10 replies to this topic

[dcengr]

Feng shui investors brace for year of fire on water Thursday December 21, 1:34 am ET By James Pomfret and Ian Chua HONG KONG (Reuters) - Forget fund flows and profit predictions, 2007 is about "fire sitting on water." Buy oil, avoid metals, and don't get your fingers burned. Feng shui experts steeped in the ancient Chinese knowledge of geomancy, or natural energies, see a turbulent year ahead for both markets and mankind. "The elements -- they are in conflict," said Raymond Lo, a practitioner for more than 10 years, whose office close to Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor is considered a repository of positive feng shui energies in this hotbed of capitalism. "Because it's fire and water, and they're not in harmony. So therefore next year in January, it's not so peaceful." Lo expects a stock market boom in the first half of the year, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng index (HKSE:^HSI - News) likely to soar over 20,000 points, creating an "illusion of optimism" before a steep drop. The market is up 30 percent this year at 19,216 and, along with other Asian bourses struck record highs in 2006. Hard data on the accuracy of feng shui forecasts and their performance against analyst predictions is hard to come by, but Hong Kongers devour books by the city's celebrity feng shui masters. "I believe in it a lot," says retail investor Monica Tam, who reckons that in auspicious periods she can buy stocks "with her eyes closed" and still make money. "Before I didn't, but with each year's experience and by seeing feng shui masters, I changed my mind." OIL AND FIRE Another master, Edwin Ma Lai-wah, says investors should focus on stocks harnessing the elemental force of fire, and avoid those vulnerable to it. Oil, given its combustible nature, will be a gainer. Construction and property firms are also in favor. "Oil prices will rise at least 5 percent, because the fire will be fierce, and other sectors related to fire will also rise," said Ma. Metals such as gold, steel and zinc, top performers this year, could be tempered in 2007. "The fire will dominate them," he said, along with sectors related to gold, such as financial and banking stocks. WOOD IS GOOD Fire is the 2007 force for master Lai Hon-fai as well, but he says wood will moderate the destructive effects. "The wood element will have a secret effect on the fire by adding prosperity. So on the surface things might not be as good as this year, but there'll still be relatively normal growth." He says the U.S. benchmark Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI - News) could drop by 5 percent, with most volatility likely in May and November. Years ending with the number seven have a track record of stock market disaster, Lo warns, referring to the 1987 Wall Street crash and the Asian financial crisis that struck a decade later. "You have to be very careful, the worst could be October ... but it won't be as bad as 1997," he said. On the political front, Lo expects strife in the Western world, but few flashpoints in Asia. "There will be turbulence, there will be fights, there will be explosions and clashes. It's also a year of evolution." "Asia is comparatively stable, the bad energy is in the North next year, so therefore America and those (Western) countries will more easily have natural disasters and other problems." He also believes a "sick" energy might arise. "Something we have to be careful of is sickness and health problems. Epidemics could come. We have to worry about avian flu, that kind of thing."

[hiker]

Feng Shui you call that ancient art based on human observation a mystical thing? geomancy is based on centuries of observing data ------ try to trade on mechanics alone and a trader will be studying data more than making trades art based on observing what works personally in trading is worthy of consideration, just as mechanical trading systems are...

[dcengr]

Feng Shui

you call that ancient art based on human observation a mystical thing?

geomancy is based on centuries of observing data

------

try to trade on mechanics alone and a trader will be studying data more than making trades

art based on observing what works personally in trading is worthy of consideration, just as mechanical trading systems are...

I'm not dissing it, its in the same category as astrological trading, IMO. Some can trade with it quite successfully.

Mystical to someone like me, a scientific guy

[hiker]

pattern recognition is in the definition of geomancy at wikipedia.com - Western methodology Geomancy in western tradition requires no instruments and no calculations; it is based solely on the human propensity for pattern recognition.

Edited by hiker, 21 December 2006 - 12:00 PM.

[traderpaul]

Feng Shui will get you into trouble.....Why?....She gives you a conceved notion of what this market will do.....So, you will trade of what you think the market will do, rather than trade like a trader or investor.... Feng Shui for this year was good fisrt half and bad second half.....Well....That is not the case.....

Edited by traderpaul, 21 December 2006 - 12:03 PM.

[dcengr]

Some light holiday reading..

Feng Shui

Maybe the earliest form of EW theory

Edited by dcengr, 21 December 2006 - 12:00 PM.

[hiker]

not trading patterns will get you nowhere or somewhere you do not want to be....anyone have real thoughts about GOOG chart pattern?

[HiFiGuy]

not trading patterns will get you nowhere or somewhere you do not want to be....anyone have real thoughts about GOOG chart pattern?

Hiker,
I'm bearish on any break lower from here. The fact that this last rally from the triangle break was so muted seems an indicator of weakness/lack of demand. Momentum turing IT negative. Price is right on its trendline from its 2004 ipo. looks like a viable short to me on any st strength.

What do you think?

btw - those were some spectacular pictures you posted of your x-country skiing.. what mtn range is that?

Edited by HiFiGuy, 21 December 2006 - 12:15 PM.

[arbman]

Wood, fire, water, what about the silicon?

[hiker]

HiFi...could work...I am going to bet on the long side for a bottom picking when the price is right. Not personally planning to short strength. Your idea may work tho'... Why is this my plan? With GOOG the last 3 years...pessimism has been buying points and optimism has been selling points. Did you catch my sell action in GOOG posted here some weeks ago on the move above $500? So far, the method has worked...this time may be different. 2007 will be interesting for GOOG. note 425 to 430 as horizontal area of interest on weekly GOOG chart.

Edited by hiker, 21 December 2006 - 12:21 PM.