fax ... I'm much worse than avg. at market timing .. I do not play any period ... The only thing that has worked for me is looking at the macro economic picture, assessing the fundamentals of companies within the sectors I prefer .. grabbing core positions in those companies ... holding my core positions and with those same companies buy additional position on dips and sell on increases that for an annualized return of 12-15% ... sometimes I hold a day or two, sometimes a year or two ... sometimes I get lucky and do bettter, sometimes I hold and take a beating on missed opportunity.

Long term sectors I like

Commodities and precious metals

Energy

Staple product producers

After shunning gold for years ... the bug hit me in 2002 (pretty good timing although given the Canadian dollar performance nowhere near as spectacular as gold's ascent as measure in US $'s). I think silver is by far a better play right now (and I remain loyal to gold) for 4 reasons. The large short positions as pointed by Ted Butler, the industrial uses of silver beyond its's status as a precious metal, the in ground gold to silver ratio is about 1:15, and the long term ratio between the 2 metals of 1:17 remains way off kilter.

There are always some bargains out there ... and in the short term I still like Candian banks and dividend producers.

Rim and Intel are companies which are not going anywhere ... RIM produces products that facilitate communication and will grow in BRIC countries esp since the price point is less than apple products ... Intel producers new infrastructure products ...semiconductor chips which will eventually be in everything perhaps even our bodies.

I marvel at TA and those that can effectively use it ... but I am a dud in its use.

orgy