RE: Good time to Buy - ThoughtsIMO, when dealing with a five to ten year time horizon, whether a large cap stock is $46.50 or $50.50, your entry point does not particularly matter. However, some general criteria you may wish to consider when determining a good entry point for a large cap stock would be the 10/10 rule. Meaning, if the stock is more than 10 % above its 52-week low, and more than 10% below its 52-week high, then you're probably avoiding any short-term exaggerated positive or negative trends. Of course, there are many micro and macro factorial influences that can throw the 10/10 rule out the window; but in a perfect world, the 10/10 rule is a good guideline.
I do hold shares of BNS, and have so for several years now. I was recently a buyer in the $49 range, and think that a contrarian strategy would suit an investor nicely in the current banking environment. Having said that, one must be patient, as I would still expect similar volatility to continue through 2008.
Good Luck,
nwatson.,