💭Investor Check: What Questions Do You Ask Yourself Before Investing?
Recently, gold has been hitting new highs. $Gold - main 2512(GCmain)$ surpasses $3,900/oz, setting a new record high.
Gold prices climbed for a fourth straight day, hitting another all-time high as traders prepared for a potential U.S. government shutdown.
Some analysts have also mentioned a $4,000/oz target. Banking giant UBS stated on September 30 that gold prices could rise to $4,200/oz by mid-2026, citing the metal’s safe-haven role amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
Investors who haven’t jumped in are tempted, yet hesitant—it seems this situation has lasted for two years.
For anyone considering gold investments, don’t ask others—ask yourself these questions first:
At what price will you buy? Buy now or wait for a pullback?
If it goes up, what’s your plan? How much profit triggers a sell?
If it doesn’t go up, how long will you hold?
If it goes down, what will you do?
Why buy gold? Because others are bullish, or because you have your own logic—one you can observe, analyze, quantify, and test?
Do you clearly know which variables to track to follow gold’s trend?
If you can’t answer these six questions clearly, no matter how high gold rises, it may not be for you.
Actually, these questions aren’t just for gold—they apply to any trade:
Why are you buying/selling?
If it goes up/down, do you know why?
When will you cut losses/take profits?
Questions:
Some argue that buy-and-hold is a profitable and low-stress strategy, while most high-frequency traders lose money.
Could it be because most of them haven’t thought through these questions?
If we think ahead before every trade, wouldn’t that improve our odds of success?
Is thinking ahead applicable to all investing scenarios?
REWARDS
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2. uptrend or downtrend. buy uptrend, or sideways going up. avoid down trend.
3. when to enter? usually at support
4. when to exit and what the trans profit. for trading short term, usually 2:1 reward to risk. for medium term hold, check if very over valued...
Buy-and-hold works for many because it avoids constant emotional decisions, but even long-term investors need clarity. If I don’t know why I’m holding or what would change my view, I’m just drifting. With gold, I must decide if it’s a hedge, short trade, or long-term value—each demands a different strategy.
Thinking ahead applies everywhere. Whether short-term or long-term, asking these questions builds discipline. It won’t guarantee success, but it raises the odds of rational choices. Markets stay uncertain, but preparation and analysis give me confidence.
@Tiger_comments @TigerStars
高频交易者的“胜利者”往往集中在极少数顶尖机构，普通投资者很难复制。
因为市场越成熟，信息效率越高，留给散户短线套利的空间越小，所以短頻交易不太利于小散户。 @Tiramisu2020
我认为，在每一次交易前，如果能提前思考这些问题，确实会提高胜算。不是说这样就一定能赚，但至少能避免盲目进场，把亏损控制在可承受的范围。举个例子，很多人买黄金是因为觉得能避险，但如果金价突然回调，他是否还记得自己当初的逻辑？如果没有答案，那就是被市场牵着走。
至于“超前思考”是不是适用于所有投资场景，我的看法是——原则适用，但执行方式不同。长期投资者要想的是企业基本面、宏观趋势，而短线交易者则要更明确进出场点位和风险控制。换句话说，不管周期长短，提前规划都是提高胜率的关键。投资这条路，不怕走得慢，就怕走得糊涂。
I have been fortunate that I have invested in $iShares Gold Trust(IAU)$ as it is a low cost physically backed Gold ETF that mirrors the day to day price movement of gold bullion.
IAU holds allocated gold bars in secure vaults, offering me direct exposure to the precious metal without the hassle of storage or insurance. With an expense ratio of just 0.25%, it is one of the most efficient ways to hold gold.
IAU is the 2nd largest Gold ETF after $SPDR Gold Shares(GLD)$ and had a lower expense ratio compared to GLD at 0.40%.
I believe that IAU has more exponential growth ahead as the political stalemate in the US has reached an impasse, causing the imminent shutdown tonight.
@Tiger_comments @TigerStars @Tiger_SG @CaptainTiger @TigerClub
I agree that these questions apply to all trades; we need to know when to buy and when to sell. On top of that, we need to know whether we are trading or investing because that affects the horizon that we should have.
However, there are times where thinking ahead doesn’t work. For example, during the great liberation day and when covid first broke out, these are great times to buy quicky rather than to over-analyse the trade. So, sometimes we do need to let the gut take over and the heart to pull the trigger to make the trade. Sometimes, the swings are too fast that as long as the price is reasonable, it is time to buy. I think the US government shutdown might present the next opportunity.
I m contented with my current investment : UT, stocks, CPF and endowment.
Everyone has their own ideal investment plan. What work for me might not work for you.
@MHh @melson @Wayneqq
Thinking ahead before each trade—defining entry points, profit targets, stop losses & reasons for the trade—builds discipline and clarity, which likely improves the probability of success by avoiding emotional decisions.
While thinking ahead is broadly applicable and beneficial for all investing approaches, the level of detail and timeframe may differ; long-term buy & hold investors may focus more on fundamentals & macro trends, whereas short-term traders must frequently reassess technical triggers & market conditions.
In summary, consciously asking critical questions before investing or trading, regardless of the asset or strategy, helps manage risk, avoid herd mentality, and make more informed decisions that align with personal objectives and market behavior.
@Abaaa @koolgal
一些分析師也提到了4000美元/盎司的目標。銀行業巨頭瑞銀9月30日表示，到2026年中期，金價可能會升至4200美元/盎司，理由是該金屬在地緣政治和經濟不確定性中的避險作用。
尚未加入的投資者雖然受到誘惑，但仍猶豫不決——這種情況似乎已經持續了兩年.
如果是我，我会先回答几个问题。第一，我愿意在什么价位买？现在进场还是等一波调整？如果我买入后金价继续攀升，我必须有个明确的获利目标，比如到达某个区间就部分减仓，而不是被市场情绪牵着走。第二，假如金价不上不下，我是否愿意长期持有，把它当成资产配置的一部分？第三，如果行情反转下跌，我能不能承受？我会不会加仓摊低成本，还是设好止损认赔离场？
最重要的，是清楚自己买黄金的逻辑。我并不是因为大家喊多就跟风，而是要看地缘局势、美元走势、利率环境这些关键变量。能不能用数据和指标去追踪趋势，比盲目预测价格重要得多。
对我而言，黄金更多是分散风险的工具，不是“一夜暴富”的跳板。只要心里有计划，不论涨跌，至少不会慌乱。