Irrelevant Reasons for Propping Up the Hang Seng Index
by our Canada-based columnist, Leon
There are basically two types of people that invest in the stock market: long-term and short-term investors. Long-term investors understand that the market fluctuates but they ain�t really bothered by it since stocks tend to appreciate over the long run. Short-term investors aim for the quick buck but they understand that the market can fluctuate either way and there are much bigger risks involved when compared to long-term investing. If these people can�t grasp this simple fact they should hit the books before playing more games.
What Hang Seng experienced over the last 12 months can definitely be considered as a major drop. However, this correction shouldn�t be surprising considering the performance of other stock markets and the lack of devaluation of the Hong Kong buck against the Greenback. As mentioned before, long-term investors are in for the duration so they shouldn�t really lose too much sleep over it. As for short-term investors, well, you suck and what happened is just too bad. Such are the risks for making a quick buck.
According to Bow-tie Tsang, the most important reason for the government to prop up the index was to safeguard the interests of ordinary investors. Hang Seng will eventually recover from the current correction so the government�s policies were a waste of effort and monetary reserves. Long-term investors do not really gain much benefits. As for short-term investors, they ain�t ordinary investors. The government has no obligation to stick out its neck to save their asses. |
