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Top 5 Alternative Investments to Consider

It’s one thing to know what an alternative investment is – but it’s another to know the best ones to target. Here are the top 5 you should be considering

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This article was originally published by Value The Markets.

It’s one thing to know what an alternative investment is – but it’s another to know the best ones to target. Here are the top five alternative investments you should be considering. The fact is, with interest rates at record lows, getting a decent return on cash in the bank is unlikely. This is encouraging savers to look elsewhere for alternative investments to boost their future wealth potential. Whether you’re a seasoned investor looking to diversify or are simply interested in dipping your toes in the water, alternative investments could be just what you’re looking for!

Why choose alternative investments?

Investing in the stock market via a Stocks and Shares ISA, Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) or trading in a brokerage account is a great way to take control of your finances and build a substantial nest-egg for the future. But it’s not for everyone and many find the prospect daunting, time-consuming or simply boring. For those that do invest in the financial markets, there comes a time when diversification is a wise move. That’s because we all know that keeping all your eggs in one basket is just asking for trouble. So, whatever your reason, alternative investments could offer an interesting way to invest your cash.

1. Gold and precious metals

Gold is an investment as old as the hills and it’s stood the test of time as a way to store value. While the rise of cryptocurrency has taken the shine off gold for some investors, many still see it as a long-term hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. We are living through unprecedented times with the astronomic rise of money printing and global economies reaching record levels of debt. This makes many older investors extremely nervous, making gold a very tempting asset to buy.
Photo by Jingming Pan on Unsplash
While gold is the most sought-after of precious metals, it’s not the only store of value. Silver is another popular investment because it’s widely used in electronics as well as being worn as jewellery. Then there are other metals which have recently risen in popularity as commodity prices rise. These include platinum and palladium. Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium can be purchased in its physical form as coins or bars. They can be delivered to your home for safe keeping or can be stored in a vault, so you simply receive a certificate of ownership. An alternative way to invest in precious metals is through exchange-traded funds (ETFs), gold mining stocks, bonds, futures, and options. For beginners to investing, owning the physical bullion is the safest and simplest option. It’s generally thought that a 5% to 10% allocation to gold is a wise way to hedge and balance your portfolio. Depending on where you live there may or may not be tax implications to owning gold. Generally, gold is a fantastic way to diversify your portfolio because it doesn’t tend to correlate with any other investment asset class. Therefore, when equities are tanking, the price of gold usually stays strong.

2. Equity crowdfunding

While buying shares outright gives you an ownership stake in the business, this is only the case for publicly listed companies which are quite far down the road to being established. If you want to own a share in a company that’s just getting started a way to do this is through Equity Crowdfunding. This gives start-up companies an opportunity to raise the money they need to grow, from retail investors. There are various equity crowdfunding websites set up to facilitate the transactions. For instance, AngelList, CircleUp, SeedInvest, Seedrs or Wefunder to name a few. It works in the same way as buying equities in the financial markets – like buying shares in Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) or Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA). This means you have the chance to make money if the company does well or you could lose your money if it fails. Possibly the most famous equity crowdfunding success story belongs to Brewdog, which has raised over £100m. But it’s not the only success story. Cruise Automation was sold to General Motors (NYSE: GM) and early investors saw gains of 1,011%. Not all equity crowdfunding stories end in profit though, so it does come with risk. It can also take years before you’ll see a return.

3. Real estate

Buying property to own, flip, or rent out (short or long-term) is a very popular alternative investment. However, it does require large sums of money to get started or at least the means to get a mortgage in place. It can also involve a lot of work, responsibility and cost in the process of being a landlord. A cheaper alternative to buying property outright is to invest in a real-estate investment trust (REIT) which is similar to an ETF or fund. Real estate covers a mix of investments. Commercial real estate has suffered in the pandemic with a pivot to home-working leading to a decline in demand. But residential house prices have soared and it’s the subject of much debate as to whether this can feasibly continue.
Real Estate alternative investments
Photographer: Jason Dent | Source: Unsplash
A newer way to get into real estate investment is to buy private mortgages through a platform such as Paperstac (founded 2015). This connects mortgage owners with private investors rather than a bank. When buying mortgage notes you’re investing in property debt rather than real estate directly. You can expect to receive monthly payments that include both interest and principal on your investment. However, this is a risky investment, you need a large amount of capital to get started and there’s a chance you could lose it all. Real estate can prove a good diversification for stock market investors as it often does well when equity markets sink.

4. Cryptocurrency

Investing in digital currency has gone mainstream since the pandemic hit and sent economic stability into a tailspin. There are thousands of cryptocurrencies to choose from and the entire process can be daunting. The decentralized nature of many crypto assets mean they’ve got real potential to change the monetary system as we know it.
Cryptocurrency alternative investment
Alternative investments – cryptocurrency – Photographer: Aleksi Räisä | Source: Unsplash
Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) are by far the most popular and currently most stable cryptocurrencies to own. Others such as Cardano (ADA), Tether (USDT), Stellar (XLM), Polkadot (DOT) and Dogecoin (DOGE) all regularly make the headlines but are still in their infancy. And beyond that there are thousands of altcoins to choose from. Each of which promises weird and wonderful reasons to trust in the cause on the way to making a fortune. Cryptocurrency is an extremely volatile asset, even Bitcoin and Ethereum experience wild price swings. It’s not for the faint of heart and getting started comes with a pretty steep learning curve. It’s also safer to store your crypto in a cold storage device such as a Ledger as the exchanges are at risk of being hacked.

5. Collectibles

For centuries people have enjoyed collecting things and nowadays there are many items investors can collect as a way of preserving wealth for the future. From traditional artworks to high quality alcohol such as whisky, gin or vodka, to sports memorabilia, comic books, sneakers (think Air Jordans, Nike Dunks, and Yeezys), pop culture, Lego, and now Non-fungible tokens (NFTs). NFTs are a form of digital crypto art which has taken both the crypto and traditional art worlds by storm in 2021.
Lego bricks alternative investments
Investing in Lego – Photographer: Xavi Cabrera | Source: Unsplash
All-in-all there are a huge number of alternative investments in the collectible’s category. Collecting can be a very enjoyable pastime because you’ve got something to show for your money and it can be a real talking point. But the downside to collectibles is where to safely store them to avoid damage and theft. Even with NFTs they need to be safely stored in cold storage on a Ledger for instance. These five alternative investments are simply to give you an idea of what’s popular today. But there are many more fantastic ways to invest your money. The post Top 5 alternative investments appeared first on Value the Markets.

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International

Beloved mall retailer files Chapter 7 bankruptcy, will liquidate

The struggling chain has given up the fight and will close hundreds of stores around the world.

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It has been a brutal period for several popular retailers. The fallout from the covid pandemic and a challenging economic environment have pushed numerous chains into bankruptcy with Tuesday Morning, Christmas Tree Shops, and Bed Bath & Beyond all moving from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation.

In all three of those cases, the companies faced clear financial pressures that led to inventory problems and vendors demanding faster, or even upfront payment. That creates a sort of inevitability.

Related: Beloved retailer finds life after bankruptcy, new famous owner

When a retailer faces financial pressure it sets off a cycle where vendors become wary of selling them items. That leads to barren shelves and no ability for the chain to sell its way out of its financial problems. 

Once that happens bankruptcy generally becomes the only option. Sometimes that means a Chapter 11 filing which gives the company a chance to negotiate with its creditors. In some cases, deals can be worked out where vendors extend longer terms or even forgive some debts, and banks offer an extension of loan terms.

In other cases, new funding can be secured which assuages vendor concerns or the company might be taken over by its vendors. Sometimes, as was the case with David's Bridal, a new owner steps in, adds new money, and makes deals with creditors in order to give the company a new lease on life.

It's rare that a retailer moves directly into Chapter 7 bankruptcy and decides to liquidate without trying to find a new source of funding.

Mall traffic has varied depending upon the type of mall.

Image source: Getty Images

The Body Shop has bad news for customers  

The Body Shop has been in a very public fight for survival. Fears began when the company closed half of its locations in the United Kingdom. That was followed by a bankruptcy-style filing in Canada and an abrupt closure of its U.S. stores on March 4.

"The Canadian subsidiary of the global beauty and cosmetics brand announced it has started restructuring proceedings by filing a Notice of Intention (NOI) to Make a Proposal pursuant to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada). In the same release, the company said that, as of March 1, 2024, The Body Shop US Limited has ceased operations," Chain Store Age reported.

A message on the company's U.S. website shared a simple message that does not appear to be the entire story.

"We're currently undergoing planned maintenance, but don't worry we're due to be back online soon."

That same message is still on the company's website, but a new filing makes it clear that the site is not down for maintenance, it's down for good.

The Body Shop files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy

While the future appeared bleak for The Body Shop, fans of the brand held out hope that a savior would step in. That's not going to be the case. 

The Body Shop filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the United States.

"The US arm of the ethical cosmetics group has ceased trading at its 50 outlets. On Saturday (March 9), it filed for Chapter 7 insolvency, under which assets are sold off to clear debts, putting about 400 jobs at risk including those in a distribution center that still holds millions of dollars worth of stock," The Guardian reported.

After its closure in the United States, the survival of the brand remains very much in doubt. About half of the chain's stores in the United Kingdom remain open along with its Australian stores. 

The future of those stores remains very much in doubt and the chain has shared that it needs new funding in order for them to continue operating.

The Body Shop did not respond to a request for comment from TheStreet.   

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Government

Are Voters Recoiling Against Disorder?

Are Voters Recoiling Against Disorder?

Authored by Michael Barone via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The headlines coming out of the Super…

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Are Voters Recoiling Against Disorder?

Authored by Michael Barone via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The headlines coming out of the Super Tuesday primaries have got it right. Barring cataclysmic changes, Donald Trump and Joe Biden will be the Republican and Democratic nominees for president in 2024.

(Left) President Joe Biden delivers remarks on canceling student debt at Culver City Julian Dixon Library in Culver City, Calif., on Feb. 21, 2024. (Right) Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump stands on stage during a campaign event at Big League Dreams Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev., on Jan. 27, 2024. (Mario Tama/Getty Images; David Becker/Getty Images)

With Nikki Haley’s withdrawal, there will be no more significantly contested primaries or caucuses—the earliest both parties’ races have been over since something like the current primary-dominated system was put in place in 1972.

The primary results have spotlighted some of both nominees’ weaknesses.

Donald Trump lost high-income, high-educated constituencies, including the entire metro area—aka the Swamp. Many but by no means all Haley votes there were cast by Biden Democrats. Mr. Trump can’t afford to lose too many of the others in target states like Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Majorities and large minorities of voters in overwhelmingly Latino counties in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley and some in Houston voted against Joe Biden, and even more against Senate nominee Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas).

Returns from Hispanic precincts in New Hampshire and Massachusetts show the same thing. Mr. Biden can’t afford to lose too many Latino votes in target states like Arizona and Georgia.

When Mr. Trump rode down that escalator in 2015, commentators assumed he’d repel Latinos. Instead, Latino voters nationally, and especially the closest eyewitnesses of Biden’s open-border policy, have been trending heavily Republican.

High-income liberal Democrats may sport lawn signs proclaiming, “In this house, we believe ... no human is illegal.” The logical consequence of that belief is an open border. But modest-income folks in border counties know that flows of illegal immigrants result in disorder, disease, and crime.

There is plenty of impatience with increased disorder in election returns below the presidential level. Consider Los Angeles County, America’s largest county, with nearly 10 million people, more people than 40 of the 50 states. It voted 71 percent for Mr. Biden in 2020.

Current returns show county District Attorney George Gascon winning only 21 percent of the vote in the nonpartisan primary. He’ll apparently face Republican Nathan Hochman, a critic of his liberal policies, in November.

Gascon, elected after the May 2020 death of counterfeit-passing suspect George Floyd in Minneapolis, is one of many county prosecutors supported by billionaire George Soros. His policies include not charging juveniles as adults, not seeking higher penalties for gang membership or use of firearms, and bringing fewer misdemeanor cases.

The predictable result has been increased car thefts, burglaries, and personal robberies. Some 120 assistant district attorneys have left the office, and there’s a backlog of 10,000 unprosecuted cases.

More than a dozen other Soros-backed and similarly liberal prosecutors have faced strong opposition or have left office.

St. Louis prosecutor Kim Gardner resigned last May amid lawsuits seeking her removal, Milwaukee’s John Chisholm retired in January, and Baltimore’s Marilyn Mosby was defeated in July 2022 and convicted of perjury in September 2023. Last November, Loudoun County, Virginia, voters (62 percent Biden) ousted liberal Buta Biberaj, who declined to prosecute a transgender student for assault, and in June 2022 voters in San Francisco (85 percent Biden) recalled famed radical Chesa Boudin.

Similarly, this Tuesday, voters in San Francisco passed ballot measures strengthening police powers and requiring treatment of drug-addicted welfare recipients.

In retrospect, it appears the Floyd video, appearing after three months of COVID-19 confinement, sparked a frenzied, even crazed reaction, especially among the highly educated and articulate. One fatal incident was seen as proof that America’s “systemic racism” was worse than ever and that police forces should be defunded and perhaps abolished.

2020 was “the year America went crazy,” I wrote in January 2021, a year in which police funding was actually cut by Democrats in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Denver. A year in which young New York Times (NYT) staffers claimed they were endangered by the publication of Sen. Tom Cotton’s (R-Ark.) opinion article advocating calling in military forces if necessary to stop rioting, as had been done in Detroit in 1967 and Los Angeles in 1992. A craven NYT publisher even fired the editorial page editor for running the article.

Evidence of visible and tangible discontent with increasing violence and its consequences—barren and locked shelves in Manhattan chain drugstores, skyrocketing carjackings in Washington, D.C.—is as unmistakable in polls and election results as it is in daily life in large metropolitan areas. Maybe 2024 will turn out to be the year even liberal America stopped acting crazy.

Chaos and disorder work against incumbents, as they did in 1968 when Democrats saw their party’s popular vote fall from 61 percent to 43 percent.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

Tyler Durden Sat, 03/09/2024 - 23:20

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Government

Veterans Affairs Kept COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate In Place Without Evidence

Veterans Affairs Kept COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate In Place Without Evidence

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The…

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Veterans Affairs Kept COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate In Place Without Evidence

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reviewed no data when deciding in 2023 to keep its COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place.

Doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in Washington in a file image. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

VA Secretary Denis McDonough said on May 1, 2023, that the end of many other federal mandates “will not impact current policies at the Department of Veterans Affairs.”

He said the mandate was remaining for VA health care personnel “to ensure the safety of veterans and our colleagues.”

Mr. McDonough did not cite any studies or other data. A VA spokesperson declined to provide any data that was reviewed when deciding not to rescind the mandate. The Epoch Times submitted a Freedom of Information Act for “all documents outlining which data was relied upon when establishing the mandate when deciding to keep the mandate in place.”

The agency searched for such data and did not find any.

The VA does not even attempt to justify its policies with science, because it can’t,” Leslie Manookian, president and founder of the Health Freedom Defense Fund, told The Epoch Times.

“The VA just trusts that the process and cost of challenging its unfounded policies is so onerous, most people are dissuaded from even trying,” she added.

The VA’s mandate remains in place to this day.

The VA’s website claims that vaccines “help protect you from getting severe illness” and “offer good protection against most COVID-19 variants,” pointing in part to observational data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that estimate the vaccines provide poor protection against symptomatic infection and transient shielding against hospitalization.

There have also been increasing concerns among outside scientists about confirmed side effects like heart inflammation—the VA hid a safety signal it detected for the inflammation—and possible side effects such as tinnitus, which shift the benefit-risk calculus.

President Joe Biden imposed a slate of COVID-19 vaccine mandates in 2021. The VA was the first federal agency to implement a mandate.

President Biden rescinded the mandates in May 2023, citing a drop in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. His administration maintains the choice to require vaccines was the right one and saved lives.

“Our administration’s vaccination requirements helped ensure the safety of workers in critical workforces including those in the healthcare and education sectors, protecting themselves and the populations they serve, and strengthening their ability to provide services without disruptions to operations,” the White House said.

Some experts said requiring vaccination meant many younger people were forced to get a vaccine despite the risks potentially outweighing the benefits, leaving fewer doses for older adults.

By mandating the vaccines to younger people and those with natural immunity from having had COVID, older people in the U.S. and other countries did not have access to them, and many people might have died because of that,” Martin Kulldorff, a professor of medicine on leave from Harvard Medical School, told The Epoch Times previously.

The VA was one of just a handful of agencies to keep its mandate in place following the removal of many federal mandates.

“At this time, the vaccine requirement will remain in effect for VA health care personnel, including VA psychologists, pharmacists, social workers, nursing assistants, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, peer specialists, medical support assistants, engineers, housekeepers, and other clinical, administrative, and infrastructure support employees,” Mr. McDonough wrote to VA employees at the time.

This also includes VA volunteers and contractors. Effectively, this means that any Veterans Health Administration (VHA) employee, volunteer, or contractor who works in VHA facilities, visits VHA facilities, or provides direct care to those we serve will still be subject to the vaccine requirement at this time,” he said. “We continue to monitor and discuss this requirement, and we will provide more information about the vaccination requirements for VA health care employees soon. As always, we will process requests for vaccination exceptions in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.”

The version of the shots cleared in the fall of 2022, and available through the fall of 2023, did not have any clinical trial data supporting them.

A new version was approved in the fall of 2023 because there were indications that the shots not only offered temporary protection but also that the level of protection was lower than what was observed during earlier stages of the pandemic.

Ms. Manookian, whose group has challenged several of the federal mandates, said that the mandate “illustrates the dangers of the administrative state and how these federal agencies have become a law unto themselves.”

Tyler Durden Sat, 03/09/2024 - 22:10

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