Invest questions and answers (Q & A) 2003:
These are some of the questions and answers that was sent in the
investment forum in 2003. Questions and answers in the forum can be
both about the software program Amateur Invest and about stocks and
investments in general. You can see the other parts of the Q & A section
in the investment forum, or directly: 2005, 2004, 2002, 2001.
These are some of the questions that have been answered in
2003 (click on item or scroll down the page):
Stock splits ?
Exporting to file ?
Equity options ?
Calc of latest total?
Incorrect calc of
profit / loss ??
Multiple portfolios ?
Historical portfolio
value ?
Stock price updates
for Holland ?
Arrow indicators ?
Stock splits ?
Invest forum question: Jim posted 8/31/2003 1:33 AM
---
I have invested in a fairly new Norwegian company. Could you
explain the concept of stock splits?
Invest forum answer: R. Michael posted 9/1/2003 7:21 AM
---
Please visit the splits
page where an example is shown.
Exporting to file ?
Dave Hankin posted 8/24/2003 3:53 PM
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Does Amateur Invest export downloaded stock
prices to Excel spreadsheets or text format to convert to
Excel? If so, how?
R. Michael posted 8/25/2003 7:43 AM
---
Hi Dave. - Yes, in the registered version you can export prices.
- Choose the import/export button on the left side menu, Choose
"File", and press the "Export button". Now
you can write and place the file. In the "Filetype"
drop down list, you can choose "*.txt" type. Now a box
comes up, where you can filter which prices to export. When the
export has finished, you can import the txt file into Excel. -
Also if you wish, you can get prices from Yahoo - where you can
download in spreadsheet format. Go to http://finance.yahoo.com
and look up any company. Usually below the table with prices,
there's a text line "download spreadsheet" you can
click on.
Equity Options ?
Ken, US posted 3/10/2003 9:26 AM
---
Hi R. Michael, I just trial downloaded your program and was
wondering if you have anything in mind for tracking options
strings, etc in the portfolio
section? -Hope to hear from You soon. Many Thanks
R. Michael posted 3/10/2003 9:29 AM
---
Hi Ken. - Thank you for your interest in Amateur Invest. - In
principle Amateur Invest is able to get all quotes, you can find
at Yahoo. - So quotes for options are also available. - It takes
these steps: - 1) In the company register, you add an option -
eg. "IBM - IBM Mar3 75.0 P" as the name, and the import
id field should be: "IBMOO.X". - 2) Repeat step 1 for
the options you wish. - On http://finance.yahoo.com/l?t=M you can
find many more codes for mutual funds and options. - 2) Get the
latest import definitions in the admin window. - 3) You can now
add options of that kind to your portfolio, and they will have
their value updated, when you update new prices. - Please let me
know how it goes. - Regards, R. Michael
Calc of latest total?
Keith (AUS) posted 2/6/2003 15:30 PM
---
Hi. I have just downloaded the latest version and entered a
couple of demo stocks. There seems
to be a calc error ie quantity=1000, latest price = 4.52 but lat
total =2453.91 - Help.
---
R. Michael posted 2/7/2003 5:33 AM
Hi Keith. - Thank you for your interest and your email. I think
you might not have set the "base currency". - In the
download version it by default is set to "USD". - You
should open the Admin window and set it to AUD - then the
calculation should be right. - Let me know how it goes. -
Regards, R. Michael.
---
Keith (AUS) posted 2/7/2003 11:32 AM
That did the trick. Thanks for you prompt reply.
Incorrect
Calc of profit / loss ??
Jimbo posted 2/6/2003 5:55 AM
---
I have just downloaded 2003 version and added a stock. The first thing I notice is
the latest total calculation
is wrong therefore I am making a loss
when really making a profit??
Help!!
R. Michael posted 2/6/2003 9:40 AM
---
Hi - Thank you for your question, and for trying out Amateur
Invest. One thing you have to make sure is that the base currency is set right. - Open the
"Admin" window and check the setting. Also if you
create companies on your own, they need to have the correct
import id code and currency set. And if there a no companies
found, then the value is set to -1, until the next time you
update stock prices.
Other things that can be wrong is if there is no currency
exchange rate entered or if you enter a high amount in the
"Cost" field. The Cost field is only for the price you
paid in brokerage, not the price of the full transaction- Amateur
Invest will calculate the buying price itself by multiplying the
number of shares bought with the price - you do not need to put
that into the cost field - Regards, R. Michael.
Multiple portfolios ?
John posted 1/30/2003 8:27 AM
---
Hi R. Michael - I have now used the registered version for 2
month and I'm very satisfied. - Since I'm having more than one
stock portfolio, I would like to have them separately. As far as
I can see, there's a limitation in the program, so that I have to
buy one more program. - Please let me know if that is the case,
and I'll like to order it. - Regards, John.
R. Michael posted 1/30/2003 8:35 AM
---
Hi John. - You can, in the version you already have, manage
multiple portfolios. - Go to the Admin window and next to
"base database" there is an "M" - there you
can create more portfolios. - Just enter a 3 letter combination
eg. "EU1" or "US1", etc. The use the
"arrow" button next to the "M" to switch
between portfolios. -So even though I would like to make a bit
more money - I cannot do it in this case... Regards, R. Michael
Historical
portfolio value ?
Jens, DK posted 1/24/2003 2:12 PM
---
As far as I can see, you can only view the current status of your
investments. Is it possible to view a historical graphical
presentation of your portfolio?
R. Michael posted 1/24/2003 2:16 PM
---
Hi Jens. - Thank you for your interest in Amateur Invest. - By
choosing the button on the left side of the main window (named:
alarm/watch) and choose "Compare to index", you can
view the historical value of your portfolio graphically,
calculated from a base 100 and compared to another index of your
choice. - - If you have suggestions as to how to do this in
another way, you are welcome to send it to me. - Regards, R.
Michael
Stock
price updates for Holland ?
Marius, NL posted 1/16/2003 9:53 AM
---
Can't find it on Yahoo pages ABN AMRO AMERICA FUND 6 EUR1
(Holland), Marius
R. Michael posted 1/16/2003 9:56 AM
---
Hi Marius. - Thanks for your interest in Amateur Invest. Codes
for The Netherlands (Holland) can be found on this howto page
- There are some stock import codes for companies from
Netherlands (holland) (search the page for: Netherlands), - also
there's a link to Yahoo:
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/cp?s=^AEX where more companies can
be found. - Finally you can use the import window in the program
to get more predefined companies. - Regards, R. Michael
Arrow indicators ?
Palle, DK posted 1/15/2003 10:01 AM
---
I have just started trying out the program, and have not yet
tried all the features. - But I can
say, that I will not pay for the program without seeing, how it
works on Technical Analysis' -
and the momentum funktion is not enough. - - In the company and
portfolio window, I do not understand the meaning of the arrows
on the right hand of the table? - Eg. EAC fell from the 10th to
the 11th, but the arrow was blue and straight? - - I can see many
qualities in the program, but? - - Regards, Palle.
R. Michael posted 1/15/2003 10:10 AM
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Hi Palle. - - Thank you for your interest in Amateur Invest. - -
The tables in both the portfolio- and company windows has arrows
next to them, indicating raises and falls. The arrow change
direction each time you download new stock prices. - Not
necessarily between each day, but also within the same day. - -
So if I get stock prices on the 10th. at 6 PM, where the price is
170, and again on the 11th. at 10 AM where the stock price is 175
- the arrow will point upwards. - If I then on the 11th. at 4 PM
download again, and the price is still 175, the arrow will be
straight (= indicating no change since last). - - Unfortunately
there is no way that I can give access to more technical
analysis', without also opening for the other restricted areas of
the program. - You'll have to trust that the program lives up to
the quality you can see in the many available parts. - - Regards,
R. Michael
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