Investment in stock market

[barcsimalsi]

The more i practice the dhamma the more i don't feel like working, and business became quite a phobia to me. I'm not young anymore and was planning to use my savings to invest in stock market as a mean to maintain a simple single laylife.

Reading from Islamic teaching which is expected to be "ban the hell out of it", it is surprising that such kind of investment is allow but not without the admonition of buy only from companies trading halal stuff.

Now, what buddhist think about this? Is it consider gambling? Is it ok to buy share of companies conducting wrong livelihood like Carlsberg Group?

[DNS]

By purchasing shares, you are owning a tiny fraction of that company, so it is not entirely gambling, especially if it is for the long-term investment. And yes, I would avoid those companies that engage in wrong livelihood, but that's about it.

But be careful! Many have lost fortunes in the stock market.

[Sekha]

There's nothing wrong in doing business per se. But since it is business men who shape the world today, they have a very heavy responsibility on their shoulders.

I think I would go by this very simple guideline: whatever happens, never harm others, even if that means making much less money.

[barcsimalsi]

Thanks for the advice David and Sekha.

[Ben]

There's nothing wrong with investing in the stock market. The only proviso is to try to invest in those companies that are engaged in right livelihood.
kind regards,

Ben

[BlackBird]

In fact, if you use your money to invest in eco friendly businesses, you're actually doing something positive

[Kim OHara]

There's nothing wrong with investing in the stock market. The only proviso is to try to invest in those companies that are engaged in right livelihood.
kind regards,

Ben

In fact, if you use your money to invest in eco friendly businesses, you're actually doing something positive

There are various sets of guidelines for this sort of thing, since (as usual) others have been there before us.
Try "ethical investing" (results of a search on this term will include lots of fund management companies ... don't belief all they say, even if they are the (relatively) good guys!) and "triple bottom line" :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socially_r ... _investing
http://www.economist.com/node/14301663


Kim

[barcsimalsi]

Thank you for the guides everyone.
Another question, what if i don't actually own the shares of the "bad company" but rather paying to the buying call options strategy?

[Ben]

Derivatives are a form of investment, albeit high risk, but still an investment.

[Mr Man]

In my opinion if you are "playing" the stock market it is gambling. Buying call options is gambling.

[Schaublin]

The more i practice the dhamma the more i don't feel like working, and business became quite a phobia to me. I'm not young anymore and was planning to use my savings to invest in stock market as a mean to maintain a simple single laylife.

Reading from Islamic teaching which is expected to be "ban the hell out of it", it is surprising that such kind of investment is allow but not without the admonition of buy only from companies trading halal stuff.

Now, what buddhist think about this? Is it consider gambling? Is it ok to buy share of companies conducting wrong livelihood like Carlsberg Group?

The Stock Market is (and has been for some years now), a completely manipulated farce. Small investors almost always lose - that is their role in the market.

"Savings" if denominated in a fiat currency which is being debased in an unsustainable way, is no savings at all.

Gold is the only money without counter-party risk and has seen many empires, political systems and paper currencies come and go. This fact is rapidly being grasped, and acted upon by countless millions in the East.

[barcsimalsi]

In my opinion if you are "playing" the stock market it is gambling.

Can you define what you mean by "playing" or "not playing"?

From my understanding, the main objective of buying shares is as simple as starting a business with the principle of gaining profits by buying stocks/goods at low value and sell them at higher value. The difference is the rising value of a stock has no limit.

Sometimes i think it makes sense too to say that to start a business with a capital is like gambling. Perhaps i had a confusion of the meaning of investment and gambling.

[barcsimalsi]

Gold is the only money without counter-party risk and has seen many empires, political systems and paper currencies come and go. This fact is rapidly being grasped, and acted upon by countless millions in the East.

Thanks for the suggestion, i have no experience in neither gold nor stock investment.

Folks, is this bias?

[Schaublin]

have a look here http://srsroccoreport.com/the-greatest- ... us-metals/

In the article, Evidence that Oil Limits are Leading to Declining Economic Growth, Tverberg states that the real down-trend of global GDP growth may indeed be understated. This is due to countries understating true inflation rates as well as adding increasing amounts of debt.


As the world’s global oil supply peaks and starts to decline, global GDP growth will turn negative putting more pressure on all the trillions of dollars of global conventional assets under management described in the beginning of the article.

All systems need energy for growth. The debt based fiat money architecture needs growth in order to service the debt that was issued. Central Bank printing (QE) has filled the hole left by lack of borrowing since 2008. That system is broken and cannot be fixed.

Gold should not be seen as an "investment", it is not - it pays no dividends but it does what it always has, preserves purchasing power through time

[Kim OHara]

have a look here ...
Gold should not be seen as an "investment", it is not - it pays no dividends but it does what it always has, preserves purchasing power through time

Schaublin, you have pulled the thread off-topic - unintentionally, I'm sure, but it would be good to get back back to the the ethics of investing. Just one thing before we do: Tverberg is smart but one-eyed (oil-mad) so she is misleading.
Barcimalsi, can I suggest that asking a random bunch of Buddhists about investment strategies is about as usual as asking a random bunch of financial planners about Buddhism and that you would be better off asking that sort of thing elsewhere? I'm sure there are forums on the subject, and of course there are professionals intent on enriching themselves by convincing you they can enrich you ...

Now ... if there is more to be said on it.


Kim