Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT some kind of STD (that would be a UTI, not a UIT). A UIT, or Unit Investment Trust, IS actually a very popular investment tool, not too much unlike an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) or a general mutual fund. While not one of the most popular investment instruments out there, they are still a fascinating investing tool to learn about and potentially considering adding to your retirement account. With a little help from Investopedia, here’s what you need to know about UITs. For subject matter related to UTIs, consult your doctor or WebMD. What is a ‘UIT’? A unit investment trust (UIT) is an...
Momentum traders have no doubt had the healthcare equipment sector on their radar, and maybe even for some time. c That trend has continued with the fund posting a 14% gain thus far in 2017 compared to a 7% return for healthcare and an 8% return for biotechs. The group got another boost this past week when Intuitive Surgical (ISRG), the manufacturer of the da Vinci surgical systems that translate a surgeon’s hand movements to a robot that performs the actual procedure. The company reported a blowout first quarter that saw revenues jump 13%, earnings improve by 32% and shipments of da Vinci systems rise 21%. The emergence of artificial in...
Stock markets in Asia are mixed today following the widely-expected results of the first round of presidential elections in France. The Shanghai Composite is off 1.50%, while the Hang Seng is down 0.29%. The Nikkei 225 is trading higher by 1.32%. The US stocks closed lower in choppy trade on Friday after Trump told the Associated Press he would be releasing a massive tax cut package in the coming week. Meanwhile, share markets in India have opened the day on a positive note. The BSE Sensex is trading up by 82 points while the NSE Nifty is trading up by 15 points. The BSE Mid Cap index and BSE Small Cap index have opened the day...
Gold prices are facing heavy selling pressure after the outcome of the first-round vote in the French presidential election brightened market sentiment. Bond yields shot up as capital poured out of haven assets and the priced-in 2017 rate hike path implied in Fed Funds futures steepened. Not surprisingly, this proved to bode ill for non-interest-bearing assets including the yellow metal. The risk-on mood may keep gold on the defensive. Futures tracking the FTSE 100 and the S&P 500 equity benchmarks are pointing firmly higher in late Asian trade. That suggests bond prices will probably remain on the defensive, keeping yields well-su...
Macron won the first round and will meet Le Pen. The market favorite helps the euro. What should we look out for next? Here is their view, courtesy of eFXnews: NAB FX Strategy Research notes that comments on the latest results of the first round of voting in the French presidential election which showed certainty of a Le Pen/Macron one-two, with Le Pen not scoring much more than pre-election poll predictions of the low to mid 20 percents This outcome, according to NAB, represents a victory for French opinion polls suggesting that markets are happy to buy that Emmanuel Macron will be confirmed as the next president in two weeks’ time as...
Despite a liquidity injection and the rest of the world in ‘risk-on’ mode over the French election results, Chinese markets are tumbling… On Friday, we asked “Is China Trying To (Slowly) Burst Another Stock Market Bubble?” as Chinese monetray conditions were tightening dramatically… And, as Bloomberg reports, it seems the catalyst is further crackdowns on shadow-banking. China’s banking regulator, which said late Friday it will focus on guarding against financial risks, has ordered local units to assess cross-guaranteed loans, according to a Caixin report. Having gone 86 trading days without a los...
Yes…the stock market has been trending upwards…however that has waned… The realities are as follows… Company valuations are sky-high. At 26.44, the S&P 500’s Price/Earnings ratio is the highest EVER, except for 2008 crash and the 2000 crash. You decide if it is a good time to invest???? At 28.93, the “Shiller P/E ratio”, which looks at company valuations over a longer-term, 10-year period and adjusts for inflation, is at the highest level EVER, except for two occasions again… 2000 crash and do not want to say the 1929 crash. Wow!!!! Price to sales ratios are near the highest levels in at least 50 years. Price to book ratio...
Credit indebtness of India Inc continues to bog down the country’s banking system. Measures taken by the government and RBI have also not met with much progress. What is worrisome is that IMF’s Global Financial Stability Report expects India to be among the countries that will see the greatest deterioration in corporate balance sheets. The report states that nearly one-fifth of the corporate loans have been extended to companies with interest coverage of less than 1. Interest coverage signifies a firm’s ability to pay-off debt, where a lower ratio signifies higher risk. In other words, nearly one quarter of the corporate loa...
Whether you’re just beginning your real estate investing journey or you’re a seasoned pro, locking down the necessary financing to fund a deal can be a challenge. If you’ve exhausted your private lender options and been turned down by tradition banks, real estate crowdfunding is a unique option you’ve probably never thought of. Real estate crowdfunding is a way for small business owners (aka investors) to acquire the necessary capital to fund the purchase of a property. This method of financing has grown in popularity exponentially in recent years. Why? Because it results in success for both parties involved. Investors get the ca...
Our proprietary cycle indicator is up. The gold sector is on a long-term buy signal. Long-term signals can last for months and years and are more suitable for investors holding for the long term. The gold sector is on a short-term buy signal. Short-term signals can last for days and weeks, and are more suitable for traders. The trend is up on gold stocks. The trend is up in gold. The trend is up in silver. Silver is on a long-term buy signal. SLV is on a short-term sell signal, and short-term signals can last for days to weeks, more suitable for traders. Summary The precious metals sector is on a major buy signal. The cycle is up. The trends ...