If you had $500,000 to put in stocks, what would you put it in-also stock stories!

[JohnT]

Here is the thing about equity mutual funds: Including survivorship bias, over 95% of all managed funds underperform the market once you account for all fees and taxes. In other words, 95% of the Professional stock pickers out there do worse than the market as a whole. If you include all the funds that have failed and are no longer included in fund comparison charts, you will find that over 99% of all funds have actually underperformed the market.

If these people can't do it, and they have careers and six-figure salaries riding on their ability to pick stocks, why would I even think I have a chance to succeed here? Better to buy a really cheap index fund - that way you are guaranteed to do better than 95% of the professionals.

[Az]

There are these news events "stock" games on the internet. I remember a real good one, but can't find it now.

[JohnT]

Edit after DP: I hate it when I do that.

[SpencerH]

Microsoft (dont own yet)
Intel (own some)
Co-Cola (dont own yet)
Phones- wireless and AT&T not the baby bells (own some) I got burnt bad, and they're risky, but if you pick the right ones now it could be worth a small investment)
Walmart (dont own)
Parcels of land near my house

[Saras]

Lithuanian private equity

[JohnT]

Sounds like an excellent con, Saras. How do I get in on the action?

[Saras]

There's a steep entry fee

[DuncanK]

From what I see. K-mart doesn't stand a chance.

[JohnT]

No, they don't as a national retailer. There might still be a chance that they can get their S*** together and reorg as a regional chain... but that's a slim chance at best.

[Sloth]

Originally posted by Sten Sture

I am so smart I own a bunch of Kmart at $0.96.

Hey Sten you scare me!!
I think I'am a client of yours so I should be concerned of your ability as a stock picker...

(Says the proud owener of some Worldcom stock )

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Saras
There's a steep entry fee

Where do I send the check?

[Carolus Rex]

I'd shove it all in Ericsson (B), currently at 4.93 SEK (go to http://www.xe.net/ucc/full.shtml to convert to a currency of your choice)...

"Don't put all the eggs in the same basket" - never heard of it!

Carolus

[Carolus Rex]

Sells for 4.98 SEK already... Ca-shing!

Carolus

[JohnT]

$500,000 worth of Ericksson at $.57 a share? That's almost a million shares! You're rich!

[Carolus Rex]

The last deal yesterday settled at 5.60 SEK. Approximately 12% up since Thursday afternoon. Compound this to an annual return and I think the banks' interest rates are left behind.

Carolus