Topic: How To Invest

What is Pat’s commentary for the week of January 26, 2016

Article Excerpt

When the market is as volatile as it is today, it pays to keep the mechanics of successful investing in mind. For newcomers to our Inner Circle, let me start with a short explanation of our three-part Successful Investor approach to portfolio building: 1. Invest mainly in well-established, dividend-paying companies. Ideally, some of your picks should have hidden assets—that is, assets that many investors disregard or fail to appreciate. 2. Spread your money out across most if not all of the five main economic sectors: Manufacturing & Industry, Resources & Commodities, the Consumer sector, Finance and Utilities. 3. Downplay or avoid stocks in the broker/media limelight, where a modest business setback can set off a deep, sudden and sometimes permanent drop in the stock. Our first rule tells you to buy high-quality stocks. These stocks have generally been succeeding in business for a decade or more, perhaps much longer. But in any case, they have shown that they have a durable business concept. They can wilt in economic…