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Serve me right if the market crashes and I lose the lot, right?

Published: 11:01 12 Dec 2012 EST

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MARKETS

Normally this would be my last update for the year as usually we go to South Africa the minute we can!

But as we had a massive holiday recently in the States we thought we would have an at home Xmas this year. It's so cold today I wish we weren't but anyway it means I will do one more market update next week.

This will be a super dooper bumper Xmas update with a look back at my trading for the year and a look ahead to next. I only had one stinker this year and even that wasn't too bad. 

Well, markets they continue to run in my favour and have done for most of this year.

I wasn't really expecting much out of this year so it's been a pleasant surprise with accounts bulging as those of you who've been to seminars may have noted!

Indeed the amounts I've made have been so great I am struggling to know which shares to put bigger amounts into - it is easy when you have smaller amounts.

Yeah, I can hear you say, you smug git, I wouldn't mind that problem. And that, dear reader, would be a fair comment. Smug git it is then. Call me what you like and see if I care. 

Serve me right if the market crashes and I lose the lot, right? Hah, take that!

Have you noticed the huge number of ads around targetting the potential greed, laziness and gullibility of people?

One ad says something like Make thousands from a tenner in a month - the premise being from a tenner you can make that much in a month, you pay them and they show you how.

Of course it is complete cobblers. As are all the other ads you see around the place. FX ads are the worst - usually  a pic of someone smiling on a beach  and again the premise of the ad is use our amazing system, tips or whatever and you will be rich...

The truth is nearly everyone loses playing currencies and commodity prices - think you can beat the casino? Think again, sucker !  

There is hardly a day goes buy without an email or a phone call from an Forex company wanting to advertising on this site offering me big money.

I say no.  They seem surprised I don't take their money. They also don't protest when I say I know nearly everyone loses.

Also there are dozens of tipsters around. They claim various amazing percentage performances. Don't believe them. I've met loads of people at seminars who have bought into tipsters. I never found one that made any real money but plenty that lost a lot!

Beware - something feels too good to be true? It is ! 

And many lost loads following internet bulletin board gurus. I had a look round the boards for the first time in a year and they seem to be even worse than they were then. Full of people bitching at each other, petty jealousies, rivalries and the usual pump and dumpers. They seem to bring out the worst in people, many I think are bored at home so want to pick a fight to pass the time.  Best to ignore them if you can except one or two decent ones on advfns premium BBs service.

To my trading - honestly I am lucky right now, I have been half asleep for most of the week. Drinking tea, eating toast, watching crap on tv and napping. Oh, and wondering when I should stir my lazy body to write some Xmas cards...

Why? Well all my shares are doing well and the money continues to rise and so I feel no big need to deliberately find trades, I wait till the right one comes along.

I have a list of stuff I like but they are not at the right prices yet.

And I'm trying to decide the best way to make money out of  santa rally. The obvious thing I guess is a FTSE 100 spreadbet buy, taking profits early in the new year.

However instead I am toying with the idea of buying the FTSE 250 index instead. Looking at the past these second tier companies often rally even better than the top 100 so I might well do that instead.

But I bought a spreadbet in Alternative Networks (LON:AN.) as a top up to my long-term holding which is in profit by around £8,000.   Results were excellent, it has tons of cash, profits are leaping up and even better it has already turned down a bid approach.   I suspect there will be a bid here probably in the 350 area I would guess, just a matter of being patient. In any event  a good one even without a bid. A massive dividend too, have collected some very nice income from this one over the last couple of years on top of paper gains.

 I sold out of my short in Abcam (LON:ABC) . I think it's not sensible to be short of anything till the new year as markets from here to then are usually good.

I was out averaging about 372 to bank a nice profit of £390 .  A trade that worked nicely and perfectly to the trade plan! Well, I could have been out at 360 instead I guess! I also closed Ocado (LON:OCDO) for a slight profit, again it's wise not to have shorts open up to Xmas.

PORTFOLIO HIGHLIGHTS

All the recent buys have been going like a dream!

Anite (LON:AIE) has gone up far quicker than I thought it would but no complaints!

Trifast has leapt nicely over the 50p mark and goes well and Greencore (LON:GNC) slowly heads up towards a quid.

Aga (LON:AGA) has turned from a slow burner to a raging fire. (Well okay that's probably a bit too far) and has headed up over 70p.    It has been in a nice uptrend since it confirmed it has sorted out long-term funding a deal on its pension deficit which sees it not having to make any new payments for a couple of years.  Looks like it should get to near 80p with the potential of 90p where it hit earlier this year.

Carpetshit (LON:CPR) reported. As usual it makes dismal reading. They try and dress it up but the company is valued at 450 million when even the best forecasts reckon it (might) make 10m. That's  a crazy valuation and the shares should be at least 50% less than they are. However I appear to be up against Bill Gates who keeps buying. He must be nuts but he has some awesome firepower to help shore up the price...

The lovely Porvair (LON:PVR) has been motoring up very nicely and in good profits there now. 

St Ives (LON:SIV)  tries to hold above 100 though can't seem to break through 106 at the mo. Try and be patient here!

Telecom Plus (LON:TEP)  can't break the 900 area, still a good performance considering it went ex dividend for a big amount and I'll be getting a nice cheque for more nearly £6,000 shortly.   I think this one will just continue to grow and grow and one day will be in the ftse 100.  Website profits of well over £100,000 and personal profits of nearly £300,000.  

Vectura (LON:VEC)  is on the rise again  a good drugs pipeline here and it has tons of cash - could be a future very big star and hoping to hold on longer term. 

Carclo (LON:CAR) has been rising strongly this week and now tries to get over 450, tried once so far.     Its CIT technology looks a winner and the shares could easily have a massive run up from here given time and patience. Nice profits on this one. 

Avon (LON:AVON) has leapt nicely higher as it heads up towards the  400  area.

Chime keeps on going up - a good 30 points higher quite quickly  still in this from 50p so a nice times four and a great profit on the ones bought more recently in the 140s and the spreadbet.

Costain (LON:COST)  has at last moved higher and seems in the middle of a deserved rerating.

Dialight (LON:DIA) struggles to get over 1100 but directors are confident and have been buying  another one I just continue to hold long term and not worry about the ups and downs.  Profits are well over £100,000 on it. I remember so well buying these at 150 ish at a seminar in 2009 ! I never thought I'd still have them three years later at over a tenner.  

The Vitec Group (LON:VTC) is improving and seems on an undeserved low rating,   Coastal (LON:CEO) is on the way back up   after a takeover approach ended - and in a forward looking statement last week it showed what an amazing company it is and it should easily go over the very low ball offer soon. This week it gave forward looking statements for 2013. This one really is a cracker and massive profits for me here as I have nearly trebled my money in it. 

Direct Line (LON:DLG)  has proved a nice winning trade and has sped over 200. I was thinking of taking profits at over 200 but it seems so strong staying with it for the mo. LOQ  (LON:LOQ) announced an acquisition last week which sees the shares soaring again.  Massive profits in this one where I have trebled my money but I feel more to come! It has cracked 300 for sure, can it get to 400? 

Sepura (LON:SEPU) continues to go for it and 100 surely must be cracked sooner or later.  Nichols continues to slowly rise day by day and profits are now rolling in nicely... I'm hopeful of a bid at around the tenner mark.         

 

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