Rudi's View | Apr 06 2011
By Rudi Filapek-Vandyck, Editor FNArena
****
Hi Rudi, Greg and the team,
I depend on the sensible, accurate and unbiased guidance and analysis that I get from FNArena to make my decisions.
Last year when the market was so volatile, I was able, with the analysis from FNArena, to sell before the market took a dive, a few times, making money by buying back in cheaper.
I was also able to ascertain, with the help of the R-Factor, which stocks were likely to be good investments for the long term. These stocks have done very nicely with one of them returning 30% and the rest above 15%. So in my view it was well worth the cost of joining as on my own I would be at the mercy of every wacky financial journalist (and there is no shortage of them), but I have FNArena discernment (snobby about it too).
Last but not least I have enjoyed Greg’s sense of fun and sit at my desk guffawing over his latest poke at the world.
Jacqui M, Sydney, a happy FNArena subscriber
****
Consider this an official warning: today's story will contain more unashamedly positive feedback about FNArena.
One of the Big Compliments that on occasion lands in our email inbox refers to the speed at which we, at times, respond to technical or enquiries of other sorts, but I'd be the first to acknowledge: we're not always and under all circumstances super-fast. In December last year we asked for feedback from subscribers and readers and it has taken me this long to screen all responses, digest them, pick three winners for a prize and combine it all into this story. The good news is that we now have a chance to share some positive, and some very positive messages with the rest of the world, and we're not letting that opportunity pass.
****
To All in the FNArena Team,
It has been my pleasure to be associated with the FNArena Team for more than 2 years. My journey has been very effective and rewarding, indeed.
FNArena has done remarkably well to keep me informed about the developments in various world markets along with the necessary cautions and warnings. That is exactly what I want.
Even though I am not too interested about any particular company in any market, the overall market views in general provided by FNArena have guided me all the way so far. I am just grateful to FNArena because the commentary is independent, fearless and open.
I am running 2 tiny funds (SMSF & Family’s Fund) myself. And my sole guidance comes predominantly from daily The Overnight Report from Greg Peel backed up with Rudi’s timely reminders and observations. I don’t think I need any more market information except from Greg & Rudi coupled with my own research.
I can’t be happier than this, as FNArena guides me – well and truly – in effective and successful ways.
Ram H, Ashburton, VIC
****
It should be clear from the above two examples (and we received many more similar ones) that FNArena has become part of the daily routine for many advisors, investors and investment enthusiasts throughout Australia. Sure, you don't all have a million ready at the bank and you don't all play the markets all by yourself, but you do appreciate the in-depth coverage and analyses, the independent and frank commentary and the humour that is part of our style. More than once we find sentences such as "I like your humour", "you guys are funny" or "really appreciate the wit".
One overseas reader confessed: I cannot believe I am regularly laughing out loud while I am researching really serious stuff for my investment strategies.
We know from past feedback that one of the key elements in our commentary and reporting is the strong educational undercurrent -something that was again present in the feedback this time around- but you sure do like our humour, so much has become apparent.
As far as our internal popularity contest goes, your feedback was in line with what our traffic numbers already told us. The three most appreciated items of the FNArena service are (in no particular order) The Daily Broker Call Report, Greg's Overnight Report and my personal analyses and commentary through the Weekly Insights emails and regular Rudi's Views.
Those three are followed by Stock Analysis and the R-Factor.
****
I have a small portfolio in $$ terms but am very diversified and research endlessly using FNArena every day for that purpose along with other mediums for comparison. Four (4) purchases over the last 14 months which have each yielded in excess of 60% were made with opinions cited on FNArena being the deciding factor in each. I find the Overnight Report and a coffee a good start to my day.
FNArena is an invaluable resource and I will continue to access it daily/monthly/yearly for my research.
Regards,
Neil M, Mandurah, WA
****
Amongst the many suggestions for improvement is a strong desire to receive more insights, more explanation and more education about how to make better usage of services such as Stock Analysis and R-Factor.
We have already responded to those requests. A subscription to FNArena now comes with an e-booklet that covers the main themes from my personal market analyses and observations from the past years. I recently traveled to Melbourne for two well-received sessions with subscribers and investors. I definitely intend to add a few more in other cities later this year. In my Weekly Insights and/or Rudi's Views I regularly zoom in on FNArena data and tools and I will keep doing so in the future.
There's still so much more we can do on this account, and we will certainly continue answering the call. Apart from a strong independent spirit, education and sharing insights have long been prominent characteristics of FNArena. This is not going to change.
****
Dear FNArena,
Your website is significantly better than any other in the market place. Easy to read, easy to follow and easy to obtain the information required.
With new investors that do their own trading, your website is the only one I pass on to them to subscribe to. It's extremely thorough, yet easy to read and understand.
Stuart M, advisor in QLD
****
Of course, despite all the positive feedback, there's still so much more we can do to make it all better, faster, more detailed, more in-depth, more comprehensive and more user-friendly. We are working on it. Every day.
You may not necessarily have noticed, but FNArena already made some adjustments since the survey. We added a "consensus" section to The Daily Broker Call Report. We added some new features to the Portfolio. And some amendments have been made to daily and weekly emails. Some of the suggestions made through the survey were already in line with our own plans, others proved very useful. We'll be working on those too in the weeks and months ahead.
In general, I'd say you don't have to wait before the next survey to send in your suggestions for improvement. We're ready to read and listen every day. The Editor Direct facility on the website is our preferred line of communication.
****
I am finding FNArena an invaluable tool for researching companies, keeping up with the news and for learning about aspects of investing that I hadn’t considered.
Stephen B, West Pennant Hills, NSW
****
Probably the most contentious aspect of FNArena's reporting is the fact that we don't necessarily shy away from publishing bad news stories and warnings. The received feedback suggests this is not always and to the full extent appreciated, in particular my story about the Hindenburg Omen, a technical indicator that appeared to point towards another sell-off in August last year, was mentioned as one "mishap" that had kept investors on the sideline, while no such sell-off took place.
I won't go into further detail right now, but the irony is that many more subscribers and readers like what we do at FNArena because we also include the bad news and the warnings. As some of you pointed out: you want the fully informed picture, not just the one-sided positive one. And FNArena does exactly that.
It's not easy to serve such a wide disparity of subscribers and readers. What we are ultimately aiming at is that you all become experienced and knowledgeable enough so that you do fully appreciate it when we highlight both sides of the coin, because you will be confident and informed enough to know what to do, how and when.
From a personal point of view, I hold a long-standing observation that one of the lesser appreciated characteristics of FNArena's reporting and analysis is that we often lead at turning points and throughout cycles. It was thus with great pleasure that I discovered messages such as the following one (now I do know at least some among you do notice and you do appreciate it):
****
Dear Sir,
For many decades I read newspapers such as the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Financial Review to name just a few and I thought I was well informed on what was happening in the financial / business world. Even with all of that information, I always seemed to be late on any action that was happening in the market. By the time I read in the papers why something had happened, the train had already left.
Now I find that by reading FNArena and forgetting about the papers, I actually have an understanding of what is happening before the papers are printed. With that information, although the train is already loaded, I can still get on before it leaves, or, in some cases, get off before it crashes.
Unfortunately I don’t have the time to go into great depths about the service provided but I can assure you, it has helped me enormously. The likes of Rudi and Greg make difficult subjects easy reading and I like their style.
Keith A, Sydney
****
Thank you all for your cooperation and for your feedback. This includes your participation in the Australian Investor Sentiment Survey we co-initiated last month. We will continue doing our best in serving you in the best way possible, while working on further improvements and new services and tools. It is a great honour to know we mean so much to so many among you.
My innocent hand picked the following three winners (random selections, no preference):
1.) the winner of a six months subscription to FNArena is Jeff Jamieson
2.) the winner of a bottle of wine (Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2005) is Steve Potts from Queenstown in New Zealand
3.) the winner of a hard copy investment book is John Humphreys from Kalamunda in WA
P.S. To Jeff Jamieson, we don't seem to be able to locate you in our database. I have thus opened a new subscription under the email address you used to send in your feedback. If you want to have this changed, please contact support@fnarena.com
P.S. II To John, you will soon receive a copy of "The Age of Deleveraging. Investment Strategies for a Decade of Slow Growth and Deflation" by A. Gary Shilling, published by Wiley.
****
Last but not least, I thought I'd inform you all I have agreed to give presentations on the following dates and occasions:
– ASX Investment Hour
Date = 17th May (12-1pm)
Place of action = Wesley Theatre, Wesley Conference Centre, 220 Pitt St, Sydney
Theme = Stocks That Consistently Beat the Market
Wrap = How to beat the market? It's not a super-formula. It's not a sophisticated software program. It's called "investing"; the old fashioned way. Three rules is all investors need to beat the market, to beat their peers, to beat their own expectations. "Investing" is simply a case of knowing what to look for and what to do. FNArena editor Rudi Filapek-Vandyck knows the rules, and he's willing to share. Be ready to be surprised.
– 2011 AIA National Investors Conference
Date = 1st September (The Conference runs from 1-3 September)
Place of action = Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel, 61-101 Phillip Street, Sydney
Theme = Market beating dividend stocks
There's an early bird discount rate for this event, see http://www.investors.asn.au/events/national-conference/
– Detailed conference program information can be viewed here http://www.investors.asn.au/events/national-conference/program/#program
– Information regarding the speakers can be viewed here http://www.investors.asn.au/events/national-conference/speakers/
– Presentation to ATAA (Australian Technical Analysts Association)
Date = 14th November (6-8pm)
Place of action = The Auditorium, Level 1, The Bowlers Club of NSW, 95 York Street, Sydney
Theme = TBC
In between these commitments I shall try to make myself available for presentations in Sydney and potentially in other cities too. (Melbourne simply cannot have the sole privilege this year).
****
Hi FNArena,
I believe you have the talent and expertise to break out and stand as an Industry Leader in the true sense of the word – scary challenge isn't it?
Alf M
****
P.S. I – All paying members at FNArena are being reminded they can set an email alert for my Rudi's View stories. Go to Portfolio and Alerts in the Cockpit and tick the box in front of 'Rudi's View'. You will receive an email alert every time a new Rudi's View story has been published on the website.
