Wealth Building - Equities

I wonder how private investor's are taking the Uchumi's debacle - I mean I sense there was a crazy excitement over making it big in the Equities market.

'Investor's often worry that they are investing in the market at the wrong time. I have always believed that regular savings provides a more peace of mind - that is the time in the market.' Andrew Humphries (Asset Manager)

The current excitement of get rich quick people are after is dangerous - and interesting is people are not taking time to look out for the best that is out there. I have been trying to look for information on private investment and I have come through some interesting articles that I will be sharing here soon.

(As if there's anyone reading - well that shouldn't matter should it?)

Wealth Building - Equities

I wonder how private investor's are taking the Uchumi's debacle - I mean I sense there was a crazy excitement over making it big in the Equities market.

'Investor's often worry that they are investing in the market at the wrong time. I have always believed that regular savings provides a more peace of mind - that is the time in the market.' Andrew Humphries (Asset Manager)

The current excitement of get rich quick people are after is dangerous - and interesting is people are not taking time to look out for the best that is out there. I have been trying to look for information on private investment and I have come through some interesting articles that I will be sharing here soon.

(As if there's anyone reading - well that shouldn't matter should it?)

World Madness

Finally unfortunately (though expected) African teams need to do their homework. We are still very shy when we are infront of the goal! So sad Ghana came so far but not far enough - Brazil are through I guess they were the better side.

France Vs Spain - as expected France are becoming more confident ( a good sign? - I think so....... Especially since they meet Brazil after the infamous world cup final where they won)

This game of footbal is all madness.

My prediction: Still afraid of the GERMANS, they can be mean fisted.

Tennis is on

As we concentrate on the world cup - well judging from yesterday's game (Portugal Vs. Holland) I think it is time I searched around for another sport. No way! If you think I support Holland but the game was PATHETIC. Not the fault of the players - I think most of them deserved to get RED cards.

And as if that was not enough this afternoon rushed from work to watch Italy Vs Australia - I literally slept on the couch! And we are on the knock out stages that has never happened to me.

So I had been silently planning to go and watch Wimbledon Tennis tournament this year - unless a miracle happens it's not on. My 'date' is unavailable and just being myself I thought I would wake up one early morning queue up to get a ticket! Ha!


There goes an opportunity in between the game for me to stand up and ask one of the William sisters to marry me! I was once told that if you meet a lady are you 'feel' interested - tell her. What's the worst that can happen (move on Grand Pa!') - they will not kill me. Whether I've followed that advise or not is not the issue - I have a feeling this was the RIGHT time.

Anyway miracles do happen.

Royal Ascot

Gambling is big business here, nobody needs to tell you that just go to Royal Ascot horse racing. All these people dressed to go and gamble - I was ther today and tomorrow AGAIN!
I missed yesterday of all the days - it was LADIES DAY!

I know what you are saying life is so unfair.....lol

Ha!

Apparently there is a sign at Southport Crematorium that says: "RED SQUIRRELS DRIVE CAREFULLY!"
Does that mean that the squirrels drive carelessly and therefore terrorize the local residents?

Joke!

From the guardian - sent by a Sue Hornby

there's a sign at Southport Crematorium that says: "Red squirrels drive carefully." Presumably when they are not terrorising the good folk of Beaver country, their little feet can't reach the accelerator.

High Net worth Individuals (HNWIs)

I was first attracted to blogging after reading a business week article on some money blogs. For sometime I had been putting my thoughts in a diary - I have so many diaries lying around some from way back when I had just left high school! So it was only 'normal' for me to go high tech - just like everybody. With time I have managed to see that Kenyans are blogging, and it is more relevant for me than what I was reading. Not sure whether I could list them on my blog or do I need there permission first - all this is new to me. Unfortunately I have never created a rapport with most of them - but I enjoy reading their thoughts.

Anyway I came across these article in the Guardian Newspaper on the world wealth report which though my first time to hear of is published yearly by Merrill Lynch and CapGemini.

The report is of the opinion that booming (developing)markets have been kind to millionaires and African millionaires though a tiny portion have equally enjoyed. That is interesting - all Africans I've met here (the majority rather) are economic emigrants and it makes we wonder are they at the wrong place? I mean is there a chance that while immigrating wealth opportunities was moving to the developing world? Because sadly, like here in the UK, you do make descent money but how much does one save? So you end up making money, living 'well' yet VERY insecure! (PARADOX!)

What was encouraging was the fact that in Britain the main source of wealth was owning businesses or selling stocks - I believe I'm on the right track; surely it must apply in Kenya and Africa.

Definition: HNWIs - with NET assets of more than $1m (£540,000)


Hey if you are wondering what is my net worth........Joinn the gang I'm wondering too! But seriously I would love to know what others think about it, that's why I'm still reading what is being written here.

Another Day

The government has finally designed a rescue package for Uchumi, I think it is time to forget the mistakes that were made - are there any lessons to learn from all these? I don't think so we are Kenyans after all.

That explains it - All this time Nakumatt has not been making any profits! I see things upside down no wonder I've yet to start my own business. What made me so naive to assume that just because it had large stores, was giving Uchum a hard time in the market - surely it was making some money.

Who was/is looking at the books of these loss-making businesses?

All I know is should I run a business - It should atleast make a profit or even plan to make profit at some point.

What's my point? Not sure... but we are in a strange world

Roonatic!

I was at Ascot today, a big thing every summer here in the UK - horse betting. Not to bet or anything like that - I don't give a monkey on the rock what happens there. Anyway goes without saying I only managed to see the highlights.
Anyway I see this not really posh - wannabees rather - coz all the posh people use chartered trains if they are to use public transport. And these crowd can whinge! I don't like talking about people who cannot defend themselves but these are a nasty bunch. They will complain that the trains are crowded (what did you expect the event happens once a year!) or the trains are not running on time (please are you new in this country?) - So I'm kind of used to all these.

Why am I discussing these?

I got home and was watching the England/Sweden game and rooney was substituted and his reaction reminded me of my day! He was like a kid in a candy shop who was not allowed to take the candy! Tantrums!

Anyway they got there on issues, let me handle mine.

Okay - Let's move on

If anyone has noticed (doubt if there's anyone who has!!) I have been away for weeks now. I had this exams I had to do and they kind of took over my life, literally speaking. I mean I was a living wreck - eating consolidated financial statements, sleeping for a few hours and all that dreamt of Portfolio Analysis and quite troubled apparently what Modgiliani and Miller were up to.

It went on well - now the even more challenging is the waiting game, you can be left to wonder where and when does the buck stop. Somewhere around late August.

I love football but could not help it when the games were on and I couldn't watch them with a relaxed mind. Even worse is when you are sharing a place with soccer fans. It was tormenting - It would mean something for mean when the results are positive.

So else has been happening?
Uchumi of course - the blame game is on. I managed to get a few stories here and there but the conspiracies are numerous. My sister apparently had Uchumi shares too I only learnt of it later. I know she loves anything to do with investments


Sad thing on my first day back it's still Uchumi on my mind..... somebody tell me to get a life! Watch TV, world cup is on.

Apparently it has been observed - here in the UK mostly - SKY TV struggles when it wants to sell to the rich. The rich apparently live the life we only dream of when watching the lifestyles of the rich and the shameless!

Maybe I should say atleast tomorrow I have a 'blind' date. Not really a date - actually I'm meeting her for a walk - never seen her before but we've long chats over the phone. She sounds good. Let's see how this goes.

Uchumi! - What?

Got home just to get news of Uchumi having gone under. How can I describe it ? Outrageous! Scandalous! Somebody must have seen it coming - the amazing thing is that we had individuals still speculating on buying it's shares even though in a few minutes it was going under.

I don't have the low down on what happened - but I notice the difference how information dissemination works in the stock market. The market can never be perfect but it should atleast instill confidence that there is some normality.
It's sad to see well managed companies continue to prosper and our Kenyan companies always struggling - which is next? I mean I thought with the negative publicity M&S would be a good candidate to be taken over, but it survived. Vodafone is struggling but there's a sense of optimism when you hear the CEO speak.



This news comes at the worst time - Kenyans have realized they can make money on the stock market. Wasn't it just the other day when an Uchumi IPO was issued? What are Financial Analysts saying about this? And the Stock Brokers? (Aww! And I can still see stock brokers are quoting it's shares - slow moving infor?) We should be more vigilant ask these top managers to be more accountable.
And the Auditors? I don't even want to go there - I'm sure I can smell something nasty here.

I hate to sound like just a critic or someone taking western ideas - I always hoped Uchumi had a proper turnaround strategy. Strategy? Sorry to say but to some people it only exists in textbooks.

Let me find out more before jumping the gun.