Seeking advice on portfolio

(13-11-2013, 11:05 AM)Ben Wrote:

(13-11-2013, 09:42 AM)Temperament Wrote:

(13-11-2013, 09:05 AM)corydorus Wrote: Dual Currency Deposits never make sense to me. Another example where bank takes advantage on their own customers.

i try to learn about currency trading, and i found it's really for the "professionals" and the banks. In stocks, i found MOM & POP at least have a chance.
i have been buying(in terms of money changer) $RM for decades never sell still i think i can never make any money. Take it i have to visit my neighbour from time to time and try to protect my ($RM) spending power there.

I am an amateur in currency, but had some luck in my first venture into it. I opened a one year FD with Bank Of China in Sep 2012 when RMB was weak against SGD then. When the FD matures this year, I closed the account and luckily, RMB has strengthened against SGD over the year. My overall gain (interest + FX gain) was about 8%.

http://www.valuebuddies.com/thread-2398.html

Was thinking of opening a MYR account over the causeway to take advantage of the weak MYR now and higher interest there.

i think most Singaporeans visit Malaysia at least a few times a year. Next door ma. Their CD Int. Rate always much higher than Singapore. i think now about 3%. i have joint accounts (include my wife) in Malaysia for decades already. But i think we lose out because of the exchange rate. Form 1:1 to 1:2.55 now. But at least we try to preserve our spending power there. If not when you need to go to Malaysia, just take the current exchange rate lol. This may be a better option if you rarely go in.

Quote:I am an amateur in currency, but had some luck in my first venture into it. I opened a one year FD with Bank Of China in Sep 2012 when RMB was weak against SGD then. When the FD matures this year, I closed the account and luckily, RMB has strengthened against SGD over the year. My overall gain (interest + FX gain) was about 8%.

http://www.valuebuddies.com/thread-2398.html

Was thinking of opening a MYR account over the causeway to take advantage of the weak MYR now and higher interest there.

I was thinking of opening a MYR account too but you need to have a Malaysian spouse or a residential address? How do you plan to open the account?

Similarly, I will open a RMB account at Mainland China because of the potential long term appreciation.

I opened a Thai Baht account in Thailand. The interest rate is better and I visit once a year. It is convenient.

(13-11-2013, 01:21 PM)NTL Wrote:

(13-11-2013, 09:57 AM)corydorus Wrote: Currency itself already not easy. Dual currency makes it a lot worst if i understand correctly. Is structured such that the bank will always SUCK YOU at Premium and at your RISKS. You lose at fee, exchange spreads and after exchange rates, give you the weaker ones...

While I don't consider myself well verse in Dual Currency (Structured) Deposits, I do believe in it for 4years do give me some experience to share. I only dual with NZD due to the close match with SGD.

I use the following "steps" to make some money from it.

1. Determine the trading zone for NZD and SGD (it's between 0.96 and 1.04)
2. When NZD is around 0.98SGD, I put in a trade to convert to NZD within a week at low spread.
3. After convert, put into 1mth FD for some interest. Or put the NZD at a wide spread for 1 mth (and hope it will not be converted) if the interest is good.
4. Repeat 3 until NZD is around 1.02SGD
5. Do a trade to convert back to SGD at low spread and get it converted back to SGD.
Repeat.

By the way, the interest is negotiable with some banks, depending on how much they want make from it.

i also used historical records of lowest to highest exchange rate for Aussie & Kiwi to Sing. But i CD it as Foreign Currencies for year to years until the exchange rate to Sing is in my favour again. You can say i use Exchange Rate timing. In this way i save on fees and the time factor is chosen by me.
But i have lost interest in doing this, though i had made some small money.

(13-11-2013, 05:21 PM)Temperament Wrote:

(13-11-2013, 01:21 PM)NTL Wrote:

(13-11-2013, 09:57 AM)corydorus Wrote: Currency itself already not easy. Dual currency makes it a lot worst if i understand correctly. Is structured such that the bank will always SUCK YOU at Premium and at your RISKS. You lose at fee, exchange spreads and after exchange rates, give you the weaker ones...

While I don't consider myself well verse in Dual Currency (Structured) Deposits, I do believe in it for 4years do give me some experience to share. I only dual with NZD due to the close match with SGD.

I use the following "steps" to make some money from it.

1. Determine the trading zone for NZD and SGD (it's between 0.96 and 1.04)
2. When NZD is around 0.98SGD, I put in a trade to convert to NZD within a week at low spread.
3. After convert, put into 1mth FD for some interest. Or put the NZD at a wide spread for 1 mth (and hope it will not be converted) if the interest is good.
4. Repeat 3 until NZD is around 1.02SGD
5. Do a trade to convert back to SGD at low spread and get it converted back to SGD.
Repeat.

By the way, the interest is negotiable with some banks, depending on how much they want make from it.

i also used historical records of lowest to highest exchange rate for Aussie & Kiwi to Sing. But i CD it as Foreign Currencies for year to years until the exchange rate to Sing is in my favour again. You can say i use Exchange Rate timing. In this way i save on fees and the time factor is chosen by me.
But i have lost interest in doing this, though i had made some small money.

In principle, I was doing the same thing. Just that I use dual currency deposits to convert between the currencies, then I not subjected to the currency exchange difference.

Same as you, not doing it now too. Stock market more fun.

(13-11-2013, 01:21 PM)NTL Wrote: While I don't consider myself well verse in Dual Currency (Structured) Deposits, I do believe in it for 4years do give me some experience to share. I only dual with NZD due to the close match with SGD.

I use the following "steps" to make some money from it.

1. Determine the trading zone for NZD and SGD (it's between 0.96 and 1.04)
2. When NZD is around 0.98SGD, I put in a trade to convert to NZD within a week at low spread.
3. After convert, put into 1mth FD for some interest. Or put the NZD at a wide spread for 1 mth (and hope it will not be converted) if the interest is good.
4. Repeat 3 until NZD is around 1.02SGD
5. Do a trade to convert back to SGD at low spread and get it converted back to SGD.
Repeat.

By the way, the interest is negotiable with some banks, depending on how much they want make from it.

never tot of converting..thanks for the insight
to many players, converting also carry higher risk

(13-11-2013, 04:50 PM)Caelitus Wrote: I was thinking of opening a MYR account too but you need to have a Malaysian spouse or a residential address? How do you plan to open the account?

Similarly, I will open a RMB account at Mainland China because of the potential long term appreciation.

I opened a Thai Baht account in Thailand. The interest rate is better and I visit once a year. It is convenient.

券 sold at banks can offer higher rate than rmb deposit in mainland..plus quite a number are principle protected

is it worthwhile to have a thai baht exposure?

(14-11-2013, 12:01 AM)pianist Wrote:

(13-11-2013, 04:50 PM)Caelitus Wrote: I was thinking of opening a MYR account too but you need to have a Malaysian spouse or a residential address? How do you plan to open the account?

Similarly, I will open a RMB account at Mainland China because of the potential long term appreciation.

I opened a Thai Baht account in Thailand. The interest rate is better and I visit once a year. It is convenient.

券 sold at banks can offer higher rate than rmb deposit in mainland..plus quite a number are principle protected

is it worthwhile to have a thai baht exposure?

PRC principal protected - return OF money more important than return ON money.
RMB fixed deposit Interest in PRC good enough. I mean bank account opened in PRC itself.

(14-11-2013, 12:01 AM)pianist Wrote:

(13-11-2013, 04:50 PM)Caelitus Wrote: I opened a Thai Baht account in Thailand. The interest rate is better and I visit once a year. It is convenient.

券 sold at banks can offer higher rate than rmb deposit in mainland..plus quite a number are principle protected

is it worthwhile to have a thai baht exposure?

There is an article on Thailand in Monocle Issue 66 Vol 7 dated Sep 2013. I think the country has potential. There is an infrastructure construction boom with the country's ambitious projects. China is putting money into Thailand too. Two of my ex-colleagues have set up shop at Thailand to ride on the construction boom.

Besides, I travel periodically to Thailand for volunteer trips so the account allows me to hold the Thai baht securely. I just changed some money this week when it hit S$1 = 25 THB and deposited it today.

This is just my opinion.

What documents is required to open Thai baht deposit account in Thailand? I have rmb deposits and FD accounts opened in various parts of china some years ago enjoying the appreciation and higher rate. But because our dear ica now shortened our passport expiry to 5 years. Dunno next time I go back with my new passport, will they recognise me?

(15-11-2013, 08:42 PM)pianist Wrote: What documents is required to open Thai baht deposit account in Thailand? I have rmb deposits and FD accounts opened in various parts of china some years ago enjoying the appreciation and higher rate. But because our dear ica now shortened our passport expiry to 5 years. Dunno next time I go back with my new passport, will they recognise me?

Keep all your old expired passports for verifications. Unless you update the ID at the bank with your new and old passport.