Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Wong Tze Wah (黄子华) Genting Talk Show March 2010.



For any local friends who like Wong Tze Wah (黄子华) Talk Show, good news to you~!


For the first time, Star Planet will present the king of Standup Comedy, Wong Tze Wah on 6 March 2010 at 8pm at Arena of Stars, Genting Highlands.

Possesses excellent humor and creativity, Wong Tze Wah has held numerous instant sold-out shows across the globe. He achieved remarkable result putting on 7 consecutive sold out shows in Hong Kong recently. His last performances in Vancouver and Toronto were also record-breaking hits with tickets sold out two months before the show dates.

His ability to transform comedy elements into series, ridicule recent news and poke fun at society and entertainment circle continues to wipe the audience off their feet laughing out-loud.

Wong became known for his standup Comedy in the year 1990. He has also starred in many famous television series such as Justice Sung II (1999), War of Genders (2000), and also the movie Those Were the Days (1997), had his popularity rises gradually. His lovable comedy act and his gifted “sharp tongue” had him achieved “My Favorite Television Character” award for War of Gender (2000), and To Catch the Uncatchable (2004) together with “My Favorite On-Screen Partners (Dramas)” award; “Best Actor Nomination Top 20” and “My Favorite Male Character Nomination Top 5” for Men Don’t Cry (2007); finally with “Best Actor Nomination Top 15” and “My Favorite Male Character Nomination Top 15” for this year’s You’re Hired television series in TVB Anniversary Awards.

Tickets are open for sale! Experience Wong’s amazing sense of humor by calling 03-9223 3667 today for tickets. Tickets are priced at RM360 (VIP), RM270 (PS1) / RM210 (PS2), RM160 (PS3) and RM90 (PS4). For more information, log on to www.starplanet.com.my

What to Look For In a Prospectus by Mr Ooi Kok Hwa

Saw Mr Ooi article on analysis IPO in The Star. Actually Mr Ooi is consider as my idol, I used to attend his 3 talks during my University degree study, possibly end of this semester will have the chance to attend his talk again. Dreaming to achieve his level one day later...how nice and useful his articles and lesson are...

Below article is found from The Star:

OOI KOK HWA: FOLLOWING better stock market sentiment, there have been a growing number of companies wanting to get listed on Bursa Malaysia.

In every initial public offering (IPO), the vendors, who are mostly the major shareholders of the company, will distribute a prospectus to provide the required information.

However, many investors find it difficult to digest the information provided in the prospectus. In this article, we will briefly go through a few basic pointers for investors to consider before taking up any IPOs.

The most important factor to be considered is the key owners of the IPO company. Despite the lack of track records and the difficulty in determining the quality of the management, we can still get some details on the background, qualifications and experiences of the key owners and management team.

If the majority of the board of directors is comprised of family members, we can expect this family-owned business to exist for a long time.

If the key owner has some corporate finance experiences, we should expect more corporate proposals from this company on, for example, merger and acquisition activities, rights issues and share buybacks.

For operational efficiency, the chief executive officer should possess relevant and long period of working experiences in the core business activities of the company.

Besides this, the independent directors need to have adequate financial training and related working experiences to provide useful inputs to the board of directors.

There are two main types of share offerings – offer-for-sale and public issue. The key difference between these two is that the sale proceeds from offer-for-sale will go directly to the vendors whereas proceeds from public issue will go directly to the company.

The company will need to explain how it plans to use the proceeds – whether the money will be used to fund working capital, reduce bank borrowings or for future expansions.

If the majority of the offering is offer-for-sale, then we will need to be careful as this may mean that the IPO is providing an exit strategy for some key owners of the company.

We may also need to take a discount on the future prospects stated in the prospectus.

As there will be a lot of uncertainties on the company’s growth prospects, we need to check whether the expansion plans stated are realistic and reasonable, given the size and capacity of the company.

Sometimes, certain owners may be too ambitious in their outlook.

In addition, we need to understand the company’s background, production capacity, types of products, locations of its factories, key major suppliers, customers and competitors.

We need to check the company’s sustainable competitive advantages, such as possession of any intellectual properties, technology, patents, trademarks, licenses as well as strong and recognisable brands.

Other factors to look at are whether the company is dominant in any particular geographical region and niche market, or whether there is a wide distribution network, strong marketing team as well as research and development capability.

A lot of newly listed companies will also explain in detail the key risk factors associated with investing in it in the executive summary of the prospectus. Although some may appear to be standard information, we can still get a feel of the inside risk factors about the company.

Examples of special risk considerations are dependence on a few key customers and suppliers, expiration of its patents as well as special arrangements with key major shareholders, suppliers and customers.

We notice that not many investors were excited about some of the recent IPOs. One of the possible reasons was that the offer price was too expensive.

Despite higher stock market volumes, we still have a lot of listed companies selling at very cheap valuations. If the pricing of the IPO is far above the overall market average valuation, the stock may be hammered down below its IPO prices after the listing of the company.

We can use price-earnings ratio and price-to-book ratio to determine the value of companies. A good company needs to state its dividend payout policy. Even though there may be slight differences compared with the actual dividend payment, investors still need to compute the potential dividend yields from the company’s dividend payments.

Ooi Kok Hwa is an investment adviser and managing partner of MRR Consulting.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Finance - Financial Market

Continue on earlier post on financial knowledge, this post will be on Malaysia financial market system and structure, well, it is a big picture and I am not able to show it out here, but indeed I get the detailed and useful resources for readers who interested in financial market:

Financial System of Malaysia
http://www.kpmg.com.my/kpmg/publications/tax/I_M/Chapter5.pdf

The Capital Market in Malaysia
http://www.adb.org/Documents/Books/Rising_to_the_Challenge/Malaysia/mal-cap.pdf

Hope the above link may provide value knowledge to you~! :-)

1st Day of the Last Semester

28th Dec 2009: Today is the first day of my last semester for my degree. This semester I have strategic management as my core course, financial derivatives as my major, and macroeconomic as my minor. It should be a bit relax when there are only 3 subjects to study for one semester, but actually it is not.

Today when heard about the course synopsis on strategic management in the 1st lecture, I am a bit dizzy. First, the course mark will be evaluate through mid term, case study, tutorial questions, term paper, class participation, presentation in both tutorial questions and term paper, and also have to participate in an online business simulation game...this is not the end yet, the most headache thing of this course is the cost~guess how much we gonna spend on this course...? RM98...for the book only, not included all the tutorial and term paper printing cost~OMG~

Next, about the financial derivatives subject, it is also a killing-me subject, besides lots of assignments for sure, we are also required to do survey on fund management company, means we gonna visit those company, if not wrong, these company mostly based in KL only, so~we gonna spend a sum on transportation...set aside on that, the main reference text book, sorry, I mean book's', because it consist of three books, one is text book, and others two are module from SIDC, ...be left speechless with wonder or fear...besides, to ensure to get a good result in this subject, we are recommended to sit for an online 200 mcq test before the final, this is not the problem, the problem is...this test cost RM200...again, speechless...

My minor macroeconomic still not get the information yet, so I pray to God, please stop playing with me again...I really surrender beneath your mighty hand~T.T~

Thursday, December 24, 2009

My Way - Frank Sinatra

And now, the end is near,
And so I face the final curtain.
My friends, I'll say it clear;
I'll state my case of which I'm certain.

I've lived a life that's full -
I've travelled each and every highway.
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets? I've had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course -
Each careful step along the byway,
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew,
When I bit off more than I could chew,
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way.

I've loved, I've laughed and cried,
I've had my fill - my share of losing.
But now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.

To think I did all that,
And may I say, not in a shy way -
Oh no. Oh no, not me.
I did it my way.

For what is a man? What has he got?
If not himself - Then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way.

Yes, it was my way.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

World Climate Change

Friends, if you watch the television news currently, there are issues that seems so common to hear. Sorry, I am not pointing at the non-stop stupid political quarrels, what I mean is the world unusual natural phenomena, like severe cloudburst and storm all around the world, the melt of arctic pole iceberg and the latest volcano explosion in Filipina, the most astonishing thing is when I saw the picture of a polar bear eating a small bear.



Besides that, the most catching eyes issues, without doubt, sure is the coming Copenhagen meeting. Maybe this seems encouraging for some people, which world climate change get attention from all leaders. However, I am not that optimistic, in my view, I think this meeting is useless.

I believe that, the earth pollution situation is being at the critical point now, and final destruction is unavoidable, human decisions can only determine the sooner or later of the destruction only. If you used to watch the movie “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, there is a scene, which the kid asked the human form alien:” when alien arrive (earth destruction), what should we do? Run or fight?” The alien replied:” neither.” The alien’s answer is what I feel suitable for any coming remediation.



In finance, compounding effect seems common to me. Here, I would like to apply it on world climate change, I believe that the earth and all human being will facing a critical turn point soon, maybe around 50 years, it is logical when you imagine that the pollution and climate change is evolve at a compounding rate.

It is sad that nowadays human still get trapped in and fight blindly for politic power, wealth, stupid stuffs, and did not notice all those things will gone soon. Will human being have the ability to evolve when time come? Like what the scientist argued with the alien in the above stated movie? I hope so even it seems impossible, what your say?

Monday, December 7, 2009

What Should I Do

When people ask me to die, I live; When people ask me to live, I die,
Don't ever ask me why, for I only know little about myself,
Who am I?

Someone always walks a lonely way, I am the someone,
For I am just feel comfort with that,
Am I?

When I am happy, everyday seems a good day;
When I am sad, each day represents a disaster,
Time is a double face,
Possessed both kindly and cruelty traits,
Should I hate it? appreciate it?

Folly guy, poor guy, lonely guy,
You are nothing now,
Step back a while, concentrate and prepare for your time,
Understand?

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Finance - Financial Market

Being in finance field, it is necessary for us to know the function, structure and operation of financial market, in this post, I will write on the function of financial market.

Aside from the purpose to accumulate wealth, in broader view, finance world actually is a place where firms or similar entities acquire money for their continuing operation and development. Think about this, A like to start a business, but he need a sum of capital to do that; while B, C and D have lots of money, but they do not know how to use their money to accumulate more wealth as they are not good in business stuff.

In your opinion, is it a better way if B, C, and D money being gathered and used by A to start his/her business and thus add value to the money? I do believe most of us will not deny it. So, financial market existed just to meet both parties: A (borrower) and B, C, and D (lenders), and let the cash can be used efficiently instead of keep it under yours and mine beds ~ :D.

Financial market is something important in an economic to help develop a country, and make the country have better living standard (reduce unemployment rate, increase gross domestic product (GDP), increase government income and else), but everything can be both end sword if think in deep; you may refer to one of my post:

Next post I will touch on financial market structure, thanks.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Finance - Time Value of Money (TVM)

Continue from last post, this post will be touch on calculations of TVM. To get the future value of present money value in ‘n’ years later (or vice-versa) with fixed interest rate annually, the calculation is shown as below: 

PV to FV: PV x (1 + i)n = FV
FV to PV: FV / (1 + i)n = PV

*i = interest/discount rate, n = year
When PV to FV, we call that rate as interest rate; in inverse way, it is called as discount rate. 

Well, we use the above calculation if only certain assumptions met. What if the money being invested/lend/save/borrow in regularly terms like installment? Let’s look at below annually paid installment calculation (also known as annuity): 

FV of annuity: annual payment x 1 / i ( [1 + i]n – 1 ) 
PV of annuity: annual payment x 1 / i ( 1 – 1 / [1 + i]n )
*You may wonder that the annuity calculation is so complicated and how people always calculate in this way? Actually finance people have a calculator designed specific for finance usage only, so we need not calculate by using formula anymore ~ :D .

These are only a few basic calculations for TVM, there will be much more to explore in depth, like different cash flow stream, different rates and else. Here is just to let you have a basic understanding in finance. 

So far for the basic quantitative stuffs, in next post, I will touch on structure of financial market, good day~!

Finance - Risk and Return (Rate)

In finance field, it is common for people to hear this phrase: higher risk compensated with higher return (take note; there is not necessary in vice-versa form). Well, what is risk then? Let’s look at an example: If you are going to lend a sum of money to two of your friends, A and B, and you know that A had a stable income, while B still being unemployed, who do you think will have the higher probability of failure in return back your money? In common sense, you should assume that B will more probably to default in his/her payment, hence, the lending to B will be more riskier than A. So, from the above example, we can define that risk is the uncertainty of something, and which out of our control extension.

When we said that proportion of risk have to be compensated by equivalence proportion of return, then how to determine the form of return? In finance, people use different rates to measure different risk. Loan risk compensated by loan rate, deposit has a return based on deposit rate, and so on. Before further the discussion on different types of rates, I would like to show you the impact of rate on value of money first. To understand the effect, there are few terms that you should know: Time Value of Money (TVM), Compounding Effect, Present Value (PV), Future Value (FV) and Discount/Interest Rate (i).

Assume that you are holding RM1 now (PV = 1), with annual interest rate of 5% (i = 0.05), and we make an assumption that the rate will be remain the same in next 10 years. So, what is your RM1 value after 10 years if it is value added by 5% interest rate annually? Now, to calculate the value, we have to consider compounding effect, compounding effect is occur when interest rate is build on principle value + previous accumulated interest. To make it simple, let’s look at below calculation example.

Compounding Effect:
Value of RM1 after 1st year: RM1 + RM1 x 0.05 = RM1.05
Value of RM1 after 2nd year: RM1.05 + RM1.05 x 0.05 = RM1.1025

Without Compounding Effect:
Value of RM1 after 1st year: RM1 + RM1 x 0.05 = RM1.05
Value of RM1 after 2nd year: RM1.05 + RM1 x 0.05 = RM1.1

See the difference? In common, we only multiply directly the interest rate on principle value, but we had ignored the previous accumulated interest on principle.

We discuss this far till here, next post I will continue on the various calculations of Time Value of Money, have a nice day~!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Finance - Value of Money



Finance is basically study about value of money in different time interval and how to determine it. Just look at a simple example: For a RM1 in your hand now, is it still worth the RM1 value as same as today in 10 years later? Today you can buy a product X with RM1, but 10 years later, you may need to spend RM5 or more on the same product X, due to inflation effect.

In economic, we call the above money value measurement as “buying power”. So, let’s have a look at Malaysia inflation rate, it is about 5% - 6% in average annually, if you are going to save your money in a commercial bank fixed deposit, with deposit rate of 2% - 3% annually, it is definitely unable to cover the gap left behind inflation rate, in simple words, it means that your money “buying power” value will gradually reduced in future no matter how much your saving is. Well, how to avoid this?

Set aside on personal view on money; now let’s change your sight to a company view. When a company considering investing in a project, launch new product, buying new asset or else, they will firstly think about the return on the investment, as company is profit-oriented. Well, how do they decide whether to make an investment? If there are more than one investment alternative, which should they go in? How do they determine the minimum required rate of return?

Look, the answers to the above questions were what we study in finance. Even things are quite complicated in this field, but, in a big picture; the main point in finance is just about “value of money”.

Next post will be touch on various rates (return rate, discount rate, interest rate and else) and their what-and-how effect on money value. Thanks for reading my post~! :)

Friday, November 27, 2009

Funniest Ever Political Stories

For them who think that political events are boring stuffs, this blog post should have change your mind~XD

http://www.ahyap.com/blog/mca.php

Anyway, I personally like this blog too besides that post~^^

Buffettology


Among the most important laws that Buffett learned:

1) It is far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.

2) When a management with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is the reputation of the business that remains intact.

3) Management does better by avoiding dragons, not slaying them.

4) As if governed by Newton’s first law of motion, an institution will resist any change in its current direction.

5) Just as work expands to fill available time, corporate projects or acquisitions will materialize to soak up available funds.

6) Any business craving of the leader, however foolish, will be quickly supported by detailed rate of return and strategic studies prepared by troops.

7) The behavior of peer companies, whether they are expanding, acquiring, setting compensation, or whatever, will be mindless imitated.

8) It is not a sin to miss a business opportunity outside one’s area of expertise.

9) If your actions are sensible, you are certain to get good results.

10) Do not join with managers who lack admirable qualities, no matter how attractive the prospects of their business.

11) Fearful when others are greedy, greedy when others are fearful.

12) First investment rule: do not lose money, second rule: don’t forget the first rule.

Securities Investment and Portfolio Management

Securities Investment and Portfolio Management course is an introductory investment course on investment alternatives available and to the theory and practice of investments and portfolio management. This course covers the primary financial securities – stocks, bonds, and derivatives, and methods for combining these underlying assets into a portfolio.

A) Introduction to Investments
1) Introduction
2) Equity Markets
3) Buying and Selling Equities
4) Risk and Return

B) Market Efficiency and Investor Behavior
1) Asset Pricing Theory and Performance Evaluation
2) Efficient Market Hypothesis
3) Market Anomalies
4) Psychology and the Stock Market

C) Investment Analysis
1) Business Environment
2) Financial Statement Analysis
3) Value Stock Investing
4) Growth-Stock Investing
5) Technical Analysis

D) Fixed Income
1) Bond Instruments and Markets
2) Bond Valuation

E) Investment Management
1) Mutual Funds
2) Global Investing
3) Option Markets and Strategies
4) Futures Markets
5) Real Estate and Tangible Assets

Financial Statement Analysis

Financial statement analysis is an integral and important part of a broader field of business analysis. Business analysis is the process of evaluating a company’s economic prospects and risks. This includes analyzing a company’s business environment, its strategies, and its financial position and performance.

Business analysis is useful in a wide range of business decisions such as whether to invest in equity or in debt securities, whether to extend credit through short or long term loans, how to value a business in an initial public offering (IPO), and how to evaluate restructurings including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

Financial statement analysis is the application of analytical tools and techniques to general purpose financial statements and related data to derive estimates and inferences useful in business analysis. Financial statement analysis reduces reliance on hunches, guesses, and intuition for business decisions. It decreases the uncertainty of business analysis. It does not lessen the need for expert judgment but, instead, provides a systematic and effective basis for business analysis.

This subject’s content divided into 3 categories: Overview, Accounting Analysis and Financial Analysis.

A) Analysis Overview
1) Overview of Financial Statement Analysis
2) Financial Reporting and Analysis

B) Accounting Analysis
1) Analyzing Financing Activities
2) Analyzing Investing Activities
3) Analyzing Investing Activities: Intercorporate Investments
4) Analyzing Operating Activities

C) Financial Analysis
1) Cash Flow Analysis
2) Return on Invested Capital and Profitability Analysis
3) Prospective Analysis
4) Credit Analysis
5) Equity Analysis and Valuation

Think Deep In Finance - Part 2: Asian Rare Earth Private Ltd and Bukit Merah Village

Continue on my previous post on the inverse perception on finance. If you had read the supplement of China Press currently (started at 23th Nov 2009), you should have know that there used to be a toxic (rare earth) plant operated near Kampung Baru Bukit Merah, Lahat in Perak a few decades ago, which is also where my house located.

In 1979, Asian Rare Earth (a Japan company) came under close scrutiny after it was discovered that its operation was causing radioactive emissions in the area. It was extracting yttrium, which is used in making colour TV tubes, from monazite, and the process created the radioactive thorium hydroxide waste. The company was de-commissioned in the early 1990s after a long-drawn legal battle and countless public protests.

Even it had decommissioned, but there are lots of things at the back there, from what the protestors said, the government had arrested them under ISA that time. And I was unable to understand what the Fucking Hell of the Damn Shit “high” officer thinking that time.

Man, the solid facts that so much villagers suffering due to that damnable toxic plant, and the officer just to guarantee so easily that there is no problem on the operation of that plant? And when villagers stepped out to protest for the sake to protect their own lives and healthy population for their beloved, but the Fucking authority captures them under ISA, how could it be? Why?

I just wanna keep questioning on the officers in charged, did you Fucking ever live at that area? How do you know there will be no effect on the villagers as you are not one of them and didn’t ever visit them who are suffering once? As you just live at your luxury house and stay at your comfortable working place, but able to judge everything without seeing them by your own Ass Hole eyes?

Well, I just wondering, is that a country development and capital inflow much more important than human’s life? Why the damn authority that time (one of them included country’s top leader that time, Dr. M…), didn’t ever care for the poor villagers? What the hell stuffs running in their mind? That’s why I said before, if you think finance is a field to help developing the world, you should think twice on it, for there are lots of stories behind that beyond yours and mine knowledge.

I am glad and paid my full salute to the peoples who fight endlessly and persistently to banish that toxic plant that time. You are the great people, much greater than the Fucking Hell Ants class which only think of and chasing for power and wealth, in the past, current (presently the cases that most of us seen, almost not “news” anymore…) and forever, but never care for the citizens in sincere. God sake, maybe this is only piece of the pie only…pitiful citizens.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Why Maxis PE As High As 17 Times?

- Brand
Brand will play a significant role in push up Maxis share price up to as high as 17 times PE. But, is it worth that much? In personally, I think this kind of intangible asset shall be worth 3-4 times PE only.

- Stability (Leading position in market share)
The stability of Maxis in earning revenue, without doubt, is performing well for many financial years, and the performance result to their leading position in the industry’s market share. Thus, it is definitely a factor to mark-up their share price much higher than the EPS or Book Value.

- Fair Market
To be fair, Maxis have to fix the share price on the average level of the industry, thus, this formed the basic price level of Maxis share on 17 times PE.

- Expectation
Well, the above reasons is not the ultimate power to push the share price till so high, the most solid reason, in my personal view, must be the share buyer. Why I said like that? Think, if buyer not willing to acquire Maxis share at such price and require the price at a lower level, and insist on that, do you think Maxis still able to fix and sell their share on that price level? Second, because the buyers scramble for the shares, in consequences, this will raise the share demand, and of course, the price level too.

So, why buyers have so high demand on that? The above three reasons should be a few significant of the reasonable answers. Back to the point, do you really think that the above 3 reasons should have the Maxis share mark-up at a 17 times PE? What your say?

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Think Deep In Finance


In finance field, it is the responsibility for the professionals to make sure the clients and employers they service for have the most value return to their investment or wealth. However, I always think about something else out of this box, something that worth of us to think deeply in it.

Currently, you should have heard lot of news about the destructive non-stop cloudburst in many places in the world, as a sequent from rapidity critical global warming phenomena. As a finance student, I think and ask myself, what is the relationship between Finance and these natural (or maybe man-made) disasters?

Did Finance help to avoid this, or it is one of the factors which prick up these disasters? In common, we knew that factories, cars, cigarettes, toxic wastes, and lots more things appear and increase rapidly only in modern times, is the main reason which contribute to current earth critical condition. Well, how do these modern things acquire the capital or finance resources to get being build, manufactured and produced? Even this is my field, but as a fact, yes, I have to admit that it is finance world which contribute the capital to the existing of those modern things.

We finance people always proud that we are the one which contribute to a country’s economy and development, but how if we are also the one who contribute towards earth destruction? Is it also worth for us to proud for? Well, I did not deny that we also the one to help gather the finance resources for lots of projects which trying to save the world from the brink of destruction. But, I believe that it is only a small amount if compared to the capital flow in the industries which produce modern things as they can give big return to the investment, for finance field have a rule, great investment must be compensate with great return, thus, it is common that our main investment is always towards industries creating pollution.

Finance did have ethics, but the ethics is mainly on accountability and responsibility on the money only, but rarely a point to point at which field or industry that should be invested. Well, this is what I discussed so far in this post, there will be lots more things I am going to explore and discuss in later post, hopefully my posts on these issues will let people in this field think another way deeply.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Financial Markets & Institutions

This post will introduce on another financial subject under USM management course, Financial Market is a subject on examining how financial markets (such as bonds, stocks, and foreign exchange) and financial institutions (banks, insurance companies, mutual funds, and other institutions) work. Financial markets and institutions not only affect you’re your everyday life but also involve huge flows of funds – trillions of RM – throughout our economy, which in turn affect business profits, the production of goods and services, and even the economic well-being of countries. What happens to financial markets and institutions is of great concern to politicians and can even have a major impact on elections.

This subject’s learning content will be generally divided into two major categories: Financial Markets & Financial Institutions.

a) Financial Markets

1) Fundamentals of Financial Markets
- What Do Interest Rates Mean and What Is Their Role in Valuation?
- Why Do Interest Rates Change?
- How Do Risk and Term Structure Affect Interest Rates?
- Are Financial Markets Efficient?

2) Central Banking and the Conduct of Money Policy
-Structure of Central Banks and the Federal Reserve System
- Conduct of Monetary Policy: Tools, Goals, Strategy, and Tactics

3) Financial Markets
- The Money Market
- The Bond Market
- The Stock Market
- The Mortgage Market
- The Foreign Exchange Market
- The International Financial System

b) Financial Institutions

1) Fundamentals of Financial Institutions
- Why Do Financial Institutions Exist?
- What Should Be Done About Conflicts of Interest? A Central Issue in Business Ethics

2) The Financial Institutions Industry
- Banking and Management of Financial Institutions
- Commercial Banking Industry: Structure and Competition
- Savings Associations and Credit Unions
- Banking Regulation
- The Mutual Fund Industry
- Insurance Companies and Pension Funds
- Investment Bank, Security Brokers and Dealers, and Venture Capital Firms

3) The Management of Financial Institutions
-Risk Management in Financial Institutions - Hedging with Financial Derivatives

Corporate Finance

As I had stated earlier, I will post what USM finance major learned in overall. This post will be about the content of Corporate Finance. So, what and why learning Corporate Finance?

Finance and financial thinking are everywhere in our daily lives. Consider your decision to go to college. You surely weighed alternatives, such as starting a full-time job immediately, and then decided that college provided you with the greatest net benefit. More and more, individuals are taking charge of their personal finances with decisions such as:

- When to start saving and how much to save in retirement.
- Whether a car loan or lease is more advantageous.
- Whether a particular stock is a good investment.
- How to evaluate the terms for a home mortgage.

Our career paths have become less predictable and more dynamic. In previous generations, it was common to work for one employer your entire career. Today, that would be highly unusual. Most of us will instead change jobs, and possibly even careers, many times. With each new opportunity, we must weigh all the costs and benefits, financial and otherwise.

Some financial decisions, such as whether to pay RM2.00 for your meal, are simple, but most are more complex. In your business career, you may face such questions as:

- Should your firm launch a new product?
- Which supplier should your firm choose?
- Should your firm produce a part of the product or outsource production?
- Should your firm issue new stock or borrow money instead?
- How can you raise money for your start-up firm?

In this course, you will learn how all of these decisions in your personal life and inside a business are tied together by one powerful concept, the Valuation Principle. The Valuation Principle shows how to make the costs and benefits of a decision comparable so that we can weigh them properly. Learning to apply the Valuation Principle will give us the skills to make the types of comparisons - among loan options, investments, and projects - that will turn you into a knowledgeable, confident financial consumer and manager.

This course main content:

1. Interest Rates and Valuing Cash Flows
- The Valuation Principle: The Foundation of Financial Decision Making
- Net Present Value (NPV) and the Time Value of Money (TVM)
- Interest Rates
- Bonds

2. Valuation and the Firm
- Investment Decision Rules
- Fundamentals of Capital Budgeting
- Valuing Stocks

3. Risk and Return
- Risk and Return in Capital Markets
- Systematic Risk and the Equity Risk Premium
- Determining the Cost of Capital

4. Long-Term Financing
- Raising Equity Capital
- Debt Financing

5. Capital Structure and Payout Policy
- Capital Structure
- Payout Policy

6. Financial Planning and Forecasting
- Financial Modeling and Pro Forma Analysis
- Working Capital Managamenet
- Short Term Financial Planning

7. Special Topics
- Option Applications and Corporate Finance
- Risk Manegement
- International Corporate Finance

Friday, November 20, 2009

Bill Gates' 11 Rules



In Bill Gates' book for high school and college graduates, there is a list of 11 things they did not learn in school. In this book, Bill Gates talks about how feel-good, politically-correct teachings created a full generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this education set them up for failure in the real world.

The 11 things are:

1. Life is not fair, get used to it.

2. The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself.

3. You will not make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice president with a car phone, until you earn both.

4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He/She doesn't have tenure.

5. Flipping burger is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents have a different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.

6. If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about our mistake, learn from them.

7. Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try 'delousing' the closet in your own room.

8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they will give as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to anything in real life.

9. Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you to find yourself. Do that on your own time.

10. Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

11. Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

*I found this article from an e-book, feel worth to read on it, so post at here for sharing purpose.

Accounting vs Finance




Many people (especially junior) wonder what is the main difference between accounting and finance, I myself had ask the same question many times since I taking accounting subject in Form 6 even till the earlier stage of entering finance major in USM management course.

Well, after studying finance for quite a period, what I had found between the differences between these two fields is:

1) Accounting is a subject mainly focus on determine facts and accuracy of reporting, while Finance is a subject on using facts to determine both current and future value.

2) Accounting is working on accuracy and reliability, while Finance is working on prediction and creating value on money.

3) Accounting is mainly on studying numbers and figures, but Finance is mainly study on variable on real cash.

4) What a people always hear in Accounting is asset, liability, historical cost, matching principle and else accounting terms, in Finance, you will always hear of various interest rates and time value of money.

5) Example: Accountant must responsible for the accuracy on the financial report that he/she prepared or audited. Finance related jobs have to determine and make sure that the current money/cash in hand can have a maximum value in specified future time period.

Even both of the subjects are closely related, but differences are still existed. In USM, the finance major will learn these particular courses: Corporate Finance, Financial Market, Investment, Financial Statement Analysis, and Financial Derivatives.

Later I will post the main contents of the above courses, and hopefully this will help those junior to make a good choice when considering your further study in this field.

Maxis share price ended RM5.42 in 1st day trading

Thursday 19th Nov 2009, the 1st day Maxis listed again on Bursa, as what many people expected, the hot stock had a so high trading volume, as much as 3057843, and thus push the share price up to RM5.42, an increase of 8.4%. And being the top of the list of Bursa in both trading volume and gainers.


As a finance student, I wonder how the buyer of the stock value such a expensive stock, as Maxis share had a PE as high as 17 times, and today ending share price again push it near to 18 times, is it really worth that much? If there is professionals between them, what is the intrinsic value of the company that make them invest (in fact mostly is trading only) in this stock? Well, is it the reason where there is a phenomena where peoples behavior of tend to following popular stock?


I also wonder how many buyers intend to buy and hold it for a long period, with a current dividend yield of 0.04, I personally did not think that will worth enough to hold it that risky long period to cover back the cost. Thus, It is expected a vast of speculative trading will occur on this stock to gain short term capital gain only, and thus in future short term, the price will be quite volatile, barring that Maxis able to generate a enormous profit and reduce the PE and increase the dividend yield.

I am still working on reading the company prospectus to determine the future growth potential, maybe it is a joke for many people for still researching on the prospectus today as it had published long time ago. Well, despite a finance student, it is shameful to say that now I only realized that I learn very little on those practical knowledge, hence, I created a blog to train myself toward this, and try to learn as much from other experienced guru by reading their blog post, hopefully I can became like one of them soon~huh~

Monday, November 16, 2009

Sometimes When We Touch ~Nice~

Today I heard this song when riding a bus, its give me so nice impression in instance, It just so suit my music favor taste, so just get the song and share it here, hope whoever listen will like it too~^^


Sometimes When We Touch (with lyric)
Uploaded by mistresslavender. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

You ask me if I love you
And I choke on my reply
Id rather hurt you honestly
Than mislead you with a lie
And who am I to judge you
In what you say or do
Im only just beginning
To see the real you

And sometimes when we touch
The honestys too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I want to hold you till I die
Till we both break down and cry
I want to hold you till the fear in me subsides

Romance and all its strategy
Leaves me battling with my pride
But through all the insecurity
Some tenderness survives
Im just another writer
Still trapped within my truth
A hesitant prize fighter
Still trapped within my youth

And sometimes when we touch
The honestys too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I want to hold you till I die
Till we both break down and cry
I want to hold you till the fear in me subsides

At times Id like to break you
And drive you to your knees
At times Id like to break through
And hold you endlessly
At times I understand you
And I know how hard you try
I watched while love commands you
And Ive watched love pass you by
At times I think were drifters
Still searching for a friend
A brother or a sister
But then the passion flares again

And sometimes when we touch
The honestys too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I want to hold ya till I die
Till we both break down and cry
I want to hold you till the fear in me subsides

Friday, November 13, 2009

Cry Like a Baby


Remember our cry since we just enter this world?
Remember why we cry that time?
I cant' recall that.
But,
I know that is one of my mom's sweet memories.

 
Soon we grow and became a child.
We do still cry, but less,
as we know we cry for something,
But,
I can recall that I just cry for some trivial matters,
and now still remain as one of my cherish memories.

 
Not long later we became teenager,
Do we cry?
Some said yes, some said no anymore.
But,
I know during that time, even if we cry, that is seldom occur,
 especially in the front of other peoples.
As, in our mind we told ourselves that it is shameful.

 
We came to adult soon after our teenager life,
I believe that most of us found it is difficult to cry anymore,
not because we cant' cry,
not because we feel shameful.
The reason is there is scarcely a reason for us to cry out,
We thought that we are able to solve everything by ourselves.
Since then,
we start to hide and accumulate lots of grief emotion in our heart.
Even if we felt going to breakdown,
there is only crystal tears silently roll down.

 
By getting older and older,
cry will gradually became so strange to us,
for there is nothing we gonna chase for,
nothing to worry when we are a step away from the path to heaven,
so much, so much,
since teenager till the end of our journey,
we did not cry out our emotions and feelings,
we just left it in our soul,
and bring it to the heaven along with us,
with deep regret...



So, friends, you know why baby just keep crying since birth?
because when they turn around in the heaven before,
they feel something uncomfortable,
and feel that something miss in their previous life.
They think deep,
and finally find out that they miss so much chances to cry,
and to express their emotions and feelings to other people around them.
So, they decide to enter the world again,
just for a simple purpose:
"To Cry Like a Baby"



*Hope you like this and email it to your friends and family members~:)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Summary of Malaysia Budget 2010 (3rd Strategy)

3rd Strategy: Focusing on Well-Being of Rakyat (Citizens)
1) Preventing Crime

-RM3.7bil allocated to increase efficiency of security force.

-Total RM1bil provided to improve PDRM services.

-RM1.9bil will be provided to armed forces.

-Another RM622mil will be provided for Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency.

2) Improving Income and Quality of Life of the Rakyat

2.1) Eradicating Hardcore Poverty

-Distribute Federal Welfare assistance on the 1st day of each month.

-Continue the “Skim Program Lonjakan Mega” with an allocation of RM141mil which will benefit 5000 families.

2.2) Assisting the Poor and Vulnerable Groups

-Continue the SPKR with an allocation of RM180mil.

-Provide skills training and entrepreneurship programs to more than 3000 women.

2.3) Establishing “Kedai Desa” (Rural shops)

-RM30mil will be allocated to UDA Holdings Bhd to build 300 units of shops in nationwide rural area.

2.4) Eradicating Urban Poverty

-RM48mil allocated to implement related programs.

2.5) Increasing Home Ownership

-More than 44000 low cost houses will be sold at a price of between RM21500-RM35000 per unit by DBKL and JPN, besides; JPN also will provide 74000 low cost houses to be rented in 2010. Priority will be given to the low and middle income groups for the above programs.

-RM200mil will be allocated under Ministry of Housing and Local Government to extending appropriate financial assistance to rehabilitate low and medium cost houses.

-The Government will launch a scheme that enables EPF contributors to utilize current and future savings in Account 2 to obtain houses.

2.6) Expanding Public Health Facilities

-RM14.8bil allocated to manage, build and upgrade hospitals and clinics. Besides, Government will also allocate RM10mil to expand 50 community clinic services in selected urban areas.

2.7) Enhancing Social Safety Net

a) RM224mil allocate to the disabled. And also RM174mil provided for the senior citizens.

b) Allocate a sum of RM15mil to assist poor patients and purchase medical equipments.

c) A total RM3.3mil provided, which increase the allowance rate from RM50-RM150 a month for every disabled children enrolled in NGO-organized special schools.

2.8) 1Malaysia Sukuk

The Government will issue 1Malaysia Sukuk (Syariah-Based Government Saving Bond) of total RM3bil, offered to all Malaysians aged 21 and above, with min investment of RM1000 and max RM50000, maturity period of 3 years with 5% annual return rate paid quarterly.

2.9) 1Malaysian Retirement Scheme

-Government will establish the above scheme which administered by EPF for those who self-employed and without fixed income.

-For every RM100 contribution, the Government will contribute 5% subject to max RM60 per annum, which is an addition to the existing dividend paid by EPF. This contribution is only for a 5 year period and contributors may withdraw the savings at age 55.

2.10) EPF contributions

-EPF contributions will be increase to 11% on voluntarily basis and effective immediately. And will revert to 11% starting from 1 Jan 2011.

-Government proposes the existing personal tax relief of RM6000 be increases up to RM7000 for EPF contribution and life insurance premiums.

2.11) Developing Wakaf Properties

RM20mil will be provided for this particular purpose.


3) Strengthening Infrastructure in Rural and Remote Areas.

-In 2010, a sum of RM2.3bil will be allocated to:

a) RM857mil for construction of both rural and village roads

b) Priority will be given to the soil stabilizer in the construction of rural roads, where appropriate.

c) RM530mil allocated to supply water and RM825mil allocated to supply electricity.

d) Provision of RM88mil to implement 5356 social amenity projects.

-Government will spend RM41mil to improve the income and quality of life of the Orang Asli Community.


4) Improving Public Transport

a) Accelerate formation and operation of SPAD as a single authority to monitor and enforce service standards as well as provide a long term plan for public transport and expected to be operational in 2010.

b) Acquire 8 new EMUs and refurbish 9 EMUs by KTMB.

c) Acquire 35 units of LRT trains by SPNB.

d) Construct covered walkways linking LRT stations to nearby activity centers.

e) Expand special lanes and increase the number of buses in KL. And 4 new hubs will be constructed in Penang.

f) Fast-Track construction of the Integrated Transport Terminal in Gombak.

g) Implement dedicated lanes for buses on underutilized expressways and modify Touch’n’Go lanes at toll booths.



Glossary

PDRM: Polis Diraja Malaysia (Royal Malaysia Police)

SPKR: Skim Pembangunan Kesejahteraan Rakyat

DBKL: Kuala Lumpur City Hall

JPN: National Housing Department

NGO: Non Government Organization.

SPAD: Public Land Transport Commission

EMUs: Electric Multiple Units

KTMB: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd

SPNB: Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad

*Adapted from Malaysia 2010 Budget Speech by Prime Minister Najib