STOCKPICK by the well-meaning?

When I started going into the stockmarket, I was very naive. I would look for articles written about the companies and if I found the articles saying all the positive things about them, I would target the company's stocks and bought them. It was fine when the bulls were controlling the market.

I have come across articles in online newspaper or in blogs predicting certain stock's potentials for a rapid rise based on possible multimillion contracts at national or international turfs. It could be speculation or the writer has been paid by the company so that investors would buy the stocks in droves? Eventhough you see at the end of the article words to the effect that this is not a solicitation for purchase of  the stock that are "gleefully" stated.

I must say earlier on I did buy stocks on the strength of those types of articles only to regret much later. But there are genuine people who advise small time investors on certain stocks. I came across an article  predicting the rise of TANJONG and that time the stock was priced at 13.60 and the writer said it would go up to 16.60 soon. I was quite taken by his write-up especially on good management and overseas business involvement . The only thing that stopped me was the gaming business the company is in. Anyway I did monitor the stock and sure enough, after the article, the stock rose and rose and today it has reached 17.48. Would have made quite a sum had I bought it!

Then I read something on PICORP how it had been negotiating the payment of contract works in Sudan and the price was set to go up. Though it was only 0.29 sen, I had doubt as well about the writer's analysis of the situation. After all Sudan is not Abu Dhabi with its organised financial set-up. That was some months ago and PICORP price remains the same to this day!

I bought HSL stock at  80 sen based on my research on the company, its business, book value and past performance and good management and now it is doing reasonably well and will sure rise just before this current economic recession is over. (Guys, this is not a solicitation for you to buy the stock ok)

When I was debating whether to invest in AXIATA or MAXIS last year, I read an article on AXIATA in a blog I follow and I found the writer to be credible as there appears to be transparency in his writing and he also works in a broker firm. The price was 2.93 and I put quite and investment in the stock.... and today it has gone up to 3.47 almost by 18.5% . But MAXIS is kind of hovering around 5.36 to 5.39 all these weeks. I must thank the writer, indeed he was well-meaning. I am going out when the crowd is going in. Please do not say the stock is going to climb to 5.00 before the end of the year and tempt me to stay on as I am not feeling greedy right now. I just want to make good my heavy losses in the plantation stocks!

On second thought I would leave 20% of AXIATA shares behind just in case.......