GABORONE - The Director of Stock Market Direct (SMD), Mr Anthony Samuels, says individuals should diversify their investment portfolios if they want to attain good returns.

People should desist from putting all their eggs in one basket, which is the worst investment strategy ever, said Mr Samuels.

He advised that people should move away from using one investment vehicle and try the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) securities as another alternative to increase their financial independence.

Passive investing brings lower returns than active investing. Investing in stocks makes individuals alert and in the process one knows when to buy and sell shares on the bourse, said Mr Samuels. The SMD director made these comments during a seminar that he organised recently alongside his business partner, Ms Lady Rakwadi - SMDs sales director to try and get individuals to make use of their web based product.

According to Mr Samuels, the most important thing about investing in stock markets is to have knowledge of when is the right time to buy or sell shares. He said their software gives one the knowledge without having to go through a broker.

SMD offers an educational institution which provides education on how to invest directly, actively and successfully in the JSE through personal training, newsletters, tips and recommendations on a daily basis, he explained.

Our specially tailored software would enable one to sell and buy shares through the Internet in the comfort of their own homes or offices without engaging a broker, he added.

He said their aim was to provide Batswana with an alternative investment criterion that would enable them to participate in the JSE and make money on the South African market.

Besides giving advice on when to buy and sell shares, Mr Samuels said their product also offers daily updates on market trends, daily updates of company news and announcements and consensus reviews by researchers and analysts to their clients.

SMD is a company that provides stock market education and software.BOPA