TOTAL value for my portfolio remained unchanged at RM98,125.10 on Tuesday, after I bought Comintel Corporation Bhd. The stock closed at my acquisition cost of 23.5 sen. By comparison, the FBM KLCI gained 1.01% to 1,814.04. Market breadth though, was negative with decliners outpacing gainers 1.03 to 1.

Regional markets traded mixed following Wall Street’s flattish close overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed marginally lower while the S&P 500 lost 0.17%. China stocks clawed back from earlier losses to close higher, despite report of weaker than expected measure for factory activity.

In other news, crude oil futures drifted slightly higher, with the WTI trading around US$47 per barrel, at the time of writing. In recent days, movements in the US currency have been exerting influence on oil prices. The underlying oil market remains weak on rising supply. 

Meanwhile, the ringgit strengthened to RM3.65 against the greenback. Signs that the U.S. central bank will refrain from tightening policy until 2H2015 eased immediate concerns of capital outflow although this may uptrend may be temporary.

My portfolio is down 1.9% since inception. Despite the loss, I am still outperforming the FBM KLCI, which lost 4.2% over the same period.

• Portfolio will buy stocks with positive momentum on the day

• Stocks in portfolio will be divested when they exhibit negative momentum

• Otherwise, stocks will be divested within a max 4-day holding period

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on March 25, 2015.