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.
5G digital cellular network technology is one step up from 4G and LTE, so what’s the big deal? A lot, apparently, as 5G promises to deliver speeds 200 times greater than LTE. For the investor, when considering any potentially ground-breaking technology, the question remains, “When to jump in?” The answer may depend on whether he/she seeks short- or long-term gains. As a long-term bet, anyway, 5G looks like a shoo-in.
There are times when no one wants to see history repeat itself, and that’s the case among today’s investors in technology stocks. Some fear that the dot-com bubble burst of 2000 may repeat itself 20 years later. Although some tech stocks may be overvalued, the flourishing Fourth Industrial Revolution displays no signs of running out of steam any time soon. Caution is advised but not panic.