A peek into a 21y.o investment portfolio
A few months ago, my portfolio was down by nearly $9,000 SGD. Experiencing my first market “correction” left me feeling lost, and at one point I considered giving up. But I reminded myself that the market has a long history of recovery, and I chose to stay the course.
Since then, I’ve gained valuable lessons and a much better understanding of how the market works. There’s still a lot more to learn, but it certainly helps that the market has been consistently reaching new all-time highs.
Looking at my own performance, I’ve only just managed to edge past the S&P500. Honestly, I would have earned much more if not for my impatience and lack of knowledge in the earlier days—but that’s part of the journey. We live, we learn.
Currently, my largest position is in UNH. It’s a bold bet I made on my own, and I wouldn’t recommend anyone replicate it. UNH has been under heavy pressure due to ongoing Medicare fraud investigations, but as one of the biggest healthcare players in the U.S., I saw it as a gamble worth taking. So far, it has worked out, but I continue to monitor it closely.
My long-term plan is to build positions in several strong compounding companies, such as Amazon. I stay away from options now, having already lost about $2,000 SGD trading them. When the time is right, I’ll trim my UNH holdings and diversify into new positions, likely in the semiconductor or tech sector.
Above all, I hope to continue growing as an investor—navigating the markets with discipline, never becoming complacent, and only making moves when I’m fully confident.
In this supplement, I want to share some practical tips for managing and growing a stock portfolio, based on what I've learned from my own ups and downs. First, understanding portfolio diversification is key. Initially, I concentrated heavily on UnitedHealth (UNH), which paid off for me despite regulatory risks, but I realized that balancing with strong performers like Amazon and ETFs like Vanguard's VOO helps smooth out volatility. The VOO ETF, tracking the S&P 500, showed steady performance in 2025 and is a great baseline investment for long-term growth. Second, patience is essential. Early in my journey, impatience led me to options trading, where I lost about $2,000 SGD. Now, I avoid complex instruments until I’m more experienced. Watching the market’s behavior and allowing my investments to compound over time worked better than trying to time every move. Third, monitoring market corrections without panic makes a difference. When my portfolio dropped nearly $9,000 SGD, I considered giving up, but remembering historical market recoveries helped me stay calm. Tracking performance using apps like moomoo, which can display YTD profit/loss trends and sector exposure, empowers you to make informed decisions and adjust your strategy accordingly. Lastly, continually learning and adapting is vital. Planning to diversify further into sectors like semiconductors and tech when the timing feels right keeps my portfolio aligned with growth trends. For anyone building a portfolio now, focus on quality companies with strong fundamentals and be ready to learn from both gains and losses on your journey.
U haven’t factor in the exchange rate Eg us to sin 1 Jan 2025 $1.37 Now around. $1.27 or $1.28 That is a 7-8% exchange loss