- Buffet suggests focusing on five to ten stocks.
- Why Munger and Buffet are not in high-tech investments : "...we'd rather deal with what we understand. Why should we play a competitive game in a field where we have no advantage -- maybe a disadvantage -- instead of playing in a field where we have a clear advantage."
- "Each of you will have to figure out where your talents lie," counsels Munger, "and you will have to use your advantages. But if you try to succeed in what you're worst at, you're going to have a very lousy career. I can almost guarantee it."
- "Learning is simply a matter of observing what is going on around you." Buffet
- The Kelly Optimization Model.
- There is a formula: 2p -1 = x (where p is the probability of winning expressed in fractional percentage, and x = percentage of your bankroll to bet).
- To receive the benefit of the Kelly model, you must first be willing to think about buying stocks in terms of probabilities.
- You must be willing to play the game long enough to achieve its rewards.
- You must avoid using leverage, with its unfortunate consequences.
- You should demand a margin of safety with each bet you make.
- Benjamin Graham's approach to stock investing:
- Look at stocks as a business.
- Have a margin-of-safety.
- Have a true investor's attitude toward the stock market.
- Do not be stampeded by other people's misjudgment.
- When it comes to money and investing, people frequently make errors in judgment.
- In investing, ... we need to understand basic accounting and finance...statistics and probabilities. But once of the most important fields to learn from is psychology.
- People put too much emphasis on a few chance events, thinking they they spot a trend.
- Behaviorists have learnt that people tend to overreact to bad news and react slowly to good news.
- Thaler's notion of investor myopia -- shortsightedness lead to foolish decisions, and is driven by our innate desire to avoid loss.
- Risk-taking propensity is connected to two demographic factors -- age and gender.
- Successful focus investors need a certain kind of temperament. The road is always bumpy, and knowing which is the right path to take is often counter-intuitive.
Great book.
Hi Richard, nice posting. Used to read a lot about him. He's good!
ReplyDeleteI fool around too on equities, but more with mining, mineral and precious stones, i.e. diamonds....mostly Canadian diamonds.
My yardstick is anything above what a bank's interest is, I add 10% then show my skid marks.
The only time I got bbq'ed, then roasted was that Sept 11th New York incident...so engrossed watching TV totally forgot to 'SELL"!
Almost had to walk the streets, ha ha.
Have a nice day, Lee.
Hi, Lee. Thanks for stopping by. I heard from Andrea Whatever as well that you trade the markets.
ReplyDeleteDon't we all have stories to tell about the "one we let get away". I have scars to show from the many times I lost money to the markets, precisely for not following Hagstrom's advice.
Hi Richard, I have been burnt many times too....but one thing I don't do is use money I need to buy rice so to speak.
ReplyDeleteOnly loose change....same like my playing poker with friends.
Max $1.00. Don't want anyone to get hurt or wives to come after us.
This way, nobody gets hurt....win or loose maybe $30 to $50,that all.
But more to have fun, catch up on latest gossip, have laughs, whatever, and help friends keep Jack Daniels, Chivas Regal or Remy Martin in business.
I play very often those 'penny stocks', buy at 20 cents, sell when 30 cents.
Here's there's a lot of mineral, diamond whatever....but presently out of the market...
I'm out of the market now...waters too rough, ha ha.
Have a pleasant weekend, Lee.
stocks...
ReplyDeletei wish the chicken or anchovies stock counts too. those I have lots in my larder.... easily dissolved to make quickie soup for my lil ones...