In the looming recession it is best for equity investors to reposition their shaeholding into financial and utilities stock. The past 4 recessions had taught investors to stick with reits and banks. I don't understand why forumers are advising people to flee the property market.

What's gonna happen in 2019?

National News

I dont think cutting the subsidies is enough, there are many things that cannot be avoided..

According to www.transparency.org, our Corruption Perceptions Index is 4.4, while Singapore is 9.3, better than us..

Country recession and our country highly debt issue, i think highly debt issue is the worse part..

Bravo, good quote about the statistics of 1 civil servant serving 17 people..

Well, its not that i want to say we private sectors are good, but we can really see the poor service from the gov agencies..

Last few days i made a call to follow up with a government agency, and guess what? They did not even intended to answer the phone.. Even after answer the phone, they talk fiercely..

If the government keep on rising the salary of those pension people, even declared bonus, sorry la, how long can our country stand? Imagine average all those pensioners can live a long live, then all the pensioners are creditors to the country...

edyek,

Increase LEGAL retirement age to 75.  Keep the EPF money 20 years longer.. Sell the IDEA as helping RAKYAT to save for retirement..

Dreamer

prophetjul,

The BEST part of this is IT does not affect civil servants since civil servants are not on EPF.

Dreamer

Genneva Gold - how much is the price per gram compared to others like UOB's physical or gold account?
From my earlier checks and readings, it's at a premium vs other "real gold" and the premium may be the "returns"/hibah "one gets back", thus one is paying one self... sounds like..
My apologies if i'm mistaken 

The verdict is in. Gold taikor Prophetjul has spoken 

BTW, just to share why/how i checked "Geneva" out:

Email a few months ago
------
Based on what i understand and know, it's a sucker's game for customers (or should i say greedy fools). Check this out - spells it out easily how their business model works:
http://www.guizai.com/finance/genneva-gold-investment
Here is how they operate:
1. They usually buy the gold from UOB bullion based on spot price and sell you at 20%-24% markup price
2. They paid their sales agent commission 1.5% for selling this program every time you renew monthly. A total of 18% a year.
3. They promised to buy from you 100% based on your last selling price and pay you 2% 30 days later (but refuse to write down in black and white invoice for 2% as payment but as rebate as discount)
4. The business is usually registered in Malaysia or a Condo address in Singapore with website full of spelling errors and no detailed mention of founders or their management team.

With the markup, they pay U with your own $ ;P. How long can this last? It depends on how many suckers continue buying.
Mama says dont pay $1.24 for something everyone is selling for $1, to make/sellback $0.02 per month AND it's not written in any contract

--------
On Fri, Jul 15, 2011 at 10:46 PM, XXX <xxx> wrote:

Hi there, MK.

Gold Investment 1.5-2% Montly Interest Rate.... Too Good To Be True.

Recalled telling you one of my friends is doing this gold investment thing.
He was unable/ reluctant to give me the details one year ago but recently when we
met up, he told me the company name is Geneva/ Gineva.....
Giving upto 1.5-2% interest rate/ month based on the amout u buy.

When asked hw come they are willing to share the profit with buyers...
His answer is interesting: " These companies are buying many many kgs of GOLD
they got good rate....so when we buy ..the use our money for further purchase of gold."
Can GOLD be purchased at lower rate if bought in a bulk....???
Sounds news to me....GOLD is commodity...
Not any barangan in TESCO, Giant...MyDin? True/ False???

There are many stories on this Geneva/Gineva Gold investment online.

However, online resources aside, have you heard of this Geneva/Gineva?

I have to admit that this is not my field...as you read much more than I do on this
area. Kindly share your expert opinion.....before you share with Personal Money.

Whaahhhhhahahahaha

"There is no ceiling for Stock market either" - Singh Kalan
I think its stupid to buy gold at this time.  People think gold is safe, it is not always true.  As with any trades that has bubble up, it will burst.

Over a 20 year period it is slightly higher then the avg inflation rate, only last 3 to 5 yrs had it provided decent returns

been reading some conspiracy stuff about united states of europe, it's scary
basically to reach their goal of US of Europe, they need to tank the economy so bad, or something catastrophic to change the europe ppl mind to support it

It depends how one calculates.

It also can be pointed up,
In USD term.
1970's
USD500 cometh 2011 USD1800 = 260%

35 years for 260% return, is not something very proud of, and definitely is not decent, nor even can catch up the inflation, nor beating FD rate by miles.

Yes, it is decent from 2003 to 2011. There is no doubt.
But next 3 to 5 years down the road, nobody knows.
It can even more magnificent, it can be pathetic as well.
Gold price during late 1979 to early 1980's was USD200-700.
Gold investor during that period suffer at least 20-25 years without any return, while at the same time, FD give you more than 200% return during this period, stock can register you at least 1000%, properties 1000% etc.

I don't mean to say gold is good or bad, what I want to highlight, a thing can be looked from different angle and can show you good/bad result from the different angle.

People can say stock is worth to invest, as stock has gain more than 100% from 2009 to 2011.
But another one can say, stock is not worth to invest, because from 2007 to 2011, stock still making a loss.
So a slight different angle or selective period of comparison, the outcome result is totally different.

While, whether it is decent for last 3 years, 5 years or 10 years, it doesn't give us a clue or any good indicator whether it is good or not to invest in it.

Locally, FD rate in the old day (1980's time) was around 7-9%.

US Fed fund rate during early 1980's was double digit aka >10%.

Locally, FD rate in the old day (1980's time) was around 7-9%.

US Fed fund rate during early 1980's was double digit aka >10%.

---

Added on September 16, 2011, 6:30 pm

If from 1970's $35 to now $1800, is a 10.16% pa. return rate.
Then from 1980 $200/300 to now, is what rate then? 

I am not saying FD beat gold, as FD is always the worst return rate one. 
Just selective period of using, then outcome result can be totally different.

I can use gold over the last 30 years return from early 1980's to now, can be as low as 5-6% pa. compounded.
Which mean comparable to FD rate only.
So for a person invest in gold and FD at the same time during early 1980's, the result can be the same.

Why take 1970 then?
Why not take 1950, or 1930?

4.44%, I can assure FD beat it.

Don't get me wrong, I am not disagreeing on the statement posted, Both, or every data we posted is a correct, just how it is looked upon. 

FD rate was above 6-7% for quite a long time since 1980's, FD rate only plummeting after 1998 financial crisis.
FD is a compounded investment, your interest can be compounded one. So if 10 years time the FD rate is 6%, it is giving out 6% compounded rate for the last 10 years.

---

Added on September 16, 2011, 6:43 pm

I don't have data, if my memory serve me well, I put FD at rate around 6-7%, since late 1970's to early 1990's.

Then it is reasonable for me to use 1980's gold price as base, as I was starting investing during that time.
So no fair? 

The BLR peaks during 1998 @ >12%, meaning the FD interest rate should be quite high too.  You must be young to remember.

Bro Singh_Kalan, our fellow forumer Prophetjul is old enough to have seen and understand at least 3 cycles and more (ie. i've only seen & understood 3  ). Methinks U made his day thinking him too young to remember 1998.
BTW, i personally remembered 12%+ FD (1yr tenure) was in the 80s leh.

Bro Prophetjul - U must be feeling good to be thought of as too young to remember 1998 
This got me a good morning chuckle 

You being older than him has nothing to do with the previous statement "You may be too young to remember".

Just keep ego out of this.

Hey Young Uncle Prophetjul (from a slightly younger & dumber uncle ), 1997/98 is high and 1981 was higher leh in your chart
er.. or i was not having enough caffeine in my blood yet  paiseh paiseh.