ASOS have dropped quite significantly in the past week for no particular reason and I view this as the perfect opportunity to invest as I can see them bouncing right back up to the 5.50p mark in the next 2-3 weeks. STRONG BUY!!

I don't take the Daily Mail, but popped by my mothers and ASC had a full page spread today, more or less. I will try and find an electronic version of the article.

Regards

PTH

I've seen the same article, but had no luck finding an electronic version! Did managed to stumble across this article below though, which is great news for ASOS!


Celebrity looks cost women billions

omen collectively splashed out 4.3 billion on their credit cards during the past year trying to emulate their favourite celebrities, research showed today.

Three-quarters of women admitted they felt under pressure to have the perfect figures, immaculate grooming and expensive wardrobes flaunted by actresses and models, according to Virgin Money.

The group found that women spent an average of 713 each on their credit cards during the past 12 months on designer accessories, fake tans and hair extensions, a trend it has dubbed celebrity spending.

It also found that women are more obsessed with celebrities' images than with their lifestyle, with 24% saying they would most like to have their idol's figure and wardrobe, compared with just 11% who would want their job and 4% who would want their fame.

Virgin Money said fashion and gossip magazines were the celebrity spenders' bibles, with 92% of women saying they trawled their pages for the latest looks.

But two-thirds admitted they would often hide their purchases from their partners and lie to family and friends about how much they had spent.

Jason Wyer-Smith, of Virgin Money, said: "It seems that women today now feel pressured into spending more and more money in a bid to match the glamorous images they're constantly exposed to in the media.

"But unfortunately we don't all earn a Hollywood pay-packet, so, while it's nice to treat ourselves, we should remember to live, and look good, within our means."

The research also found that the trend was beginning to spread to men, with 23% of men saying they envied David Beckham's image, while 22% said they would like to have a celebrity's physique, compared with 10% who would want their ability to attract women.

Women in the West Midlands were the biggest celebrity spenders, putting an average of 1,840 on their credit cards as they tried to copy celebrities' style, followed by those in Scotland at 733.33.

However, women in the North East were the least concerned about keeping up with the latest trends, spending only 328.57 on their credit cards during the past year.

QRS questioned 500 women and 500 men during August.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/standard/article.html?in_article_id=318227&in_page_id=1685

The Mail's article (which my wife takes, not me, let me hastily add) is in a section called Self Image and headed Copycat Chic. It commences by saying that:"We live in an age obsessed by celebrity, in which stars can make a dress or a pair of jeans a best-seller simply by being seen wearing them." They went shopping at ASOS to see how much they could save: spent 220 on seven (attractive to me!) outfits and saved more than 2000!

Went to bed last night feeling pretty sore at leaving so much on the table by selling ASOS shares. Felt even more sore after losing at the 19th in the quarter final of the senior pairs knock-out after my partner had missed a 3 ft putt for the match on the 18th - I had had five putts which hit the hole and stayed out! Felt far better after topping up my ASOS holding with 17,500 shares at av. 65.8p. Felt very guilty (shame! shame!) for cleaning out 5 of our portfolio shares in the process. But these birds in their chic dresses are irresistible, aren't they. Blame johngtudor for asserting that he was increasing the 40% share in ASOS for his portfolio. All I can say is: Don't do what I say, do what I do! Oh yes, and: Never trust a man when his eye is on a chic woman!

Eric

Eric

Certainly shame on you, well, you can never be accused of becoming emotionally attached to a share........................except ASC!! LOL. I hope you didn't clear out SEY or CFP!! Lots more to come from these two.

SEY going great guns on Mauritania drilling programme, although no definitive results yet, but news of deal about to be signed in W Africa good be 'Huge' according to press comment.

CFP showing signs of weakness, although a large proportion of reported sells are actually buys, need some good news to kick start it again in the short term, but as we all know, this is a long term investment.

Shame about the golf, is your partner wearing your driver by any chance? Played myself on Saturday, in a howling gale, only managed to lose one ball, which I considered to be a bit of a result in itself.

Regards

PTH

Feeling better this morning. Celebrated by buying another 7300 ASC at 73.19p. Come on folk, join the party! If you're overweight you may not be able to wear them but you can enjoy the upward curves!

PTH: Holding the oils plus CFP. Exciting things happening with SEY, PET and PCI so I will stay in for the short-term ride. Don't mind the odd medium termer such as CFP and AZM, although I reduced the latter to 10% of portfolio to make room for some more ASC.

Good debate opened by Kivver yesterday. Re the DOW, general view seems to be that the election of John Kerry would not be good news for equities, better for bonds. The FTSE 100, and the other indices to a certain extent, would be almost bound to follow. There's a bit of a vicious circle in a falling market because the liquidity ratios of pension funds means,as I understand it, that they sell if the market falls. I suspect quite a bit of new money in the stock market has come either from releasing funds from homes or other funds based on the pleasant feeling of the value of the home. But my other main point is that every market is really a stock-pickers market. That brings us back to AIM. That brings us back to ASC. Hooray! Knew every argument would end with - BUY ASC!

Oh! That's good - made a nice little profit on those ASC I bought 20 minutes ago!

Eric

Eric, well done on your timing on ASC, I am looking to buy more if we close above 72p mid.

Does that mean you have sold your CCN ? Tut Tut !!

capa

Apologies, CAPA, but it was the only one I made a profit on. Just became convinced that we wouldn't be seeing these prices for ASC for long. I tend to run a competition with my holdings - if the urge is there to increase one holding, something has to go 'on the weakest link' principle - irrespective of whether there is a gain or loss. Good sense to but more ASC, but don't wait for 72p!

Eric

No worries Eric. Seems like CCN a victim of its own success :-)

Glad you made money on it.

capa

Know this is a ASC bb, but does anybody have any pearls of wisdom regarding ITIP??? Can't find out much info on it. SP flew last friday on no news and the spread is 99.6%.............

dawsinho

ITIP seems to stand for Inv. Trust of Inv. Trusts Pfd Inc. shares. My copy of Money Management is a year old now because I tend to shun these things. They are shown as 33.5% of their value over 2 years. So one suggestion is that someone has realised how large the discount is available. You probably would get better insights by asking your question on a new thread.

Eric

Looks like break out. Money at the ready.

capa

Just need it to hold above 70p and finish at a new high.

capa

capa

Really think it would be a good idea to log in early tomorrow and buy below 70p. I've got two main arguments and I think the chartists will back these up.

First is just a look at the trades today. I like looking at the raw numbers just to see if I can decipher what is happening (moneyAM in trade sequence is good source). Market opens with a spread of 65-67.5 but the first two trades are quite well within that, a sell at 65.5 and a buy at 67.125. Third is my buy at 67.19; funny that, 8.42 and only three transactions. Has everyone had a lie-in? By 9.07, buying has set in and the spread has moved to 67.0-70.0 (buy volume of 58K, not all that great). Predominance of selling sees little movement in price until the spread is 67.0-69.0 at 14.57 (buys 111K, sells 169K). Spread is suddenly moved to 68.0-71.0 at 15.17 - I suspect that there are couple of delayed postings of 50,000 shares which would explain that (comments, anyone?). Can't see any other explanation why spread should be 70.0-72.0 at 15.33 with sells exceeding buys by 2:1 (possibly several buys shown as sells). Price slips a little to 68.0- 70.0 by close with a decent balance between buyers and sellers. Volume for day is pretty typical at 710K or about 500K. My main point is that MMs are having to move price up to attract sellers against a pretty steady flow of buying. The news flow has been pretty steady and there is upward pressure on the price.

That's without looking at the charts. Its great to have PTH's charts continuously updated at post 400. I like the EMA50 chart because it smooths out the peaks and troughs. Value has moved from 13 in mid-April to 60 6-months later with a pretty steady rise. Ok, an acceleration in the middle. Logically, I think it is reasonable to assume that this wave form will repeat through Xmas with a great deal of positive news flow and comment. Even if you take a straight line over the six months and project it forward 3 months you get an EMA50 of 85p in January, implying a price of over 100p. I think this is the low figure.

Thus my encouragement to buy early at under 70p if possible. The trend is well established. The break-out from the sideways trading in the 50p's occurred a couple of weeks ago and there doesn't appear a reason for the price to stop where it is for any length of time. I have been buying on relative weakness and, I suppose, from the conviction that I had taken too much profit, leaving money on the table. I remain an accumulator for the near-term.

I hope this is helpful. Any further input from the chartists? I can't see why all the world will not want a bit of the action over the next few weeks! The price could really go haywire and get ahead of itself, leaving me to, reluctantly, take a few more profits! Sad, sad - weeping all the way to the bank!

Eric

Eric,

Thanks for the reply, not that interested in the share itself, just why the spread was that big! Good advice with regards to ASC, if only i had some more funds.............

Eric,

Big day for ASC tomorrow; another opportunity to break out of the 68-69p resistance level. My prediction...it will break out...why?

1. Generally tomorrow should be a good all round day. DOW is up 100 pts or so, FTSE did OK today.
2. MACD is very positive and is showing greater divergance since the July rise.
3. RSI positive and in an uptrend.
4. We've just had a double top, which was recovered very quickly.
5. Negative is trading at the upper Bollinger Band, but on this occasion I believe the envelope will be pushed up.

So, all in all looking pretty good.

Could be wide of the mark of course and I accept my TA is simplistic, but for the first time I feel sure that ASC is about to go into another phase. I am guessing that by Nov 10, the SP will be in the region of 90p. All IMHO of course and quite happy to be shot down in flames, (as I may well be when it all goes pear shaped!!). Money where my mouth is though, I'm going to buy some tomorrow.

Regards

PTH

Think I will as well. Though something will have to go to raise funds and not sure what!

PTH: Super to get the graphs brought foward with your analysis. Don't the Bollinger Bands have to move ahead if the price is moving ahead? The spread is widening - I'm not sure whether one follows the other or they actually are just moving in concert. The main thing is that the argument for early progress is both qualitative and quantitative. Don't leave it long in the morning, though! I'll be on the golf course, hoping for a pleasant surprise on my return.

sandrew: That's always the tricky one. You probably like them all, otherwise you wouldn't be holding them. PET is probably the jewel in the crown - it certainly appears possible that there could be an announcement tomorrow which could send the price spiralling (upwards!). All ASCs should be in PET and vice versa! My own view is that the sell decision is not necessarily based on the amount of the profit or loss but how it fits your objectives. ASC, like PET, may not provide dividends for a while although I seem to remember that they said it would be considered and they may not need to plough that much into expansion; they will certainly be generating lots of cash this season. The primary thing that will drive the price will be PE projections. I have been reducing holdings where I can't see a major price movement in the next six months. AZM is a case in point where I think a major licensing deal may be 6 months away and then they will join the doubling brigade. I have reduced my holding from a 20% weighting to 10% which means I don't lose out if it comes earlier. I should then be able to build back up from ASC (or PET(!) thanks to you) profits.
Hope that helps the thought processes.

Eric

Eric
Thanks for your comments. I'm afraid I'm with the Buffet ideology on dividends..I'd rather the company reinvested that money so I can have even larger profits!! Well the portfolio is getting smaller by the day...ARX,ITH and TAD(all small holdings and longshots) bit the dust,at least for now, to top up SEY...sounds like something may be brewing with this one. After much consideration,and using the analogy you've described above only working to a smaller time frame, PDX and possibly BNH (psst. don't tell legend) are up for pruning in the morning. Please don't thank me for PET yet...if those rumours aren't true you'll be cursing me!! Enjoy your golf....I think I'll be rivetted to the spot awaiting an announcement...nibbling knuckles as nails long gone!!!

Eric

Took your advice and added first thing, not for under 70p though.

cheers

capa