The Off-Topic investing challenge!

[Akkon888]

End of Week: 12-12-11 to 12-16-11

Rank	              Prev	    Value	    Chg	        %Chg
1. azzaman333	        1	$284,539.65 	$4,440.00 	13.82%
2. akkon888	        2	$273,046.31 	($1,729.99)	9.22%
3. DerrickCB	        6	$271,544.43 	$2,565.30 	8.62%
4. AyatollahSo	        4	$271,442.27 	$957.85 	8.58%
5. Zelig	        3	$266,160.37 	($8,496.34)	6.46%
6. amadeuscfc	        7	$265,849.55 	$414.95 	6.34%
7. goodgame	       10	$264,720.36 	$5,340.20 	5.89%
8. EnglishCrusader	8	$262,995.01 	($142.50)	5.20%
9. KMRblue1027	        9	$262,239.52 	$2,035.30 	4.90%
10. contre	        11	$261,938.07 	$3,122.00 	4.78%
11. Algeroth	        5	$259,990.08 	($9,537.15)	4.00%
12. mrt121283	        12	$257,139.39 	$0.00 	        2.86%
13. Whomper	        14	$255,794.24 	$898.00 	2.32%
14. TaniciusFox	        13	$255,447.74 	($1,064.80)	2.18%
15. anw	                15	$253,820.02 	$999.00 	1.53%
16. jtb112795	        16	$252,302.59 	$192.75 	0.92%
17. SilurianC	        18	$251,766.03 	$476.00 	0.71%
18. mythmonster2	17	$251,558.01 	$58.00 	        0.62%
19. loppantorkel	19	$250,000.00 	$0.00 	        0.00%
20. SRaina	        20	$250,000.00 	$0.00 	        0.00%
21. Matt0088	        21	$250,000.00 	$0.00 	        0.00%
22. bhsup	        22	$250,000.00 	$0.00 	        0.00%
23. Gogf	        23	$250,000.00 	$0.00 	        0.00%
24. Tkangaru	        26	$250,000.00 	$0.00 	        0.00%
25. Kan_Sharuminar	24	$250,000.00 	$0.00 	        0.00%
26. ludditeRB	        25	$250,000.00 	$0.00 	        0.00%
27. imperialman	        27	$249,866.01 	$2.00 	        -0.05%
28. mclarke	        32	$249,068.56 	$5,875.80 	-0.37%
29. Skwink	        28	$247,109.56 	$453.86 	-1.16%
30. really	        29	$245,959.92 	($301.50)	-1.62%
31. MreThimb	        31	$245,125.97 	$211.11 	-1.95%
32. Redbaron27	        33	$243,608.39 	$1,406.00 	-2.56%
33. IglooDude	        34	$238,926.37 	$69.99 	        -4.43%
34. Godwynn	        36	$233,499.09 	$3,979.40 	-6.60%
35. Joecoolyo	        35	$231,385.41 	$493.08 	-7.45%
36. Mise	        37	$228,071.80 	$1,460.53 	-8.77%
37. classical_hero	38	$227,729.34 	$4,752.00 	-8.91%
38. Darkwind40	        39	$209,675.02 	($100.00)	-16.13%
39. lucyduke	        40	$202,203.61 	$936.40 	-19.12%
40. druidravi	        41	$197,341.63 	$429.94 	-21.06%
41. Patroklos	        42	$188,382.81 	($950.49)	-24.65%
42. Hygro	        43	$176,843.95 	($1,013.30)	-29.26%
43. Rashiminos	        44	$172,334.14 	($1,125.80)	-31.07%
44. pob_	        45	$52,647.99 	$3,966.07 	-78.94%
45. Theige	        30	$41,257.77 	($204,884.60)	-83.50%

I must say that is an insane loss. Option expiration?

 

[Mise]

lmfao

Options man. Not even once.

 

[classical_hero]

Can he regain his former glory?

 

[Whomp]

I decided to try trading options. Bad plan.

So I thought I'd give you guys a little quiz to end 2011. Let me know how you did.

1. Greece was the worst stock market, by far, falling 64%. What were the four best stock markets in 2011?

2. What has January predicted for U.S. stocks in 14 of the last 15 presidential election years?

3. Ten global stock markets dropped 30% or more in 2011. What's the historic probability they will rally in 2012 and what is the average historic gain?

4. Which country in the world is currently perceived by the CDS (credit default swap) market to have the lowest probability of default on its sovereign debt?

5. Which is most at risk of default according to the CDS market? Iraq, Spain, AIG or GM.

6. Were there more rate cuts or rate hikes by Central Banks in 2011?

7. How many countries will have either Presidential, Parlimentary, Legislative or Referendum elections in 2012?

8. U.S. stocks outperformed non-U.S. markets (in USD) by 15% in 2011. What year was the last time it happened by such a large amount?

9. U.S. AAA investment grade bond yields dropped below 4% by the end of 2011. What was the last year this happened?

10. What three countries had current account surpluses in double digits (as of 3Q) in 2011?

11. True or False? Irish stocks outperformed U.S. Treasuries in 2011 (in USD).

Extra Credit:
12a. What was the most Googled "How to"? "Pronounce", "Snog", "Revise" or "Cook".

12b. After your team wins a championship game. You are at higher risk of what happening?

12c. Discovered inside of Muammar Qaddafi's compound was a photo scrapbook of which newsmaker? Lady Gaga, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Charlie Sheen or Condi Rice.

Answers:

Spoiler :

1. Venezuela 79%, Mongolia 33%, Iraq 32% and Iran 29%. No surprise there.

2. Direction of the stock market.

3. Around 2/3 of the time with an average gain of slightly more than 50%.

4. Norway (followed by U.S. and Switzerland)

5. GM

6. 108 rate hikes and 55 rates cuts.

7. 70

8. 1998

9. 1958

10. Saudi Arabia 20.6%, Singapore 19% and Switzerland 13.5%

11. True. Irish stocks were up 14.3% and Treasuries were up 9.8%.

Extra Credit:

12a. Snog. You darn kids...

12b. Getting in a car accident

12c. Condi Rice

 

[Zelig]

Ah, nuts, azzaman passed me, looks like I'll have to do something again.

 

[Theige]

I'll have to take a crack at that quiz when i'm feeling inspired

 

[azzaman333]

Ah, nuts, azzaman passed me, looks like I'll have to do something again.

Woo, go me.

 

[classical_hero]

Well done.

 

[GoodGame]

I'll have to take a crack at that quiz when i'm feeling inspired

At Whomp, Question #2 was interesting.

Why is it that the January of a presidential election year has such influence?

 

[Hygro]

I am the comeback kid. $100,000 dollar gain since Christmas. All I did was trust a bet that some big players made last summer that were month after month, not playing out. But their logic was good, so I figured with prices so low, the wait so long, and the political developments taken care of, time to buy buy buy.

I just wish I had a sell strategy! I could really go under...

 

[gangleri2001]

What a letdown. I thought we would invest with real money

 

[classical_hero]

I have made a huge profit off owning Bank Of America stock.

 

[druidravi]

I am into the green from below 180,000 at one point .I had simply sold everything ,maxed apple stock and left it .

 

[mrt144]

Investopedia still hasnt fixed my account.

 

[Hygro]

I have made a huge profit off owning Bank Of America stock.

haha same.

but isn't that betting against your own long-on-gold strategy?

 

[classical_hero]

Well if I was able to have bought some gold much earlier then I would most definitely be long on gold, but really it is far too late to get on gold now, since we are at record highs and I don't see too much upside for gold, unless we have a sudden downturn again, then it will be gold, but I hope that we get an upturn and thus gold will start to lose some of it's value. It really depends on how Europe fairs, since if it gets worse then we could see something far worse than the great depression.

 

[azzaman333]

What are the rankings like now?

 

[classical_hero]

Well you are 3rd right now. Amadeus is first right now.

 

[azzaman333]

I'm still third?

 

[Hygro]

It's a bull market. Everyone who bought and held is doing really well.