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A DIY fund that does it all
One of the great problems of modern investing is choice. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an enormous fan of financial innovation, but I suspect that the net effect is to leave most investors confused.
David Stevenson: China is no home for property cash
Adventurous investors are by their very nature ebullient, curious, even optimistic types willing to take a punt on something new. But that doesn’t mean they need to be daft.
Autocallables are ideal for medium-term optimists
The US investor’s weekly Barron’s isn’t renowned for its sense of humour but I couldn’t help but wonder if its editors were joking when they ran an article asking “Are You Ready for Dow 20,000?” Yes, that’s four zeros on the end, not three!
Cuba’s risky market is no basket case
Sherritt International looks more interesting. It is another Canadian outfit, but boasts a successful mining operation in Cuba and owns a third of Cuban electric utility Energas. It is an impressive outfit but it is not a pure Cuba play as it also boasts big assets in Canada, Madagascar and Spain.
David Stevenson: How to ride the market whitewater
Apologies for the lack of Easter cheer but, last week, I finally decided to throw the towel in. I sold a large chunk of shares and retreated to the safety of a portfolio comprised of 30 per cent cash and “market neutral” hedge funds and 20 per cent fixed income securities.
David Stevenson: Activists versus active value funds
As the owner of some bombed-out property funds – Capital & Regional, Primary Health Property and TR Property – I can’t say I’m surprised by the emergence of shareholder activists in the sector.
Zimbabwe’s inflation hides a few hopes
One of the more surprising investment statistics of last year was that the Zimbab- wean stock market was the best performing in the world: up 12,000 per cent over 12 months. Surprising that is, until you remember that these returns reflect hyper-inflation. In real terms, the local market has been flat for the past three years – although that, in itself, is a minor miracle given the country’s economic disasters.
A forex device I can get my head around
My search for the ultimate alternative asset class – that mythical beast that can be used as a counterbalance to equity investments – leads me down some weird and wonderful roads.
Time to perk up property portfolios
Many aeons ago, I came up with an idea for a TV series. I knew a leading prime-time executive who I thought might be interested in programmes about foreign property as an investment.
David Stevenson: On the right trackers to reap dividends
Investors who subscribe to the efficient markets theory will also believe that “active” fund management is a waste of time.
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