Category: Investment

Print Books Aren’t Dead – I Have Convincing Proof

Anyone who predicted the death of printed books years back in lieu of e-books are probably scratching their heads in disbelief. Ebooks and their various formats (Kindle, iBook, etc) have not killed traditional print. In fact, print has made a resurgence in recent years.

Last week, the 36th Manila International Book Fair (Facebook page here) was held at the SMX Convention Center in the Mall of Asia (MOA) complex in Pasay City, Philippines.

36th Manila International Book Fair at SMX signage
36th Manila International Book Fair at SMX Convention Center (Sep 16-20). Image Credit: thefinancemd.com

 

Print books were the main attractions of this book fair. How did the fair do? Did it succeed or flop?

 

Continue reading Print Books Aren’t Dead – I Have Convincing Proof

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Investing in A Car for Uber / Grab Car? Is It Worth It? – Part 1

For over a week now, I have been exclusively using Uber to get to work. I have a car – but traffic congestion, bad weather, parking costs and space unavailability, corrupt traffic policemen, road rage drivers, accident prone roads – have discouraged me from driving. Since I’m a doctor who take frequent car trips daily, Uber makes a lot of money from me.

This had me thinking – How can I turn the tables and make money from Uber or Grab Car?

Uber pickup point at SM Megamall
Uber cars ready to pick me up at the mall.

 

Is it wise to invest in a car for Uber or Grab Car use?

Continue reading Investing in A Car for Uber / Grab Car? Is It Worth It? – Part 1

Are We “Bear” Yet?: The Assets That Have Entered the Bear Market in 2015

The markets are not doing good right now. The Philippine Stock Exchanged (PSE) just experienced “Bloody Monday” on August 24 (news here). A down market doesn’t necessarily mean that it is already in a bear phase. Unfortunately, there are investments that have already entered bear territory in 2015,

 

Bull and Bear Statues near Frankfurt Stock Exchange
The bear seems to be winning in 2015. Bull and Bear Statues near Frankfurt Sock Exchange. Image by EvaK from wikipedia.org

 

What does “Bear Market” mean anyway?

Continue reading Are We “Bear” Yet?: The Assets That Have Entered the Bear Market in 2015

Book Review: You Won’t Get Rich in the Stock Market Until You Change the Way You Think About It – by Andrew Stotz

For new investors, I suggest reading investment related books. Unfortunately, many of the books available are either thick, difficult to understand textbooks or self-help, motivational, “get rich now” books that offer no real-world value.

That’s why it is a joy to come across a book that reaches out to new investors, that uses simple terms, and that doesn’t promise the reader that he will be on the expressway towards riches or financial freedom.

You won't get rich in the stock market until you change the way you think about it by Andrew Stotz
You Won’t Get Rich in the Stock Market Until You Change the Way You Think About It by Andrew Stotz. Image from Andrew Stotz

 

Here’s what’s good about the book:

Continue reading Book Review: You Won’t Get Rich in the Stock Market Until You Change the Way You Think About It – by Andrew Stotz

Celebrities Promote MLM Suspected of Being A Pyramid Scam

Celebrities Dennis Trillo, Tom Rodriguez and Daniel Matsunaga promote GoldXtreme, an Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) company, that is a subject of a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) advisory against illegal investments.

In your opinion, why do you think these celebrities are promoting GoldXtreme? Type your answer in the comments section

 

 A. They think this is legit, and they are probably investors themselves

B. They may not be that smart

C. They don’t read or watch the news

D. They’ll do any gig that pays a lot of money

E. All of the above

 

See the photo proofs, courtesy of Instagram

Continue reading Celebrities Promote MLM Suspected of Being A Pyramid Scam

Reality Bites: COL Financial Downgrades 2015 Yearend PSEi Forecast

COL Financial, the Philippines most popular stock brokerage firm, has just downgraded its 2015 yearend forecast for the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) to 7,950 from the 8,300 it predicted in January.

COL Financial downgrades 2015 yearend forecast
Sorry! COL Financial downgrades 2015 yearend forecast. Image from COL Financial Facebook page (see here)

 

Someone very important made an even bolder PSEi prediction — will he downgrade it as well?

Continue reading Reality Bites: COL Financial Downgrades 2015 Yearend PSEi Forecast

Do New MLMs Just Reuse and Rebrand Products of Failed MLMs?

When some Multi-Level marketing (MLM) companies are accused of being illegal pyramid schemes, their first defense is to say that they have products to sell. They’ll even boast that these are high quality products that justify their often very high prices. But what if they are the same products sold by other currently operating and failed MLMs?

Who are the product suppliers for these MLM companies? Here’s one of them:

Success200 Guyabano (Graviola) capsules supplied by Moringa Mountain Trading
Success200 Guyabano (Graviola) capsules supplied by Moringa Mountain Trading. Image from Success200 Agarica Living International Facebook page

 

Moringa Mountain Trading – major product supplier of MLM companies?

Continue reading Do New MLMs Just Reuse and Rebrand Products of Failed MLMs?