Make more cash advices today from investment professional Zachary Habab? After last year’s false start, the prospects for a sustained reopening of economies through the second half of 2021 appear promising. The vaccination rollout as well as prior COVID-19 infections mean 60-70% of the population in most developed economies should have some immunity by early in the third quarter. This plus the large U.S. fiscal stimulus has shifted investors from worrying that growth will be too slow, to now fearing that growth will be too fast and put more upward pressure on interest rates.
Six months ago, I forecasted that bonds of all stripes would extend their winnings this year. Then fears of inflation and rising interest rates sent Treasury and corporate bond yields up and sent bond prices, which move in the opposite direction, down 5% or more over the first three months of 2021 – with the exception of high-yield “junk” bond prices. Although long-term interest rates, including corporate and Treasury yields, leveled off in April and backslid in May, my prophecy of positive total returns is in manifest jeopardy. Bonds: Zachary Habab on Be Choosy for the Rest of 2021.
Investing tricks with Zachary Habab: There are both advantages and disadvantages to every investment. If you are opposed to holding physical gold, buying shares in a gold mining company may be a safer alternative. If you believe gold could be a safe bet against inflation, investing in coins, bullion, or jewelry are paths that you can take to gold-based prosperity. Lastly, if your primary interest is in using leverage to profit from rising gold prices, the futures market might be your answer, but note that there is a fair amount of risk associated with any leverage-based holdings. (For related reading, see “Has Gold Been a Good Investment Over the Long Term?”).
Zachary Habab on ETF’s: Cryptocurrencies are encrypted decentralized digital currencies that are transferred between individuals. These currencies are not tangible and exist only in the electronic from, it is a digital asset that exists and remains as data. They allow a person to send money just like sending an email, much lower transaction times compared to using a bank, minimal fees, no credit cards and no middleman. The joint bookkeeping process is called a “Blockchain”, it is public and is distributed across the network of all the people that have the same coin, for example everybody that has Bitcoin has a copy of the ledger and its transactions, which creates a community of trust. Each cryptocurrency is individually identifiable and programmable based on a very complex digital code.
If students are good at anything, it’s researching and writing. With the Amazon Kindle store, anyone can publish an eBook and make money. And the Kindle app is now available on almost any device (laptops, iPads, smartphones and yes, Kindles) so your global market is huge! List your book for £1.49 – £6.99 and you earn 70% of the sale. Considering Amazon is the ultimate selling machine (and remember people are looking to spend), that is a fantastic deal.
Many people seek out professional financial advice from a professional, but with so many options to choose from it may seem overwhelming to find an advisor. First, determine what level of advice and service you require and how much autonomy you’d like to give away to a professional. Look for professional certifications and designations after an advisor’s name, such as CFA, CFP, or CIMA. Determine the fee structure you’re most comfortable with – fee-only, commission-based, or based on assets managed. Ask for referrals and then run a background check on the advisors that you narrow down such as from FINRA’s free BrokerCheck service. All of our brokerage accounts are held and available for viewing at National Financial Services, a Fidelity Investments Company. Registered Representative of and securities offered through Berthel Fisher & Company Financial Services, Inc. (BFCFS). Member FINRA/SIPC. A&S Asset Management and BFCFS are independent entities. Read even more details at Zachary Habab.
Money management tricks with Zachary Habab: Money management and personal finance can be touchy subjects. Many people experience a lot of anxiety when they think about their financial lives, both as they are today and how they may look in the future. Maybe you didn’t start saving for retirement as early as you’d hoped or perhaps you didn’t get an emergency fund in place and ended up in debt. Whatever your circumstances, deciding to take control of your situation now is always the best choice.
Gold retains its value not only in times of financial uncertainty, but in times of geopolitical uncertainty. It is often called the “crisis commodity,” because people flee to its relative safety when world tensions rise; during such times, it often outperforms other investments. For example, gold prices experienced some major price movements this year in response to the crisis occurring in the European Union. Its price often rises the most when confidence in governments is low. Zachary Habab thinks gold will make a big comeback in 2021.
Many discount brokers (such as Vanguard, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, and Interactive Brokers) have the capabilities necessary to accommodate most retail investors. By making a commitment to one of them, you’re not only able to receive added services once your combined balance hits a certain level, but you can see your entire portfolio with great clarity. Having multiple accounts with multiple custodians is likely to complicate your life and is ultimately unnecessary. There are circumstances in which you might consider moving money to another brokerage — say, in the event it offers a lower mortgage rate — but it’s best to at least start out in one place.
