I've managed to persuade my good wife to allow me to chuck 500 into the stock market and I'm trawling all my back editions of SHARES mag to try and find a speculative share at around or under the 25p mark and all I've managed to do is stress myself out and create a list that I am about to take a stab at with a pin whilst blindfolded. I missed the boat on several stocks recently and am now in the position of asking if anyone has any tips for me to look at?
I know I need to DMOR but I still struggle to get my head round fundamentals and would welcome any ideas for a short term punt!
I know posting this seems reckless and smacks of a naive desperation for inspiration and well......... it is!
ANY IDEAS?

kram,

To be honest a good method may be to drip feed in a set sum each month, into a low cost dealing account (Comdirect/Hoodless)and check out and trade AIM stocks, which normally offer better growth potential.

Set a stop loss, say 20%, and sell anything that sinks through it.

If a share starts to rise, put next month's payment into it, and increase the winners, pruning the losers as you go. I know dealing costs are a factor, but whilst you may end up making a few buys in one share, as long as it's rising you should still be making money, and you only have to sell once, so this helps reduce the overall cost.

Another way may be to sell half of any share that you hold that doubles, therefore giving you the rest free. Still employ a stop loss though, you don't want to give it all back.

I think Pursuit Dynamics are well worth looking at, STILL! (I hold)
Cardpoint (epic = CASH) are also a steady climber, and their business is still biulding, with transaction numbers climbing. Cardpoint was featured in Shares about 3 weeks ago.

Good luck,

Andy.

SECTORGUARD SECTORGUARD SECTORGUARD SECTORGUARD. Excellent medium term prospects. DYOR.

kram

glad to hear it!

good luck.

ALWAYS LOOK AT what Morgan Stanley holds e.g.they purchased Corus at 5p
and made 1500 million euros.
Everyone is right about spreadbetting,costs,etc.However,99 per cent of people
do not see how simple things are i.e.you buy 1 share at 100 euros and have
99 euros costs you still make 1 euro.Rotschilds,one of the wealthiest families
on the planet had that way of thinking.Someone once said to him: Mr Rotschild,
why are you selling at a dollor profit instead of perhaps 40 dollors?His
reply:A dollor profit is a profit.

Kram:
You have to work out what u want to do exactly and which method or group that u classify yourself as.
My suggestion is do Paper trading and there are quite a few online which give dummy accounts so you can trade shares,spreadbets, cfds etc and even take tutorials ta etc.
Turn your theory into practice as see what happens for a few weeks,months etc on paper trading.
The main step to begin is remember the adage:" you have to crack open a few eggs to make an omelete"

rgds and wish u well
zarif

Zarif,
Great advice to start anyone off on the right road.

thanks ajren - if we dont help each other who will!! The market as i see it in my opinion is the vast ocean and full of sharks and we need Seaman who can guide us through the rough seas and areas of tempests - we want acalm sea with a cool guiding breeze!!!!

Ps: I am on the Dow index thread and would be honored if you would participate on it with your comments Good or bad as no offence will be taken.

rgds
zarif

I suggest EVERYONE reads Zarif letter.It is EXACTLY what I am talking about.

It is a nice,unemotional,logical,businesslike letter.
............
Re Dow Index thread.I would be pleased to comment.However,I know nothing
about it.
...........
Many readers mentioned professional daytrader.I do not have to explain
myself but I will.

I know almost NOTHING about many aspects of the Stock Market e.g.like a
heart specialist might know little/or have forgotten general medicine.
I specialise in a very small area of the market.

Forget the ideas of professional traders etc. On this arena we are all in the same boat and the marketalways does something to outwit us.
My analogy is as follows:
If a person gives you a cup of tea and it tastes nice than rthere is no need to analyse it as to how it was made,the temperature,how much sugar etc.Just enjoy it for what it is.

Nb: ajren thanks for the complliment I will have to tell them at home to take the "doors off its hinges"

Also whatever area u like u can post on it and we shal read and are willing to learn new things and increase our knowledge base.

rgds
zarif

On another tread I said None of us are getting pleasure out of the debate.
I am not going to continue it.

ajren, just for interest could you give a couple of examples of "professional sites" that you look at?

Thanks Wilco99

I'm into sectorguard already but appreciate and share your sentiments. I agree with Zarif that paper trading is wise when starting out. I'll be honest though I knew as little about stockpicking after a couple of months of "pretend" trading as I did before I started.
My most successful stock to date is URM. I bought urbium pre consolidation and despite my mates advice to sell, as "ALL shares drop at consolidation," I held and am currently 68% up with a stop loss set at 5% below this. By contrast I bought ILX who promptly did a reverse split at 1000 for 1 and I am now 36% down on my stake LOL.
The ONLY money I risk is that which, should it all be lost, will mean I stand to be upset but not broken hearted. Don't get me wrong I'm deadly serious about growing my investment its just that I like to sleep at night!