The first ASOS Challenge was successful in the sense that it taught us a few lessons on investment timing. Only three of 11 shares ended in profit and that included ASOS itself: congratulations to legend for BNH and bosley for SEO. Back to the drawing board for the rest of us (over the year the portfolio would have thrashed any opposition!).

Participants welcome for the second challenge. Primary objective is to find shares that will double in value by 1st July, beating ASC in the process; secondary to be most successful stock-picker in terms of the value of your 20K portfolio. Rules are:

1.Each participant has 20K which can go into 1,2,3 or 4 shares in units of 5K.
2.ASC has 20K and is team yardstick, not in individual portfolios.
3.Duplication between entrants OK with no upper limit for total for one share.
4.Start weekend of 21st Jan. Buy price half way between closing offer and mid.
5.Latest time of entry to be 8 pm on Sunday, 23rd Jan.
6.Challenge to close Friday, 1st July.
7.Entrants can switch up to a total of 10K; av. of Friday close bid and mid.
8.Progress reports to rank shares by performance but also participants (initial only to protect from the ridicule of outsiders!).

Participants welcome. Just post selection here or on ASC thread.

Eric

First time for me also

Even split please

sps
epd
cey
bnh

many thanks

martin

I'll try CRDA BAG RSG and BBR with even split please. Eric - you should write a book on time organisation with all that you do!

Eric,

Is this ALL you do? Seriously, can you recommend any firms doing CFD's, Covered-Call-Options, etc.?

Thanks, partridge, markus. The main thing is to retire. Then do the 'work' you want to do and call it fun! If you make money as well, its great and funds your overseas trips, etc. - not too far from the internet, of course!

kus - I'll respond by e-mail not to distract this thread at the moment.

Eric

Eric:

BPRG: 10K
PCI: 5K
PDX: 5K

Rgds John

john: I thought I could at least rely on you for consistency. But that's the trouble with charts - they are always changing their minds!

Good luck, Eric

Eric, You restricted my options too much...having to make a selection right now was tricky and with so many stocks on the watch list, it was a question of which ones to go with for this particular challenge! I even thought of setting aside a small capital sum to earn overnight LIBOR interest but thought you would rule that out!! Looking at our overall performance for the last challenge we might find it useful to also add how much our money would gain if left in the local Building Society...and without the hassle! Still no pain no gain and I appreciate, in case someone raises the point...we did choose arbitary timings to open and close the challenge! Interestingly, I note the stellar performance of my Equity Income Funds this last year...and the top funds are ahead by 20%+.. Makes you think?

Have a great weekend.

John

John

The stellar performance of your equity income funds? Tell us more! Are these your funds in the sense that you run them or that you selected them and enjoy the fruits of others labours? I wouldn't have any problems with LIBOR (you wouldn't necessarily invest 20K overnight if you were given it) but the 'game' is, I suspect, meant to be more adventurous than real life. Some of us are too adventurous in real life!

Eric

Eric: As to your question I enjoy the fruits of other peoples labours. In fact I have stakes in the companies I have selected, and it's all real life for me. Some game huh!

Still just had a great day on the US Mkt so off to enjoy my cellar!


John

Acknowledge entried from the following:

bosley, capa, dawsinho, Dil, eric, Jules, johngtudor, Kivver, legend, markusantonius, martinj100, norman wilton, partridge, petralva, Sandrew, snakey

16 takers so far which makes for a good contest. Shown interest but no entry yet: Seadog, AdieH. Entered last, but not this time: willfagg, ptholden.

Close off is 8p.m. Sunday. Will then summarise entries and portfolio. Suggest award for winner from Shares - hopefully they are following with eager interest!

Eric

KCOM 10K
THUS 5K
HCEG 5K
for me please Eric

Welcome, optomistic. A fearsome competitor, I expect! Eric

May join in?
My choices are

GWP: 10k
AUG: 5k
DMG: 5k

Leslie

Hi Eric- didn't enter last time but I would like to try this one and join in the fun.
NLR 10k
PAY 4k
DGM 3k
YOO 3k
hope you're all having a good weekend cheers Moneyplus.

Welcome on board, leslie. Good luck!

Thank you--but I.m female...Lesley!

Hi Eric,

Can I have the following.

BNH 10k
TND 5k
PET 5k

Thanks.

Ramu

eric:
seo-10k
mdw-5k
dgm-3k
cfp-2k

regards
seb

Welcome to ramu and seb. Good to see PET is in the new portfolio - I have a sneaking feeling about that and tempted to buy back in, at least temporarily. seb: the rules say %K multiples. Unless I hear to the contrary, I will assume dgm, not cfp.

Sorry moneyplus, I think I knew that! Should have given you a personal welcome. The Leslie was leslielipert who had better be male! We might have a debate on the value of feminine intuition in stock picking! I see that you have also not followed the 5K rule. Assuming PAY and DGM at 5K and nil for YOO (pretty safe 50% I reckon) unless I hear to the contrary.

Eric