David83,

If you know about share, sure better you find out which 5 stocks mentioned by dreamer and invest in stock directly.
Only for those who has no single idea about stock, if they want to invest in mutual funds, they can invest in dividend funds.

Realty Agents,
According to your signature, it states dealers wanted. How you can say dealers are sleeping partner?
How you can guarantee 25% return per month?

There are high-risk, low-risk, government backed and many fancy fancy bonds. Yes, it's possible to lose money with bonds when going after high risk bonds. Generally if your conservative bond fund strategy is going after shorter term bonds, the yield is almost guaranteed higher than FD and the variance would be much smaller as the risk exposed is less as well. If you have checked the record of the local islamic bonds, they are very safe (but not 100% safe) and provide a consistent return of higher than FD rate.

this is not from PM, it's advertised in STAR today and it's from maybank . 
capital guarrentee minimun 8% for 3 yrs and 9 month.
is don't performance, I still can get  8%/ 3.75 = 2.133 % per annum woh.

Went to maybank brand just now, all SA not available (mssing in action) 

I didn't manage to speak to the SA yet and so I don't know how much is their commission. 
just got the investment booklet from the counter and the projection is 32.5% for the 3.75 years.
of course projection is always based on history performance. sometimes history can't quarentee future performance. 

normally UT charges me ard 6% upfront. 

<I assume now that you figure out you are paying some X% upfront too.>

Found out from SA, there is not upfront charge and what I need to pay is RM20 Stamp duty.

Reit is definitely another good alternative for those want higher yield than FD but don't want exposure too much risk. Yup, locally it is restricted only a few choice, but at least a start better than none. Late is not an good excuse why it is not doing well. We need to compete and fast react to market need, otherwise surely lose behind.

The reason why reit market is not performing as well:

1. Too high withholding tax (15% for local, 20% for foreigners) compared to regional market (Singapore, 0% for local, 10% for foreigners)
2. Rules are not relaxed enough like foreigner can't hold more than 50%, leverage % to add in new properties etc.
3. some interest conflict when large shareholder treat reit as disposal of properties to retailers while the biggest tenant is themselves.
4. Size is too small to attract foreign interest.

1 & 3 (especially 3) is the biggest obstacle current for Reit market to flourish, otherwise it is a good alternative investment tool which its risk/return criteria some sort sit in between FD and stock market.

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Added on July 28, 2007, 9:03 am
Hmm. can't compare a stock with a property like that... for people who doesnt wish to participate in stock market, it is not an option already..

I realized the tax around with REITS... a stock or mutual fund declared dividend will be taxed too, could be lower of course depends on the person tax bracket. I think even with the REITs 15% tax, its still profitable. Huge redemption occurs in every UT, not just REITs. There are some precautions taken by the management companies for example for public mtuual, one needs direct approval from the fund manager if he plans to invest over x mil. (2 mil if the figure if my memory doesnt fail me) amount into 1 fund.

10% return minus the 1.5% to tax = 8.5% return

not bad at all for people who do not take stock market risk.

Its true that REITs trade on exchange, but it's not a stock. It's a real estate investment trust. It invests in property. The real property like KLCC, starhill, UOA etc. A good stock or a good stock portfolio certainly give higher yield than a property investment in long run. But a stock and a real estate are 2 different things you see ?

Pressure to cut unit trust upfront fees

PETALING JAYA: Pressure is mounting for unit trust upfront sales charges to be reduced as new players emerge.

The matter was also brought up by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). In recent talks with the Federation of Malaysian Unit Trust Managers (FMUTM) and its members, EPF asked them to consider lowering the charges to facilitate investment in unit trusts.

Industry observers said with Tune Money and InterPacific Asset Management Sdn Bhd coming onstream, there was greater pressure to lower the upfront fees and this should bode well for the investing public.

It is also learnt that EPF, in the past two to three months, had proposed to FMUTM that the maximum sales charges for unit trust investment be capped at 3% as opposed to the average 5% to 6%.

Sources said FMUTM had appealed to the Finance Ministry, saying the EPF's proposed charges were too low and that the federation would consider lowering the charges gradually.

The dispute is expected to continue and the pressure is growing in every meeting between the EPF and the federation, according to an observer.

The latest player to join the unit trust league is InterPacific, which currently does not impose any upfront sales charges. Tune Money, meanwhile, plans to launch funds online with zero or minimal sales charges.

With the entrance of these players, competition is getting intense and fund houses will need to review their charges to ensure they are able to sustain the public's interest in investing with them, according to an industry observer.

By not imposing any upfront fees, a unit trust management company can fully invest their clients' money in the funds, they added.

Sources said many fund houses were not very keen on the EPF proposal to reduce the charges as it would affect their distributors' income, leading to lower sales volumes. At present, many of them sell funds via agents and banks (as third-party distributors).

It is estimated that 60% to 70% of unit trust management companies sell funds through agents and banks. As of May 31, there were 39 unit trust management companies with a total 462 approved funds.

An observer, however, said while the industry trends might lead to a gradual lowering of upfront fund charges, distributors could still succeed by growing their assets under management over the long term.

They could do this by being more productive and further elevating their capability to ensure long-term retention of customers, he added.

URL: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...52&sec=business

i seriously doubt there're investment pro here..
not many people make a full time living out from their investment..

there keen investors here.. hardly a pro. so any rendition of advices you received, take it with a pinch of salt.. mine included..

we are all here trying to make sense on how money works and it's erratic behaviors..

I like investment vehicle that really pays.

Can you recommend some names for USA online brokers? I have been looking at a few brokers websites, but of course you cannot believe everything you read on the web.

By saying 5 years or 10 years, unit trust normally give average annual return of 10%-12% for high risk fund.

Don't expect 1000% return in a year from unit trust...even share also not quite possible...Try magnum 4D, maybe can...

I refer to all the UTs in general...I believe Msia economy will still survive the next recession. Economy recession is normal in economy cycle, even it takes time, from history, we know Msia economy will recover...

so last time we have oil money to help us.. not oil is running out.. and what is there to help us ?i mean the economy, any ideas ? , dreamer any idea what the government will use to replace the oil to help with the economy?

So, if this is the case, what's your best advice to Msia investors? Withdraw all the investment and put in FD?

I know from your previous posts that you only buy 1 counter in Msia, and I also buy this counter.
Anyway, I know you mainly invest in US, now most people saying that US market is going into bear, what will you do?

Since we have no access or limited access to US broker or funds, I guess the best alternative would be a listed companies like Genting, PBBank, YTL where they have their investment all over the world and we're holding a shares in listed companies that have access to all over the world.

In term of asset allocation, too bad, we just can access to our own countries REIT and bonds. Unless we buy mutual funds where mostly charge 7.5% sales charge and 1.25% on annual maintenance.