The Contrarian Investor: You've got Mail

David Stevenson takes a look at Royal Mail, and why investors should not be looking to make a quick buck out of the business.

OK, Mr Adventurous, should I invest in these Royal Mail shares?" I received the above text the weekend before last. It was from a good friend of mine who has traditionally taken about as much interest in the world of finance as I have in Formula One. But the successful listing of the Royal Mail, and my friend’s subsequent disappointment he could not flog them within five nanoseconds of the secondary market opening spoke volumes about his interest in stock market capitalism. “If the government is giving away free money, why say no? I mean, the central banks are giving away free mone...