Best stocks to start a Roth IRA????

[Bandinayawesdrerne]

I personally wouldn't put stocks in my Roth IRA. I only have mutual funds in my Roth IRA. I only trade stocks in my cash account.

However, if I had to put two in I would currently pick NVL and CPN. NVL is a more long-term hold while CPN would be a more short-term. I see CPN getting back up to the ~$2.50 range within the next 6 months. NVL should easily hit $30+ in the next year or two.

[axamava]

I have a healthy allocation in mutual funds already, with a S&P tracker, an international, and a small and mid-cap fund in my regular portfolio.

Would it be wise to start my roth with a fund, or should I look for a safe stock investment?

I have been looking at maybe adding a bank like BAC or WB.

[Bawfutt]

I would add BAC ... it's still coming off of that low of 40 and has a very nice dividend. UNH is a good stock for long term holding. I have a good bit in AIG at the moment. It's been down the past 2 days so it could be a good entry point. I see it at the very least getting back up to it's pre probe high of 73-74. A lot of analysts however are upping their 1 year targets to the upper 70s. Intel also looks like a good play. Although they are not winning to AMD at the moment they are upping their dividend and doing a buyback program. Also they are coming off of their low aroudn 22.

[awikuvakumije]

I'd buy a healthcare stock with a big name like PFE for instance. But I'd wait until PFE broke below 15.00. Then I'd buy some there and just average in over the next 3-5 years. My second choice is a split decision between homeland security and Precious metals. I wouldn't buy any mining stock until the HUI goldbugs index (a stock index) divided by the price of phsical gold was less than or equal to .30. http://onlinetradersforum.com/styles/default/xenforo/clear.png Then I would pick a good one at that time. I couldn't really even give you a great homeland security play at this juncture because of volatility. But I think that if you buy any of these even now, IPIX, CNLG, ALAN, STKR, MDII, you would do well over the next year possibly. You might lose 30-50% on any of these by X-mas though http://onlinetradersforum.com/styles/default/xenforo/clear.png But those are my favorite long term sectors, healthcare, gold stocks, homeland security stocks. Start small and then begin a dollar cost averaging program once it is clear that an uptrend is in tact. I would stay clear of all mutual funds though. Fund managers are nothing more than frenzy feeders and late sellers. That's why their returns mostly suck over the long haul. Just my opinion of course. http://onlinetradersforum.com/styles/default/xenforo/clear.png

[awaifiple]

Speaking of mutual funds, does anyone have any insight / opinions about FCNTX (Fidelity Contrafund)?

This is one of about 10 mutual funds that my employers offer in our company 401k plan and it seems to keep going up, up, up at a steady rate. It's performed very well in the past (for a mutual fund)... but what really matters is what happens in the future.

Oh... I just remembered that I heard or read somewhere that the fund might be closed to new investors soon (if not already) because so many people are investing in it. I'll have to go check & see...

I've also heard Cramer recommend it as one of the few mutual funds he likes.