hot copper, page-76

Spot on fluffy, market now full of investors/traders with no specific FA or TA skills hoping to make it rich, quick. All too easy for them to step up to the plate.

I have worked in the coporate/mining arena for years now and have lost count of how many times someone with no FA/TA knowledge has asked me about some obscure company they have invested in just because they heard its name mentioned in a magazine, taxi, barber shop...or on the back of a toilet door. The recent boom exacerbated the problem. All you had to do was punch in three letters, buy and watch the profits role in. Delusions of grandeur was the result.

Still, these types play their role in the markets, adding to liquidity and helping experienced players take profits.

My advice to any noob is to read as much as they can and take all advice with a pinch of salt (especially anything you read on-line); and set up a watchlist with a dozen well known stocks, along with a couple of major indicies, and follow them for 12 months without investing a cent, watch the charts and trading patterns, read all announcements, presentations, broker reports...even then, you're still going to have the plates on at the end of 12 months.

BTW, hats off to all the regular posters on the XJO thread, easily the most interesting thread on HC. Appreciate the effort you all put in.

Re Clarke Kent - I miss his antics, he was the funniest man on HC. Someone else needs to step up!