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2003 - Year of the Goat
Excerpt from Today Newspaper - Dated 30th
January 2003
Business News Column
Good Goat, Bad Goat
Geomancy master predicts more volatility for
this year
By Vasu Menon
IN THE Chinese zodiac,
the goat is deemed a tame animal. But take its meekness for granted
and you might get kicked in the face. The goat, when provoked, will
hit back with all its might, warn feng shui expert Master Ong
Thiam Peng of I-Ching Geomancy Center.
According to Master
Ong, the year of the Goat is a year of ¡§outcomes¡¨ and ¡§outbreaks¡¨.
Outcome carries a positive connotation while outbreaks is associated
with bad news. A combination of both means more volatility in the
year ahead.
Containing the goat¡¦s
freedom will cause it to rebel, says Master Ong. Similarly, the
containment of Iraq by the United States has cause the former to
deny US accusations. And should the US attack Iraq, it will
retaliate and this will affect the rest of the world. Master Ong
believes war will happen.
With volatility, there
will be opportunities for traders to make money. This year is going
to benefits those who keep in touch with the market on a regular
basis, as ¡§W¡¨ or ¡§double dip¡¨ patterns will dominate market
movements, Master Ong predicts.
Quick moves into and
out of the markets is likely to characterize the trading pattern
this year. It may not be a great year for general investors ¡V those
who buy for the longer term ¡V but if they have the tenacity and
power to hold on to their investments, they should be able to ride
out the storm.
Should war break out,
markets will rebound for a short time before dipping again based on
the ¡§W¡¨ trading pattern. Master Ong believes it will be a short war.
But based on the Goat¡¦s retaliatory conduct, he expects more
small-scale terrorist attacks against the US as anti-US sentiment
increase.
For a bigger market
like the US, there could be two ¡§W¡¨ this year. But for a smaller and
more exposed country like Singapore, the volatility will be higher
and more rapid, says Master Ong.
On a brighter note,
China¡¦s ascent will be good for Singapore. But he cautious, there
will also be a fair dose of ¡§outbreaks¡¨ throughout the year, with
political leadership changes looming in Malaysia.
Generally, he thinks
the Goat will bring more positive news compared to last year¡¦s
Horse. But this does not mean there will be immediate financial
rewards as uncertainties still loom. For the nimble, there is a good
chance of making money. For those who are not, it is better to be
safe than sorry.
