Brokerage

What does satellite imagery have to do with hedge funds? The more information the better when it comes to making an investment decision, which is why some investors are resorting to alternative data to round out their insights into particular investment opportunities. Satellite imagery can provide a perspective that is not possible at ground level, and many hedge funds are finding it to be an indispensable tool in investment decision-making.

King Coal’s reign over energy production is threatened by less expensive and more sustainable contenders vying for its throne. Coal is waning in the US but remains in demand elsewhere, so it may not be finished yet.

The proliferation of digital currencies over the last few years has led to a rapidly growing list of use cases for tokenised assets. Thanks in no small part to the development of blockchain technology, as well as the recognition and anticipation of what cryptocurrencies

The last few years have seen arguably a closer relationship between politics and investing than in previous decades. With seismic events such as the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum in June 2016 and the United States’ presidential election later that same year, market uncertainty remained at elevated levels during much of the latter half of the last decade

On January 20, reports emerged that the Caribbean nation of Guyana had officially exported its first-ever shipment of crude oil. The one million barrels of sweet crude that were sent to the United States had been produced at the Stabroek Block’s Liza oil field, which thanks to operator ExxonMobil had made history in December by producing the first crude oil in Guyana’s history.

Some companies define their space, and for decades, this was true of Thomas Cook, the world’s oldest travel firm. Longevity was not enough to save it, as it succumbed to mounting debt and pressure from new, agile industry players as well as consumers who became adept at developing their own travel itineraries. Thomas Cook may go down in history books as a sad example of unsuccessful adaptation to changing times.

Just a short time ago, the innovative commercial real-estate company WeWork seemed to have got it just right. Its unique concept involving shared “flexible workspaces, agile services and leading technologies” apparently filled a void in networked office-space management. But its stellar progress came to an abrupt halt with the failure of its much-anticipated IPO. With debts piling up, this American start-up’s future lies in the hands of its Japanese rescuer.

Bitcoin, now a decade old, was the first cryptocurrency to gain serious investor interest and has held its position as market leader. Although the volatile digital currency has experienced roller-coaster rides since its inception, it is popular for its attributes, such as decentralized, secure, peer-to-peer trading. And its acceptance as legal tender continues to grow. What considerations should investors keep in mind when weighing bitcoin as a possible investment asset?

Fear is among the most compelling human motivators, and sometimes it is appropriate. Often in investing, it is not. Fear of the next recession, underperforming, missing the boat, sustainability issues—the list of fear factors seems endless. Is fear the best investment advisor? How can investors counter fear and achieve their goals of investing in the right vehicles at the right time and accurately determining the right time to sell?

The push to transition from fossil fuels to renewables for power generation has been motivated largely by environmental concerns. But today, dollars and cents are increasingly supporting the transformation drive, as renewable-energy sources become much more cost-effective, even outmatching fossil fuels in value per dollar. Forecasts predict that new power generation through renewables—especially solar, wind, hydroelectric—will soon outstrip fossil fuels, attracting growing interest from governments, banks and investors.