US market performed strong on Monday, driven local market to open 197 points higher on Tuesday, however, gains was narrowed afterwards due to the drop in A-share market. Hang Seng index finished the day 44 points higher at 21,457. H-share index dropped 60 points to 12,120. Market turnover rose to HK$68.3bn. HSBC (0005.HK) added 1.8% as its 1H10 attributable profits surged 102% to US$6,763mn, in-line with market expectation. Hang Seng (0011.HK) fell 0.8% despite the 8.0% yoy growth in interim profits, since market worries future pressure on narrowing interest spread. Notwithstanding the 39 times yoy jump in interim profits, Poly Hong Kong (0119.HK) slid 0.8%. Macau gambling revenue rose 70% yoy, triggered gambling plays to surge, Galaxy (0027.HK) and Melco (0200.HK) climbed 3.5% and 1.5%.

China and HNK shares ended higher Friday led by conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa, which leapt nearly 10%, and property developer Cheung Kong after the two Li Ka-shing-controlled companies reported a strong first-half earnings performance.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index rose 127.08 points, or 0.6%, to 21,678.80 after trading between 21,456.74 and 21,722.38. Cheung Kong and Hutchison accounted for 64.57 points, or just over 50%, of the session's gains. Over the week, the index rose 3.1%.

Market volume totaled HK$62.90 billion, up from HK$60.90 billion Thursday.

Analysts said they expect the index to trade between 20,800 and 22,500 next week, adding investors are awaiting U.S. non-farm payrolls data later Friday for trading cues, particularly after a surprise rise in weekly U.S. jobless claims reported Thursday stoked risk aversion.

'We are on the way to revival but the path is not smooth,' said Peter Lai, director at DBS Vickers, adding the first-half performance of Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong boosted the local market today.

'Many investors thought 3G wasn't good for Hutchison but it turned out to be successful. This is undoubtedly positive for Hutchison, which has been a big laggard,' he said.

Telecommunications-to-property conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa soared 9.7% to HK$58.20 after it reported a 12% increase in first-half net profit to HK$6.45 billion, beating market expectations of HK$4.51 billion, and said its third-generation mobile-phone business was finally on track to make a positive contribution to its full-year results on an earnings before interest and tax basis.

Hutchison's biggest shareholder and Li's property flagship, Cheung Kong Holdings, closed 3.9% higher at HK$100.40 after reporting a 4% rise in first-half net profit to HK$11.92 billion, boosted by higher contributions from property sales and Hutchison Whampoa.

In contrast, electrical appliance retailer GOME slumped 12% to HK$2.40 upon resuming trade after being suspended Thursday. Linus Yip at First Shanghai said the company's outlook was more uncertain after Shinning Crown, a firm controlled by GOME founder Huang Guangyu, sent a letter asking GOME to cancel some decisions approved at a May 11 meeting which granted the company a mandate to issue new shares. Shinning Crown also proposed a resolution to remove Chairman Chen Xiao and executive director Sun Yi Ding.

Huang is serving a 14-year prison sentence in China on charges of insider trading, illegal business dealings and bribery. The Shinning Crown letter marks the third time Huang has attempted to wrest clout from current management and U.S. private-equity firm Bain Capital.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch maintained its buy recommendation on GOME with a target of HK$3.00, saying: 'We believe it could be a very painful process, but GOME appears to move in the right direction in terms of corporate governance, and the board should continue to act in the best interests of shareholders.'

STOCKS VS REAL ESTATE ?

If you say stocks is the best then you are wrong

If you say land is the best then you are wrong


If you say mixture of stocks and real estate then that is balanced and fair.

Real State
Look beyond plots, think of developing your land for rent to sell at a premium. Buy dipilated building renovate rent to appreciate and sell at a premium.

Stocks
Look at money and capital market in general. So split your investment into savings (Ksh / forex), bonds, fixed deposit, treasury bills.

It is also good if you can also invest in other markets, to leverage your risk.
My local bourse (Nigerian Stock Exchange
is current in a basic mess. Beyong global conomic meltdown first scandal in the financial sector , second accuusation of fraud and consequent removal of the CEO of Nigerian Stock Exchange. Those that depended on Nigerian bourse
for years are in big trouble. Handful of us that diversified to other markets are luckier as the impact is minimal.

Just as you should not be married to a particular counter, 21st century equity investor should not be married to a particular stock exchange. Things are changing we need to change with the changing times.

@Chief Pkoli,

For me this year my best returns or permit to say growth in my portfolio (as I have not invested any dime in stocks yet)are :-

(i) Kenya
(2) South Africa www.psgonline.co.za
(3) Ghana www.databankgroup.com
(4) Botswana www.stockbrokers-botswana.com

My home country (Nigeria) www.afrinvestwa.com is a distance worst world wide.

My interest in the pearl of Africa (Uganda) is driven by the fact that by providence(as we could not afford prohibitive real estate prices of our dear Nairobi) my family have gotten a plot there to build a retirement home which will provide roof over our heads instead of hotel bills. The next question is what about food on our tables in Kampala ?
Starting early to invest for stocks specifically to accumulate dividends comes to mind. Hence the need to open CDSC account when next a visit Uganda. Mombasa port in Kenya is what Uganda depends on.


For a Kenyan, if you invest in Ugandan bourse
you are not really investing outside Kenya as East African Economy is tied to the apron strings of Kenya and invariably land logged small Uganda depends on Kenya. Most Kenya stocks are cross listed in Uganda.

In west Africa the story is diffeent, smalleer Ghana bourse is not directly dependent on Nigeria bourse as there are no cross listed stocks either way. Ghana has Tema port while Nigeria has Apapa port, so they have different economic models.

I think you are aware Ghana has a better managed economy than her big brother Nigeria.

‘Investment to grow despite terror attacks’



Kampala


Investment management firm PineBridge anticipates more investments in Uganda despite the July 11, bomb blasts that struck Kampala. Mr Jonathan Stichbury, Pinebridges’ chief executive told Daily Monitor the firm had received no concern from investors about their investments in the country despite the incidents that could have been of great concern. He attributed investor confidence to Uganda’s positive economic growth, which is seen as the key attraction.


Bombing tragedy
Mr Stichbury said: “Investment is about assessing risks as well as the potential reward. We believe that the bombings were a tragedy and not necessarily positive for investor sentiment, but the positive thing is that Uganda’s economy is doing well.” PineBridge Investments formerly AIG Investments, is an asset management and advisory company specialising primarily in pension funds.

It’s one of the largest players in East Africa managing assets of about Shs2 trillion.
The money managed is enough to build at least 4,000 modern secondary schools. Mr Stichbury said the pending reforms in Uganda’s pension sector, which seek to cease the monopoly of National Social Security Fund and the Public Sector Pension Scheme will be supportive to the growth of the pension business.


Growing economy
With the discovery of oil and other natural resources, he anticipates that the economy will even do better. “The economy is doing well and expanding and we will see more foreign investments due to oil discovery, relatively stable interest rates and low inflation rates,” he added.

PineBridge plans to evaluate the viability of any of the companies in Uganda’s oil industry which will list on the stock exchange, with keen interest to invest. Tullow Oil Plc the United Kingdom based company exploring oil in Uganda plans to list on the exchange before the end of this year.