Where can I get investment information or advice?

Wednesday 23rd January 2002

Q: Where can a novice investor like me learn more about about investing? What resources are available?

A: You are already in a great place to get information on the market - the Internet! Most of the information is free and up-to-date - it's just a matter of where to find it. Talk to friends and acquaintances who invest and ask them about what sites they like. Most brokers and many newspapers have websites that have New Zealand and overseas market news. Of course, ShareChat is a great place to find all the information you need!

As a shareholder you are entitled under the Companies Act to request information from any company you own shares in and they will send you an Annual and half-yearly report on their performance. The NZSE also has Annual reports for all NZ listed (and some dual-listed Australian) companies going back several years that you can view at their offices (in Wellington) or you can request copies if they have spares - this won't cost you anything.

If your broker has a research dept you can get their predictions on the future performances of listed companies. But remember researchers don't always get it right and you should read material carefully and make your own decisions. Unfortunately no advice comes with a guarantee and the money is yours and its performance - or lack of performance - directly affects you.

There have been plenty of books written on the NZ sharemarket that you may want to read but the best teacher of all is time and experience. The more time you spend 'watching' the market, even if you don't own any shares, will teach you as much as any book. It's all in the way you interpret new information and if you can anticipate the way that the market will react to that information.

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