No fanfare as crown seized on the quiet

A QUEEN'S visit doesn't draw the crowds like it used to. Gone are the days when we all bought bunting and lined the streets 10-deep to watch her royally wave by, secretly wishing she might drop around for tea so we could finally use the good china.

By InvestSMART · 23 Oct 2011

By InvestSMART ·
23 Oct 2011

Comments

While commemorative plate makers are wishing she had brought her grandson and his new wife, the market couldn't even manage a royal rally.

Our share racers didn't take much notice, and nor should they, but in this, our final week of this very short but tightly paced race, a few of them have slipped backwards.

Varun Sablok will be very happy to have finished first, proving that the little upset last week, in which Robert Pearlman momentarily took the top spot, was just that - a moment.

Metgasco is still Robert's darling, and the top gaining stock of all our share racers picks, but it wasn't giving as much love as last week, down $1000 off its peak. Seems you can have too much of a good thing.

Shhhhhh.

It's a competitor so we probably shouldn't talk about it much but Kerry Stokes's Seven West Media had a stellar week.

Turns out it could refinance its debt after all. Who knew? Well Kerry, probably.

It wasn't the only media company that competes with this one in the Dartboard's bunch of stocks either. But it was was the only good thing for the Dartboard this time, which finished dead last.

God save the Queen!

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What happened in the final week of the share race reported in the article?

In the article's final week of the short, tightly paced share race, Varun Sablok finished first. A few other competitors slipped backwards, and the Dartboard portfolio finished dead last.

Who are Varun Sablok and Robert Pearlman in the context of this share race?

Varun Sablok is the investor who finished first in the race. Robert Pearlman briefly took the top spot in an earlier upset and remains a prominent participant — he also favors Metgasco as one of his picks.

How did Metgasco perform in the share race and what did the article say about it?

Metgasco was described as Robert Pearlman’s 'darling' and was the top gaining stock among the share racers' picks. The article also noted Metgasco was down $1,000 off its peak compared with the previous week.

Why did Seven West Media have a 'stellar week' and what investor news was mentioned?

The article says Kerry Stokes’s Seven West Media had a stellar week because it turned out it could refinance its debt after all — news that helped its performance among the media companies in the Dartboard group.

What is the 'Dartboard' mentioned in the article and how did it perform?

The 'Dartboard' refers to a group or portfolio of stocks used in the piece's share-race coverage. According to the article, the Dartboard finished dead last in this short race, though a few individual stocks inside it, like Seven West Media, did well.

Did the Queen’s visit have any noticeable effect on the market or share race?

No — the article notes a Queen’s visit didn’t spark any market rally. It describes that even a royal visit couldn’t move the crowd or the market in this instance.

How can everyday investors join the share race mentioned in the article?

The article invites readers to join the share race by emailing investor@fairfax.com.au to get involved or find out more about participating.

What takeaway for everyday investors does the article suggest about following short share races?

The article hints at a few investor-friendly takeaways: short competitions can be tightly paced and unpredictable, top-performing picks (like Metgasco) can slip back quickly, and company-specific news (such as debt refinancing for Seven West Media) can materially affect outcomes — so stay informed and expect volatility.