After the X-date the share price is immediately reflected (minus the dividend paid). Whether the price then goes up or down depends on how the market feels about the subject counter. Doesn't matter whether you 'feel' good or not. but in most cases (so far as I know) most counters go south after the Xdate. Some real solid counters like panamy, dlady, digi, and a few others (where the market is confident of the continuing growth and performance) will continue north even after the Xdate.

don't really understand your question. Do realise that the div paid out comes out from the real value of the company, thus it is immediately reflected in the share price on X date. Example if the share closing price immediately before X date is RM1.00 and the dividend is Rm0.20, then on X date it is RM0.80.

But if you are asking wheter a co. that gives div is better than ones that don't, then of course I believe it is, because div comes from real cash (not just paper profits which can be easily manupulated). But there are of course exceptions.

Yup. Excellent companies. But like anything else, do buy a little at a time and not all at one go. No one knows when is the lowest or bottom, so best to average out over time and accumulate these shares.

my1ststep only deals with fundamentally sound counters, so u can bet they are. but no harm doing your own research.