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.
Many commodities have watched their prices drop, but iron ore is one exception; its price has surged to levels not seen since 2014. The price of iron ore, the main ingredient of steel, is being propelled upward by the combination of growing shortage and intensifying demand. Devastating circumstances affecting the world’s top producers, Brazil and Australia, along with booming demand in China are mainly to blame for the supply shortfall.
Alternative is a broad term, taking in whatever is different from the conventional. In investments, that means anything that isn’t stocks, bonds or cash. It’s a large playing field that is attracting an increasing number of investors, including some of the wealthiest in the world. Returns can be high, but so can risks; what are some of these diverse investment opportunities and of what should the shrewd investor be cautious?
Few commodities have experienced more pronounced volatility over the last few years than cobalt. This versatile, ferromagnetic metal has been increasingly sought after in recent times, thanks in no small part to its use in lithium-ion batteries