Investing in Consumer Staples

Read a book recently about investing in consumer staples.  I think the ideas presented were fairly new to me as I have never ever thought of investing in consumer staples before.  I guess there are not many consumer staples kind of stocks in Singapore other than the telcos and the transportation companies.

Well, if one has access to the US market, one could invest in stocks like Colgate-Palmolive, Proctor and Gamble, Coke, etc.  These are really defensive play stocks and the businesses should do reasonably well even if the economy tanks.  Afterall, people still need to brush their teeth and wash their hair even if the economy is bad.

Cambridge Industrial Trust - I could Do With Some

Bought 5 lots of Cambridge Industrial Trust today at $0.515.  Have been eyeing it for some time and decided that I couldn't wait any longer.  So clicked a few buttons, it was in the queue list, and after that, got it.  Just part of my effort to diversify my holdings in reits to cover office, residential/hospitality and industrial.

Bill Ng Rangers Bid

Glad to read in the newspaper about a Singaporean, Bill Ng, who made a bid for Rangers football club and is now in the running again to buy the club despite earlier suggestions that he was out of the race. Reminds me of Peter Lim, the billionaire who was also bidding for Liverpool football club sometime back.

Bill Ng apparently does not love football.  He came to the game for the love of his two sons who had to teach him the offside rule.  Not new to purchasing football clubs, Mr Ng had also purchase Hougang United and Tiong Bahru United in 2010 and 2005 respectively.  Both these football clubs are in the S-League (Singapore's version of the English Premier League).

Now that Bill Ng is back in the running to buy the Rangers, let's wish him luck.  May he do Singapore proud.

Why I Write

I was sad to discover that a fellow blogger had stopped writing.  He gave his farewell posting a few months back and I chanced upon it while I was just surfing around.  I am happy for him that he has decided that there are more important things to tend to.

Anyway, it got me questioning myself on why I even write this blog.  I have better things to do.  I have in fact too many things to do.  But writing is a form of relaxation for me.  A way to express myself.  A way to converse since I am not really gifted in talking (and there is nobody to talk to me in the real world).  Writing is my form of escape.  It is my way of voicing my thoughts.

Sometimes, it is good to just get something off my chest.  To know that I have voiced out my opinion on a matter and that somebody (whoever it is) is reading it.  And though I don't often reply to the comments that are left (sometimes, I just have no time to reply), I treasure each one deeply even as I read the encouraging words and thoughtful remarks that are left on this blog.

In a sense, this blog is like a living organism that has grown with me.  It contains memories and words that people have left, captured eternally on this faceless internet page.  And at the very same time, it is as if this blog reaches out to people and some how, probably in some small way, makes a positive impact on somebody's life.  I don't know.  Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.  But the idea that such a thing can happen even without me meeting the person face to face is surreal.  It is like making a deposit in somebody's life.  Loving a person without actually knowing him or meeting him.

So I hope that you the reader knows why I write.

Drop me a comment.  Will love to hear from you.

GAMCO Global Gold and Natural Resources Income Trust (GGN)

Just bought another 200 shares of Gamco Global Gold and Natural Resources Income Trust.(GGN).  GGN pays out a monthly dividend of US$0.14.  The dividends have been paid out steadily over the years so I thought I should just load up more of it when the market is down.  Bought 200 shares at US$14.60 which is slightly lower than my previous purchase price.

Dividends and Passive Income for April 2012

Dividends and passive income for April 2012 was close to $600.  This was contributed mainly from selling off my Pacific Andes rights and collecting the dividends that were also paid out by Pacific Andes.  Pacific Andes is a stock that I have been holding for some time now but I just did not feel comfortable taking a bigger position so I did not subscribe to the rights issue.

The rest of the money actually comes from the monthly dividends that I receive from Gamco Global Gold and Natural Resources Trust (previously called Gabelli but now re-named as Gamco).  GGN (the stock ticker symbol) provides me with $30+ dollars per month.  That is after the 30% withholding tax deduction which is quite huge if you ask me.

Nevertheless, I am satisfied with April 2012's dividends and passive income received. May 2012 should also be a good month for me.

[17 May 2012 Update:  Actual dividends for April was actually above $700.  Realised that I underestimated the dividends and sale of rights arising from Pac Andes]

Innotek Dividends and Ex Dividend Share Price

I have been holding Innotek for a few years now and am pleased that it had recently announced that it would be paying out 5 cents in dividends per share again for this year.  Innotek has been paying out dividends consistently over the past few years that I have owned this stock.  Anyway, Innotek was trading at around 49 cents cum dividend but once it wend ex dividend (XD) yesterday, the share price fell by almost 7.5 cents to 41.5 cents.  This shows that it will be hard to apply any dividend capture strategy.