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Prices have been on an upward trajectory in 2021, with oil leading the pack. Factors such as increased demand facing reduced supply led to crude prices jumping nearly 45 percent during the first half of the year. Will it hit the milestone of $100 per barrel soon? Some experts predict it will, while others hold more reserved expectations.

Technology has soared during the COVID crisis, but the outlook for fintech funding has been mixed, as investors prioritized surety, especially during the pandemic’s early days. Although fintech funding experienced a pronounced drop during the first half of 2020 across VC, PE and M&A, it has recovered impressively, auguring well for 2021.

If you feel as if your every move is being tracked, you may be right. Investment firms and other businesses are paying a premium for alternative data, including geolocation data, hoping it will give them a competitive edge in their quest to maximise investment returns by lending them greater insight into consumer patterns and preferences.

Investors committed to advancing environmental sustainability are flocking to cleantech investing. Cleantech is finding growing acceptance as green goals infiltrate private and public sectors, ushering in a host of investment opportunities as the focus turns from traditional non-renewable sources of energy to clean and green alternatives.

Cryptocurrencies have circulated for a while but are still plagued by scepticism. Recently, cryptos have received endorsements from high-profile advocates, and the credibility of this asset class is growing—along with its prices. What are the top cryptos, where are their prices heading, and are they worth serious investor consideration?

Trade relationships expose firms to the economic upheavals of their international partners, but natural hedging is one method to minimize the risks. Matching currency footprints, financial hedging, operations hedging are some of the ways firms can build a hedge to lessen exposure and protect themselves from importing shocks from abroad.

In a year that saw the unexpected upheaval and transformation of businesses and societies the world over, the credit and political risk insurance (CPRI) market was no different – having to adapt to the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in order to continue serving its clients. James Esdaile, Managing Director of BPL Global, explains how the sector has fared and how it is set to develop given new trends and evolving client demands.

Infrastructure is the skeleton that holds an economy together, but in many regions of the world, it has much room for improvement. Investors seeking growth sectors should consider infrastructure investment, which not only improves infrastructure but also stimulates economic recovery and is increasingly gaining government financial support.

Innovation helps businesses function better and investors invest more profitability, but only if they monopolise on the most lucrative technologies and pioneering firms. With so many choices, where to begin in uncovering the opportunities with long-term growth and profitability so that the investor reaps rewards and not disappointments?

Equities across most of the major Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets encountered massive sell-off on Tuesday, 11 May, following the downbeat Wall Street with the tech-heavy benchmark Nasdaq Composite sliding more than 2.5 per cent. Led by the heavy drop in the blue-chip technology stocks, including Apple, Tesla, Facebook, Amazon, Alphabet, Netflix, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Paypal, the Nasdaq Composite suffered a loss of 350.38 points, or 2.55 per cent to close at 13,401.86 on 10 May.