Green!

At long last, my portfolio is green!

It definitely took quite a while, but I guess learning to have patience is important on this journey.

I've also managed to catch OCBC at 8.38 this week too.

So... what are my plans for the coming months?

In view that prices might be on the upward trend, I might focus on saving more money for this period and only investing on/off for now.

After all, for this period in time, I expect most of the growth in my portfolio to be largely from savings, and minimally from the dividends/growth.

Patience is key!

Manulife US REIT IPO

Was watching with interest as this new REIT counter launch this week.

This is the first IPO for SGX mainboard this year.

I was deciding whether to subscribe to it for quite a bit. Did a brief research on them and did not find anything too unsettling.

However, I decided not to go in in the end due to the following considerations:

1. If I am planning to subscribe to this REIT, the intention would be to hold this for a long time, say few years at the minimum.
2. This would expose me to forex risk, which isn't too bad as the SGD is likely to depreciate against the USD in the near future with our new monetary policy.
3. However, looking at the risk of US election coming this November, there is a very real risk of a market shock should one of the contenders become the POTUS. 
4. I am not familiar enough with the US market to mitigate against this risk.

Hence, I decided to sit it out and focus on looking through local investment opportunities for the moment.

There is still so much to learn!

Being positive

I cannot say it is without a tinge of sadness that I see the STI is going down and down. This is especially so after you are vested.

Worse, the temptation to trade gnaws in the background, thinking that one can easily buy at current lows and sell. All this without doing proper homework.

I must consistently remind myself that I should not be treating this as a playground, and do the hard work of studying and understanding what I am investing in, and put money wisely into places which I believe in.

It is easy to lapse into thinking that I can outsmart the market.

That being said, it is Friday!

There's been some talk here that some have noticed more younger people are taking up investing, and have their theories on the phenomenon.

It may very well be true that the younger generation (getting hard to think of myself as young at this age though!) desire instant gratification.

Am I seeking a way out of traditional employment?

Being really honest with myself, there is no doubt that I have serious reservations about my current profession. As my friends and colleagues relate their experiences to me, it is easy to notice a strong undercurrent of dissatisfaction in many of these conversations.

Or perhaps, it is just another manifestation of the Singaporean penchant for complaining!

Unfortunately, it is difficult to share these reservations with most people outside the profession. Most would simply brush it off as "You've had it made already!" without seeking to understand more.

Nonetheless, I do see many positives in my current job. In fact, I can say that I generally like where I am like now.

Which is why I will probably stay where I am for now.

But I am under no illusion that investing will be a quick get-rich scheme. Thankfully.

In fact, thus far, I've only enjoyed paper loss. Have yet to see green in my portfolio.

But I understand the importance of investing. I understand that that will come with risk.

And I am prepared to size that risk, and take it.

And I look forward to the day, perhaps 3 decades from now, when I can look back at myself today and say "I am glad I began this journey".

And I am glad my wife agrees with me.

The thoughts of a new investor

So... I've taken the first steps and invested for the first time, and bought the STI ETF at the beginning of the month.

I decided not to do any DCA for the initial investment as I knew if I delayed or took my time putting in the money, I would naturally try to time the market and will never commit myself.

So I took the plunge...

And naturally, the market immediately turned against me.

Watching the STI drop recently reveals that I am not as detached from my emotions as I initially thought. It was with some dismay that I watch the lines drop lower and lower.

Therefore, I must remind myself that having the right psychology is most important.

1. I am not a trader.
2. I am in for the long haul.
3. I am not as detached from my emotions as I think I am, hence, I must keep myself in check.

There is the reassurance of having a small amount of cash still on hand, to be put in when appropriate.

Meanwhile, I'll be reading up on some investing books to understand myself and the market better.

Anyway, my portfolio can be seen at SGXcafe, for those that are interested. Of course, it is very simple for now.