Thursday, December 31, 2009

eBook: How to become a better investor

One of the main reasons why I started to write this blog back in June 2008 was to help fresh and inexperienced entrants to the stock market learn about fundamental and technical analysis - and become better investors in the process.

It has been both an enriching and humbling experience for me. Enriching because of the regular interaction with readers of this blog - both young and old - that have helped me immensely in getting different perspectives about the market.

Humbling because some of the young readers are not only mature beyond their years, but they have knowledge, discipline and decision-taking ability that are as good as, and some times better than, my own.

There are plenty of web sites, blogs and investment groups that offer free stock tips. I have tried to avoid that - because just telling some one to buy a particular stock does not teach him why it is a stock worth buying.

I do write about stocks that are fundamentally strong, and some times not so strong. The objective being that readers can enhance their knowledge about how to use technical indicators and fundamental parameters.

Only through learning and experience can investors become better at knowing which stocks to track and which to avoid. If my blog posts have been of assistance, my efforts have been well worth their while.

Many of you have requested me over the past few months to compile some of my blog posts into an eBook for ready reference. Some suggested that I should charge for such an eBook. But after some thought, I decided to provide it to my blog readers for free - but on two conditions.

First, you need to specifically ask for the free eBook by sending me an email at mobugobu@yahoo.com with your full name. Hiding behind a pseudonym won't help! I would like to avoid spammers to the extent possible.

Second, you can ask your friends, relatives, colleagues to send me an email for the eBook (or send them a link to this blog post) - but please do not forward the eBook to others without my permission. I don't want the eBook to be freely circulated over the Internet.

Compiling the eBook from selected blog posts written between June 2008 and January 2009 took longer than I expected. Some of the posts had to be updated and rewritten. The basic concepts about the stock market, sector and portfolio selection, investment strategy and philosophy, common pitfalls, monetary policy and interest rates have been covered.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, the eBook: How to become a better investor, is finally ready for distribution. I'm relieved that it could be completed on the last day of the year. Please consider this as my small gift for the New Year. May it be a happy and prosperous one for all my readers.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

A great gift indeed for all your readers. Thank you!

afzala.com said...

Sir
i hae been reading ur blog since 2 months your analysis is superb
now every day i am following ur blog
afzal

Jasi said...

Oh, here comes the holy grail!
Subhankar Sir ... i personally couldnt have asked for a better new year gift!
Thanks a tonne and really appreciate all your efforts. Trust me Sir, there arent many who would do such selfless act in these times. :)

scorpio said...

Shubhankar sir, this is really great stuff. I will send you an email soon. Wish you a happy new year :)

Your experience is rich and i love reading your blog as always.

The Visitor said...

Wonderful Mr Subhankar!

My heartfelt appreciation and thanks to you for your effort. It is a wonderful New Year gift.

The amount of positive vibrations in the air this new year is palpable and this news has added to it.

Happy New Year to you too. :)

PS: Hmm... you have laid some reasonable conditions for getting a copy of the e-book, but that means that I have to delurk from my pseudomym. Well, I'm sure that it will be worth it.

Ramchandra said...

Dear Subhankar Sir,

First of all wish you and your family Happy and Prosperous New year 2010. May this year brings you lots of success, Happiness, Joy, Health and wealth.

Thanks for your help to teach us the about the technicals. As I started reading your blog, I'm becoming stronger and stronger... I had followed this learnings in few of my trading during December (NTPC and Infotech Enterprises Limited) and earned decent profits. This has given me some confidence...
Again thanks for each post you write here in this blog and for the the e-book on which you have spent lots of time and your knowledge...

Thanks for everything..

Wish you all the best for New Year.

Kind Regards,
Ramchandra Hegde.

Bharath said...

Dear Master,

Happy and prosperous new year wishes !

I have really learnt a lot from your blogs.Thanks for wonderful blog.Now curious to see your e-book.

Hope this e-book is great feast for all fundamental analyzers for this new year.

Sanjeev Bhatia said...

Dear Shubhankar,

I was probably one of the first ones to get and read your e-book. Simply wonderful and fabulous. I am sure it will be a great read for all investors since stock market teaches us so many lessons but we have to read and re read them again and again. You have clearly spent a lot of time and energy in compiling this book and it shows. But as they say, all good things deserve a second helping, here are few suggestions for IInd Edition of the book:-

1. Insert a chapter on fundamaental analysis with various ratios explained, as you have done in your blogs beautifully.

2. Possible pitfalls in fundamaental analysis can be explained with example. Like, company shows increase in sales and net profits but either profit margins are declining or negative cash flows.

3. Links to various sites/ blogs which can be used for mining data about companies, charting and suggested readings.

Will pester you with more ideas...

Keep up the good work. Your selfless dedication is amazing and worth emulating.

Sanjeev Bhatia

The Visitor said...

Hello Subhankar - I'm right now reading your excellently written e-book, 'How to become a better investor'. Will get back to you on it once I'm through with it.

Thanks for sending me the same. :)

Subhankar said...

@N: Without readers a blog can't survive. Thanks for following my blog. It motivates me to carry on.

@afzal: Appreciate your comments. Please do not hesitate to ask questions about my posts.

@Jasi: Far from the Holy Grail. Just a small gift to say 'thank you' to my readers.

@scorpio: Thanks for the New Year wishes, which I'm pleased to reciprocate, and thanks for following my blog.

@TV: Thanks for your comments, and for the New Year wishes which I'm pleased to reciprocate.

Appreciate your suggestions about improving the eBook.

@Ramchandra: Very pleased to reciprocate your New Year wishes, and thanks for your comments.

Glad to note that my posts are helping to make you a smarter investor.

@Bharath: Thanks for the New Year wishes which I'm pleased to reciprocate.

It is heartening to know that you are benefitting by reading my posts.

@Sanjeev: Appreciate your comments about the eBook and your very constructive suggestions.

For reasons of brevity (no one seems to have the time to read a lot these days) I limited this eBook to some of my earlier posts - which many readers may not have read before.

The overwhelming response to this eBook has motivated me to compile two more eBooks - on fundamental and technical analysis, where I will try to implement some of your suggestions.

Unknown said...

hi sir please mail me a copy of your e-book

Subhankar said...

You'll need to send an email to me, Vikas.

Anonymous said...

Sir, i was introduced to this site from a friend, a stockmarket group in goolge, its looks really great with all the links, im sure u r write-ups will help to get light on my stock knowledge, regards, sebastian, kochi.

Subhankar said...

Thanks for your comments, Sebastian.

Unknown said...

While searching for a suitable blog, I just come across yours. I have gone through it and found it very resourceful. You are doing a great job on with your blog.Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
I appreciate your hard work and wish you good luck.

keep up the good work =)

Subhankar said...

Appreciate your comments, Andrew.