Opportunities are present whether the stock market is bullish or bearish, but how to strategize to accumulate the best return on investments requires some expert advice.

This is what online trading platform BDO Nomura Securities, the joint venture company between BDO Unibank and Nomura Holdings of Japan, recently did via the launch of “Trading Tactics,” a session featuring market intel straight from industry movers. The event was shown live on Facebook as well.

“While stocks are perceived by many as risky investments, they are still considered as a better performer vis-à-vis any other type of security over time. With Trading Tactics, we create options for our clients to position their portfolio of investments,” said Koichi Katakawa, president of BDO Nomura.

The first Trading Tactics featured the SM Group, one of the country’s diversified conglomerates.

SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) head of investor relations Timothy Daniels said growth prospects are still abundant for the group, whose core businesses are retail, integrated property development and banking.

For first-timers or investors looking for stocks to put in their investment basket, he said the following attributes of the SM group can serve as a guidance:

It is a leading proxy for the Philippine growth story;

SM is among the best regarded companies in the world;

It looks after its stakeholders — as an incubator of business, catalyst for developing communities and an enabler for vendors, tenants and other MSME;

It is a top employer with international recognition; and.

It is recognized as being responsible and sustainable, as measured against global standards.