Schwab Chief: Don’t Bypass Financials

While a good amount of fear is still hovering over the financial sector, Jeff Mortimer, chief investment officer at Charles Schwab Investment Management, says that investors would be wise to include a significant amount of financial stocks in their portfolios in 2010.

“What I worry about [for] the individual investor is that they are underweight, perhaps, financials,” Mortimer tells CNBC. “A lot of taint has been put on that sector of the market, and I would just make sure that individuals … get to a market weight, a 10 or 15 percent weight of their portfolio [for financials] … even though it doesn’t appear that you want to own them.”

Despite what he calls a “violent” rebound in the stock market, Mortimer says he thinks stocks are fairly valued for an economy that is coming out of recession, and adds that he doesn’t think the rally has been “too far, too fast”.

BJTOTO ACQUISITION

1562
ACQUISITION

ACQUISITION OF 20% EQUITY INTEREST IN BERJAYA LOTTERY VIETNAM LIMITED [FORMERLY
KNOWN AS BERJAYA CORPORATION (LABUAN) LIMITED]
.
You are advised to read the entire contents of the announcement or attachment.
To read the entire contents of the announcement or attachment, please access
the Bursa website at http://www.bursamalaysia.com .


17/12/2009 06:07 PM


Ref Code: 20091217GA00215

4% GST to come into effect in middle of 2011

The 4% Goods and Services Tax (GST) is expected to be implemented by the middle of 2011. The GST Bill was tabled for first reading in Parliament by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah yesterday. He told the house that the second reading of the Bill was scheduled for March next year. Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby later, Husni said the GST would be a win-win situation for all, as the Government would receive an additional RM1bn in revenue for the first year while the business and export sectors would save RM4.1bn and RM1.4bn, respectively. “The Government is proposing GST at a rate lower than the (current) sales and services tax rates, and to allow certain exemptions from GST, especially on essential goods such as padi, vegetables, basic food (rice, sugar, flour, cooking oil), fish, meat and chicken, to ensure it will not burden the rakyat, especially the lower income group. The sales and services tax will be abolished and replaced with GST,” he said.
(Source:StarBiz)


Comments:
GST %:
4%(2011) -> 4.5%(2013) ----> 7%(2020)----> 15%(2040)

Australia 3Q GDP

Australia’s GDP expanded by 0.5%, year-on-year, in 3Q 2009, and grew by 0.2% compared with the previous quarter. Data released in the Australian National Accounts also shows that the terms of trade has risen by 1.0% on a seasonally-adjusted quarter-on-quarter basis.




Special Situation Investing - We will try to monitor the Australia Stock Exchange to find great value stock in future.

CNBC News : CITIBANK

CNBC News : CITIBANK

Insider Trading : LIONIND

Wednesday, 16 Dec 2009
7:22PM LIONIND TAN SRI CHENG YONG KIM (1,413,991 Shares Acquired)

7:22PM LIONIND TAN SRI CHENG YONG KIM (1,413,991 Shares Acquired)
7:22PM LIONIND TAN SRI CHENG HENG JEM (1,413,991 Shares Acquired)
7:20PM LIONIND Dealings in Securities by a Principal Officer Outside Closed Period

Our Comment:-
- Tan Sri Cheng Yong Kim is the boss of LION Group. He will know well about LIONIND in term of business valuation & earning. His action is most probably very good because i don't think he will use big amount of cash to speculate the his own company's stock. In fact, i think he start see the orders from customers. Business is picking up.
 
 
Special Situation Blog : Mid Term Buy on LIONIND.
Target Price               : RM2.00

Book : Buffettology Previously Unexplained Techniques Buffets

Version : Audio Book.
http://www.amazon.com/Buffettology-Previously-Unexplained-Techniques-Buffett/dp/068484821X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260952945&sr=8-1


Pls contact us for more details.

looking for plays on the China investment pool, which we think will burst at some point... Demand in China is over-inflated, that is clear

Maybank to up stake in Viet bank

Vietnam's An Binh Bank, 15% owned by Malaysia's top lender Maybank, said it would sell another 5% for USD19.3m to the Malaysian bank this month. Partly private ABBank said in a statement, the sale involving the issue of more than 17.8 million new shares, would raise its registered capital by 22% to 3.48trn dong or (USD88m) between 20 and 30 Dec. With a stake of 20%, Maybank's holding in the Vietnamese bank will be the maximum for a foreign partner, and on par with HSBC Holdings plc's stake in Hanoi-based Techcombank. (BT)