Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Wongamania - What I've Learned From This Fun and Enriching Board Game?

Wongamania card game
Thanks to Alvin (Big Fat Purse) for inviting me to play the educational card game, Wongamania with a few of the peer bloggers (T of 15HHW, Christopher of Growing Your Tree Of Prosperity, B of A Path To Forever Financial Freedom and Royston aka MusicWhiz) at his office. It was a fun 2 plus hours with lots of laughter, interaction and "sabotaging" each others. 

Wongamania is a new home grown educational (financial) board game (developed by Capital Gains). Before playing the game, the first thing that came naturally to my mind is : is this another variation of Cash Flow board game (from Robert Kiyosaki aka the Rich Dad And Poor Dad creator)? But there is no way for me to make any comparison as I didn't play the latter before. I casually asked the game developer and his answer is NO and I believe him ;-)

After playing 2 rounds of the game within 2 plus hours, I liken Wongamania as Monopony-Without-The-Dice (Financial Market Edition)! It is suitable for those who want to learn more about the financial market (e.g. stocks, bonds, properties etc..), the fun way.

Besides getting to know the peer bloggers better, which is priceless, following are some highlights of what I have learned (or relearned) from the game:

1.  Winner of the game is defined as the first player whom obtained 3 "trust fund" cards AND without any outstanding debts. From both of the games that we played, the winners won the games through mixtures of stocks/bonds/properties investment at various stage of the game. Hence, if we equate the winner as achieving financial freedom, investing in mixture of instruments is important for the success.
Wongamania board game

2. There is always Ups and Downs in whatever we are investing in. The fun part of the game is that player can "sabotage" the other player(s) with their opportunity card(s), which create the true element of the volatility/risks that investors are facing. Can we avoid them? The short answer is NO, but we can definitely look into ways to mitigate the risk(s).

3. Regardless of how good are you with your game (or investment), LUCK still has a part to play! We can't be right 100% of the time, but as long as we keep investing, we are still IN the game ;-)
Wongamania board game

For those who like to improve your financial literacy, the fun way (and the best part is : with friends), maybe Wongamania is what you are looking for. Click here to find out more about the board game.

Cheers!

P/S: This is NOT a sponsored post!

Market News In 2 Minutes @ 31st December 2014

As stock investors (even though a small one), it is important to keep abreast with the latest financial and market news. Since I am in it, I thought it might be worthwhile to share it out with my readers too.

Hence, I started this "Market News In 2 Minutes" series.

Following are the "Market News In 2 Minutes" for today :

1. Lian Beng Group (L03) - Has announced a disposal of indirectly owned Epic Land (19-2), to an unrelated third party for a consideration of $16.7 million. Upon completion of the disposal, Epic Land (19-2) will no longer be an associate company of its parent company Epic Land, as well as Lian Beng Group, which holds a 32 percent stake in the latter. (source : Shares Investment)

2. United Engineers (U04) - Has signed a conditional sales agreement with Asia Facility Solutions to dispose its 51 percent stake in UE Managed Solutions and 100 percent stake in UE Service Corp (Taiwan). UE Managed Solutions is an investment holding company having four wholly owned subsidiaries, while UE Service Corp (Taiwan) provides facilities management services. The total consideration of the sale was derived at $12.7 million, after taking into account net asset value and prospect of the two businesses. (source : Shares Investment)

3. Lorenzo International (5IE) - Is in talks to set up a joint venture initially worth $124 million as part of its proposed acquisition of a company specialising in genetics. (source : The Edge Singapore)

4. ASTI Holdings (575) - Is selling its entire 24.2% stake in Singapore-incorporated APSI, for $8.9 million. (source : The Edge Singapore)

5. Compact Metal (T4E) - Will raise $8 million through a share placement to fund its new cement business. It will place out 160 million new shares at 5 cents each to SL Capital Ventures. (source : The Edge Singapore)

Cheers!

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Market News In 2 Minutes @ 30th December 2014

As stock investors (even though a small one), it is important to keep abreast with the latest financial and market news. Since I am in it, I thought it might be worthwhile to share it out with my readers too.

Hence, I started this "Market News In 2 Minutes" series.

Following are the "Market News In 2 Minutes" for today :

1. Keppel Corporation (BN4) - Its unit, Keppel Offshore & Marine has secured a more than US$100 million contract to build one of the world’s largest land drilling rigs for a major operator. The drilling rig is scheduled for delivery in mid-2016. (source : Shares Investment)

2. Nam Cheong (N4E) - Has secured a sales contract of two vessels worth US$45 million, selling an anchor handling towing supply vessel to Netherlands-based Vroon BV, and a platform supply vessel to EA Temile Development Company of Nigeria. Both are repeated customers. With the above contracts, Nam Cheong’s order book stands at RM1.7 billion. (source : Shares Investment)

3. Otto Marine (G4F) - Has sold an anchor handling tug supply vessel to a renowned unrelated third party for US$100 million. The vessel is still under construction in Batam, Indonesia, and is expected to be completed in 2Q15. Upon completion of the vessel, Otto Marine’s subsidiary GO Offshore (L) will charter it for eight years. As at 30 September 2014, the company’s net order book stood at approximately US$500 million. (source : Shares Investment)

4. OUE (LJ3) - Has entered into a conditional agreement with Gemdale Properties and Investment Corporation to subscribe for HK$1.5 billion ($256.4 million) worth of shares, representing approximately 23 percent of its enlarged issued share capital. The acquisition target will allow OUE access into China’s real estate, and provide OUE the opportunity to leverage on future potential collaborations and partnerships. (source : Shares Investment)

5. Sheng Siong Group (OV8) - Has executed a US$10 million joint venture effort with Kunming LuChen Group Co to operate supermarkets in China. Sheng Siong will contribute to 60 percent of the venture’s equity, followed by 30 percent from LuChen Group and 10 percent by Tan Ling San, Sheng Siong’s executive director. The conditional agreement is still subject to the Chinese authority’s approval. (source : Shares Investment)

6. Ryobi Kiso (J8O) - Said its wholly-owned subsidiary, PT Mulia Indah Perkasa (MIP) has entered into an agreement with PT Eka Karya Konstruksi (EKKONN) to jointly develop a property in Bekasi, greater Jakarta, Indonesia (source : The Edge Singapore)

7. Digiland (G77) - Said it has entered into an agreement to sell up to 7.3 billion new shares at 0.1 cent each to Goodwood Associates Pte Ltd. (source : The Edge Singapore)

Cheers!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Never Read Too Much Into 2015 Prediction and always DYODD

2015 predictionsAt this moment of the year, when you are flipping through the news online or offline, I am sure you will chance upon a couple of yearly recap of 2014 (you can even do your own personal recap via Social Media like Facebook, but that's besides the point) and the forecast/prediction of 2015, from pros, or semi-pros or just anyone else.

Top 10 Stocks to invest in 2015! 2015 Market Forecast etc...etc...

Of course, it is not that they are all bad, some did come out with very convincing facts/estimates. Having said that, they key here is that NO ONE can predict the future, and I really meant it, to reiterate here : NO ONE!

So, we should all read such prediction/forecast with a pinch of salt and DYODD (Do Your Own Due Diligence). As I read many personal finance bloggers keep emphasizing this term and hence thinking of repeating here once more : No one care about your money more than yourself! So, always remember to DYODD before you plunge into it.

In any case, let's face it, we cannot be right ALL the time in investing, we should treat investing as an on-going journey and not one-off win/loss.

Cheers!

P/S : This post is meant to serve as a reminder to myself too! ;-)

Market News In 2 Minutes @ 29th December 2014

As stock investors (even though a small one), it is important to keep abreast with the latest financial and market news. Since I am in it, I thought it might be worthwhile to share it out with my readers too.

Hence, I started this "Market News In 2 Minutes" series.

Following are the "Market News In 2 Minutes" for today :

1. The Straits Trading Company (S20) - Has entered into a share transfer agreement to dispose all shares of its indirect subsidiary Shanghai Straits Trading Co, to Baijia International Group (Hong Kong) for a consideration of Rmb19.3 million. After the disposal, Shanghai Straits Trading Co will cease to be a subsidiary of the company. (source : Shares Investment)

2. Wee Hur Holdings (E3B) - Has acquired a 16,946 square metres plot of land located in Woolloongabba, Brisbane, from a third party for a consideration of AUD51.3 million ($55.2 million). The acquisition is in line with the company’s strategy to venture into overseas property development, and the company will in due time acquire an additional 2,194 square metres of land for AUD5.2 million ($5.6 million), a necessary acquisition as it forms part of the intended development. (source : Shares Investment)

3. Isetan (I15) - Has said that "it shall likely" stop its retail operations at its Wisma Atria outlet from 2H2015 onwards. What isetan plans to do is lease out the space to other retailers and F&B business operators. (source : The Edge Singapore)

4. Stamford Land (H07) - Its subsidiary SLC Campsie has agreed to sell freehold property in new South Wales to an Australian real estate fund for A$51 million ($54 million). (source : The Edge Singapore)

5. REITS : Parkway Life (C2PU) - has solf 7 nursing homes in Japan for 7.95 billion Yen ($88.3 million) to Fortress Japan Investment Holding LLC, a leading global investment firm. The manager said the maiden divestment is in line with their recycling strategy to rebalance and strengthen the overall quality and growth potential of its Japanese portfolio. (source : The Edge Singapore)

6.  TEE Land (S9B) - Via its subsidiary, TEE Hospitality, has bought another hotel (Diamant Hotel) in Sydney for A$23.2 million ($24.89 million). The deal was made via a joint venture company, Potts Point Hospitality Pty Ltd, in which TEE Land holds a 55% stake. (source : The Edge Singapore)

7. IPC Corp (I12) - has sold two of its hotels in Japan for a total of $29.6 million to Ichigo Group Holdings, a manager of a Tokyo-listed REIT. (source : The Edge Singapore)

Cheers!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Two Inspiring Videos On The Best Way To Spend The Money

Feeling sadden by the news this morning about the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 (from Indonesia to Singapore)! At the time of my writing, there is still no further update yet but still do hope for a miracle. All prayers/hearts go to the families and friends for those on board. 

Tonight, I am going to share two short video clip about the best possible way to spend the money (in two different scenarios but equally inspiring). Since money is definitely one of the key objective for us to get involved in the investment, but that's not all. How we spend it does make a difference too. Don't you think so?

Of course, I am not saying that we all should do the same as per what the two lads did in the video but they are still good and inspiring acts worth pondering.

Now, enjoy the short videos below.  

A : A lad pay off his parents' mortgage as Christmas gift :


B : How does a homeless spend $100 given by a stranger?


I especially touched by the first act. What about you?

Cheers!

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Investing Lesson From "The Interview" Saga

The interview
If you have not already know, for the past week or so, Sony's flick, The Interview (by Seth Rogen and James Franco),  which was slated to be premiered on Christmas Day has met with an unprecedented cyber attack (rumored to be from North Korea) which causes the management at Sony to cancel their gala premiere in US.

You see, the movie, The Interview is a comedy about an assassination mission on all people, the dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un. So, it is no wonder that there is a linkage of the cyber attack (on Sony's computer system) and threats with North Korea. 

Of course, USA is strong proponent of freedom of speech and with the backing of the nation (including their president, Barack Obama), Sony decided to release the movie in theaters after all (but in a smaller scale). The latest update is that the movie was a hit for the movie goers (many of them watch it because of saga) and has since crossed a $1 million mark on the Christmas Day launch. In fact, I personally think that if not because of the saga, the movie might not be as popular or supported by fans.

So, what investing lesson we can learn from this saga? Many of us read daily market news and at times, seemingly bad news (about a company or industry) might turn out to be a saving grace! Example on hand : the sudden steep drop of oil price recently might deemed as a concern to the overall market sentiment, however, it might actually benefit certain industry like those involved in transportation.

This is just another "Thinking Out Loud" kind of post from me amidst the cold Saturday night.

Cheers!

In case you are interested to check out how "silly" is The Interview, check out the trailer below :

Friday, December 26, 2014

Lippo Mall Indonesia Retail Trust - My CNAV Analysis

I am still looking for my first REITS counter for my portfolio, mainly for dividend investing. Among the different types of REITS, I am more keen on the Retail REITS. Reason? Just personal preference as retail (shopping) is more visible and predictable, as compared to other REITS.  

As per my earlier S-REITS compilation (click here to see the details), there are only 8 Retail S-REITS to choose from (see list below). Since my main focus is for dividend investing, hence Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust (LMIR Trust) [D5IU] is naturally the first choice for me to the CNAV Analysis.
Retail S-REITS
So here we go...

Stock In Evaluation : Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust (LMIR Trust) [D5IU]

The Key Quantitative Indicators of CNAV Strategy (basing on 2013 Annual Report figures):

Net Asset Value (NAV) = $0.410
Conservative Net Asset Value (CNAV2) = $0.404
Current Price = $0.34
Discount For CNAV2 = 16%

Conclusion : Since it is a POSITIVE "Discount for CNAV2", it means that the stock is traded at a discount (from CNAV perspective). 
The P.O.F Scores of CNAV Strategy:
Profitability Score = 1 (With the PE ratio of 10.7)

Operational Efficiency = 1 (positive cash flows)

Financial Efficiency = 1 (Debt To Equity Ratio of 80%, bearing in mind that this is a REIT, higher Debt To Equity is expected)

Conclusion : A perfect P.O.F Scoring.

Additional Notes : One important element about investing in REITS with properties in foreign land is the forex risk. The current development currency exchange between Indonesia Rupiah and Singapore Dollars is not to be benefit of the investors. Having said that, we can always rely on a reliable management to hedge the currency risks
 
Final Conclusion : From CNAV Strategy perspective, this is definitely one of the stock fitting the bills. I am a bit kiasu and looking for more buffer/discount, am queuing for $0.33 ;-)

Cheers!
 

Market News In 2 Minutes @ 26th December 2014

As stock investors (even though a small one), it is important to keep abreast with the latest financial and market news. Since I am in it, I thought it might be worthwhile to share it out with my readers too.

Hence, I started this "Market News In 2 Minutes" series.

Following are the "Market News In 2 Minutes" for today :

1. Asiasons Capital (5ET) - Has signed a sales and purchase agreement to dispose of Asiasons WFG Capital at a consideration of $0.5 million. The disposal will allow the company to focus on its investment business and streamline its operations. (source : Shares Investment)

2. Atlantic Navigation Holdings (5UL) - Announced the setup of a new joint venture, Atlantic Venture Inc, with an unrelated party. The joint venture has acquired a new vessel, allowing Atlantic Navigation Holdings (Singapore) to manage the new vessel for 3 years with possible renewals. Also, the company secured two contract renewals which will see a one-year extension to its charter of two vessels supporting works in Abu Dhabi and Africa, bringing the potential contract value to approximately US$33 million. (source : Shares Investment)

3. AusGroup (5GJ) - Its subsidiary MAS Australasia has been awarded an AUD68.5 million scaffolding contract extension with CB&I Kentz Joint Venture. MAS will continue to provide scaffolding services, including management personnel, scaffold design and engineering and coordination assistance through the supply of labour services. With the award of this contract, AusGroup’s order book now stands at AUD486 million. (source : Shares Investment)

4. SIIC Environment Holdings (5GB) - Has entered into a supplementary concessionary agreement, in relations to the expansion and upgrading of Hanxi waste water treatment plant, for a period of 20 years. The total investment cost for the project is estimated at Rmb722 million, and will be fully funded in cash and financed internally and bank borrowings. (source : Shares Investment)

Cheers!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas Is Ending, New Year Is Coming, Let's Plot Our Journey Now!

At the time of my writing, Christmas 2014 is coming to an end and what's next is the upcoming New Year celebration. After which, it will be a brand new year of 2015 ready for all of us to plan and plot our journey. 

Next year marks the second year of my investing journey (see here for my first year recap) and I planned to get more active in building up my portfolio (this year is trial period, this year will be for real).. 

As I keep emphasizing in my earlier posts or comments, money (which is the main objective for us investing in stocks or any other investment vehicles) should not be the ONLY thing we should focus on. Trust me, there are other more important element in life that we need to pay equal attention i.e. our health, relationship with our love ones, including family and friends as well as our inner well being. I am a true believer that happiness comes from within i.e. money cannot buy us happiness, it can only buy us enjoyment (which is usually temporary). 

So, for the year 2015 and beyond, besides the investing journey (to at least double my portfolio size by mid-year. As my portfolio size is rather small, this is not that hard to achieve), I will be putting equal emphasis on the following regime :

1. Health:
a. Continue my weekly soccer games and occasional ping pong sessions
b. Cut down on fast food to maximum once a month

2. Bonding With Families/Friends: 
a. Made an attempt to consciously cut down the use of gadget (iPhone/iPad) when gathering with families/friends (I think many of us are guilty of this in this gadget-addicting world)
b. Will initiate the gathering with friends more often (instead of being the reactive one). With this, I hope to meet up with more liked-minded peer bloggers too.

3. Charitable Causes:
a. Will continue to participate in the charitable causes like Hair For Hope, Blood Donation Drive etc..

4. Inner Well being :
a. Continue to maintain my positive energy/vibes and hope to influence as many peers as possible to always look thing from the positive angle.
b. Continue to read interesting self-enrichment books. 

These are just some high level plot of my upcoming journey and looking forward to the exciting new years ahead of us!

Cheers!

If you are looking for quality, low-maintenance Christmas lights in Calgary contact Heilight for LED strip lighting solutions. We provide free estimates and install on residential and commercial properties.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

We Are In Deflation In November, Is It Good For Us?

Merry Christmas and happy New Year To All!!
 
As per the news this morning, Singapore's CPI (Consumer Price Index) - All items in November 2014 dipped to -0.3% from 0.1% in October 2014. This marks the first deflation for the republic in 5 years.
 
This morning, shared the news with my wife and we had a brief debate about whether deflation is good for us (general consumer) or not? My view is that it is good for us since we can prolong the inflation rate and preserve the value of our money longer. My wife view otherwise as she think that if the economy if not moving forward in a prolonged manner, ultimately the consumers might suffers (e.g. in the form of lower or no salary increment etc...). Maybe I am having a short term view and my wife is having a long term view.
 
Of course, there is no right or wrong answer, ultimately it is depending on our perspective. For me, I am happy that we are in deflation instead of inflation mode...for now!
 
Cheers!
 
P/S : If you want to know the difference between Deflation and Disflation (yes, there is slight difference), check out my earlier post here.
 
 

Market News In 2 Minutes @ 24th December 2014

As stock investors (even though a small one), it is important to keep abreast with the latest financial and market news. Since I am in it, I thought it might be worthwhile to share it out with my readers too.

Hence, I started this "Market News In 2 Minutes" series.

Following are the "Market News In 2 Minutes" for today :

1. AEI Corporation (A18) - Has entered into a placement agreement with Well Global Investments (Singapore), who has agreed to subscribe to 20 million new shares of AEI Corporation at $0.13 per share. The estimated net proceeds from the exercise will amount to approximately $2.6 million, which will be used to finance its investment opportunities or acquisitions of other businesses synergistic to its operations. (source : Shares Investment)

2. Koyo International (5OC) - Announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Koyo Engineering (S.E.Asia) has been awarded a $2.5 million contract to provide two years of maintenance for the mechanical and electrical systems at One Raffles Place. The contract commences on 1 January 2015, and is renewable for one year after the contract period. (source : Shares Investment)

3. Ramba Energy (R14) - Has agreed through a binding letter of offer with Risco Energy Investments Holding for Risco to acquire a 25 percent direct working interest in the Lemang oil and gas productions. Negotiations are ongoing, however if not completed by 31 January 2015, Ramba is entitled thereafter to approach another party for the proposed sale. (source : Shares Investment)

Cheers!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

After Thought From The Book I Bought From Popular Book Fest

How life works by andrew matthews
I like to read, especially the physical books. Usually, whenever I flipping through the newspaper, I will look out for warehouse book sales (like the MPH or Times books sales at Expo which were held a couple of times a year). Last week, I went to the Popular Book Fest at Suntec Convention Centre.

I only bought ONE book!

I guess one of the main reason is because I still have a huge collection of haven't-been-touched books nicely pile-up inside my bookshelf, waiting for their owner to pay them a visit soon. So, no point adding burden to the already mountainous pile of books ;-)

My after thought is not about the number of books I bought from the book fest, it is the type of book I've chosen. There are quite a number of investing/personal finance related books on sale (20 to 25%) but I've chosen a self-improvement book, "How Life Works", by Andrew Matthews. 

I think it speaks volume about me (or at least this is how I view myself)! I know, inside me, I am still putting more emphasis on personal development/self enrichment over wealth creation. Of course, you might say that they are not mutually exclusive i.e I can have both. Yes, you are right, that's the reason why I am looking into investment at the later stage of my life. 

Having said that, I need to constantly remind myself to strike balance between achieving wealth/money and happiness (the latter can be achieved even we are not wealthy). Ultimately, even though we can achieve financial freedom with millions (or even billions) but we are not happy (or just keep thinking about gaining more millions/billions), what is the point? 

Maybe I am thinking too much, but that's what flowing through my mind now and hence just like to share it out openly.

Cheers!

Market News In 2 Minutes @ 23rd December 2014

As stock investors (even though a small one), it is important to keep abreast with the latest financial and market news. Since I am in it, I thought it might be worthwhile to share it out with my readers too.

Hence, I started this "Market News In 2 Minutes" series.

Following are the "Market News In 2 Minutes" for today :

1. Hotel Properties (H15) - Signed a share transfer agreement to sell its 49 percent stake comprising of its loans to and 0.2 million shares in Pinedale Holdings, to General Mills Asia for $15 million. The sales of shares will increase Hotel Properties’ earnings per share to 35.8 cents, but will not affect net tangible assets. After the sales, Pinedale Holdings will cease to be an associate of Hotel Properties. (source : Shares Investment)

Cheers!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Exclusive For My Blog Readers : Penang Accommodation Special Packages

hotel penaga and syok hostel
As hinted in my earlier post (click here to view), courtesy of the local partner (Penang) of mig.me, I am pleased to share with my peer readers here about two special accommodation packages that they are offering exclusively to our readers (Thanks to Ms Patie Tan for making this possible). Once again, this is an exclusive offers and you will never find it elsewhere ;-)

If you are planning to pay a visit to one of the world heritage site and have not settled for your accommodation needs, you are coming to the right place. Also, with the current strong currency exchange rate (SGD to RM), it is an opportunity not to be missed. 

Either you are planning to travel on shoestring or don't mind paying a little bit extra to pamper yourselves, you have the best of both world. Now, check out the awesome packages below:  

1. Special Package For Syok Hostel :

Booking Period : From now till 15th Feb 2015 (Sun)
Stay Period : 1st March 2015 (Sun) to 30th June 2015 (Tue) 


Offer : 
A. 3 days 2 nights Stay (Dorm), with breakfast at RM 140 nett per person.
B. Complimentary 1 day (8 hours) bicycle rental


What you need to do to enjoy the package? Simply book your room via reservations.syok@staysyok.com by quoting the following promo code: MigupSyok-RN

Syok Hostel is suitable for those who are travelling on budget or backpackers. Check out my earlier post here for my personal experience in this artful hostel.  

2. Special Spa Package For Hotel Penaga :

Booking Period : From now till 15th Feb 2015 (Sun)
Stay Period : 1st March 2015 (Sun) to 30th June 2015 (Tue) 


Offer : 
A. Spa Package RM800+ for 2 nights stay for 2 persons (twin-sharing).
B. Complimentary items for guests - Breakfast for 2 
C. 1 hour body massage for 2 people.
D. 40% off selected drinks at Tang Lung Bar from 5-9pm


What you need to do to enjoy the package? Simply book your room via salesm@hotelpenaga.com by quoting the following promo code: MigupPenaga-RN

Hotel Penaga is a mid-range boutique heritage hotel located at the heart of Geargetown. Check out my earlier post here for my personal experience in this prestige hotel. 

Last but not least, I also want to take this opportunity to thank the following local partners in Malaysia that made our stay and activity there a breeze :


Cheers!

My First Birthday In Investing Year


Yesterday is my 43rd birthday (in human year) but it is also my FIRST birthday day in investing year. Ya, I know, I am probably 20 or 25 years late (in investing) but it is always better to be late than never ;-)
 
It is an enriching 2014 for me, not exactly in the monetary term (yet) but in term of accumulating my knowledge and experience. To the minimum, I did finally START somewhere. You can check out my earlier post here on how I did so far in my young investing journey.

My birthday wish (for my investing self)? I guess I will continue to learn more, to understand more and create a size-able portfolio (comprises of local and foreign markets in Stocks, REITS and ETFs) for another stream of passive income stream. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I will be more active in my investing journey from 2015 onwards.
 
How do I celebrate my birthday? I like to keep thing simple, so, just went for an IMAX 3D movie (The Hobbit - The Battle of The Five Armies) outing with wife. Oh, by now you should know that I am a movie buff! lol
 
Can you still recall your first anniversary of your investing year?
 
Cheers!

Market News In 2 Minutes @ 22th December 2014

As stock investors (even though a small one), it is important to keep abreast with the latest financial and market news. Since I am in it, I thought it might be worthwhile to share it out with my readers too.

Hence, I started this "Market News In 2 Minutes" series.

Following are the "Market News In 2 Minutes" for today :

1. CSC Holdings (C06) - Has entered into a framework investment agreement with New Hope Singapore (NHS) to negotiate a joint venture effort for the acquisition and development of a leasehold industrial land at Tuas South Street 9. CSC Holdings will acquire a minority interest in NH Singapore Biotechnology, which will be the joint venture vehicle in connection with the above acquisition and development. The $7 billion land will be developed into a modern high value added factory, fabrication yards and workshops for NHS’ and CSC Holdings’ business operations. (source : Shares Investment)

2. Enviro-Hub Holdings (L23) - Announced a complete disposal of its indirect subsidiary QF 10, to Yew Seng Heng Development at a consideration less outstanding loans of $1.9 million. QF 10 is an investment holding company that currently owns several properties at Hillview Avenue and Lam Soon Industrial Building. (source : Shares Investment)

3. Metro Holdings (M01) - Its indirect associate companies Diamond Wind Company and Choice Bright Holdings have agreed to sell their 50 percent interest in six companies to an unrelated party. The divestment is agreed upon at US$205.2 million. Metro’s 21.4 percent share of the consideration under the deal is approximately US$43.9 million ($ 57.3 million). (source : Shares Investment)

4. OCBC (O39) - Completed the acquisition of 15,100 shares in PT OCBC Sekuritas from PT Farnella Mandiri Utama, and an additional subscription of 0.2 million preference shares in PT OCBC Sekuritas, for a total consideration of IDR255.5 billion. With that, OCBC now owns 95.1 percent of PT OCBC Sekuritas. (source : Shares Investment)

5. SingTel (Z74) - Signed a conditional agreement to wholly acquire Ensyst, an Australia company providing cloud-based services including cloud architecture, cloud migration and unified communications systems. The acquisition of AUD13 million will be paid in cash, subjecting to working capital adjustments. Based on Ensyst’s unaudited accounts as at 30 September, it has a net tangible asset worth of AUD0.2 million.  (source : Shares Investment)

6. DBS (D05) - Is in talks to team up with Societe Generale SA in its bid for Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc's international private-banking oepration. DBS has just completed the US$220 million ($289 million) purchase of Societe Generale SA's Asian wealth-management business in October. (source : The Edge Singapore)

7. Chiwayland Internaitonal (ACW) - Has been awarded the tender for a land measuring 2,878 square metres in Australia, with a purchase price of A$27 million ($28.8 million). (source : The Edge Singapore)

8. REITS : Parkeway Life Trust (C2PU) - Said it has purchased another Japanese nursing home and care facility property, the Ocean View Shonan Arasaki, for $18.9 million. This comes after the earlier acquisition of Habitation Jyosui on 28th November. (source : The Edge Singapore)

9. IPO : UTAC Holdings - The Singapore-based chip tester owned by Affinity Equity Partners and TPG Capital, is considering an IPO. (source : The Edge Singapore)

Cheers!

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Bloggers Meet-Up At Penang - The Sun, The Beach And The Heritage : Hotel Penaga (Part 3 or 3)

Hotel Penaga
This will be the last part of the recount of my recent bloggers meet-up experience in Penang, Malaysia. If this is the first time to are reading this series, you may want to check out Part 1 (on the overall trip experience) and Part 2 (on my hostel stay at Syok Hostel). 

Today, I will be focusing on my experience at the heritage boutique hotel called Hotel Penaga. It is located at the heart of Georgetown (in fact, just walking distance from Syok Hostel).The hotel was converted from a cluster of 15 pre-war terraces and shop-houses into a 45 rooms boutique hotel. Of course, with its exclusive ambiance and the full fledged of hotel services, the room rates are on the higher side (from RM500+ onward). 

I was lucky to have the chance to stay in the Hutton Suite which has two separate room (with their own toilet and mine is with full size bath tub). Check out some of the photos below :
Hotel Penaga
Hotel Penaga - from the outside
Hotel Penaga - The lobby
Hotel Penaga - surrounding of the hotel
My room ;-)
The personal bathroom 1
The TV console at the living room
The personal bathroom 2
I especially like the mini-garden concept whereby there is a pathway to go to the Tanamera Spa (the place to pamper ourselves) and terrace houses. Check out some of the photos below :
One of the bedroom at the Terrace House Room
If you ask me, my only "disappointment" with the hotel is their busy spa as I intended to go for the foot massage but it was over-booked and hence got to turn down my business ;-) Anyway, if I have chance to go Penang and stay in the Hotel Penaga again, I sure must try their Tanamera massage.

Hope you folks enjoy my sharing, if you are going to Penang soon and need some advice on the food, places to visit etc, do drop me an email at investopenly@gmail.com.

Cheers!

P/S: I've just received an email from the local partner of mig.me that they are looking into creating some exclusive promotional package(s) for the readers of the bloggers attended the event, I will keep you folks updated once it is finalised. Stay tuned!  

Friday, December 19, 2014

Recap of My First Year In Investing And What's Next From 2015 Onwards

Stock investmentTime speeding through us really fast, we are almost at the end of 2014. Really looking forward to 2015 and beyond, meanwhile, just like to do a small recap of my maiden stock investing year.
 
Being a really late starter and small retail investor, my first year in stock investment is a cautious one. From the two closed sales, managed to gain a small profit while still holding on to three stocks, at the moment, it is an unrealised loss (if you are interested to know which stocks are they, click here for more details).
 
Throughout my first 9 months venture, I learnt quite an extensive knowledge of stock investment especially from the Value Investing perspective (most of them are through reading, online and offline as well as attending some personal finance workshops/seminars). Also, managed to meet a number of liked-minded local personal finance bloggers, face to face, which is a fruitful and cool experience.
 
Going forward (from 2015), on top of the accumulating my stock portfolio. With the upcoming reduction of lot size to 100 per lot from 19th January 2015, my option should be wider! ;-) On top of that, I will be rigorously looking into REITS investment (off hand, I have two REITS in my watch list, which is Lippo Mall Trust [D5IU] and SPH Trust [SK6U]). Also, I plan to start my Dollar-Cost-Averaging portfolio with Phillip Securities' Share Builders Plan (SBP) from 2015 onwards.

That's it from me! I foresee that next year will be a more active year for me in my investing journey, I hope you folks have a wonderful stock investing years ahead of you too!

Cheers!

Market News In 2 Minutes @ 19th December 2014

As stock investors (even though a small one), it is important to keep abreast with the latest financial and market news. Since I am in it, I thought it might be worthwhile to share it out with my readers too.

Hence, I started this "Market News In 2 Minutes" series.

Following are the "Market News In 2 Minutes" for today :

1. Advanced Holdings (5IA) - Disclosed it has entered into a conditional share purchase agreement with Sound Global, selling the whole share capital of Advanced Resources Holdings, as well as that of Advanced Water Engineering for a total consideration of about $16.8 million. With $1.7m in expected disposal gain, the disposal will allow the company to re-strategise its financial and capital resources and unlock value in its water treatment business. (source : Shares Investment)

2. HLH Group (H27) - Announced the termination of a previous sales and purchase agreement of a 13,541 square-metre land in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, dated 20 June 2014. The termination was mutually agreed upon due to commercial reasons, and free from breach of either party. The company will receive its initial deposit of US$1.5 million. (source : Shares Investment)

3. Jubilee Industries Holdings (5OS) - Has announced an increase its stake in its Malaysian associate EG Industries by acquiring an additional 1.1 million shares for Rm0.6 million, leading to a total ownership of 27.5 percent of the total 75 million shares outstanding as at 17 December. (source : Shares Investment)

4. Mermaid Maritime (DU4) - Has bagged a two-year subsea contract for "Mermaid Commander" in the Gulf of Thailand worth USD$50 million ($65.73 million).  (source : The Edge Singapore)

5. REITS : Lippo Malls Trust (D5IU) - Announced that it has secured a $180 million term loan facility with several financial institutions based in Singapore (BNP Paribas, CIMB and SCB).  The intended usage of the facility is for working capital and general corporate funding purposes, including investments and acquisitions. (source : The Edge Singapore)

6. REITS : Croesus Retail Trust (S6NU) - Has raised the amount of its distributable income hedged to 100% for the period to end-December 2015, in a move to mitigate forex risks. CRT receives distributable income in yen but pays out distribution in Singapore dollars to its unitholders semi-annually. (source : The Edge Singapore)

Cheers!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Bloggers Meet-Up At Penang - The Sun, The Beach And The Heritage : Syok Hostel (Part 2 or 3)

Syok HostelAs per my earlier post (click here to view), this is the part 2 of the 3-parters of my recent bloggers meet-up At Penang, Malaysia. Courtesy of mig.me and its partner, Pan Island Holidays, we managed to experience two diverse experience in our accommodation. One is the budgeted hostel (Syok Hostel) and the other is the more indulgence boutique hotel, Hotel Penaga. I am pleasantly surprise with both stays.

In this post, I will be focusing on Syok Hostel

Perfectly located at the busy junction of the Chulia Street (George Town), Syok Hostel is a small 2-story hostel. Murals/Street Arts and makan paradise are within walking distance from the hostel. The other uniqueness of Syok Hostel is its cleanliness and artful touch on its furnishing and decoration. 

Prior to this, I have no experience in staying in a hostel. However, Syok Hostel given me an unique but pleasant experience which I will never be able to enjoy if I were to stay in the normal hotel. Of course, since it is an hostel concept, following concepts are expected:

1. Shared Washroom

2. No lift, hence need to take the stairs all the time (luckily it is only 2 floors)

3. The choice of shared dorms (can choose mixed or female dorms) or double room. 

Having said that, I am enjoying the following cool features though :
1. FREE wifi
2. FREE self-service breakfast (remember, it is no frills, so don't expect too much of the variety)


On the last day of our stay, during our check-out, I overheard an ang moh (probably from Australia) said loudly to the counter staff while walking down the stairs : "My first impression is GOOD.....and my second impression...(long pause)...is EVEN BETTER!". I think he just sum up my view too.  

All in all, if you are travelling on budget/backpacking and don't mind giving yourself a chance to experience the hostel concept, Syok Hostel is definitely one of my recommended stay.

Do you have any good/bad experience in staying in commercial hostel before?   

Cheers! 

Like What You See? Subscribe To Us Here...

* indicates required