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Computer and Technology |
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"Online Investment Tools and Services” Presentation by Ben Smith Ben Smith (Branch 116), is Chairman of the SIR Area 2 “$ums in Retirement Investment Group”, which meets monthly to discuss different investment strategies and opportunities. Ben said that he would relate his personal experience in on-line stock and bond trading. He does not claim to be a computer expert or an investor guru, but says that he has been an active investor for some 30 years and has dealt with many of the twists and turns in the investment world. He takes a pretty conservative approach to investing and believes that "NO ONE will ever look after your money as well as you do." Ben believes using the tools available on-line gives the small investor much better control of his investment dollars than ever before. He went on to provide some investing background and then to review some of the various on-line services that are available and how they compare to each other. He reviewed in some detail the services that are offered by "AOL," "Fidelity Investments" and "Charles Schwab," as he uses these three services regularly and finds that they are simple to use, cost effective, and very comprehensive in the information and services they offer. Ben showed a curve of the typical 4 to 5 year business cycle. We need to know where we are in the cycle and be governed by reason and logic rather than habit and emotion. We must plan and be ready to act at the appropriate time. There are many tools and resources available to aid our decision-making. He mentioned Value Line, Morning Star and Fidelity Reports. There are three decisions that we must make: Buy, Hold and Sell. We look for opportunities to Buy. He mentioned eight conditions when we should Hold. The Sell decision can be difficult to make. He gave a number of reasons including: “Would you buy that stock today.” He uses AOL as a resource to evaluate his investments. He maintains multiple portfolios to track and analyze stocks and bonds. AOL provides detail quotes, performance, recommendations, earnings forecasts, P/E ratios, and price targets: just a wealth of information as well as updating all portfolios regularly. He uses a money manager also, entering the actions taken by the manager in an AOL portfolio to track and mirror the account. He showed slides of detail steps you go through to use the features of both a Schwab and a Fidelity account. He uses both and also mirrors them in an AOL portfolio for control purposes. Understanding what is available on-line in today's Investment world will go a long way toward making all of us more effective and knowledgeable investors along with helping our SIR members improve their incomes and protect their ‘Retirement Nest Egg’. Editor's Note: Ben Smith chairs the SIR Area 2 investment group "$ums in Retirement" which meets the 4th Wednesday of each month at the Mount Diablo Golf Course, Legends Grill Room located at the northern intersection of Hwy.#4 and Port Chicago highway, Concord. They meet for breakfast at any time after 7am and the meeting starts at 8am. All SIR members and their guests are welcome and no reservations are required, you can order off the menu. If you have any questions or need additional information, contact SIR Ben Smith (Br.#116) at 925-820-5403 or e-mail bjsssmith@aol.com |