Matt
@alt-investor.bsky.social
Uk investor since 2012 in small/medium cap companies. Ramping and politics free zone. Random thoughts on investing. I welcome other points of few and pushback.
Here's a graph of my returns this year so far. A very frustrating year! Just feels like a slog and my portfolio can't quite get going.
But I'm happy with all my positions and not selling anything right now. I'm 10% cash but any new positions will need to be a clear buy.
But I'm happy with all my positions and not selling anything right now. I'm 10% cash but any new positions will need to be a clear buy.
November 15, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Here's a graph of my returns this year so far. A very frustrating year! Just feels like a slog and my portfolio can't quite get going.
But I'm happy with all my positions and not selling anything right now. I'm 10% cash but any new positions will need to be a clear buy.
But I'm happy with all my positions and not selling anything right now. I'm 10% cash but any new positions will need to be a clear buy.
Investing is a game of probabilities and no one is always right. So it really grinds my gears when people post online like they know exactly what is going to happen in the future and anyone who disagrees is an idiot.
November 6, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Investing is a game of probabilities and no one is always right. So it really grinds my gears when people post online like they know exactly what is going to happen in the future and anyone who disagrees is an idiot.
Been thinking about how investing really boils down to 3 things: share selection, position management and portfolio management. A lot of focus on the 1st. I'd love to see a contest where everyone has to use the same screen for selection but can trade as they like. Be interesting to see the results.
November 1, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Been thinking about how investing really boils down to 3 things: share selection, position management and portfolio management. A lot of focus on the 1st. I'd love to see a contest where everyone has to use the same screen for selection but can trade as they like. Be interesting to see the results.
I saw someone very confidently claim the US is heading into a 10 year bull market this week. How anyone can know what will happen that far in advance is beyond me.
September 21, 2025 at 6:59 PM
I saw someone very confidently claim the US is heading into a 10 year bull market this week. How anyone can know what will happen that far in advance is beyond me.
If the market has been going sideways for you for a while, I'm afraid that's my fault. I'm hovering around a portfolio milestone where it always seems to happen.
September 19, 2025 at 5:18 PM
If the market has been going sideways for you for a while, I'm afraid that's my fault. I'm hovering around a portfolio milestone where it always seems to happen.
My portfolio just can't get going this year. One step forward, one step back. Up 2.5% ytd. Let's hope the last quarter has some momentum.
September 12, 2025 at 3:32 PM
My portfolio just can't get going this year. One step forward, one step back. Up 2.5% ytd. Let's hope the last quarter has some momentum.
It's so quiet on here lately (and I'm part of the problem) I wonder if it reached a death spiral?
I haven't much to report. I've increased my holdings, heavily inspired by stockopedia's NAPs. I'm fully invested in 21 uk positions, and 20% in an S&P etf.
I haven't much to report. I've increased my holdings, heavily inspired by stockopedia's NAPs. I'm fully invested in 21 uk positions, and 20% in an S&P etf.
August 14, 2025 at 3:49 PM
It's so quiet on here lately (and I'm part of the problem) I wonder if it reached a death spiral?
I haven't much to report. I've increased my holdings, heavily inspired by stockopedia's NAPs. I'm fully invested in 21 uk positions, and 20% in an S&P etf.
I haven't much to report. I've increased my holdings, heavily inspired by stockopedia's NAPs. I'm fully invested in 21 uk positions, and 20% in an S&P etf.
Finally had this resolved today. Took 5 months, a lot of hassle and the I'd just finally approached the ombudsman. Ultimately my isa provider seems to be paying up rather than it coming back from the bank, but at least it's sorted.
I've made an error. Tried to withdraw £6k from a share account and got my bank account no. wrong by a digit. Now it's lost in the ether. My bank says they can't do anything, it needs recalling from my provider. My provider says it's past the 48 hour limit. Bank says there no such thing.
July 1, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Finally had this resolved today. Took 5 months, a lot of hassle and the I'd just finally approached the ombudsman. Ultimately my isa provider seems to be paying up rather than it coming back from the bank, but at least it's sorted.
Still not quite fully invested, but that is the aim. I used to have around 30% in an S&P tracker which was an easy way to get invested without worrying about liquidity of small caps. Do I want my money at the mercy of a capricious, unstable president? Is that just noise to look past? Not sure.
June 29, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Still not quite fully invested, but that is the aim. I used to have around 30% in an S&P tracker which was an easy way to get invested without worrying about liquidity of small caps. Do I want my money at the mercy of a capricious, unstable president? Is that just noise to look past? Not sure.
The bounce continues & I lag it by being in too much cash, -5% ish. I would probably be +ve if I'd done nothing at all, but hindsight is 20/20.
Sometimes you can make the right decisions & get the wrong outcome & vice versa. The only people in investing who are never wrong are liars and shysters.
Sometimes you can make the right decisions & get the wrong outcome & vice versa. The only people in investing who are never wrong are liars and shysters.
May 17, 2025 at 1:13 PM
The bounce continues & I lag it by being in too much cash, -5% ish. I would probably be +ve if I'd done nothing at all, but hindsight is 20/20.
Sometimes you can make the right decisions & get the wrong outcome & vice versa. The only people in investing who are never wrong are liars and shysters.
Sometimes you can make the right decisions & get the wrong outcome & vice versa. The only people in investing who are never wrong are liars and shysters.
Spent the weekend formulating plans for my investing. I've just been too busy with real life and so I've missed opportunities. I've simplified things down to screening for candidates, weekly charts, wider stops and more holdings and diversification across sectors.
🤞🏻
🤞🏻
May 5, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Spent the weekend formulating plans for my investing. I've just been too busy with real life and so I've missed opportunities. I've simplified things down to screening for candidates, weekly charts, wider stops and more holdings and diversification across sectors.
🤞🏻
🤞🏻
I'm still down -7.5% ytd. If this is a bear market bounce I'll look smart, if not I've missed a rebound and should've acted more on the quoted post.
I have been too busy with real life stuff to be as responsive as I perhaps needed to be recently.
I have been too busy with real life stuff to be as responsive as I perhaps needed to be recently.
Very interesting times and tricky to know what to do for the best. I am bearish for the world economy and American market for obvious reasons.
But I find the aim 100 a good proxy for uk sentiment and it has just hit and bounced off multi year support (monthly chart back to 2011).
But I find the aim 100 a good proxy for uk sentiment and it has just hit and bounced off multi year support (monthly chart back to 2011).
May 1, 2025 at 1:13 PM
I'm still down -7.5% ytd. If this is a bear market bounce I'll look smart, if not I've missed a rebound and should've acted more on the quoted post.
I have been too busy with real life stuff to be as responsive as I perhaps needed to be recently.
I have been too busy with real life stuff to be as responsive as I perhaps needed to be recently.
I've been pondering today about taking profits sooner. In the easy years letting winners run has really made the difference to my portfolio. The last 2-3 I've round tripped on a lot of winners waiting for the bigger run.
As ever no easy answers, that's what makes it endlessly interesting.
As ever no easy answers, that's what makes it endlessly interesting.
April 21, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I've been pondering today about taking profits sooner. In the easy years letting winners run has really made the difference to my portfolio. The last 2-3 I've round tripped on a lot of winners waiting for the bigger run.
As ever no easy answers, that's what makes it endlessly interesting.
As ever no easy answers, that's what makes it endlessly interesting.
If Powell is fired and the consequences for America are as bad as predicted, what does that mean for the uk market? Would it trigger a global crisis, or be localised to USA? Long term could it actually be good for the UK as investors seek more stable markets? I genuinely have no idea.
April 18, 2025 at 7:02 PM
If Powell is fired and the consequences for America are as bad as predicted, what does that mean for the uk market? Would it trigger a global crisis, or be localised to USA? Long term could it actually be good for the UK as investors seek more stable markets? I genuinely have no idea.
Very interesting times and tricky to know what to do for the best. I am bearish for the world economy and American market for obvious reasons.
But I find the aim 100 a good proxy for uk sentiment and it has just hit and bounced off multi year support (monthly chart back to 2011).
But I find the aim 100 a good proxy for uk sentiment and it has just hit and bounced off multi year support (monthly chart back to 2011).
April 13, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Very interesting times and tricky to know what to do for the best. I am bearish for the world economy and American market for obvious reasons.
But I find the aim 100 a good proxy for uk sentiment and it has just hit and bounced off multi year support (monthly chart back to 2011).
But I find the aim 100 a good proxy for uk sentiment and it has just hit and bounced off multi year support (monthly chart back to 2011).
Call me old fashioned, but I'm not sure it's great when the world's most important indices move like a meme stock.
April 9, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Call me old fashioned, but I'm not sure it's great when the world's most important indices move like a meme stock.
Seeing lots of people buying. Genuine question, why are we anywhere near the bottom?
Is trump likely to change course? Be impeached? Congress gonna step up?
Maybe some deals will be made but they'll be minor. Trump believes tariffs will solve all US ills. I don't see a catalyst for change.
Is trump likely to change course? Be impeached? Congress gonna step up?
Maybe some deals will be made but they'll be minor. Trump believes tariffs will solve all US ills. I don't see a catalyst for change.
April 7, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Seeing lots of people buying. Genuine question, why are we anywhere near the bottom?
Is trump likely to change course? Be impeached? Congress gonna step up?
Maybe some deals will be made but they'll be minor. Trump believes tariffs will solve all US ills. I don't see a catalyst for change.
Is trump likely to change course? Be impeached? Congress gonna step up?
Maybe some deals will be made but they'll be minor. Trump believes tariffs will solve all US ills. I don't see a catalyst for change.
Down 9.7% YTD. Currently 35% cash. It tempting to sell almost everything tbh and let the dust settle. I can't see a V shaped recovery happening like we had post covid.
April 6, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Down 9.7% YTD. Currently 35% cash. It tempting to sell almost everything tbh and let the dust settle. I can't see a V shaped recovery happening like we had post covid.
I wish I'd sold the lot. The CGT would have been less than the current drop. And I'm not of the opinion this will be a short dip with a sharp recovery.
Sold the last tiny bit of my S&P tracker today (except a buy and hold bit outside of an ISA with CGT considerations). I am increasingly short term bearish and into capital preservation mode.
April 6, 2025 at 6:28 AM
I wish I'd sold the lot. The CGT would have been less than the current drop. And I'm not of the opinion this will be a short dip with a sharp recovery.
I saw this on Reddit. I assume it's legit.
April 5, 2025 at 8:57 PM
I saw this on Reddit. I assume it's legit.
Just having a quick check of my portfolio during my lunch break.
a man with a mullet and a mustache is wearing a wig and making a funny face .
ALT: a man with a mullet and a mustache is wearing a wig and making a funny face .
media.tenor.com
April 4, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Just having a quick check of my portfolio during my lunch break.
Seems very quiet on here at the mo. I guess a result of the crap market? Twitter still seems to have the critical mass but I'm done with that cesspit.
I really need to follow more people on here.
I really need to follow more people on here.
March 11, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Seems very quiet on here at the mo. I guess a result of the crap market? Twitter still seems to have the critical mass but I'm done with that cesspit.
I really need to follow more people on here.
I really need to follow more people on here.
