.

Many people would have received infraction points for revealing their successful investment strategies that deviates from what has been propagated in this thread (like I do). So much so for "This forum is one of the few places on the Internet where people debate passionately and seriously" and "please all try to disagree respectfully." - this will only be true if you don't receive infraction points!

That just goes to show that even the moderator is biased!

It's not whether you agree or disagree, it's how you to it. If your points are well thought out and you are polite then people will respect you.

I know you won't believe me, but I'll point out that people find Flowerpalms as irritating as you, even though he agrees with everything Shiny says.

 

[RuiQi_91]

...
So let’s talk through a few things that have happened over the last few days.

Stocks are certainly down a hell of a lot. I put my money where my mouth is, in a mix of local and global ETFs, and my portfolio's taken a hit over the last week. That said:
1) I don't need the money right now. I'm not about to quit my job or retire, and I don't have any big purchases coming up;
2) I can still regularly invest, so I'm buying at much lower levels than I was three weeks ago.

...

Hello, sorry for the stupid question but what do you mean by "buying at much lower levels than 3 weeks ago"? Do you DCA lower during this period or invest the same amount of money thus buying at a lower price?

 

[highsulphur]

Hello, sorry for the stupid question but what do you mean by "buying at much lower levels than 3 weeks ago"? Do you DCA lower during this period or invest the same amount of money thus buying at a lower price?

The latter....

 

[hwckhs]

I pay little attention to investment or analyst recommendations for priority or private clients from all banks. But scb I like best. I also recall incorporating the barbell strategy mentioned by DBS. I use this strategy with my cash and idtl combo in my AA. I’m always fearful of an abrupt rise in interest rates.

The "News" in my SCB shows outdated news (4 weeks ago and earlier). I have a normal SCB account. I think need to become a priority banking customer to have access to those goodies. Will take a while before I can become one...

Am contemplating whether to try a Bloomberg subscription. It's very tempting.

 

[hwckhs]

Bloomberg... was about to subscribe as it’s addictive then PayPal stopped me. Heng !

Btw, NLB Mobile app provides free access to the Bloomberg Businessweek magazine. The only cons is I don't like reading on the phone, prefer desktop. Haven't found a good workaround.

 

[highsulphur]

For those whose a significant part of your portfolio is denominated in foreign currency, do you worry about exchange rates? Even if say iwda recovers back to 60, what if usdsgd goes back to 1.3? Does it make sense to actively manage the fx exposure or manage it by selling the holdings and converting back to sgd in its entirety as one gets older and reduces his equity holdings.

 

[jacky817]

For those whose a significant part of your portfolio is denominated in foreign currency, do you worry about exchange rates? Even if say iwda recovers back to 60, what if usdsgd goes back to 1.3? Does it make sense to actively manage the fx exposure or manage it by selling the holdings and converting back to sgd in its entirety as one gets older and reduces his equity holdings.

Value of stock ETFs is unaffected by the currency it is denominated in. But bonds are affected. So you don't have to worry about iwda

 

[highsulphur]

Value of stock ETFs is unaffected by the currency it is denominated in. But bonds are affected. So you don't have to worry about iwda

It affects your purchasing power in SGD

 

[chrisloh65]

Polite or not, it is up to individual. Sometimes the truth hurts and people got the feelings that others are not being polite to them when what they are doing is just telling the truth.

I don't believe people should be sugar-coating the ugly truth just because of some people's hyper-sensitivity, and this does not do favor to those who want nothing but the real truth. If the truth hurts, then well, nothing much we can do then.

It's not whether you agree or disagree, it's how you to it. If your points are well thought out and you are polite then people will respect you.

I know you won't believe me, but I'll point out that people find Flowerpalms as irritating as you, even though he agrees with everything Shiny says.