Pifflevalve

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I'm still here
I'm still here. I'm not sure why you're looking at this. Go back to Twitter
No, really
Do you think, if she'd lived, she would've been in the government?
Home grown
Chop them all up and make a nice soup. No, really
Teddington house spotting
Oh, George!
Horse or laminator
Guess first, then click
I'm in distress
Well I'm in this dress
Recipe
Low fat creamy chicken and vegetables
Ingredients
  • 1 chicken breast, cut into chunks
  • 3 small/baby potatoes, thickly sliced
  • Handful of broccoli florets
  • Handful of spinach
  • Chicken stock cube
  • 1 tbsp half fat creme fraiche
  • Optional: a few chopped basil leaves
Method
  1. Brown the chicken breast in a hot pan with a little oil or butter
  2. Add the sliced potatoes when the chicken is lightly browned
  3. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in a mug with boiling water
  4. Add the stock to the pan once the chicken and potatoes are browned
  5. Add the broccoli and spinach to the pan
  6. Simmer until the stock thickens and looks a bit sticky
  7. Add the creme fraiche and stir in gently
  8. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and salt to taste
  9. Serve topped with chopped basil, if available
Currently studying for AZ-204
Course: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure
Course
Compound returns calculator
Stick the numbers in and go
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Breathing, breathl... heaving breaths
The greatest film ever made
  • He had threatened to kill me in public

  • Why would he want to kill you in public?

  • I think she meant he threatened, in public, to kill her

  • Oh
What happens to bond funds when interest rates fall?
When interest rates fall, bond funds generally experience an increase in value
  1. Bond Prices and Interest Rates are Inversely Related: When interest rates decline, existing bonds that pay higher interest rates become more attractive compared to new bonds issued at the lower current rates. As a result, the prices of existing bonds rise, boosting the value of bond funds that hold them.
  2. Capital Gains for Bond Funds: Since the bonds in the fund are worth more, the net asset value (NAV) of the bond fund increases. Investors in bond funds may see capital gains as a result of this price appreciation.
  3. New Bonds in the Fund Portfolio: While existing bonds benefit from falling interest rates, newly issued bonds purchased by the fund will offer lower yields. Over time, as higher-yielding bonds mature and are replaced with lower-yield bonds, the income generated by the bond fund may decrease.
Overall, in the short term, bond fund investors benefit from price appreciation when interest rates fall, though future income may be lower due to the reduced yields on new bond purchases.
What happens to property investments (REITs) when interest rates fall?
When interest rates fall, real estate investment trusts (REITs) generally benefit
  1. Lower Borrowing Costs: REITs often rely on debt to finance the acquisition and development of properties. When interest rates fall, their cost of borrowing decreases, allowing them to refinance existing debt or take on new debt at lower rates. This improves profitability and increases cash flow, which can boost dividends for shareholders.
  2. Higher Property Values: Lower interest rates make borrowing cheaper for real estate investors, increasing demand for properties. As property values rise, the underlying assets owned by REITs may also appreciate, improving the value of the REITs themselves.
  3. Attractiveness of REIT Dividends: REITs are known for paying relatively high dividends. When interest rates fall, the yields on bonds and other fixed-income investments decline, making REIT dividends more attractive by comparison. This can increase demand for REITs, driving up their stock prices.
  4. Economic Growth and Real Estate Demand: Lower interest rates often stimulate economic growth, which can lead to increased demand for real estate, whether for commercial, residential, or industrial purposes. This is particularly beneficial for REITs that own properties in sectors with growing demand.
To reduce volatility, I invest in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that hold a large number of REITs.
10/20 weekly EMA crossover system
This is what I do to make money from investing
  • Only invest in index ETFs

  • Only look at the weekly charts

  • Ignore the daily financial news and opinions

The plan

Pick an index ETF such as VUSA for the S&P 500, or XNAQ for the Nasdaq 100. Open up a charting website like Yahoo Finance or investing.com and add 2 exponential moving averages (EMAs): 10 period and 20 period. Set the EMAs to use the closing price with a weekly timeframe.

  • When the 10 period EMA crosses above the 20 period EMA, buy
  • When the 10 period EMA crosses below the 20 period EMA, sell
Why weekly?

Weekly charts give me time to think about what I'm doing, and I'm not reacting to the daily price moves

Will I beat a buy and hold strategy?

No, in the long term it would probably be better to just buy an index fund and do nothing with it, however with the 10/20 EMA crossover strategy I avoid all big losses, which can be very difficult to deal with. As much as I like to think I'm very disciplined with my investing, I know I'd find it difficult to see a 20% or 50% decline in my ISA account, even though I'd know it would come back eventually.

Some ETFs I use
  • TREG: A global property fund
  • VUSA: The S&P 500
  • XNAQ: The Nasdaq 100
  • IITU: The Information Technology sector of the US stock market
  • RTWP: Smaller US companies
  • SGLN: Gold

Recipe
Leek and potato soup

Makes enough for 2 people

Ingredients
  • 1 large, or 2 medium potatoes
  • 1 leek
  • A handful of any green vegetables such as chives or spring onions
  • Chicken stock cube
  • Optional: 1 tbsp half fat creme fraiche
  • Optional: a few chopped basil leaves
Method
  1. Dice the potatoes
  2. Slice the leek into 1cm pieces
  3. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in a mug with boiling water
  4. Put the potato cubes and the sliced leek into a large pan
  5. Add any extra vegetables
  6. Pour in the chicken stock
  7. Bring the pan to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes
  8. Allow to cool slightly, to avoid blending boiling water
  9. Use a stick blender in the pan (or use a blender jug) until the soup is thick, but with a few chunks of potato remaining
  10. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and salt to taste
  11. Add the optional basil and creme fraiche and gently stir
Azure notes
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Azure notes