Gann's 29 Rules of Success

Gann's 29 Rules of Success

©Halliker's Inc. Reprinted with permission of Traders World Magazine (www.tradersworld.com)

Rule #1 : Strive for Success

To be successful the most important rule is to strive for success. This means you must exert effort and put a lot of hard work into your effort. You must have both the short term and long term charts necessary for trading the markets you trade. They must be always up-to-date and you need to watch them on a daily basis so your mind gets use to their price and time movement. You will then learn the secret of trading and see how the entire price movement continually evolves.

Rule #2: No One Owes You Anything

You must succeed on your own. It is all up to you. The markets, stockbrokers, brokerage firms, news letters don't owe you anything. Gann never took anyone's newsletter. He did it all himself. The markets are there to provide you a service for buying and selling the markets you are trading. They really don't care that you make money. The markets are there for the brokerage fees. The more you trade, the more money the brokerage firms and exchanges make. You must be knowledgeable of a reliable trading method that you can use to extract money from these markets. This method must be able to help you understand the price structure of the markets in regards to time and price movement.
Rule #3: Plan You're Way to Profit
When you enter a trade you should have a figured a game plan for both the entry and exit of the trade. The plan should be definite and not subject to changes to your psychology during market hours. Gann knew exactly what he was doing all the time. You should have a stop in the market at all times, because you never know when a time cycle might turn against you. You should also have a profit objective in the market. So many traders today lose because they are using computer oscillators to trade with and they never know where they are going. They usually end up on trading with rumors and tips and use hope and fear to try to make a success of the markets.
Rule #4: Plan your Orders
You should always use price orders to enter the market. By doing this you will limit your risk and you can have a predetermined stop loss for the trade you are making. It also eliminates slippage on the entry. When you exit the market, it can be with a limit order based on the time and price objective. However, if the price has not been met by the end of your time cycle, you should then exit at the market.
Rule #5: Profit Ratio
You should set your profit ratio at 3 times your risk factor. Go back on the previous charts of the market you are trading and determine how much the market has risen or fallen and then set the loss ratio based on that. For example, if you have found that wheat usually rallies 12 cents then you should have a stop set at 4 cents.
Rule #6: Trade in Private
Never under any circumstances reveal your trading positions to anyone. Your mind must be in complete harmony with your trading positions. When you reveal your positions to someone, they will immediately start to question the trade and start to erode your confidence and concentration in the trade. You will then be a less effective trader and eventually lose.
Rule #7: Margin
Over trading on low margins is why so many people lose in the markets. You should never put a position on the risks over 10% of your capital. Every position you have in commodities should be backed with 3 times the minimum exchange margins. That means if the minimum exchange margins on wheat is $700 then when you buy a contract of wheat, it should be backed with $2100. This backing can be done in several ways. You don't have to have the money sitting in the brokerage account. It can be in a money market account or in Tbills.
Rule #8: Double Tops
Double tops offer you the best method of selling a market. What is happening is that a time and price high is being challenged. In most cases, the upward timing of the market has run out and it is in a downtrend. You should use the first rally to test the top as a selling point. In many cases, it ends up being a double top. Check back on the particular market you are trading on previous double tops and see what the market needed to do to get through and break the double top. It is usually 1-2 percent of the price of the current market. You should then set your stop based on that. The distance between double tops is important. The longer the distance the more important it is. Double tops on yearly charts are the most important, and then monthly and then daily are important. This is why you should always be looking at long-term charts to see these tops
Rule #9: Double Bottoms
Just like double tops, a good double bottom offers an excellent trading opportunity. Most major bull markets are created from these bottoms. Always keep an eye on all charts for this development. Place the orders and use your protective stops to take advantage of these trades.
Rule #10: Inside Day
Watch the markets for inside days. This means that the previous day's market high and low is inside of the previous day's range. You will find that after a long-term price. Brokers are constantly bombard with conflicting news which distorts the current view move that this signal gives you an early warning that the market is about to reverse in the opposite direction.
Rule #11: Reversal Signals
Understand and look for reversal signals. This will tell you the trend of the market short term. When the market runs up for more than five days and then gaps up, fills that gap, and closes lower for the day, it indicates low prices. You should expect the trend has changed. This is the strongest reversal signal. Another reversal is a market that runs up for 5 days or more and opens steady goes higher and then closes lower and under the previous days close. In many cases, the market will move at least 3 days in the opposite direction after one of these reverse signals.

Rule #12: Fibonacci Sequence Numbers

Gann never talked about Fibonacci Sequence Numbers, but he did use them. This was one of his secrets he kept to himself. Everything in nature and in the markets is based on Fibonacci Ratios of .382, .500 and .618. Markets will move according to the Fibonacci Numbers of 1, 3, 5, 8, 21 and so on. Watch for turns of the market on these numbers.
Rule #13: The Right Broker
You should choose a broker who complements you and thinks like you. The broker should take your order and fill it with the utmost speed. In commodity trading today it is important that your order gets to the floor within seconds. The new electronic trading has helped increase the speed. The broker should be willing to give you all the technical and fundament research you need to succeed without question and in a timely manner. The broker should never question your orders as you have put in the many hours of research into this trade and you know the trend of the market much better than he does of the market. Their only job should be to provide you with the best execution service possible.
Rule #14: Diversification
You should diversify your money so that you are in more than one group. For example, if you are a commodity trader you should have positions in grains, metals and meats. This helps to protect you from having adverse things hitting your one sector. This also destroys your confidence. In the stock market, you could have positions in different industries for protection.
Rule #15: Stops Based on Percent
All the stops you use should be based on percent of the price of the current market. Check back and you will find that a certain percentage stop works on the market most of the time and it is based on the current price of the market. Usually a 1 percent stop will protect you. Check back and see what previous stops have held the market and you will find one secret to trading successfully.
Rule #16: Trading Positions
There are three different positions you can be in at any one time. Those being long, short and neutral and not in the market. Don't be afraid to be out of the market. When cycles are changing, there are times when you should not be in. Changing cycle markets give you poor signals. You are also constantly being stopped out in these markets. If you are stopped out of 2 - 3 trades, you probable won't take the next trade because of psychology and that will be the one that works.
Rule #17: Odd Price Orders
When you place limit price orders, they should be not even but odd. That means if you want to buy corn at $3.00 you should place the order at $3.01. That is a little above the price level. The price level of $3.00 is a strong psychological level and many orders are placed there. The chances are that you would not be filled at that price level and the market would then rally sharply.

Rule #18: Fundamentals
You should not dismiss fundamentals. They are what move the markets. You should always be aware of upcoming reports, weather and other fundamentals in the commodity's markets. In stocks, you should know what's happening with sales, earnings, new products, management and other fundamental factors. The technical charts will then give you a leading indicator as to how those fundamentals will change. For example, in commodities the market will often go up into a report. The report will come out bullish and will jump the day of the report, just to turn down again the next several days. Checking further you will find that the report was on a cycle high day in a major down trend.
Rule #19: Anniversary Dates
Anniversary dates are very important. If you check back on your long-term charts (using daily) you will find that harmonic years many times will move in the same direction. The important harmonic years are every 10 years back. Therefore, if you find that December Wheat made a high on October 20, 1978 and we are approaching October 20, 1988 watch that anniversary date, If it reverses that same day it is very important and could lead to a major reversal.
Rule #20 Gaps
Gaps are extremely important. There are three types. One is the breakaway gap, which occurs after a congestion area. It usually leads to a big move in the market. The next is a midway gap. This is a gap, which occurs after the market has moved in the same direction for some time. It usually will tell you the market will move the same amount in the same direction for another extended period. The last type of gap is the exhaustion gap. It is where the market exhausts itself. For example, in a bull market when the bear finally gives up, throws in the towel and the market gaps up, and trades a few days up there, then finally starts down the market is through. The market will start a major downtrend.
Rule: #21 Swing Charts
Swing charts are extremely important. They tell you the direction of the market. When a previous swing low is broken, the market should be sold on any rallies and when a swing top is broken the market is ready to start up and all lows should then be bought. Using a stochastic oscillator on your charts sometimes tells you the relative importance of any particular swing high or low.
Rule: #22 Pyramiding
Pyramiding can be extremely profitable. You should buy 50% of your position on the cycle low or known bottom according to your time and price cycle work. Keep your stop below this low. Then at the wave two bottom you should add 25% of your position. Yes, you need to know Elliott Wave to trade. Place your stop for that position below that low. At wave, four buy another 25% and place your stop for that position below that low. On the last wave up which is the Fifth, you should start peeling off positions and removing stops starting with the first positions taken. When you think the market has topped take off all positions, cancel all stops, and wait for the next major trend to develop.

Rule: #23 Trade with the Main Trend
Gann always said go with the main trend. It is very important. You can buy reactions against the main trend and this can be very profitable. Reactions will usually be 1, 3 or 5 days, weeks, or months. That means that if the market reacts beyond 5 days then it will react 1, 3 or 5 weeks. If the market reacts beyond 5 weeks then it will react 1, 3 or 5 months.
Rule: #24 Harmonic Cycles
Harmonic cycles are time cycles and they are very important. The major cycles are every ten years back. You should have available long-term charts going back as far as possible in daily format. Overlay these long-term harmonic charts on top of each other. If 90% of them are going up during a time period then there is a high probability that the current trend will go up.
Rule: #25 Square Time and Price
If the market bottoms at a set price then it will rally in hours, days, weeks, months or years to square that price. For example if Dec Wheat bottoms at 250 then it will rally 250 hours, days, weeks, months or years from that bottom.
Rule: #26 Timing Points
Timing lows and highs are based on time and may not necessarily be the high or low of the market. Sometimes momentum will carry the market further than the high or low.
Rule: #27 Time Overbalancing Price
Watch the rise and fall of the markets carefully. If the 2nd last reaction in an uptrend drops for example 5 cents in corn in 3 days and the last reaction drops 5 cents in 6 days, then time is changing to the downside and the market will soon decline.
Rule: #28 Watch the Timing Swings
Timing swings are important. Watch both time and price from lows to highs, highs to lows, bottoms to bottoms and tops to tops. Keep track of them; as in many cases, they are the same.
Rule: #29 Psychology and Health
Psychology is very important. Trade only when you are mentally and psychologically strong. Your mind and body must be at its top condition when making critical decisions, which risk large sums of money.

The Mental Aspect of Trading by Linda Bradford Raschke

Many traders quickly come to acknowledge that despite being familiar with winning strategies, systems, and money management techniques, trading success is dependent on your psychological state of mind. If you're a trader just starting out, where do you find the initial confidence to pull the trigger? How do you deal with the down times without digging yourself deeper into the hole? If you are in a hole, how do you work your way back out? How do experienced traders push through the ceiling of profitability that caps their initial trading years and make a truly fabulous living?

Trading is a performance-oriented discipline. Stress and mental pressures can affect your ability to function and impact your bottom line. Much of what has been learned about achieving peak performance in both business and sports can be applied to trading. But before looking at some of these factors, let's first examine the ways that trading differs from other businesses.

Intellect has nothing to do with your ability as a trader. Success is not a function of how smart you are or how much you have applied yourself academically. This is hard to accept in a society that puts a premium on intellect.
There is no customer or client good will built up each day in your business. Customer relationships, traditionally important in American businesses, have little to do with a trader's profitability. Each day is a clean slate.
The traditionally 8-5 work ethic doesn't apply in this business! A trader could sit in front of a screen all day waiting for a recognizable pattern to occur and have nothing happen. There is a temptation to take marginal trades just so a trader can feel like he's doing something. There's also the dilemma of putting in constant hours of research, having nothing to show for it, and not getting paid for the work done. Yet if a trader works too hard, he risks burn- out. And what about those months where 19 out of 20 days are profitable, but the trader gives it all back in one or two bad days? How can a trader account for his productivity in these situations?
If you were to invest time, energy, and emotion into developing a business venture and backed out at the last minute, it would be considered a failure. However, you should be able to invest time and energy into researching a trading idea, and yet still be able to change your mind at the last minute. Market conditions change, and we cannot be expected to predict all the variables with foresight. Getting out of a bad trade with only a small loss should be considered a big success!
What IS the definition of a successful trader? He should feel good about himself and enjoy playing the game. You can make a few small trades a year as a hobby, generate some very modest profits, and be quite successful because you had fun. There are also aggressive traders who have had big years, but ultimately blow-out, ruin their health or lead miserable lives from all the stress they put themselves under.
Principles of Peak Performance

The first principle of peak performance is to put fun and passion first. Get the performance pressures out of your head. Forget about statistics, percentage returns, win/loss ratios, etc. Floor-traders scratch dozens of trades during the course of a day, but all that matters is whether they're up at the end of the month.

Don't think about TRYING to win the game - that goes for any sport or performance-oriented discipline. Stay involved in the process, the technique, the moment, the proverbial here and now.! A trader must concentrate on the present price action of the market. A good analogy is a professional tennis player who focuses only on the point at hand. He'll probably lose half the points he plays, but he doesn't allow himself to worry about whether or not he's down a set. He must have confidence that by concentrating on the techniques he's worked on in practice, the strengths in his game will prevail and he will be able to outlast his opponent.

The second principle of peak performance is confidence. in yourself, your methodology, and your ability to succeed. Some people are naturally born confident. Other people are able to translate success from another area in their life. Perhaps they were good in sports, music, or academics growing up. There's also the old-fashioned "hard work" way of getting confidence. Begin by researching and developing different systems or methodologies. Put in the hours of backtesting. Tweak and modify the systems so as to make them your own. Study the charts until you've memorized every significant swing high or low. Self-confidence comes from developing a methodology that YOU believe in.

Concentrate on the technical conditions. Have a clear game plan. Don't listen to CNBC, your broker, or a friend. You must do your own analysis and have confidence in your game plan to be a successful trader.

Analyze the markets when they are closed. Your job during the day is to monitor markets, execute trades and manage positions. Traders should be like fighter pilots - make quick decisions and have quick reflexes. Their plan of attack is already predetermined, yet they must be ready to abort their mission at any stage of the game.

Just as you should put winning out of your mind, so should you put losing out of your mind - quickly. A bad trade doesn't mean you've blown your day. Get rid of the problem quickly and start making the money back. It's like cheating on a diet. You can't undo the damage that's been done. However, it doesn't mean you've blown your whole diet. Get back on track and you'll do fine.

For that matter, the better you are able to eliminate emotions from your day, the better off you will be. A certain amount of detachment adds a healthy dose of objectivity.

Trading is a great business because the markets close at the end of the day (at least some of them). This gives you a zero point from which to begin the next day - a clean slate. Each day is a new day. Forget about how you did the week before. What counts is how you do today!

Sometimes what will happen during the day comes down to knowing yourself. Are you relaxed or distracted? Are you prepared or not? If you can't trade that day, don't! - and don't overanalyze the reasons why or why not. Is psychoanalyzing your childhood going to help your trading? Nonsense!

The third important ingredient for achieving peak performance is attitude. Attitude is how you deal with the inevitable adverse situations that occur in the markets. Attitude is also how you handle the daily grind, the constant 2 steps forward and 2 steps back. Every professional has gone through long flat times. Slumps are inevitable for it's impossible to stay on top of your game 100% of the time. Once you've dug yourself out of a hole, no matter how long it takes, you know that you can do it again. If you've done something once, it is a repeatable act. That knowledge is a powerful weapon and can make you a much stronger trader.

Good trades don't always work out. A good trade is one that has the probabilities in its favor, but that doesn't mean that it will always work out. People who have a background in game theory understand this well. The statistics are only meaningful when looking at a string of numbers. For example, in professional football, not every play is going to gain yardage. What percentage of games do you need to win in order to make the playoffs? It's a number much smaller than most of us are willing to accept in our own win/loss ratios!

Here is an interesting question: should you look at a trade logically or psychologically? In other words, should every trade stand on its own merits? Theoretically, yes, but in real life it doesn't always work that way. A trader is likely to manage a position differently depending on whether the previous trade was a winner or a loser.

How does one know when to take profits on a good trade? You must ask yourself first how greedy do you want to be, or, how much money do you want to make? And also, does your pattern have a "perceived profit" or objective level? Why is it that we hear successful winning traders complain far more about getting out of good trades too soon than not getting out of bad trades soon enough? There's an old expression: "Profits are like eels, they slip away."

Successful traders are very defensive of their capital. They are far more likely to exit a trade that doesn't work right away than to give it the benefit of the doubt. The best trades work right away!

OK. Realistically, every trader has made a stubborn, big losing trade. What do you do if you're really caught in a pickle? The first thing is to offer a "prayer to the Gods". This means, immediately get rid of half your position. Cut down the size. Right off the bat you are taking action instead of freezing up. You are reducing your risk, and you have shifted the psychological balance to a win-win situation. If the market turns around, you still have part of your position on. If it continues against you, your loss will be more manageable. Usually, you will find that you wished you exited the whole position on the first order, but not everyone is able to do this.

At an annual Market Technician's conference, a famous trader was speaking and someone in the audience asked him what he did when he had terrible losing trades. He replied that when his stomach began to hurt, he'd "puke them at the lows along with everyone else." The point is, everyone makes mistakes but sooner or later you're going to have to exit that nasty losing position.

"Feel good" trades help get one back in the game. It's nice to start the day with a winning scalp. It tends to give you more breathing room on the next trade. The day's psychology is shifted in your favor right away. This is also why it's so important to get rid of losing trades the day before. so you don't have to deal with them first thing in the morning. This is usually when the choice opportunity is and you want to be ready to take advantage of it.

A small profitable scalp is the easiest trade to make. The whole secret is to get in and get out of the market as quickly as possible. Enter in the direction of the market's last thrust or impulse. The shorter the period of time you are is the marketplace, the easier it is to make a winning trade. Of course, this strategy of making a small scalp is not substantial enough to make a living, but remember the object is to start the day out on the right foot.

If you are following a methodology consistently (key word), and making money, how do you make more money? You must build up the number of units traded without increasing the leverage. In other words, don't try going for the bigger trade, instead, trade more contracts. It just takes awhile to build up your account or the amount of capital under management. Proper leverage can be the key to your success and longevity in this business. Most traders who run into trouble have too big a trade on. Size influences your objectivity. Your main object should be to stay in the game.

Most people react differently when they're under pressure. They tend to be more emotional or reactive. They tense up and judgement is often impaired. Many talented athletes can't cut it because they choke when the pressure's on. You could be a brilliant analyst but a lousy trader. Consistency is far more important than brilliance. Just strive for consistency in what you do and let go of the performance expectations.

Master the Game

The last key to achieving mental mastery over the game is believing that you can actually do it. Everyone is capable of being a successful trader if they truly believe they can be. You must believe in the power of belief. If you're a recluse skeptic or self-doubter, begin by pretending to believe you can make it. Keep telling yourself that you'll make it even if it takes you five years. If a person's will is strong enough, they will always find a way.

If you admit to yourself that you truly don't have the will to win at this game, don't try to trade. It is too easy to lose too much money. Many people think that they'll enjoy trading when they really don't. It's boring at times, lonely during the day, mentally trying, with little structure or security. The markets are not a logical or fair playing ground. But there are numerous inefficiencies and patterns ready to be exploited, and there always will be.

Ten Days that shook 2008

Parasites That Control Behavior

Parasites That Control Behavior

A Financial Wizard

It's incredible how a financial scandal of this magnitude can go undetected for so many years. US$50 billion by any standard is not a small sum. Bernard L Madoff is easily the greatest con man of the century. I rate him a genius and a rare financial wizard.

Jews are popularity known to be astute and shrewd. Yet the majority of investors in the Madoff's Ponzi scheme are none other than Jews. These investors are really fattened for the slaughter house by their own breed. What a calamity! What an embarrassment!

For those who can ill afford the lost, the pain will last them a life time. When you wake up one morning and suddenly find that you are completely wiped out, the emotional distress is likely to be too much to bear. So far I have not read or heard of anyone who has a heart attack or has committed suicide as a result of the debacle. I take this to mean that all these very rich men or women are really those who can afford to lose. The pain may not be that excruciating after all.

What can we learn from this financial fiasco? The first is that what appears to be the safest may actually be the most dangerous.
The second is that no matter how careful you care, you can be taken for a ride. The sensible thing to do is therefore to diversify, not putting all eggs in one basket and to remember that there is no such thing as completely risk-free.

Cheers!

Quotable Quotes

I am an optimist. It does not seem to be much use being anything else.
Winston Churchill

Markets come back strongly after crashes. That was the case in 1932, 1937,1962, 1974/1975, 1980/1982, 1987, & 2001/2002.
So, why not 2007/2008?
Marty Whitman

When the majority of investors believe something, it's never long before they are proven wrong.
Robert Torray

When Bufett was young, he asked his mentor Benjamin Graham what would happen if after a crash, the market never came back.
Graham just shrugged his shoulder and said, "Don't worry, it is sure to come back."

So guys, don't worry, we are sure to see the light at the end of every tunnel.

Best wishes.

Zero Interest Rate

Are you prepared to put your money in the banks if they pay you no interest or even charge you a small fee for taking care of your deposits? In the US, Treasury bills are now sold at zero interest and there's great demand for them. People there are now willing to sacrifice interest income for safety of their money.

"And when investors traded their T-bills with each other, the yield sometimes went negative. That's how extreme the market anxiety is: Some are willing to give up a little of their money just to park it in a relatively safe place." Yes. that's what is reported in the New York (AP).

Here, in Malaysia, we are still getting not less than 3% p.a. for our fixed deposits. And the grand thing is that these deposits are guaranteed by our government. In our stock market, many worthwhile investing counters are now at realistic levels yielding more than 5% returns. It is not difficult to find out what these counters are. At JupiterOnLine, the price earnings ratio for each counter is shown in the trading screen. What should be of concern to you is whether the earnings can be sustained and dividend payments maintained. For you to figure these out, you need to take into consideration the core business of the company and the integrity & skill of the management. Pay extra concern to plantation companies. The high earnings for the previous quarters will definitely not be repeated going forward as the price of palm oil has gone down substantially. Steel counters are in the same boat.

Interest rate will soften; the price of real estates will soften as well. Inflation will moderate and consumer goods will become less expensive. Take care of your money and they will take care of you.

Cheers and good luck.

By 2012, America will become the first undeveloped country

Gerald Celente Predicts Tax Revolution,Riots,Rebellion - Emuforums.com

"Gerald Celente, the CEO of Trends Research Institute, is renowned for his accuracy in predicting future world and economic events, which will send a chill down your spine considering what he told Fox News this week."

He claims by 2012 America will become the first "undeveloped country"....
Christmas will finally mean putting food on your table...
SAVE YOUR AMMO/SEEDS/YEAST/FLOUR/HEAD/

here is the video
YouTube - Fox Business: Gerald Celente Predicts Revolution 11/10/08


these are testimonies for his accuracy from many networks

"When CNN wants to know about the Top Trends, we ask Gerald Celente."
— CNN Headline News

"A network of 25 experts whose range of specialties would rival many university faculties."
— The Economist

"Gerald Celente has a knack for getting the zeitgeist right."
— USA Today

"There’s not a better trend forecaster than Gerald Celente. The man knows what he’s talking about."
- CNBC

"Those who take their predictions seriously ... consider the Trends Research Institute."
— The Wall Street Journal

"Gerald Celente is always ahead of the curve on trends and uncannily on the mark ... he's one of the most accurate forecasters around."
— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Mr. Celente tracks the world’s social, economic and business trends for corporate clients."
— The New York Times

"Mr. Celente is a very intelligent guy. We are able to learn about trends from an authority."
— 48 Hours, CBS News

"Gerald Celente has a solid track record. He has predicted everything from the 1987 stock market crash and the demise of the Soviet Union to green marketing and corporate downsizing."
— The Detroit News

"Gerald Celente forecast the 1987 stock market crash, ‘green marketing,’ and the boom in gourmet coffees."
— Chicago Tribune

"The Trends Research Institute is the Standard and Poors of Popular Culture."
— The Los Angeles Times

"If Nostradamus were alive today, he'd have a hard time keeping up with Gerald Celente."
— New York Post


AND NOW HES PREDICTING REVOLUTION. The least worst thing you all could do is stay aware, not panic and stay close with your families as we pull together.

Has anybody saw this in there heads? i know i have and its mindblowing knowing we are actually going to be pushed that much more then the great depression. i gtg though stay safe everybody and i hope there can be some discussion on this.

One for your portfolio

"YTL Cement Berhad achieved a 30.9% increase in net profit to RM157.9 million (US$48.6 mil) for the 9 months ended 31 March 2008, compared to RM120.6 million (US$37.1 mil) for the previous corresponding 9 months ended 31 March 2007.

Revenue grew 21.4% to RM1,012.4 million (US$311.5 mil) this year, compared to RM833.8 million (US$256.6 mil) last year. The growth in revenue and profit arose mainly from higher demand for cement in the construction industry, improved operational efficiencies and better selling prices during the period."

One way to gain exposure to the Chinese market is to buy shares in YTL Cement. The company has announced an interim dividend of 5 sen of which 3 sen are tax free. For entitlement of the dividend you must buy before 31.12.08. If you trust my judgement, adopt a buy-and-hold strategy for this counter. The more you buy, the more you will pick up in the years ahead.
YTL Cement closed at RM2.30 last Friday.

One thing to remember is that in the stock market, there is no such thing as a certainty. You always buy at your own risk.

Cheers! and good luck.

American Depression and Recession

According to Anthony Karydatis, a US economist, the Great Depression of 1929 lasted 43 months from August 1929 to March 1933. Gross domestic product contracted by 28% between 1930 and 1932. Unemployment rate surged to 25%.

In the 1973 to 1975 recession, the unemployment rate went up to 9%. This recession lasted 16 months.

In the 1981/1982 recession, the unemployment rate was 10.8% at its high. This one lasted 16 months. Interested rate was sky-high at ........(not sure how high it was).

In the 1990/1991 & 2001, the recessions were short-lived, about 6 months.

The present recession started in December 2007. Unemployment rate presently is at 6.7%.

I understand that interest rate is now at 0.5% and heading lower. It may go down to zero.

How much longer will this recession last? If you have any opinion, you are welcome to have your say.

Thanks.

Wisdom Phrase

The block of granite that is an obstacle to the weak is a stepping stone in the path of the strong.

Over Night Policy Rate lowered by 25 basic points

Bank Negara has lowered the over night policy rate (OPR) from 3.5% to 3.25%. It has also lowered the statutory reserve requirement (SRR) from 4% to 3.5%. These actions are designed to inject some liquidity into the banking system. It will make borrowings a little bit cheaper at the expense of depositors. Those who have money in the banks should prepare themselves to get less interest for their deposits.

The banks pay 3 to 3.5% interest per annum presently. This is hardly enough to cover inflation. However, in the days ahead,inflation is likely to soften. This means foods and other necessities will become less expensive. Super markets are urged to bring prices down. Consumers should cut off all unnecessary expenses; waste must be avoided. When demands soften, the prices of goods will surely come down.

Stock markets all over the world have been badly battered by the bears. Even the most astute investors do not have the ability
to maintain their portfolio in the plus territory. In fact many have seen their market value slashed by as much as 40 to 60%. So rest assured that you are not alone in this calamity.

I have recommended that cash should be preserved for a better buying opportunity in my previous posting. However, if you can identify some good stocks to buy, by all means go ahead. We invest in the stock market for capital gains and dividend income. If you can indentify good dividend-yield stocks with sustainable earnings and dividend payouts, then you should put in some of your money to buy these stocks.

In the present scenario, it's best you forget about capital income in the short term. The market is most unlikely to make a V-bottom. At best, we will a round bottom.

At the recent summit meeting of 20 countries, the leaders are of the opinion that it will take 18 months to quell this financial meltdown. How the calculation comes to 18 months is anybody's guess. They have not provided any details. They say that in 18 months this financial meltdown will be overcome. Does this mean that the situation is supposed to become worst before it becomes better? They have not worked out a plan as to what each country should do. Plenty of talk and no well- thought out plan is hardly the stuff for success. I hope they will do better in the next meeting.

In the meantime, you should pay close attention to your charts. The downtrend has not shown any reliable buy signal yet.

Best wishes.

Hold on to your cash

The Americans have overspent! They are now between the devils and the deep blue sea. What's going to happen next? So many countries are now in recession. Singapore has retrenched 500,000 Malaysians according to one Chinese newspaper. Where can these people go? Can you imagine the pain, agony and desperation for one to lose his job when his monthly installments for his house and car are already in arrears?

Pakistan, Ukraine, Argentina, Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, Hungary, Japan, Germany and England are all in financial crisis. The global financial meltdown has clearly shown that demand for everything has dwindled. Crude oil had tumbled from $147 to $50 per barrel. Palm oil dropped from RM4486 to RM1450 per metric ton. Landed properties are sure to follow the downward path.

Now is the time to be ultra-cautious with your money. All unnecessary expenses must be hived off. Cash will become more and more valuable. Not long from now, you are likely to have the opportunity to have some real-cheap buys, not only in the stock market but in real estates as well.

Some governments will cut interest rates to spur spending. This may work in the short term, but over time, the cure will be more deadly than the disease.

Obama is said to be in favor of an alternate fuel. If he is successful even to a certain extent, crude oil has no way to find its way back to its glorious days. Already demand for the product has dropped as reflected in its price. Brazil, Russia, India and China are said to be strong enough to weather the American crisis. This assumption may not hold water now. In the foreseeable future, deflation is sure to set in. The days when you are able to buy very much more than what is offered now may become a reality in the not too distant future.

Hold on to your cash. You will have a better tomorrow....... for your buying.

Cheers and Happy Waiting!

Wisdom Phrase

People who are afraid to fail can never experience the joys of success.

Pete Zafra

Wisdom Phrase

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.

Charles Darwin

Wisdom Phrase

You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.

Beverly Sills

Wisdom Phrase

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Elmer Letterman

Wisdom Phrase

Personal development is your springboard to personal excellence.
Ongoing, continuous, non-stop personal development literally assures you that
there is no limit to what you can accomplish.

Brian Tracy

Wisdom Phrase

Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities.
They vary in their desires to reach their potential.

John Maxwell

Wisdom

To be successful, you must decide exactly what you want to accomplish, then resolve to pay the price to get it.

Bunker Hunt

Wisdom

Unless you spread your wings, you will never know how high you can fly.

Unknown

Wisdom

The secret of success is to be ready when the opportunity comes.

Benjamin Disraefi

The Outflow is Worrying

According to HLeBroking, RM125 billion has left our country in the first half of 2008. In the whole of 2007, the total outflow was RM92.3 billion. This trend is worrying. The undesirable consequence is reflected in the downward trend of our blue chips.

Many of them are down a lot. A few examples are:

• Bursa (14.01.08) High 16.30 (09.09.08) Close 6.60
  
• IOICorp (15.01.08) High 8.60 (09.09.08) Close 4.85
  
• Batu Kawan (24.08.08) High 13.10 (09.09.08) Close 7.85
  
• Tanjong (09.01.08) High 18.50 (09.09.08) Close 13.20
  
• Genting (11.07.08) High 8.05 (09.09.08) Closed 5.40

Unless the outflow of fund is stopped, the downward trend of our stock market is likely to continue. Unless and until foreign funds return, the possibility of a reversal is close to zero.

So what should we do now? Presently, the political situation of our country is in turmoil and, this is worsened by the irresponsible and racist remarks and action of some BN members. No thanks to Ahmad who started it all.

Our PM says that he is very displeased with Ahmad and that appropriate action will be taken against him. Let's wait and see how the later chapters unfold. Should 513 be replicated, the consequences can be devastating. It's the responsibility of everyone in the country to contribute to the harmony and integrity of our land. 

We are not squatters here. We are the rightful and legal citizens of Malaysia. We have helped built this country and we have defended it with our blood and sweat as well. Malaysia is for its citizens! Viva Malaysia!!!

Insiders know very much more than what we know. Your candlesticks are your guiding lights. So, it's best you watch your charts closely.

Cheers! and Good Luck.

Yang TaiChi 24 forms

Tai Chi

Basic-Cha Cha-latin-tornsberg

Red Durian Flowers

Durian flowers are very common. But the red ones are rare. Consider yourself lucky when you spotted them. These flowers are found in one of my durian trees.

Twelve Basic Stock Investing Rules - C.C.Collins

C.C. Collins is a Financial Planning Advisor and Author of “Scientific Wealth Strategies” His basic stock investing rules are as follows:

There are many important things you need to know to trade and invest successfully in the stock market or any other market. 12 of the most important things that I can share with you based on many years of trading experience are enumerated below.

1. Buy low-sell high. As simple as this concept appears to be, the vast majority of investors do the exact opposite. Your ability to consistently buy low and sell high, will determine the success, or failure, of your investments. Your rate of return is determined 100% by when you enter the stock market.

2. The stock market is always right and price is the only reality in trading. If you want to make money in any market, you need to mirror what the market is doing. If the market is going down and you are long, the market is right and you are wrong. If the stock market is going up and you are short, the market is right and you are wrong. Other things being equal, the longer you stay right with the stock market, the more money you will make. The longer you stay wrong with the stock market, the more money you will lose.

3. Every market or stock that goes up will go down and most markets or stocks that have gone down, will go up. The more extreme the move up or down, the more extreme the movement in the opposite direction once the trend changes. This is also known as “the trend always changes rule.”

4. If you are looking for “reasons” that stocks or markets make large directional moves, you will probably never know for certain. Since we are dealing with perception of markets-not necessarily reality, you are wasting your time looking for the many reasons markets move. A huge mistake most investors make is assuming that stock markets are rational or that they are capable of ascertaining why markets do anything. To make a profit trading, it is only necessary to know that markets are moving - not why they are moving. Stock market winners only care about direction and duration, while market losers are obsessed with the whys.

5. Stock markets generally move in advance of news or supportive fundamentals - sometimes months in advance. If you wait to invest until it is totally clear to you why a stock or a market is moving, you have to assume that others have done the same thing and you may be too late. You need to get positioned before the largest directional trend move takes place. The market reaction to good or bad news in a bull market will be positive more often than not. The market reaction to good or bad news in a bear market will be negative more often than not.

6. The trend is your friend. Since the trend is the basis of all profit, we need long term trends to make sizeable money. The key is to know when to get aboard a trend and stick with it for a long period of time to maximize profits. Contrary to the short term perspective of most investors today, all the big money is made by catching large market moves - not by day trading or short term stock investing.

7. You must let your profits run and cut your losses quickly if you are to have any chance of being successful. Trading discipline is not a sufficient condition to make money in the markets, but it is a necessary condition. If you do not practice highly disciplined trading, you will not make money over the long term. This is a stock trading “system” in itself.

8. The Efficient Market Hypothesis is fallacious and is actually a derivative of the perfect competition model of capitalism. The Efficient Market Hypothesis at root shares many of the same false premises as the perfect competition paradigm as described by a well known economist. The perfect competition model is not based on anything that exists on this earth. Consistently profitable professional traders simply have better information - and they act on it. Most non-professionals trade strictly on emotion, and lose much more money than they earn. The combination of superior information for some investors and the usual panic as losses mount caused by buying high and selling low for others, creates inefficient markets.

9. Traditional technical and fundamental analysis alone may not enable you to consistently make money in the markets. Successful market timing is possible but not with the tools of analysis that most people employ. If you eliminate optimization, data mining, subjectivism, and other such statistical tricks and data manipulation, most trading ideas are losers.

10. Never trust the advice and/or ideas of trading software vendors, stock trading system sellers, market commentators, financial analysts, brokers, newsletter publishers, trading authors, etc., unless they trade their own money and have traded successfully for years. Note those that have traded successfully over very long periods of time are very few in number. Keep in mind that Wall Street and other financial firms make money by selling you something - not instilling wisdom in you. You should make your own trading decisions based on a rational analysis of all the facts.

11. The worst thing an investor can do is take a large loss on their position or portfolio. Market timing can help avert this much too common experience. You can avoid making that huge mistake by avoiding buying things when they are high. It should be obvious that you should only buy when stocks are low and only sell when stocks are high. Since your starting point is critical in determining your total return, if you buy low, your long term investment results are irrefutably better than someone that bought high.

12. The most successful investing methods should take most individuals no more than four or five hours per week and, for the majority of us, only one or two hours per week with little to no stress involved.

The Wonder of Bird Nests

Birds' nest have been used for a long time in traditional Chinese medicine. It is classified as a cold food or ying according to the Chinese food concept. Birds' nest has been recommended for use in the curing or strengthening of the body in diseases related to weak blood or body overheat, cold, influenza, cough, asthma, and other bronchio ailments. Consumption of birds' nest is also recommended to complement other treatments to combat degenerative diseases such as cancer and also for convalescence or to recover health after illness or surgery.

It is also claimed that consuming birds' nests regularly can give a person exuberant physical and mental strength as well as to restore the fine and fair complexion of one's youthfulness. It is also mentioned that an expectant mother consuming birds' nests would have a baby with fine and smooth complexion. Chinese concept of food and medicine is a conspicuous part of the Chinese culture and birds' nest is one of the food items highly valued and often prescribed for use in the treatment of various body ailments.

The above is an extract taken from: http://birdnestman.tripod.com/

Swiftlets’ Delights

Set up your birdhouse where AF swiftlets abound
Soon your financial position will be sound
Consult a good sifu, to be smart
Someone with good moral value is a good start

Knowledge with capability means superiority
Honesty with integrity is the priority
Success depends on how well you plan
You must do it to the best you can

Mangrove swamps, plantations, rivers and the like
Are what the swiftlets delight
‘Cos there, insects are aplenty
Satisfying their hunger is a necessity

The flying path of the birds must be ascertained
The proper entrance window must be maintained
To and flo, to enter and to exit
An easy access is what they need

Inside the birdhouse
The smell, the sound, the light, the weather and the humidity
Must all be right
If you fail to do it correctly, the birds will not stay overnight

Beware of pests
Beware of the cockroaches and the rats
These you must get rid off
For the birdhouse to be at its best

Swiftlets are not polygamous
At maturity they pair off for life
They are loyal and faithful together
If one dies, ( I wonder) what happen to the other?

What is the life span of a swiftlet?
Twelve to fourteen years, I gather
Anyone who has the answer
Please share it with other bloggers.

Viva Swiftlets

Swiftlets Swiftlets flying high and low
In the morning and evening sky, they glow
Twisting and turning, up and down they fly
Searching for insects,they try and try

Far and wide though they may roam
At every sunset, they come home
They brave the storms, the wind and the shine
To be home to rest, so as to be fine

They mate in the clouds
Sometimes they sleep while flying about
In total darkness, they can still locate their own nests
Using echolocation, they are as good as the bats

Man have identified them as good profitable partners
They build them safe homes to shelter them from cold
They help them to grow and multiply in numbers
In return, the swiftlets leave them their pure white gold

Swiflets swiftlets; together we shall prosper
You in your population and me in gold
For those who wish to know more
Ask CKSOON and Harry, they are the ones who know.

(To know about swiftlet farming click here: http://worldofswiftletfarming.blogspot.com/ http://swiftletfarming.blogspot.com/ )

Through a Rapist's Eyes

CG, one of my blog readers, sent this information to me. It is useful, so please read on.
>
> *This is important information for females of ALL ages.
>
> *When this was sent to me, I was told to forward it to my lady friends,
> but I forwarded it to most everyone in my address book.
> My men friends have female friends and this information is too important to miss someone.
> **
> **Please pass it along**
>
> *A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they
> look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:
>
> *1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They
> are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other
> hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a
> woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.
>
> *2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women
> whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around
> specifically to cut clothing.
>
> *3) They also look for women on their cell phone,searching through their
> purse, or doing other activities while walking because they are off-guard
> and can be easily overpowered.
>
> *4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning, between 5:00
> a.m. and 8:30 a.m.**
>
> *5) The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery store
> parking lots . Number two: Are office parking lots/garages. Number three:
> Are public restrooms.
>
> *6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and
> quickly move her to another location where they don't have to worry about
> getting caught. **
>
> *7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year
> sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.
>
> *8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because
> it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't
> worth it because it will be time-consuming.
>
> *9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other
> similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.
>
> *Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the
> attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys
> you're not worth it.
>
> *10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following
> behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or
> stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is
> it, or make general small talk: 'I can't believe it is so cold out here,'
> 'we're in for a bad winter.' Now you've seen their face and could identify
> them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.
>
> *11) If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you
> and yell STOP or STAY BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they'd
> leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to
> fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.
>
> *12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it
> and carries it with him wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding
> it out will be a deterrent.
>
> *13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you
> can by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from
> behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and armpit)
> OR in the upper innerthigh VERY VERY HARD.
> One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch
> on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through
> the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches. Try
> pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it - it hurts **.
>
> *14)** After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN**.** I know from a
> particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is
> extremely painful . You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him
> want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is
> that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing
> trouble and he's out of there. **
>
> *15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and
> bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them
> as possible . The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I
> ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.
>
> *16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of
> your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and **if you see any odd
> behavior,** **don't dismiss it, go with your instincts!!!
>
> *You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the
> guy really was trouble.
> *
> *1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If
> you are close enough to use it, do!
>
> *2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans . If a robber asks for
> your wallet and/or purse,** DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM**. Toss it away from
> you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse
> than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. **RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER
> DIRECTION!
>
> *3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail
> lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The
> driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
>
> *4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating,
> working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.)
> **DON'T DO THIS!** The predator will be watching you, and this is the
> perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to
> your head, and tell you where to go. ** AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR,
> LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
>
> *a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF,
> repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything,
> wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back
> seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and
> run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.
>
> *5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot or parking garage:
>
> *A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side
> floor, and in the back seat.
>
> *B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger
> door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their
> vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
>
> *C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the
> passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you
> may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to
> walk you back out.
>
> *IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
>
> *6.** ALWAYS** take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are
> horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially
> true at NIGHT!)
>
> *7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, **ALWAYS
> RUN!** The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times.
> And even then, it most likely **WILL NOT** be a vital organ.** RUN,
> preferably in a zigzag pattern!
>
> *8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: **STOP!** It may get
> you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
> well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting
> women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his
> vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
>
> *9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a
> crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police
> because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her
> **'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
>
> *The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window,
> and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The
> policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT
> open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry
> recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone
> dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several
> calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when
> they're home alone at night.
>
> *Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby ----This
> **should be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on
> America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial
> killer in Louisiana.
>
> *I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life.
> A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this
> to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters,
> daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well. *
>

ECER states ramps up swiftlet farming

Business Times On-Line says:

THE East Coast Economic Region (ECER) states are ramping up swiftlet farming, with Kelantan emerging as the country's second largest swiftlet farmer after Perak.

Swiftlet farms produce highly-prized and much coveted birds' nests, where male swiftlets deposit salivary strands to build nests.

A kilogramme of unprocessed white edible birds' nests was priced between RM4,500 and RM6,000 in 2006, while its processed version fetched retail prices of RM15,000 to RM25,000 in Hong Kong and China.

The total consumption value of edible birds' nests throughout the world in 2006 was estimated to be in between RM8 billion and RM12 billion.
Hong Kong, at a 50 per cent consumption rate, is the world's biggest buyer of birds' nests, while China stands at eight per cent, Taiwan four per cent and Macau three per cent, with consumption weight value of 160 tonnes for 2006.

As of June 2004, there were about 300 birds' nest locations in Kelantan, especially in Kota Baru, Tumpat and Rantau Panjang.

Other swiftlet farms within the ECER are in Pasir Mas in Kelantan; Kampong Air Papan in Mersing; Kuala Besut, Kuala Terengganu, Tok Soboh, Kampung Pinang in Terengganu; as well as Rompin and Pekan in Pahang.

Nespure Birdsnest Sdn Bhd managing director Ng Ching Phock said swiftlet farming has become a new industry to generate Kelantan's economy, apart from offering jobs to its people.

With its own outlet and swiftlet farm in Kota Baru, Nespure Birdsnest markets birds' nest products directly from its outlet and sells to third parties.

It is also the first outlet in the east coast to sell sea swiftlet's birds' nest products.

"Locally harvested birds' nests are among the world's best in quality and are in demand from the international market, either raw or processed," Ng said in a statement yesterday.

"At Nespure Birdsnest, Muslim workers are employed to collect, clean, process, and select quality bird's nests by using traditional methods."

Meanwhile, Bio Research Centre (M) Sdn Bhd (BRC), one of Perak's largest swiftlet farmers, is also exploring swiftlet farming in Mersing, Kota Baru, as well as Kuantan and Kuala Rompin in Pahang.

Its managing director Loke Yeu Loong said: "Since the production of commercially harvestable quantities of edible birds' nests started to grow in 1998, more and more SME (small and medium enterprise) businessmen, landlords and investors have began to realise the financial viability of the swiftlet farming industry in Malaysia."

In Malaysia, the industry has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last eight years.

By the end of 2006, there were nearly 36,000 swiftlet farms throughout the country, with an average annualised growth rate of 35 per cent per year in the last five years.

Malaysia is the world's third largest producer of edible birds' nests with seven per cent of gross supply value, behind Indonesia (60 per cent) and Thailand (20 per cent).

The Perak state government has offered 10 potential sites for swiftlet farming, while Johor has proposed swiftlet eco-parks in Endau and Desaru. The Negri Sembilan state government is also interested in setting up similar eco parks.

The swiftlet farming industry is governed by various guidelines drawn up by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government as well as Jabatan Perkhidmatan Haiwan.

Bank Pertanian Malaysia is offering end-financing of up to 85 per cent as birds' nest cultivation has been termed an agro-based industry.

The World's First Legal Swiftlet Park

17/07/07

By Zoe Phoon

Incredible, but true! An astounding RM13 billion worth of edible bird?s nests were produced around the world last year alone, with a significant portion coming from swiftlet houses in Malaysia and Indonesia.

And there's no letting up.So much so, in fact, that with demand from China,Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan on the rise, there's now a "housing shortage" for these birds!

Enter the Perak Swiftlet Eco Park @ Manjung ? the world's first legal, structured park to accommodate swiftlets.

Here, "housing units" of detached, semi-detached and terrace types permit edible bird's nests to be be cultivated in an organised manner, with the park also serving as an eco-tourism centre.

The first phase of the project being jointly developed by Bio Research Centre (M) Sdn Bhd (BRC) and the Perak State Development Corp, which provided the land, is expected to be ready for the swiftlets to occupy come June 2008.

BRC co-founder and executive chairman Datuk Dr Abdullah Fadzil Che Wan said the the park, which has garnered federal government support, will adhere to Good Animal Husbandry Practices to protect the welfare and behavioural aspects of the ranched swiftlets and ensure that they will not become a public nuisance or health hazard.

The three types of swiftlet houses available for sale with individual titles, round-theclock security and bio-environment management system are all specially designed, with BRC offering professional management to guarantee efficient commercial harvesting of the bird's nests.

The three-storey terrace units with dimensions of 25ft by 75ft will have 4,600sq ft of built-up space. Priced at RM398,800, they are suitable for those with little or no experience in swiftlet farming and intend only to put out minimum capital outlay.

End-financing of up to 85 per cent is being offered by Bank Pertanian Malaysia, which has termed bird?s nest cultivation an agro-based industry.

All the 13 units in the first phase, and over 50 per cent of the second phase, with 13 units as well, were sold at a soft launch recently, with the official launch slated for the end of this month.

?As long as the birds are well taken care of, they?ll earn millions of ringgit for the investor,? said Dr Abdullah.

Those already getting returns from their swiftlet farms but seek properly managed premises can opt for one of the 18 units of 60ft by 105ft three-storey semidetached houses with a typical built-up area of 8,500sq ft. These are priced from RM678,000.

For an even larger house, there?s the choice of a 75ft by 150ft three-storey detached unit with a built-up size of 13,600sq ft. Seven units are for sale, at RM988,000 each.

A medical doctor by training, Dr Abdullah was a former deputy minister in the Foreign Affairs and Defence ministries. He is also the executive chairman of Bio Perak (M) Sdn Bhd, which promotes the biotechnology industry in the state on behalf of the Perak government as well as an established developer and major shareholder of Perak Integrated Network Services Sdn Bhd, which builds telecommunication towers in the state.

His partner and BRC managing director, Loke Yeu Loong, has 22 years of property development under his belt.

The duo initiated the Perak Swiftlet Eco Park @ Manjung project to bring an end to unregulated swiftlet farming in the state, particularly in the Manjung district, and to create a niche investment opportunity.

They target to launch their second swiftlet housing scheme in Taiping by the end of this year.

BRC has also identified sites in Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu and Johor that will be suitable for legalised swiftlet farming and eventually, the firm aims to venture into other states, and even abroad to Vietnam and Thailand.

On why Manjung was selected for the first site, Loke said "abundant food supply is vital for swiftlet farming, and the project in the town of Sitiawan is one of the best swiftlet farming areas" in the country.

He added that other areas considered excellent for commercial farming of bird?s nests are Parit Buntar and Taiping, also in Perak; Kota Baru in Kelantan; Endau and Kota Tinggi in Johor; and Kuantan and Kuala Rompin in Pahang.

"The swiftlet farm site must be located in the direct flyingpath of swiftlets, amidst forest reserves, mangrove swamps, plantations, rivers and the sea," he said.

"This creates the perfect environment for the birds... and for investors to make money."

The Race to Stop Global Warming

Swiftlet Cave

Havesting edible bird nests in caves

Edible-nest Swiftlet (Collocalia fuciphaga) - with nest - photo © Charlie Moores

swiftlet flying high

a collocalia fuciphaga flying high

This is a pair of collocalia fuciphagus also known as aerodramus fuchiphagus

Swiftlet: My Love

Swiftlet: Waiting For Your Return

Swiftlet: From Jeffktrg

Swiftlet Industry Secret Exposed

Swiftlet Song : Just Can't Forget

swiftlet farming

swiftlet farming

Investment in Properties is Safe

Bentong is growing fast. It is now a city. You can reach Bentong by car in 30 minutes from the road entrance to Genting.
Land here is still affordable. Below are some properties for sale.

Matured Orchard with a bungalow and fish ponds (20 acres)

The land is planted mostly with durian trees of good clones such as the Raja Kunit and the D24. It is about 3km from Bentong town in the vicinity of the Bentong-Chamang Water Fall area. The land is by the roadside and easily accessible by car. It’s sale price is RM80,000 per acre (negotiable).
The land has the potential for housing development. It can either be sold or leased. Terms are negotiable. It is ideal for the setting up of a nursery or for mixed farming.

Four-storey Shop house

Situated at Jalan Loke Yew, this Shop house is diagonally opposite the UOB Bank.
Jalan Loke Yew is known as the Banker’s Street of Bentong because most of the banks are located along this street. The building is about 12 years old and its ground floor is 20ft X 97 feet.
The asking price is RM920,000 (negotiable).

Anyone who is interested is welcome to contact Ben Gan.
Telephone No. 016-9321849 or 09-2224321.

LokaLoka.net (Know Your Neighbourhood Better)

Hello everyone,

I have just launch a new forum at www.lokaloka.net (Know your Neighbourhood Better).

This is NOT a forum about stock market in Malaysia, but LokaLoka.net is all about the news, gossips, and happenings in your neighbourhoods that matters the most to you.

I stay in Seri Kembangan, Selangor and I have posted a few stuffs in the Seri Kembangan's board. Take a look at the board here under Seri Kembangan or Puchong.

To make it simple, LokaLoka.net categorized Malaysia into different states and then subcategorized them into different cities/towns so that we can know our specific neighbourhood better. It is easy to use and registration is an ease.

I hope you can join us as a member in www.LokaLoka.net to listen and share all the news, gossips, and happenings around our city.

Until then, good luck to your stock investment and trading in KLSE. Cheers~


Posted by Leremy.

Climate Change

December 3, 2007

MYT 12:00:42 AM

Climate change may wipe some Indonesian islands off map

By Sugita Katyal and Adhityani Arga

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Many of Indonesia's islands may be swallowed up by the sea if world leaders fail to find a way to halt rising sea levels at this week's climate change conference on the resort island of Bali.

Doomsters take this dire warning by Indonesian scientists a step further and predict that by 2035, the Indonesian capital's airport will be flooded by sea water and rendered useless; and by 2080, the tide will be lapping at the steps of Jakarta's imposing Dutch-era Presidential palace which sits 10 km inland (about 6 miles).

An aerial view of an unnamed Indonesian island in Riau province October 6, 2007. Many of Indonesia's islands may be swallowed up by the sea if world leaders fail to find a way to halt rising sea levels at this week's climate change conference on the resort island of Bali. (REUTERS/Yuli Seperi)

The Bali conference is aimed at finding a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, on cutting climate warming carbon emissions. With over 17,000 islands, many at risk of being washed away, Indonesians are anxious to see an agreement reached and quickly implemented that will keep rising seas at bay.

Just last week, tides burst through sea walls, cutting a key road to Jakarta's international airport until officials were able to reinforce coastal barricades.

"Island states are very vulnerable to sea level rise and very vulnerable to storms. Indonesia ... is particularly vulnerable," Nicholas Stern, author of an acclaimed report on climate change, said on a visit to Jakarta earlier this year.

Even large islands are at risk as global warming might shrink their land mass, forcing coastal communities out of their homes and depriving millions of a livelihood.

The island worst hit would be Java, which accounts for more than half of Indonesia's 226 million people. Here rising sea levels would swamp three of the island's biggest cities near the coast -- Jakarta, Surabaya and Semarang -- destroying industrial plants and infrastructure.

"Tens of millions of people would have to move out of their homes. There is no way this will happen without conflict," Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar said recently.

"The cost would be very high. Imagine, it's not just about building better infrastructure, but we'd have to relocate people and change the way people live," added Witoelar, who has said that Indonesia could lose 2,000 of its islands by 2030 if sea levels continue to rise.

CRUNCH TIME AT BALI

Environmentalists say this week's climate change meeting in Bali will be crunch time for threatened coastlines and islands as delegates from nearly 190 countries meet to hammer out a new treaty on global warming.

Several small island nations including Singapore, Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Caribbean countries have raised the alarm over rising sea levels which could wipe them off the map.

The Maldives, a cluster of 1,200 islands renowned for its luxury resorts, has asked the international community to address climate change so it does not sink into a watery grave.

According to a U.N. climate report, temperatures are likely to rise by between 1.1 and 6.4 degrees Celsius (2.0 and 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit) and sea levels by between 18 cm and 59 cm (seven and 23 inches) this century.

Under current greenhouse gas emission levels, Indonesia could lose about 400,000 sq km of land mass by 2080, including about 10 percent of Papua, and 5 percent of both Java and Sumatra on the northern coastlines, Armi Susandi, a meteorologist at the Bandung Institute of Technology, told Reuters.

Indonesia, the world's fourth-most populous country, has faced intense pressure over agricultural land for decades.

Susandi, who has researched the impact of climate change on Indonesia, estimated sea levels would rise by an average of 0.5 cm a year until 2080, while the submersion rate in Jakarta, which lies just above sea level, would be higher at 0.87 cm a year.

A study by the UK-based International Institute for Economy and Development (IIED) said at least 8 out of 92 of the outermost small islands that make up the country's borders are vulnerable.

TOO MANY ISLANDS TO COUNT

Less than half of Indonesia's islands are inhabited and many are not even named. Now, the authorities are hastily counting the coral-fringed islands that span a distance of 5,000 km, the equivalent of going from Ireland to Iran, before it is too late.

Disappearing islands and coastlines would not only change the Indonesian map, but could also restrict access to mineral resources situated in the most vulnerable spots, Susandi said.

He estimates that land loss alone would cost Indonesia 5 percent of its GDP without taking into account the loss of property and livelihood as millions migrate from low-lying coastlines to cities and towns on higher ground.

There are 42 million people in Indonesia living in areas less than 10 meters above the average sea level, who could be acutely affected by rising sea levels, the IIED study showed.

A separate study by the United Nations Environment Programme in 1992 showed in two districts in Java alone, rising waters could deprive more than 81,000 farmers of their rice fields or prawn and fish ponds, while 43,000 farm labourers would lose their job.

One solution is to cover Indonesia's fragile beaches with mangroves, the first line of defence against sea level rise, which can break big waves and hold back soil and silt that damage coral reefs.

A more expensive alternative is to erect multiple concrete walls on the coastlines, as the United States has done to break the tropical storms that hit its coast, Susandi said.

Some areas, including the northern shores of Jakarta, are already fitted with concrete sea barriers, but they are often damaged or too low to block rising waters and big waves such as the ones that hit Jakarta in November.

"It will be like permanent flooding," Susandi said. "By 2050, about 24 percent of Jakarta will disappear," possibly even forcing the capital to move to Bandung, a hill city 180 km east of Jakarta.

Copyright © 2007 Reuters

by Robert Kiyosaki

Silver Is Still a Bargain

There's an old saying that goes, "It's a recession if your neighbor loses his job. It's a depression if you lose your job."

Watching the financial news networks and reading the financial publications these days, you'll see many people asking if the U.S. economy is heading into a recession. From my vantage point, the answer is yes. I believe that for many people in certain industries, like real estate, the worst is yet to come.

Economic Ripple Effects

Before getting into why I think there will be a recession, it's important to know the specific definition of the term. Very simply, a recession is a decline in a country's gross domestic product (GDP) for at least two quarters. That means that by Christmas we'll know if we're in a recession or not.

In some ways, the coming recession is a product of the physical phenomenon known as precession. Precession is the effect of bodies in motion upon other bodies in motion -- or, more simply, a ripple effect, like when you throw a stone into a still pond and the waves emanating from it overlap.

While there are many such processional "waves" in the coming recession, one is the lack of integrity in the U.S. monetary system. The United States has defaulted on its financial promises many times in recent history. In 1934, we defaulted on domestic gold redemption. That year, it became illegal for U.S. citizens to own gold. Instead, the government required Americans to turn in their gold, and they were paid $20 in paper money for every ounce of gold they surrendered.

Once the gold was collected, the government raised the price of gold to $35 an ounce. Talk about a lack of integrity. And in 1968, the U.S. defaulted on silver redemption, taking U.S. dollars backed by silver out of circulation. Finally, in 1971, the U.S. defaulted on international gold redemption.

International Impact

Another reason for the coming recession is the subprime mess. And while issues related to the subprime fiasco may seem domestic, they actually have severe international consequences. The subprime mess seems to be a problem associated with lower-income people who can't afford their homes, yet it's really the tip of a very large international iceberg, and it'll affect all of us. Here's why.

In the Sept. 12, 2007, issue of Business Week, Kerry Capell asked the question, "Could any country be more exposed to the credit crunch than the U.S.?" The answer: "You bet, and that place is Britain."

Unlike many of its European neighbors, Britain shares many of America's financial traits. In the last few years, access to cheap credit in Britain has fueled a decade of economic growth, with home prices tripling in 10 years -- an even faster rise than in the United States. With cheap borrowed money, the English consumer has caused the British economy to boom; consumers are responsible for two-thirds of the British economy.

Today, Britain is more dependent upon financial services than we are. So what will happen to the world if both England and the United States go into a recession? The precessional effect is bound to be dire -- especially for working people.

Too Much Money

As strange as it may seem to the average person, the problem is not a shortage of money -- it's too much money. The world is choking on too many U.S. dollars.

Normally, when a currency gets into trouble as the dollar is now, all the country has to do is raise the interest rates on their bonds and things are fine again. But because of the subprime meltdown, the Federal Reserve can't simply raise or lower interest rates.

In simplified terms, the Fed must keep rates low in order to save the domestic economy. This causes the international economy to dump the dollar by not buying our bonds, which is one reason why the price of gold keeps going up -- it's the true international money. And the rise in its price (and in the price of oil) signals the loss of the purchasing power of the dollar; the world simply doesn't want any more dollars. This is a ripple effect from 1971, when the dollar came off the gold standard.

Less for More

The tragedy of this excess of money is that most of the world's workers have to work harder to earn less. This is because the currencies of the world are becoming less and less valuable. Even if workers get pay raises, the boost won't be able to keep pace with declines in the purchasing power of money, increases in expenses such as oil, decreases in the value of homes, declines in the value of stocks, and increases in taxes.

Just look at what's happened in the last decade. Ten years ago, gold was about $275 an ounce. Today, it's over $700. That means that, compared to gold, your income would've had to go up by 250 percent just to keep up with the loss in purchasing power of the dollar. Or, compared to oil -- which was about $10 a barrel 10 years ago and today is over $80 a barrel -- your income would've had to go up by 800 percent.

Sure, there are many people whose incomes have gone up way beyond 800 percent in the last 10 years. The problem is that most people's incomes haven't kept pace, and they're technically in a state of personal recession with no way out.

Throw Yourself a Lifeline

As the global economy continues to gyrate, you'll hear more and more people calling for the Federal Reserve to either lower or raise interest rates. The problem is that the Fed has less and less power to do much.

If it tries to save the domestic economy, the international economy will pound us. If the Fed tries to save the dollar internationally by raising interest rates, it'll kill the domestic economy.

Instead of looking to the Fed to save you, then, I recommend you save yourself by investing in real international money. One way to do so is by purchasing silver. Gold is expensive, but silver is still a bargain even for the little guy. When the recession comes, the ripple effect on your financial future will be immeasurable.

This article is also available at http://banners.pinnaclesports.com/banners/pulse/pinnacle_pulse.asp

Recognizing Value - the Key to Gaining a Gambling Edge

Risk is part of everyday life, more so than most people probably realize. From crossing the road to the more obvious financial decisions such as buying a house, or starting a business, all involve varying amounts of uncertainty which must be considered. Gambling is the purest expression of risk, yet even when presented with a seemingly simple choice of potential outcomes for an unknown event, such as a football match, many bettors display a worrying ignorance of the concept of value and the fundamental mathematical principals involved. In simple terms, if a bettor cannot recognize 'value' they will never be a long term winner.

Take a look at this seemingly simple mathematical puzzle, known as the Monty Hall paradox (named after the host of 'Let's Make a Deal', a popular US show in the 60's & 70's which formed the basis of the poser):

An unbiased game-show host has placed a car behind one of three doors. There is a goat behind each of the other doors. You have no prior knowledge that allows you to distinguish among the doors. 'First you point toward a door,' he says. 'Then I'll open one of the other doors to reveal a goat. After I've shown you the goat, you make your final choice whether to stick with your initial choice of doors, or to switch to the remaining door. You win whatever is behind the door.' You begin by pointing to door number 1. The host shows you that door number 3 has a goat.

Do you gain value and see your chances of winning the car increase by switching to Door 2 or do you stay with Door 1 as it has an equal chance with only two doors left to choose from? When this question was posed in Parade magazine, 10,000 readers complained that the published answer was wrong - including several maths professors.

The assumption of 'equal probability', while being intuitively seductive, is wrong. The simple answer is to always switch doors. The car is behind one of the two closed doors, but you have no way of knowing which. Most contestants intuitively see no advantage in switching and assume that now there are only two doors, each must have an equal probability of revealing a car. In fact, your chances of winning the car actually double by switching to the door the host offers. If you switch, you gain value as theoretically you now have a 2/3 chance of winning the car. If you stayed with your original selection you have just a 1/3 chance of winning.

The principle is underlined by increasing the number of doors to 100. If 99 doors have a goat behind them and only one has a prize, if the player picks a door and then the host opens 98 of the other doors that were all shown to contain goats and then gives the player the opportunity to switch, the intelligent player would switch. The reason being that on average, in 99 out of 100 times the other door will contain the prize, as 99 out of 100 times the player first picked a door with a goat.

This article is taken from Bettingadvice.com

www.talkandshare.com

Dear Readers,
Please be informed that I have created a Community Website known as "talkandshare.com".
Everyone is requested and welcome to join this Community.
Registration is free and easy. It will not take you more than a few minutes to get registered. After registration, you can start your chit-chat and have your say posted at your own convenience. All new postings will be at the new website. Posting at blisswise will be few and far between.

Please register early and make your presence felt. Thanks in anticipation.
Together, let us make this website interesting, meaningful and educational.

Our motto is: Share to Prosper. Click here to join.
With best wishes and regards,
Ben

Instinct

Instinct is a gift from God. It is a natural inborn tendency to behave and act in a certain way without training or reasoning. Birds can fly by instinct; fish can swim by instinct.

Termites are blind. Yet millions of them can co-ordinate their efforts to build their nest which has a system much like our air-conditioned room.

In a dark cave where wires are strung, bats can maneuver their flying without touching these wires.

A swift can easily identify its own nest which lies among thousands of them, all looking alike.

Certain kinds of water beetles can stay underwater for more than an hour because they have the ability to grasp a bubble of air for use then they submerge. Man uses the oxygen tank strapped to his body.

Wasps and hornets are able to convert wood to paper to build their nests.

Homing pigeons and migrating birds know their ways by sensing the earth’s magnetic field.

Man has light bulbs. Fireflies and many kinds of fish also have their own lights.

Man tills the soil and tends livestock for food. Ants make compost form leaves and with their droppings, they can grow fungi for food. Some ants keep aphids (kind of small insects) as their livestock.

A humming bird beats its wings up to 75 times a second for 25 hours when migrating.

Penguins can spend months at sea in total darkness without getting lost.

The above are just some of the amazing wonders of our world. Do these wonders happen by chance or do we really have a Creator?

Can we use instinct to trade or invest in the stock market? We do not have this inborn ability. If everyone can trade profitably, who is to be the loser? The stock market is a zero-sum game. This means for someone to win, someone must lose.

Our skill and ability do not come by instinct. Our limps are not willing servants until they are trained and disciplined.

Fortunately, we are endowed with the most amazing wonder of the world. This is the human brain. With it, we have the faculty of speech, learning, thought and reasoning. With it, we can learn from plants and all living creatures and yet control them. With it, we are the master of the world.

But, can we control the market? To control is impossible; to benefit from it, yes we can.

The Tortoise beat the Hare

The Hare was boasting about his ability to jump and run when he was challenged by a tortoise to a race.

“Oh you! I can actually dance around you and still beat you with my hands down.” He said to the Tortoise.

“Keep your boastings to yourself until you have beaten me,” replied the Tortoise. And so the race was arranged.

On the agreed day and time they met for the race. As soon as the race started, the Hare shot out to the front and quickly sped off. After awhile, the Hare said to himself: “Hey! What’s the hurry? I better check where the Tortoise is.” So he slowed down to check. As soon as he slowed down, he heard a voice. “I am here, right in front of you.”

The Hare was shocked. “How can it be,” he murmured to himself. A sense of urgency came over him and he quickly raced past the Tortoise. Then he slowed down to check again. As soon as he did that, he saw the Tortoise right in front of him again. “You are slow; if you don’t speed up, you’ll lose the race.” He heard the Tortoise said.

The Hare got the shock of his life. Quickly he sped off once more. That time he really raced with all his strength and speed. At the finishing line he was panting for breath but the Tortoise was there already.

Beaten in disgrace, he hung down his head and walked away in tears.

How did the Tortoise do that? What was the strategy?

Well folks, be careful, no matter how fast or good you are, you can be beaten or played out by someone smarter than you.

All About Money

Gary Wollin is a financial analyst and investment advisor. He has ample experience in the stock market. He is entertaining and motivational as well. He said:

One day, while Chicken Little was walking in the woods, an acorn fell and hit him on his head.

“Goodness gracious me!” said Chicken Little, “The sky is falling, the sky is falling. I must go warn everyone.”

We see this all the time. The stock market goes straight up for eight or nine months, and if there are 2 or 3 down days in a row, there is hand-wringing and the moaning all over the place.

Who are these people that panic at the first sign of a downturn or with the slightest bit of profit taking?

The first group are people who get in the near the top and are now worried that their small losses will turn into big losses. Also, people who haven’t invested in the stock market are in this same box. For many, many years they were wrong to not have invested, but now that the market has declined very slightly for a few days they would like the point out how smart they are and how dumb everyone else is.

Short–sellers are the next group. Short selling is selling a security that the seller does not own but is committed to repurchasing eventually. It is used to take advantage of an expected decline in the security’s price.

The press comes next. You have heard this before: “bad news sells newspapers.”

The 24–hour television news stations must make every tiny move in a stock or in the stock market seem like a momentous occasion. Imagine hearing such a stupid statement as “this is the largest stock market decline since last week.”

The slimiest are the politicians whose party is out of power. They try to make themselves look good by making the other guys look bad. It does not matter which group you belong to or who is in power or out of power at the moment.

An out of power politician must find the cloud in every silver lining.

So, how can you protect yourself? What should you do to keep out of “the sky is falling” trap?

The most important thing that you can do is to be clear about your long-term financial goals and objectives. Yes, in the very short run, many circumstances can affect the value of your portfolio. In a well-diversified portfolio, these declines will be relatively small and short lived.

Twenty years from now, it will not have mattered who was shot during the past twenty years or who was in power or who went to jail or to war. Simply ask yourself, “how will three dollar a gallon gasoline affect my retirement twenty years from now?”

Don’t worry about tales of imminent doom and gloom. Don’t listen to, and certainly, don’t act upon rumors and scare stories. And, most of all, don’t spread these stories yourself.

IDR; Budget 2008 and more

This website is a "Must-Visit". Click here for it.

Budget 2008 is indeed an election budget. What I really like is that all dividends will be tax-exempted. This will benefit all and sundry. Those in the high income group and those who never claim back the tax deducted from their dividends are the ones to benefit most.
Stamp duties for properties transferred to one's spouse are also exempted. It would be much more commendable if this is extended to the children as well.
Overall, the budget is an excellent one; in fact, the best I know of, so far.
Three cheers to that.

Ranhill strikes oil?

Ranhill closed high at 3.10 with an intraday high of 3.12. Volume traded was 331,182 lots which was above moderate. I expect better things to come for Ranhill. As usual, you buy, sell or hold at your own risk.