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CURRENT POLL
Jun 2013 - Do you trade CFDs?
PREVIOUS POLLS
May 2013 - How important is the industry and core activity of a company to your investing?
 |
Not important. I only look at technical signals. |
14 % |
 |
Fairly important. I look at signals and fundamentals. |
29 % |
 |
Very important. It decides future profitability. |
57 % |
Apr 2013 - Which investing mistake are you most prone to making?
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Thinking that trading is easy money |
5 % |
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Not getting into/out of the market at the right time |
44 % |
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Overtrading |
5 % |
 |
Not managing my risk properly |
20 % |
 |
Not sticking to my strategy |
25 % |
Mar 2013 - Do you think about the environmental and social impacts of the companies you invest in?
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No, I'm only interested in financial performance. |
26 % |
|
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Sometimes, but not enough to change my investing strategy. |
43 % |
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Yes, but I have both sustainable and unsustainable companies in my portfolio. |
11 % |
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Yes, I only invest in the most sustainable companies I can find. |
20 % |
Feb 2013 - What is your top financial goal for 2013?
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To get out of credit card debt |
11 % |
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To live within my budget |
9 % |
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To invest more of my income |
30 % |
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To choose my investments more wisely |
50 % |
Dec 2012 - What do you think of the Sharenet app?
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It's great, I use it almost every day |
30 % |
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Haven't downloaded it yet |
21 % |
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Got the app but don't use it |
13 % |
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What's an app? |
36 % |
Nov 2012 - The Legatum Prosperity Index ranked SA 73rd out of 144 countries in 2012 based on wealth and well-being. Average life satisfaction was rated as 4.93 out of 10. Which main factor would give you more life satisfaction?
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More money |
22 % |
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More time |
8 % |
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More travel and learning |
20 % |
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More stimulating career |
7 % |
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Better health |
17 % |
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Better relationships |
27 % |
Oct 2012 - Who do you want to win the US election?
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Barack Obama for the Democrats |
56 % |
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Mitt Romney for the Republicans |
25 % |
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Gary Johnson for the Libertarians |
3 % |
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Jill Stein for the Green Party |
5 % |
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They're all the same in the end |
11 % |
Sep 2012 - How did/do you primarily learn about investing?
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Enrolled in a course |
16 % |
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Picked up knowledge from business news |
35 % |
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Friend/family member taught me |
8 % |
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Read investing books |
41 % |
Jul 2012 - Have you started saving for retirement?
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Yes, I contribute monthly to a fund/policy |
53 % |
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Yes, I invest on my own in the market/bonds/bank |
44 % |
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No, my expenses are too high right now |
2 % |
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No, but I have assets to sell |
2 % |
Jul 2012 - Why do you think business confidence in SA has fallen to 10-year lows?
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Lack of certainty in govt. policy |
24 % |
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Political instability |
9 % |
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Depressed global markets |
26 % |
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All of the above |
41 % |
Jun 2012 - Do you think Greece will be expelled from the EU?
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Yes, it's about time Greece stopped being a burden. |
23 % |
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Yes, and Spain and Portugal will follow shortly... |
11 % |
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No, the EU will continue to bail out Greece. |
28 % |
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No, but tough austerity measures will be enforced. |
38 % |
May 2012 - What research do you do before buying a share?
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I look at company fundamentals |
7 % |
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I read reports in the financial press |
3 % |
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Both (a) and (b) |
72 % |
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I only use technical analysis |
10 % |
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I use Powerstocks Research |
7 % |
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None, my broker does it for me |
2 % |
Apr 2012 - Who do you think will be the next economic superpower?
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China |
65 % |
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European Union |
2 % |
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Russia |
1 % |
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South Africa |
2 % |
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Other |
5 % |
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USA will stay the world's most powerful economy |
24 % |
Mar 2012 - Do you think about the social and environmental impact of the companies you invest in?
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Yes, I only invest in ethical companies. |
15 % |
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Yes, but it hasn't affected my investing completely yet. |
25 % |
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No, I don't have enough information. |
21 % |
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No, I only care about profit. |
40 % |
Feb 2012 - Do you think the Occupy movement is successfully drawing attention to social and economic inequality?
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Yes, public debate has shifted to include inequality. |
27 % |
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Maybe, but their demands aren't clear. |
33 % |
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No, it's an excuse for civil unrest. |
23 % |
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What is the 'Occupy' movement? |
17 % |
Dec 2011 - Do you feel like a slave to debt?
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No, I have no debt |
60 % |
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Sometimes. I have debt, but repayments are manageable |
28 % |
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Yes. I am trapped in my job and life because of debt |
11 % |
Nov 2011 - Do you think Greece's austerity programme and Eurozone measures will solve their debt crisis?
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Yes, the programme will work |
19 % |
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Yes, but only in the short term |
23 % |
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No, and Greece will be forced out the EU |
34 % |
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No, the world needs a whole new financial system |
23 % |
Oct 2011 - What are you currently trading?
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Shares |
63 % |
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CFDs |
3 % |
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Forex |
5 % |
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A combination of the above |
17 % |
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Other instruments |
12 % |
Sep 2011 - What is your investment strategy for a recession?
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Get out of the market and sit on my cash. |
12 % |
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Stay in the market. Good times will come again. |
46 % |
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Reduce my share portfolio, but stay alert for bargains. |
43 % |
Aug 2011 - Will the US economy plunge into a recession?
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No, the US will keep its head above water. |
6 % |
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No, but growth will continue to struggle for some time. |
57 % |
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Yes, within a year. |
17 % |
|
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Yes, taking the rest of the world with it. |
19 % |
Jul 2011 - What do you think is the biggest barrier to reducing unemployment?
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Global market competitiveness |
8 % |
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High cost of transport to work centres |
0 % |
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Lack of education and skills |
64 % |
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Lack of follow-through from government |
28 % |
Jun 2011 - A new head of the IMF will be elected on 30 June 2011. Which South African should be considered?
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Trevor Manuel |
54 % |
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Gill Marcus |
4 % |
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Tito Mboweni |
4 % |
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None of the above |
38 % |
May 2011 - Are you going to vote in the 2011 municipal elections?
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Yes, every vote is important |
92 % |
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Maybe...if I remember |
0 % |
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Oops, I forgot to register |
3 % |
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No, what's the point? |
5 % |
Apr 2011 - How often do you read financial news and reports relevant to your portfolio?
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(a) Every day |
67 % |
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(b) Two or three times a week |
24 % |
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(c) Once a week or less |
8 % |
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(d) Once a month...maybe |
1 % |
Mar 2011 - Do you include offshore investments in your portfolio?
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(a) No, I keep my investments within South Africa |
35 % |
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(b) Yes, but less than 10% offshore |
27 % |
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(c) Yes, more than 10% of my investments are international |
38 % |
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(d) Not sure, my broker handles all my investments |
1 % |
Feb 2011 - I invest in the stock market on the basis of:
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(a) A broker whom I trust |
10 % |
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(b) Company fundamentals |
24 % |
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(c) Technical analysis or charting |
20 % |
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(d) Both (b) and (c) |
46 % |
Dec 2010 - Have you improved your financial education this year?
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(a) Yes, I regularly read about finance. |
79 % |
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(b) Yes, I enrolled in a finance-related course. |
11 % |
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(c) No, that’s why I have a broker. |
3 % |
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(d) No, I already studied finance at university. |
7 % |
Nov 2010 - Has your investment property brought you the returns you hoped for?
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Yes. I bought a good property at a good price. |
35 % |
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Yes, but I have held onto it for more than five years. |
46 % |
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No. I didn’t factor in the maintenance/renovations needed. |
4 % |
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No. I didn’t research the area as well as I should have. |
14 % |
Oct 2010 - Should Walmart take over Massmart?
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Yes. Walmart can negotiate better prices for consumers. |
45 % |
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Yes. Shareholders will benefit from Walmart’s business savvy. |
16 % |
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No. As a foreign multinational, profits are more likely to leave SA. |
21 % |
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No. Walmart has too much pricing power - SA suppliers will suffer. |
18 % |
Sep 2010 - What do you want most from online trading?
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Unlimited live prices |
25 % |
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Market depth |
10 % |
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Advanced charting facilities |
8 % |
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Low commissions |
56 % |
Aug 2010 - Should HSBC or SChartered obtain Old Mutual’s controlling stake in Nedbank?
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No, a foreign takeover would increase risk |
20 % |
|
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No, neither bank has sufficient experience in Africa |
16 % |
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Yes, both companies would be better than Old Mutual |
33 % |
|
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Yes, either company is a good fit for Nedbank |
31 % |
Jul 2010 - How will the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster affect BP in the long term?
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BP will bounce back, as EXXON did in the 80s |
42 % |
|
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The costs will bankrupt the company |
10 % |
|
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BP will survive, but will take decades to recover |
34 % |
|
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The remnant of BP will be bought out by a competitor |
14 % |
Jun 2010 - Europe’s debt crisis should mainly be solved by:
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Larger government bailouts |
6 % |
|
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Austerity programmes |
25 % |
|
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Increased financial regulation |
19 % |
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A completely new economic paradigm |
51 % |
May 2010 - Are you currently in credit card debt?
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Yes, and it worries me. |
10 % |
|
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Yes, but I'm ok. |
51 % |
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No, but I used to be. |
18 % |
|
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No, and I don't want a credit card! |
22 % |
Apr 2010 - Who most needs a ‘lifestyle audit’?
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Julius Malema |
35 % |
|
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Helen Zille |
3 % |
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All senior public officials |
30 % |
|
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Listed company CEOs |
4 % |
|
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All of the above |
28 % |
Mar 2010 - My investment decisions are mostly based on:
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Gut instinct |
18 % |
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Company information |
14 % |
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Economic data |
16 % |
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All of the above, equally |
36 % |
|
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Advice from my broker |
16 % |
Feb 2010 - What effect will the 2010 World Cup have on the JSE?
|
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Long-term positive effect |
19 % |
|
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Short-term positive effect |
49 % |
|
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No effect |
19 % |
|
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Negative effect |
13 % |
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