We asked you to tell us about an event in the last 25 years that has inspired you to trade or make an investment decision. The competition is now closed and we want to share some of our favourites. Each of the winners now has the chance to win a Red Letter Days experience worth GBP 500. The overall winner will be selected from the four weekly winning entries and will be announced by 3 October 2011.
Week 4 winner – Saurabh Misra
"Of all the successes and failures I've had in stock investing, I think the most remarkable has been the growth I've seen over the years in my trades on Apple (AAPL). What triggered my investment was nothing more than the immense joy I experienced when I got my first iPod. I'd already heard of iMac's moderate success by then but the iPod truly transformed the way we listen to music. I knew here was a company that had its finger firmly on the pulse of the masses. $43 to $410. Go on.."
Week 3 winner – Julia Titcombe
"My children love Peppa Pig - so I invested in Entertainment One - and its share price is considerably higher now than when I bought it. So thank you children for liking Peppa Pig so much - as it inspired me to invest in the company that produces the programme! "
Week 2 winner – Martin Knight-Jones
"In 1990 Nelson Mandela was released from gaol. His leadership and vision inspired the South African people to re-build their society around reconciliation and democracy and allowed them to move on from a decade of stagnation to an open economy capable of delivering growth. This was a turning point for Africa and led me to begin investing in the continent. The richness of the natural resources, the mineral wealth and agricultural potential and the activity of a billion people, coupled with a progression towards democracy make this a last frontier for investors."
Week 1 winner – Craig Stenhouse
"Around 30 years ago British rail went on strike. At this time buses were cold, uncomfortable and with no facilities, a small Perth based company ran space like buses from Aberdeen to London daily. At a time when the country was being held to ransom a small company made a major investment in brand new buses. These buses were so impressive that we used to stop work in my fathers garage and stand outside and watch them go past wishing they would stop for diesel. The company "Stagecoach". A few years later they floated - guess what ......I bought."
Shortlisted stories
'"Twas in July 1999 that I heard a story about flyers for a new book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkasomething, being delivered to newspaper offices by “owl post” , i.e. actual live owls. A few days later, in a London bookshop, I overheard an American loudly demanding when more copies of this book, which had rapidly sold out, would be arriving. I thought “aha!”. Looking up details of the publishers, Bloomsbury, their shares seemed to be on a very modest P/E ratio, so I invested 7K. By 2005 this had turned into 25K – a truly “magic” return."
"Morrisons had recently taken over Safeway and seemed to be making a mess of the whole business and so its shares had fallen considerably. One day I was shopping in a Safeway store that had been taken over and asked members of staff how things were going. They all reported that customers were much happier now it was Morrisons and turnover in that branch was up by 20% or so. I added Morrisons shares to my portfolio and was gratified to see them appreciate over the next few months."
Relive the events that shaped the investment landscape
If you missed any of the stories from 1986 through to 2011 revisit the website at www.barclaysstockbrokersis25.co.uk.
