5 year ago I started trading and asked what the best long-term picks were for stocks.

I picked my set but only one of four made a good return but I was able to compensate that with my other options.

Question is Im sat thinking about current options on the market and figure it's time to start picking for a 5 year cycle again.

Which companies do you reckon are going to do well over 5 years? Which sectors are going to be stronger in 5 years?

I look at technology for my risk gains and put my lower risk into food suppliers. Not agricultural commodities but the retailers.

Five years is a long time and anything could happen. I'd go for energy as a mainstay but for longer terms I'd consider putting more in mutual funds rather than an individual few companies.

Without being an investor yet, I'd be more interested in putting money into biotech firms - more the large established ones with an arm in medical applications. Treatment via genetic engineering is going to be a really big business once that finally develops - next 5-10 years. If I were looking for a really long-term investment, that's where it would go.

2c.

I like technology to be a part of my portfolio but you have to watch out for growth potential on actual company performance vs expectations. And with biotech you have both an increased future market in medicinal treatments but also increased risks of litigation over failed drugs etc.

Agreed, but I think in the long-term the medical science breakthroughs will far outweigh the risks. That's just my 2c though.

I agree with Palm.

To say that potential rewards outweigh the risks could be true, depending on what companies you invest in. I've been burned by companies who had drugs that were so promising, and then one piece of bad news sent the stock plummeting.

Many mutual fund managers have better information on these companies than we can hope to ever get. If you really don't know how to select which companies to invest in, my advice is to invest in a couple of well managed bio-tech and/or technology funds who have histories of good return.

I think that's a key point, too - history isn't an indicator of future performance, but the more information you have on any particular investment decision, the better empowered you are to make a decision according to your required criteria, IMO.

I am with Palm, energy is a good way to go for the long terms. Also, you may be interested in vehicle co's. They have been very good ones for me.