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Times Staff WriterMIKE ROSENTHAL: 66, retired, Clearwater
Q. How did you get started in investing?
A. I got started in 1962. I had friends who worked for a brokerage house who gave us a tip that cost us about $300. Almost the entire investment was lost. I realized investing in stocks was something I couldn't ignore.
Q. What is your best investment so far?
A. American Pharmaceutical. It had a big run-up last year. I took my profit.
Q. What is your worst investment so far?
A. Fuel Cell. It deals with hydrogen fuel technology. I was too early in it. I keep losing money in it.
Q. What have you learned about investing that you think other investors should know?
A. You have to educate yourself. You have to understand how the market works.
Q. How would you describe your approach to investing?
A. I look for opportunities: six-, eight-, 10-week swings in stock's valuation that I can move with. I do not short stocks. And I will buy and hold something.
Q. What do you find the most difficult about investing?
A. It's not difficult. It's a question of managing your own emotions, your own arrogance. You've got be careful that you don't think you know better than the market, because nobody does.
Q. How are you invested now?
A. I'm about 65 percent in stocks, 20 percent in bonds. I'm fairly aggressive. And about 15 percent in gold.
Q. Do you think now is a good time to invest?
A. It's a good time to be learning about the markets. Whether or not people should actually be putting their money down is something else. A lot of smart people are staying in cash right now.
Q. What is your goal for investing?
A. To make 10 to 15 percent on an individual stock. Look for one or two big winners and to keep my losses to a very minimum.
Q. What is your biggest money concern right now?
A. Being retied, I have a fixed income. I'm looking for the job market to open up. I'd like to get back into the job market, make a few bucks and make a contribution.
Q. Where do you get your investment tips?
A. I subscribe to Investors Business Daily online. Also online, Signal Watch. I look at Stockscharts.com, barcharts.com, MSNBC.