just starting . what to buy, page-28

Your big problem as a new player is not so much knowing what to buy but knowing when to sell. If you load up on spec miners you are likely to get a rude shock at some stage. I suggest beginning with a bunch of stocks that, hopefully, you will never need to sell this side of the second coming. Possibilities are:
AMP (cheapish at the moment and well-placed in the growth area of Wealth Management)
CAB (fair value but good long-term growth prospects and, importantly for a smaller company, a long history of consistent growth)
QBE (cheap and arguably the best run insurance company in the world)
RIO (cheapish as long as commodity prices hold up)
WBC (a bit expensive but you virtually have to have a bank)
WPL (slightly expensive - perhaps wait for a correction in the oil price)

You might also consider FXJ, which has traditionally been a dog stock but is showing signs of getting its act together. It looks undervalued at the moment.

Note that I hold AMP, CAB, FXJ and QBE.