In a survey of 21,000 people from around the world conducted by the Wharton School, Switzerland has emerged as "The Best Country." This is the second year of the survey, and the first time Switzerland was included. Last year's winner, Germany, was pushed to fourth place, with Canada and the UK taking slots 2 and 3, and Japan taking 5th. The U.S. came in seventh of the 65 countries polled. The Local writes: “Switzerland debuts as the world’s 'top' country, in part because of its progressive social systems, protection of human rights and business-friendly environment,” said the ranking … [Read more...]
Gold, Silver, and Currencies
Young Research & Publishing has been providing research and insights on precious metals and currency markets to institutional investors, corporate financial officers, business owners, and individual investors for over four decades. Richard C. Young started Young Research & Publishing in the 70s to publish the authoritative Young's World Money Forecast, a 50-page monthly investment report on the precious metals and currency markets. Today, our research on gold, silver, and currencies is geared toward investors in or nearing retirement who are looking to preserve and protect wealth.
This is why Trump just put Germany in his Crosshairs
During the Presidential campaign Trump promised to get tough on trade. Mexico was the focus of much of his rhetoric, but that isn't the only trading relationship the new administration is looking to renegotiate. The FT reports that the Trump administration wants to have a sit-down with Germany on the country's massive trade surplus. Germany's membership in the euro-area keeps its currency undervalued and provides it with a meaningful trading advantage. If the Germans brought back the Deutsche mark, most economists estimate it would appreciate significantly vis-à-vis the euro thereby … [Read more...]
What is Gold Saying about the Market Now?
After selling-off as interest rates spiked following the election, gold has made something of a comeback in 2017. Gold is up over 9% YTD compared to about a 6% gain in the S&P 500. The rally in gold seems at odds with the prevailing sentiment in the stock market. Stock market investors are bullish. The Dow has been up for ten consecutive days. Gold and stocks don't often rise in tandem like they have over the last two months. Is gold trying to tell us something? Is calamity on the horizon? Are rising gold prices a signal that goods inflation is about the rear its ugly head? Is the … [Read more...]
You Don’t Want to Ignore the Risk of a Euro Collapse
The melt-up in U.S. stock prices in February has been nothing short of spectacular. Of the 14 trading days this month, stocks have increased on twelve. The average increase in the S&P 500 on up-days in February has been 0.33%. A third of a percent may not sound like a big number, but if you compound that out over just 60 trading days, you are looking at a return of more than 20%. For novice investors, the relentless rise in stock prices may have led some to believe there is little risk in the market today. That would of course, be a mistake. Because while U.S. shares show few signs … [Read more...]
It Looks Like a Cash Bomb Might be Ready to Explode
During the last decade or so, the world's wealthy have been content to sit on their cash and wait out the low rates and uncertainty. Swiss banks are beginning to see an end to that strategy, and all that cash could once again be put to use. Ralph Atkins writes: A striking feature of global financial markets since the crises of 2007 and 2008 has been the propensity of many wealthy private investors to sit out the turmoil, holding cash in bank accounts rather than in riskier assets. Might that be about to change? The word among bankers in conservative Switzerland - the world’s largest centre … [Read more...]
China’s Latest Move to Prevent a Currency Crisis
The FT explains here that China has managed to stem the flight of capital from the country with tighter capital controls, but this is likely more of a Band-Aid than a solution. Capital that wants to leave China will eventually find its way around tighter controls. Look for China's currency, the yuan to continue to weaken as a result. Foreign property investment by Chinese companies plunged by 84 per cent last month, as Beijing’s capital controls choked off the flow of foreign acquisitions. In an effort to curb capital outflows and ease downward pressure on the renminbi, Chinese regulators … [Read more...]
An Investment Risk that Should be on your Radar
While the melt-up in equity prices has likely given some investors the impression that stocks are impervious to risk today, one risk that will surely get the markets attention if it materializes is the risk of a euro breakup. MarketWatch has the story. First there were “Grexit” fears, then the “Brexit” shock and now investors have started to brace for “Frexit”. The latest of the exit scenarios to spook financial markets, the risk of France leaving the eurozone has heightened in recent days after far-right candidate Marine Le Pen last weekend launched her presidential campaign with a … [Read more...]
Epic Multi Billion Dollar World Gold Trade Found in Switzerland
The size of Switzerland's gold trade is so large that authorities have excluded it from official trade statistics for years to avoid distorting the report and making the other data less useful. The value of Switzerland's 2015 gold exports were roughly equal to the entire GDP of Sri Lanka and accounted for four-fifths of all the gold extracted in a year. Swissinfo.ch reports: How did Switzerland manage to develop into a top-level platform for the gold trade? Primarily through tradition. The Zurich gold market has always been very important. Factors linked to security and efficiency in … [Read more...]
China Reserves Fall Below $3T for the First Time In Years
Despite China's draconian policies that aim to maintain high foreign currency reserves, the country is leaking wealth fast as citizens rush to convert their yuan into foreign currency. Bloomberg reports: Key Points Reserves fell $12.3 billion to $2.998 trillion, the People’s Bank of China said Tuesday That compares with the $3.004 trillion estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists The central bank’s intervention in foreign-exchange markets drove the drop, as did seasonal factors such as high demand for other currencies during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday, the State … [Read more...]
Are you Missing an Opportunity in European Stocks?
After a strong rally following the election, U.S. stocks are trading near all-time highs and at some of their richest valuations on record. European shares have also rallied, but trade at lower valuations on earnings that are below their prior peak. The FT explains the opportunity that some investors see in Europe. If you aren’t at least looking for opportunities in foreign markets, you could be missing a compelling opportunity. “American investors have pretty much given up on Europe,” says Joseph Oughourlian, founder of the $1.5bn activist hedge fund Amber Capital. “Europe is seen as the big … [Read more...]
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