Blogs

The other evening a very good golf player told me expensive new golf clubs will not make an average golf player score better, so as he put it: “these should not waste their money”. When I rented skis a couple of years ago in Zermatt and then was not soo happy, I was told I needed a much higher grade -which they do not offer to rent. I don’t play golf -but am a good skier. Similarly, most people don’t have any know-how in financial investments because this is rarely taught in schools…besides needs long first-hand experience. Deduce, most with capital to invest on their own will not likely benefit from perceptive and judicious expert advice. Similarly, those which do would do well to acquire and value it. But as reality would have it, this can’t be just “rented” on the cheap or for free.  Then again, as the founder Mr. Enzo Ferrari reportedly once said, “I know nothing about engines, for that I have my engineers” Do you?

November 21 2020:  Against much odds and confounding the bears, Thailand's SET redounded nicely while so surprising many.  My model portfolio published for members further increased its lead over the SET benchmark index. To me it was outright stupid to be negative on Bangkok Bank  (BBL 121) which dropped below 100 Baht, just a few weeks ago. Presently I am very bullish on STGT (72) where I just today published my latest core reasons why with high enthuse into 2021. Rubber/examination gloves is the new Gold and Thailand is a global leader.

October 26th. Thailand's stock market took a turn for the worse when student lead rebellion emerged with gusto over the past week or so. Changes, often for the better, require turmoil to get there. The turmoil is now a sagging market along with CV19 which does not seem globally tamed.  There are select stocks/companies which are still doing well here and will emerge as winners but at this juncture "the lower tide is sinking all boats". The Thai Baht is at last weakening some which should bode well for some exporters. However the economy remains far from stabilized with still much uncertainty abound.  There is some light at the end of the tunnel with vaccines and better cures coming on CV19, but most govt.s seem determined to reign in the grips and use this health catastrophe to reduce broad freedoms, some perhaps for good? Let's hope not. Some new normal will re-emerge at some point and stock markets...

The likely 3 biggest global investor risks/changes going forward are:  China's potential real estate bubble unwinding,  W. Europe's hazardous banking industry persisting and USA's vast new political changes emerging...with D. Trump being the wild card in between.  While I would agree it looks unlikely Trump will prevail in the end, he has more then anything or anybody, exposed the serious shortcomings/flaws/dysfunction of the Washington consensus and their nauseating status quo.  At the same time there is a real possibility that when US voters get behind the curtain on November 8th, more then many expect will vote for drastic changes which only Trump can bring.  For better or worse.   Either or any of these,  I'd rather be hiding out in profitable, growing and dividend paying underleveraged Thai value stocks.