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General Stock Investment Strategies/Questions Answered by Expert Jay Kay
| Subject | Date Asked |
| buying mutual funds directly with fund group | 5/7/2011 |
| Q: I have several mutual funds (Fidelity, AIM, etc) that I bought years ago through my bank's ... A: Of course I cannot speak for every fund, but it seems to me that the share price would be the same ... | |
| buying mutual funds directly with fund group | 5/7/2011 |
| Q: I have several mutual funds (Fidelity, AIM, etc) that I bought years ago through my bank's ... A: There may be factors that make fund purchases through your bank's investment center beneficial to ... | |
| Sony stock | 10/31/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Kay, I have a stock in the Sony company which my mother had bought for my birthday years ago. ... A: I think you owe it to yourself, regardless of how many shares are involved, to make your own ... | |
| Dow movement? | 9/26/2010 |
| Q: How easy is it to predict the movement of the Dow Jones Index? If it closes say 10770 today, will ... A: There are trends, there are megatrends, and there are microtrends. They all come to an end. In the ... | |
| Starting Investing | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: What is a good way to begin learning about the stock market? I would like to learn how to invest ... A: The best way I know is to read as many of the fundamental guides to investing as you have time to ... | |
| Beta | 1/31/2010 |
| Q: An increase in the beta of a corporation indicates what? and all else being them will results in ... A: Beta What Does Beta Mean? A measure of the volatility, or systematic risk, of a security or a ... | |
| hello | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: i want to be a stockbroker oneday and I am just wondering ...if an investor calls and wants to know ... A: The investor can lose his entire investment, including any amount borrowed for that investment - so ... | |
| Profit on stock trading | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I am James. I am trying to find out how much percentage gain is considered a very successful trade. ... A: This is a question for which there is no general answer. What you ask depends on such factors as ... | |
| selling stocks and capital gains | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: Is there a rule that prescribes how a sale of stock is applied against current holdings to determine ... A: In order to have the sale apply to a particular purchase (or purchases), you instruct your brokerage ... | |
| Stock fluctuations | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: I am a completely amateur in stock market. It's not to long that i have started buying and selling ... A: Your way of stating the possible circumstances is not an exact parallel. It would be better to say ... | |
| Investing 101 | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I've always had an interest in investing because I think its important to plan for the future. This ... A: I'll answer the second question first. By all means possible, enhance your understanding of how ... | |
| when to sell | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know when you would consider the right time to sell a stock that increases in ... A: Many approaches have been offered to solving this very familiar problem, but probably none will seem ... | |
| long & short term capital gains & losses | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: I own one stock and held it more than a year and sold it in 2008 and realized 30k long term gain. I ... A: If I understand the circumstances correctly, you have two separate transactions to report for 2008: ... | |
| dividend question | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a question about stock dividends. For my birthday I received a share (1) of IBM stock, mostly ... A: While I admittedly am not familiar the details of IBM's dividend reinvestment policy, it is likely ... | |
| Selling Stock | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: I have purchased stocks from a particular company on several different occasions and at different ... A: There are various factors to consider here. The difference between long term and short term can be ... | |
| preferreds | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: Jay We are retired - age 67 - with a good sized portfolio but very small pension and social security ... A: The safety of each preferred issue (along with its possible exposure to calls - which you did not ... | |
| beggining investor | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I'll start first by explaining my situation. I'm 23 and I recently moved roughly $10,000 into an ... A: The stock market is always looking ahead. What a stock did yesterday, or a year ago, is history, ... | |
| Stock Price | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: I recently began my stock market career with the purchase of penny stock from a relatively new solar ... A: If it were possible to pinpoint the factors that cause a stock's price to rise in advance of such a ... | |
| Investools | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: I recently went to a seminar about the stock market. I'm a huge beginner in the stock market and ... A: What follows is both more and less than an answer to your question about locating an affordable ... | |
| stocks for first timers | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: can u invest in stocks / trading without going through a brokerage? if so how? A: Some stocks, but by no means all, offer dividend reinvestment plans, permitting shareholders to ... | |
| Merging companies | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: My name is Jeremy and i have started to study the stock exchange process and i found myself asking: ... A: It is difficult to generalize about such matters, but generally the acquired company is in a less ... | |
| GENERAL STOCK MARKET QUESTION | 3/8/2008 |
| Q: Jay Hi, I have some stocl which I have invested in large blue chip companies, some in small ... A: It is easy for someone such as myself to stand outside your situation and point out that a 10% loss ... | |
| a short question | 1/24/2008 |
| Q: it has been years since we have bought stocks is there a min on how many shares you buy in other ... A: You can buy as many shares as you like, but the broker's commission will make it impractical to buy ... | |
| market order question | 9/24/2007 |
| Q: I have one question re selling shares to lock in profit before price falls too low. Say I buy a ... A: Employment of these strategies depends to a great extent on the volatility of the market for your ... | |
| Starting off in the stock market | 9/8/2007 |
| Q: My college career is coming to an end, and I have always had the stock market in the back of my ... A: Setting up an account is as simple as contacting a brokerage (in person, telephone, e-mail) and ... | |
| Stock Investments | 8/13/2007 |
| Q: I pulled out of the blue chip market last week (sub prime scared) and now wondering if a made a ... A: At this point in time, just about everyone is asking himself the same question. Perhaps you are a ... | |
| When a company is bought to be taken private | 7/29/2007 |
| Q: I recently purchased some stock in a company that has now announced that it will merge and be taken ... A: Every merger has its own terms, so I cannot answer about this one with any certainty. But the ... | |
| When a company is bought to be taken private | 7/28/2007 |
| Q: I recently purchased some stock in a company that has now announced that it will merge and be taken ... A: As you point out, it is possible, depending on the terms of the merger agreement, that the deal may ... | |
| basic stock questions | 7/2/2007 |
| Q: I have a few basic questions about investing in stocks. I'm interested in getting started with ... A: If the shares rise in price from what you paid for them, but you do not sell the shares, you have ... | |
| basic stock questions | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I have a few basic questions about investing in stocks. I'm interested in getting started with ... A: If you buy 100 shares of XYZ at $10 per share (plus commission, which I am ignoring in this ... | |
| Interest Rates | 6/25/2007 |
| Q: I am trying to figure out how to read trends that leads to a mortgage interest rate increase or ... A: There is a huge amount of data and commentary issued by the Federal Reserve system and by banks ... | |
| Bear market looming? | 6/11/2007 |
| Q: Do you think the bull market has run it course and if so, what's a good strategy to take at this ... A: I don't believe there will be further significant gains in the near future. If you have significant ... | |
| trailing | 4/19/2007 |
| Q: What is a good percentage to set a trailing stop order? Thank you, Randy A: Very much a matter of personal preference. 10% is a popular figure, but I believe one should take ... | |
| how low can it go | 4/10/2007 |
| Q: Hey! How low can the price of a security such as a stock/commidity go? Is there anything preventing ... A: Stocks are traded in a bid/ask auction market. If there are no buyers at the current ask price, ... | |
| EQUITY | 3/24/2007 |
| Q: i'm new to the stock market. is there a EQUITY GROWTH fund that i can buy into? my 401K through home ... A: Virtually every large and middle-sized mutual fund "family" offers one (or more) equity growth ... | |
| investing | 3/3/2007 |
| Q: how are You Jay. My sister Is interested in investing, she want's to make her money grow but she ... A: To make your money grow without buying or selling anything would seem to mean nothing more than ... | |
| bond market | 2/16/2007 |
| Q: The Dow-Jones Industrial Average tells whether stock prices rose or fell on a particular day. Is ... A: Keep in mind that the DJIA does not indicate movement of "stock prices," but only the prices of the ... | |
| Stock certificates, splits | 1/25/2007 |
| Q: Greetings. I have two mysteries to solve for my aunt (who has some memory problems). (1) - What ... A: This response is of the most general sort, but it may be of some help. On the certificates you are ... | |
| Market correction | 1/3/2007 |
| Q: Jay, I'm 50 yrs old and invest in my company's 401k plan. I've heard a lot of rumor lately that the ... A: One of the classic Wall Street anecdotes concerns a guru who was asked by an eager innocent what he ... | |
| stocks | 12/5/2006 |
| Q: My question is in regards to the upgrade and downgrade history of a stock. I don't understand some ... A: I'm not sure this will help enough, but there is a "Free Encyclopedia" on the AllExperts Web site, ... | |
| Trading benefits? | 11/22/2006 |
| Q: I wonder how can a listed company benefits from its share trading between shareholders. I mean if I ... A: The kind of trade you describe occurs in what is called the "secondary market." The company does ... | |
| Which is Blue Chip? | 11/21/2006 |
| Q: How can I know which company is a blue chip company financial wise (accounting-based) and commercial ... A: This explanation/definition from Wikipedia may serve a useful purpose. The term has no absolutely ... | |
| Stocks and Warrants. | 11/20/2006 |
| Q: I am new to investing in the stock market. I want to know what kind of return am I expecting when I ... A: It is very unlikely that "a good progressive company" will pay a "pittance" as a dividend AND not ... | |
| how much to invest? | 9/19/2006 |
| Q: Many thanks, Natasha A: If you are planning to work for years to come, the stock market can become an excellent means to ... | |
| Hanging on to Value Stocks | 9/19/2006 |
| Q: I have few value stocks and I will lose money if I sell them now. they are all blue chip stocks like ... A: I'm not altogether clear about your claim that the "value" of those stocks is higher than the price. ... | |
| I Am Investment Ignorant & Confused | 9/2/2006 |
| Q: Kay, I have some money to invest. I am seriously interested in a Roth IRA. I have been looking ... A: There are numerous rules and restrictions for contributing to a Roth IRA, as well as for withdrawing ... | |
| capital gains | 8/29/2006 |
| Q: What are long term capital gains and what are short term capital gains? A: Here are some lines from IRS material that should answer yourMost property you own and use for ... | |
| buying low stock | 8/4/2006 |
| Q: I was thinking about buying around 150 shares of Ford stock, now that prices have dropped ... A: The temptation to buy Ford after its considerable decline is easily appreciated, and the points you ... | |
| Sector Rotation / Market Returns | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: My question has two parts and i would be interested to hear your opinion. Firstly there will always ... A: To me, there are two major fallacies relating to the theory that "passive management," as you term ... | |
| Stock Splits | 7/2/2006 |
| Q: I have in my posession a single stock certificate for one share of FNF ( Fidelity National Financial ... A: I'm not sure why you found contacting the stock transfer company "a confusing experience," but if I ... | |
| $25,000 to invest | 4/25/2006 |
| Q: How would you invest $25,000 at this time if you came into the money due to an insurance policy and ... A: As it stands, the question cannot be given a serious, comprehensive answer. There are many factors ... | |
| need to sell | 4/10/2006 |
| Q: I own 2 mutual funds. One has about $12,000 in it and the other has about $16,000 in it. The one ... A: Presumably you chose the two funds on your own because you believed that a)they were appropriate for ... | |
| Bonus Share Issues | 3/10/2006 |
| Q: If a stock has a bonus share issue, should the historical data be adjusted to coincide with the drop ... A: The term "bonus share" is not generally used, so I am going to assume you mean a stock dividend. ... | |
| STocks vs. Bonds | 3/1/2006 |
| Q: Question for you..given that long-term stock market forecast by Warren Buffet and Top business ... A: The point you raise makes good sense, as you present it - but there are other considerations to be ... | |
| buying stock after Bankruptsy | 2/13/2006 |
| Q: should I buy stock after company bankruptsy? Or is that a bad thing. I would expect a stock of a ... A: Some stocks rebound in such circumstances, many do not. Apparently the only particulars you have ... | |
| GeneraL | 2/4/2006 |
| Q: Jay: I am at the point in my life where I cannot afford any more Wcomms. I would like to invest in ... A: Much depends on what you mean by "high dividends." Among the groups that have generated the highest ... | |
| Preferred Stocks | 11/21/2005 |
| Q: Other than via a brokerage firm, how can someone find out about new listings of preferred securities ... A: To the best of my knowledge, in the normal course of events stocks (preferred or common) will not be ... | |
| Determining a price target | 9/26/2005 |
| Q: Is there a calculation to tell how high a stock price can reasonably go given the company's ... A: Surely price is a function of fundamentals... Or so goes the hypothesis underlying your ... | |
| tax break on dividends | 9/9/2005 |
| Q: I've been considering buying a Vanguard mutual fund which invests in dividend paying stocks. This ... A: I don't think it's possible at this point in time to make a truly "educated" guess, as there are too ... | |
| Investment strategy | 8/25/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me learn about how to know when it is a good time to be in the ... A: The point you make about mutual funds' cash positions is a valid point, but only one among many that ... | |
| Interest Rates | 8/23/2005 |
| Q: I know that forcasting the future is impossible.. but what is the most reliable way to tell if ... A: There is no "reliable" way. The safest way I know is to keep maturies short/intermediate term, so ... | |
| Interest Rates | 8/22/2005 |
| Q: How do interest rates effect the stock market? Can interest rates be an indication of when to stay ... A: The answers to these questions are anything but cut-and-dried, but here are a few basic points to ... | |
| General Investing | 8/13/2005 |
| Q: I'm new at investing, but am 48 years old. I need to build a nest egg quick! I don't own property, ... A: Your honesty about your financial status and mishaps is commendable, as is your desire to build a ... | |
| Stock Splits | 8/3/2005 |
| Q: When a company does a stock split, what happens if you are not a "stockholder of record" when the ... A: September 1 is merely the payment date for the split shares. The significant date is August 18. On ... | |
| company info | 6/26/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering if you know of any free websites that offer information on a company's earnings, ... A: If you are willing to accept a company's financial status as reflected in its publicly held shares, ... | |
| stock issuance | 4/12/2005 |
| Q: a bank whose stock I own announced they are issuing more stock - here are my questions: 1) does that ... A: 1) Yes - unless the share price rises accordingly to maintain its "value." Example: The company has ... | |
| stocks | 3/3/2005 |
| Q: I was quite impressed by your feedback and thought you would best be able to help me. I have just ... A: In my view (and I say this to you, or anyone, with all due respect) the prime factors are a personal ... | |
| where to find info? | 12/31/2004 |
| Q: I want to start trading stocks on my own. I am looking for a way to identify and track large, ... A: I assume you are looking for sources of objective, factual information that will enable you to make ... | |
| Class B Stock | 12/18/2004 |
| Q: Rahul Due to a recent spin-off, I have become the owner of a number of shares of "Class B" Common ... A: Unfortunately, there is no single answer to your question. The reason for issuance of B stock ... | |
| P & E | 12/18/2004 |
| Q: What does P & E mean exactly? A: P=Price E=Earnings The PE ratio of a stock is a measure of its valuation, arrived at by dividing the ... | |
| I hope you can answer this.... | 12/12/2004 |
| Q: I hope you can answer this. I work for Fidelity National Title. The symbol for my company is FNF. ... A: I cannot say with any degree of certainty whether there are any factors that would prevent this ... | |
| investment strategy | 10/30/2004 |
| Q: what is in your opinion a good investment strategy in a sideways-moving trend market? thanks serge A: Any relatively conservative investor seeking growth (such as myself) will realize sooner or later ... | |
| About stocks | 10/21/2004 |
| Q: My question is this. Lets say that I own 60 shares of stock with Swift Transportation that I bought ... A: At the heart of this dilemma is your feeling that the shares are never going to break out of the ... | |
| stock - PEG | 9/20/2004 |
| Q: Read in newspaper that google PEG is 2.7, yhoo is 2.8, askj is 1.2, and S&P 500 is 1.6. Is a lower ... A: This should tell you everything you want to know. Price earnings growth factor (PEG) Definition ... | |
| Stocks | 8/30/2004 |
| Q: Hopefully you can help me out. I have a small amount of money around $1,000 - $1,500 I want to ... A: With virtually any brokerage account, you pay a commission for each trade (buy or sell). The rare ... | |
| Volatility | 8/11/2004 |
| Q: The financial wizards continue to stress the avg. 7% return on equities over the long term. They ... A: I think that at one time or another we've all wondered about this. The 7% figure (I've heard from ... | |
| investment | 8/5/2004 |
| Q: I havn't had any success trading in the market. Have you found a good money management person who ... A: If, by "money management person," you mean an investment adviser or stock broker, I cannot refer you ... | |
| high risk investments | 7/15/2004 |
| Q: What's a good way to research high risk, high yield stocks, and how do you tell which ones are good? A: Realistically, Keith, any decision as to whether or not to buy/hold/sell - no matter if the stock is ... | |
| splitting stock | 6/24/2004 |
| Q: I bought GTech stoch (GTK) a while back at 29.00/share. It is now worth about 50.00/share. There ... A: Traditionally, a company decides to split its stock in order to reduce the price-per-share, in the ... | |
| Stocks | 5/26/2004 |
| Q: What is an overweight stock? Is it good to buy it? A: I'm not familiar with precisely the expression that you offer, but I do know about an "overweighted ... | |
| Stock Market Adage | 4/19/2004 |
| Q: What does the following adage mean regarding the stock market? The stock market is a "market of ... A: The intended wisdom behind this adage is that each stock must be evaluated on its own merits, ... | |
| first time to buy stock | 4/10/2004 |
| Q: I a college student and I thinking of buying one or two stocks of a company that I've chosen. I'm ... A: I can help with some of what you ask. To buy stock you must open an account with a stock broker. ... | |
| buy stock now? | 3/25/2004 |
| Q: I keep reading that this is not a good time to get into stock, but these statements never seem to be ... A: David, if you could time the market accurately, you would be unique, and investors would beseige you ... | |
| Stocks | 2/9/2004 |
| Q: Kay, I read in "Investing for Dummies" where a company's "Current Liabilities" shouldn't approach ... A: There is no precise assets/liabilities ratio that either justifies a warning or is considered ... | |
| company consolidation | 1/17/2004 |
| Q: if time warner cable is looking to consolidate its company with adelphia communications corp.,is it ... A: There is too much that is unknown and too much that is currently speculative for anyone to provide a ... | |
| Stocks | 12/11/2003 |
| Q: I have like $200 and I'm saving to buy a car. I still have about a year before I get my license and ... A: With such a relatively small amount to invest, and with your admission that you are "clueless" when ... | |
| wash rule | 10/29/2003 |
| Q: As I understand it, the wash rule says you cannot buy a replacement stock that you plan to take a ... A: When you refer to a "replacement stock" I assume you mean the identical shares, rather than those ... | |
| Emerging Markets | 10/22/2003 |
| Q: Do you advise invest in emerging market, like Argentina? Why yes and why not? A: Given the long-standing economic problems of Argentina over the past several years (decades?), many ... | |
| mutual fund company or the local bank | 9/1/2003 |
| Q: I have some money that I have set aside that I wanted to invest for the long term(10 yrs), in an us ... A: Even though I, too, like to keep things simple, I would recommend Vanguard for an index fund, rather ... | |
General Stock Investment Strategies
Jay Kay
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
As a private investor for the past 40 years, I have experienced both bull and bear markets, and have lived to tell the tale. I should be able to provide you with serious, practical insights into managing stocks, bonds and mutual funds in your portfolio, along with useful information concerning most aspects of personal finance. No specific stock/bond recommendations furnished.
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