CDP
| Security | # shares | Price S$ | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| DBS | 440 | 38.66 | 4.05 |
| UOB | 400 | 32.16 | 3.06 |
| OCBC Bank | 700 | 15.19 | 2.53 |
| SGX | 3,200 | 11.35 | 8.64 |
| ST Engineering | 6,900 | 4.54 | 7.45 |
| Powermatic Data | 8,500 | 3.38 | 6.83 |
| TheHourGlass | 19,600 | 1.56 | 7.27 |
| Sheng Siong | 19,100 | 1.59 | 7.22 |
| Micro-Mechanics | 18,400 | 1.70 | 7.44 |
| VICOM Ltd | 21,500 | 1.33 | 6.80 |
| UMS | 31,200 | 1.02 | 7.57 |
| Credit Bureau Asia | 30,100 | 1.09 | 7.80 |
| Nanofilm | 36,100 | 0.825 | 7.08 |
| HRnetGroup | 21,900 | 0.68 | 3.54 |
| TalkMed Group | 34,500 | 0.455 | 3.73 |
| China Sunsine | 41,800 | 0.455 | 4.52 |
| Kimly | 27,000 | 0.325 | 2.09 |
| HC Surgical | 35,500 | 0.28 | 2.36 |
YTD Dividends Received = S$13,875
YTD SBL Fees Received = S$270
Trades
None
SRS
| Security | # shares | Price S$ | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| TheHourGlass | 5,000 | 1.56 | 4.95 |
| Sheng Siong | 8,700 | 1.59 | 8.78 |
| Micro-Mechanics | 5,400 | 1.70 | 5.83 |
| VICOM Ltd | 5,500 | 1.33 | 4.64 |
| Nanofilm | 12,500 | 0.825 | 6.55 |
| HRnetGroup | 7,500 | 0.68 | 3.24 |
| Kimly | 5,800 | 0.325 | 1.20 |
| HC Surgical | 19,500 | 0.28 | 3.47 |
| NetLink NBN Trust | 108,000 | 0.895 | 61.35 |
Trades
- Sold 5,700 shares of Credit Bureau Asia.
Singapore Savings Bonds
| Security | Amount | Coupon Now |
|---|---|---|
| GX22120S | S$14,000 | 3.26% |
| GX23010Z | S$15,000 | 2.95% |
| GX23110V | S$20,000 | 3.21% |
| GX23120Z | S$20,000 | 3.30% |
| GX24060A | S$20,000 | 3.26% |
| GX24070S | S$20,000 | 3.26% |
| GX24080W | S$20,000 | 3.19% |
Speculative Play
| Security | # shares | Price US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Kep Pacific Oak REIT | 70,000 | 0.25 |
Trades
None
Commentary:
October came and went in a jiffy. Markets stayed largely rangebound. The local Straits Times Index declined 0.74 percent month-on-month, while the S&P 500 Index rose 0.89 percent over the same period. As none of my stock price alerts was triggered, I did not trade for my CDP portfolio. Eyes are on the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election on 5 November. Be it Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in the White House, markets will probably react (either direction) to the election result. (The betting odds are in favour of a Trump victory. [link])
As planned, I whittled down my SRS portfolio by selling my stake in Credit Bureau Asia. I will re-deploy the cash into the market at a suitable time.
During mid-October, I experienced an epiphany, which urged me to take action on a plan. Implementing the Plan requires patience, sheer discipline and a sizable financial commitment. I am good with the patience and discipline bit. It is the financial commitment that I have concern about. While my retirement will not be in jeopardy (since I am still earning a regular wage from my job), it means I will not be able to grow my portfolios as fast as I hoped. The strange thing is, I have been cruising along life just fine, and this relevation struck. I haven't felt such an intense feeling about something for so long. It is as if the Divine is telling me, "Go for it." Looking back, there were unrelated events in my earlier years which, when seen in hindsight now, seem to have been arranged to prepare me for this decision.
My life journey has come to a fork - either I venture forth on this unlit, uncharted path, which I have no role model or mentor, or I stay safe trodding along the highway of mediocrity, well within my comfort zone. It will take years of consistent, persistent effort before I can see the fruit of my labour. In fact, I may face utter failure too, with money lost and nothing to show for the endeavour. That said, I know in my heart of hearts that I will regret in my old age if I do not give it a shot.
Over the last two weeks, I have been making preparations. I had spent time reading up, understanding the risks involved, engaging in careful thought about my strategy, debating internally on the merits, experimenting a little, before formalizing the entire Plan in writing.
I know I am ready, come hell or high water. The first phase of the Plan begins in November. Game on.
Sounds like a mid-life crisis, isn't it? Haha.
At work, my TL told me the senior managers have created a new job grade higher than the one I am currently in. The role requires someone with experience and tenure to drive strategic engagement with clients. I was nominated as the sole employee in APAC to trial for this role. On hearing the announcement, my first reaction was, "OMG, I don't feel competent enough to take on the role." Nonetheless, my TL insisted that I take up the challenge. She thinks that there is no one else more qualified, and she is confident I will do a good job. Naturally, a higher job grade comes with higher renumeration. Not wanting to let my TL down, I agreed hesitantly, wondering what kind of a deep hole I am getting myself into. Management still needs some time to hash out the responsibilities and KPIs. Will await more details.
At home, I am so happy the school examinations are over. I can finally sit back, relax and look forward to our family overseas trip in December. I trust my kids to have done their best. So far the result for my younger boy is satisfactory. All four subject scores are in the AL1 band. As for my older boy, we have just completed the DSA school selection. The outcome will only be known when he gets back his PSLE result around late November. My boy opted for RI (WL) > HCI (WL) > CHS (CO), in decreasing order of preference. I doubt any student will give up a coveted Confirmed Offer in RI and HCI. Moreover, we have no idea where my boy stands in the Waitlist queue, so the chance of my boy getting into RI or HCI is minimal. We are mentally prepared for him to enroll into CHS. ("My Blood is Green!")
Lately, my wife and I have been discussing our retirement schedule. It is on track, and we should be able to quit our full-time jobs by age 55. Most of our liabilities (house, healthcare costs, children's university fees) have been sorted out or adequately covered by insurance policies, so we are not worried. I am pondering whether we should still stay partially employed, albeit in a less demanding job with shorter hours and lower pay, but my wife is not so keen. Haha.
Until next time. Happy Halloween, my friends!
As planned, I whittled down my SRS portfolio by selling my stake in Credit Bureau Asia. I will re-deploy the cash into the market at a suitable time.
During mid-October, I experienced an epiphany, which urged me to take action on a plan. Implementing the Plan requires patience, sheer discipline and a sizable financial commitment. I am good with the patience and discipline bit. It is the financial commitment that I have concern about. While my retirement will not be in jeopardy (since I am still earning a regular wage from my job), it means I will not be able to grow my portfolios as fast as I hoped. The strange thing is, I have been cruising along life just fine, and this relevation struck. I haven't felt such an intense feeling about something for so long. It is as if the Divine is telling me, "Go for it." Looking back, there were unrelated events in my earlier years which, when seen in hindsight now, seem to have been arranged to prepare me for this decision.
My life journey has come to a fork - either I venture forth on this unlit, uncharted path, which I have no role model or mentor, or I stay safe trodding along the highway of mediocrity, well within my comfort zone. It will take years of consistent, persistent effort before I can see the fruit of my labour. In fact, I may face utter failure too, with money lost and nothing to show for the endeavour. That said, I know in my heart of hearts that I will regret in my old age if I do not give it a shot.
Over the last two weeks, I have been making preparations. I had spent time reading up, understanding the risks involved, engaging in careful thought about my strategy, debating internally on the merits, experimenting a little, before formalizing the entire Plan in writing.
I know I am ready, come hell or high water. The first phase of the Plan begins in November. Game on.
Sounds like a mid-life crisis, isn't it? Haha.
At work, my TL told me the senior managers have created a new job grade higher than the one I am currently in. The role requires someone with experience and tenure to drive strategic engagement with clients. I was nominated as the sole employee in APAC to trial for this role. On hearing the announcement, my first reaction was, "OMG, I don't feel competent enough to take on the role." Nonetheless, my TL insisted that I take up the challenge. She thinks that there is no one else more qualified, and she is confident I will do a good job. Naturally, a higher job grade comes with higher renumeration. Not wanting to let my TL down, I agreed hesitantly, wondering what kind of a deep hole I am getting myself into. Management still needs some time to hash out the responsibilities and KPIs. Will await more details.
At home, I am so happy the school examinations are over. I can finally sit back, relax and look forward to our family overseas trip in December. I trust my kids to have done their best. So far the result for my younger boy is satisfactory. All four subject scores are in the AL1 band. As for my older boy, we have just completed the DSA school selection. The outcome will only be known when he gets back his PSLE result around late November. My boy opted for RI (WL) > HCI (WL) > CHS (CO), in decreasing order of preference. I doubt any student will give up a coveted Confirmed Offer in RI and HCI. Moreover, we have no idea where my boy stands in the Waitlist queue, so the chance of my boy getting into RI or HCI is minimal. We are mentally prepared for him to enroll into CHS. ("My Blood is Green!")
Lately, my wife and I have been discussing our retirement schedule. It is on track, and we should be able to quit our full-time jobs by age 55. Most of our liabilities (house, healthcare costs, children's university fees) have been sorted out or adequately covered by insurance policies, so we are not worried. I am pondering whether we should still stay partially employed, albeit in a less demanding job with shorter hours and lower pay, but my wife is not so keen. Haha.
Until next time. Happy Halloween, my friends!
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