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How to Build a Share Portfolio

A practical guide to selecting and monitoring a portfolio of shares

By Rodney Hobson

Paperback £16.99 / $24.99
eBook £14.99 / $17.99
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How to Build a Share Portfolio

A practical guide to selecting and monitoring a portfolio of shares

By Rodney Hobson

Jacket text

Effective share portfolios for the private investor

Running an efficient portfolio of shares means buying and selling the shares that make the most sense for you, and at the right time and price. Rodney Hobson, author of the bestselling Shares Made Simple, sets out how to do this without having to be a financial expert or full-time trader. Using plain language, he takes the reader simply and logically through the process, giving helpful examples and real-life case studies at every turn.

In How to Build a Share Portfolio you can:

– find out how to determine the right objectives for your portfolio
– learn how to pick shares that fulfill your investment ambitions, and when to drop those that no longer do so
– understand how best to set your portfolio’s size and ensure it is diversified against risk
– discover the best ways of monitoring your portfolio, and of reducing losses and rebalancing it when necessary.

Anyone who is thinking of investing, however much or however little, will benefit from the information, advice and guidance contained in this book. Similarly, those who already have a portfolio will find it helps them to stand back and reassess whether they are making the most of their money and whether their portfolio is meeting their needs.

About the author

Rodney Hobson is an experienced financial journalist who has held senior editorial positions with publications in the UK and Asia and is currently Editor of Ipreo, an international financial services group.

Among posts he has held are News Editor for the Business section of The Times, Business Editor of the Singapore Monitor, Deputy Business Editor of the Far Eastern Economic Review, Head of News at Citywire and Editor of Shares magazine. He has also contributed to the Daily Mail, the Independent and Business Franchise Magazine.

Rodney is the author of financial titles Shares Made Simple, now in its second edition (9780857192356), Small Companies, Big Profits (9781905641789), Understanding Company News (9781906659226), How to Build a Share Portfolio (9780857190215) and The Dividend Investor (9780857190963). He also writes the Detective Inspector Paul Amos Lincolnshire Mystery series of book (Dead Money, and Unlikely Graves).

He is registered as a Representative with the Financial Services Authority.

Rodney is married with one daughter.

Media coverage

From MoneyMaker Magazine:

Running an efficient portfolio of shares means buying and selling the shares that make the most sense for you. How to Build a Share Portfolio by bestselling author and financial journalist Rodney Hobson shows how you can do this without being an expert or a full-time investor. Many investors pick shares that take their fancy,… Read more »

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From UK Analyst:

A book review by Luka Lukic of the AIM & PLUS Newsletter In this book financial journalist Rodney Hobson aims to provide a straight forward introduction into the world of portfolio management and best practices to employ when selecting what you want to invest in. Thankfully it doesn’t pretend to offer a guaranteed, one size… Read more »

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From Traders Day Trading:

Wrong reaction to danger? An acquaintance decided that travelling on the Tube was far too dangerous after the London Underground bombings so he got out his bike instead. On his way into work on the first day he was knocked off and killed. The same sort of mentality is now afflicting private investors, who are… Read more »

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From Traders Mag:

How to Build a Share Portfolio ? A practical guide to selecting and monitoring a portfolio of shares By Rodney Hobson Running an efficient portfolio of shares means buying and selling the shares that make the most sense for you. A new book from bestselling author and financial journalist Rodney Hobson shows how you can… Read more »

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From City AM:

HOW TO BUILD A SHARE PORTFOLIO BY RODNEY HOBSON Harriman House, £16.99 Phillip Salter IF you own a handful of UK shares but lack a strategy beyond: ?I like to shop at Tesco, so I bought a few of its shares,? this book will help you build a financial future upon more secure foundations. Written… Read more »

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From Hemscott:

As part of our Seeking Income Week, I recently caught up with Rodney Hobson, an experienced investor and columnist for Morningstar, whose extensive experience in the financial services industry has included positions as Business Editor of The Times and Editor of Hemscott, a Morningstar company. Rodney has recently published his third book, How to Build… Read more »

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From Self Trade Stock Take:

Back to Basics: Considerations for constructing a share portfolio in the shadow of an uncertain future It is always worth reconsidering what you hope to get out of your investments from time to time and never more so than when the whole global economy is beset with uncertainties. However experienced an investor you are, it… Read more »

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From uk-analyst.com:

“An excellent beginners guide, covering all the basics of investing in shares. If you are taking your first steps into the financial markets, or just want to brush up on your knowledge, it will prove to be an invaluable ally.”- UK Analyst15th September 2011

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From financial-trader-online.tradersdaytrading.com:

Be wary but don’t panic- Traders Day Trading4th August 2011

Read More…

Contents

Preface
Introduction

Part I - The Choice of Assets

1. The Range of Assets
What is a portfolio?
Shares
Cash
Gold
Gilts
Company bonds
Property
Works of art
Collectibles
Funds
Exchange Traded Funds
Summary comparison of assets
Costs
Mix and match
Why build a properly constructed portfolio?
Lessons learnt

2. The Attractions of Equities
Performance
Diversification
Foreign stocks
Lessons learnt

Part II - Building a Portfolio

3. Basic Decisions
Investing for income
Investing for growth
How many?
Pounds, not numbers
Sectors
Weightings
Over and under weight
Lessons learnt

4. Top Down and Bottom Up
Top down
Bottom up
Best of both worlds

5. Fundamentals
What to look for
Company analysis
Lessons learnt

6. Choosing Between Cyclicals and Defensives
Timing issues
Visibility of earnings
Cyclicals
Defensives
Lessons learnt

7. Investing for Dividends
Where to look for dividends
Dividend cuts
High payers
Dividends in dollars
Lessons learnt

8. Investing for Capital Growth
Growth companies
Value investing
Case Study: Dogs of the Dow
Lessons learnt

9. When to Invest
Bull or bear market
Volatile markets
Buying opportunities
Pound cost averaging
Lessons learnt

10. New Issues
Taken on merit
Pricing
Book building
Lessons learnt

11. When Share Prices Fall
Catching falling knives
Profit warnings
Lessons learnt

Part III - Managing Your Portfolio

12. Monitoring Your Portfolio
How often to monitor
Measuring performance
Benefits of monitoring

13. Stop Losses and Averaging Down
Stop losses
Averaging down
Lessons learnt

14. Adding to Existing Holdings 177
Changes in circumstances 178 Lessons learnt 180

15. Selling Existing Holdings
Keeping calm
Tracking news announcements
Taking some profits
Lessons learnt

16. Rights Issues and Placings
Right issues
Grandiose schemes
Rights issues at or near the market price
Placings and open offers
Special dividends and share buybacks
Lessons learnt

17. Takeovers and Demergers
Takeovers
Demergers
Lessons learnt

18. Costs and Taxes
Costs
Taxes

19. An Example Portfolio
Shares bought
Portfolio valuation (at start)
Dividends received
Issues faced
Lessons learnt

Index



Published: 14/03/2011
Edition: 1st
Pages: 256
Formats: paperback - ISBN 9780857190215
ebook - ISBN 9780857191236
Media enquiries

If you’d like to get in touch with the author for interview or comment, or you’d like a review copy of this book, please contact us at pr@harriman-house.com or call +44 (0)1730 233870.

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