Alternative Investment

Alternative Investment Image The Alternative Investment Market (AIM) is a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange, allowing smaller companies to float shares with a more flexible regulatory system than is applicable to the Main Market. The AIM was launched in 1995 and has raised almost £24 billion for more than 2,200 companies. Flexibility is provided by less regulation and no requirements for capitalisation or number of shares issued.

Some companies have since moved on to join the Main Market, although in the last few years, significantly more companies transferred from the Main Market to the AIM (The AIM has significant tax advantages for investors, as well as less regulatory burden for the companies themselves). In 2005, 40 companies moved directly from the Main Market to the AIM, while only two companies moved from the AIM to the Main Market.

A prized asset in the Alternative Investment is gold bullion. It proved the most reliable wealth-store during the vicious inflation of the late 1970s. Yet almost un-noticed, gold has once again been the best-performing asset bar none this decade, too.

It doesn't matter which currency you earn, spend or invest. Gold has dominated the 21st century so far – facts which will look plain to future investors, although only a small amount appreciate it today. Indeed, global demand for gold jumped 26% at the end of 2008, according to the GFMS consultancy, just as the US, British and Swiss central banks moved to begin quantitative easing – a.k.a. printing money. buying and selling gold can now be much simpler and safer than during gold’s last multi-year run. It should be substantially cheaper as well. Time to get on board the Gold Run and invest wisely!

Investing in Brazil

Alternative Investments
Friday, 16 October 2009 12:16
2009 Brazil investment guide, By Jonathan Ball Investment International presents a concise and informative guide to investment in Brazil. Incorporating material kindly provided by Experience International Stunning natural beauty, year round sunshine in many parts of the country and a friendly population together with a stable political and economical climate, makes Brazil one of the top tourist and investment destinations in the world. Read more...

Market research from Internaxx July 2009

Tuesday, 28 July 2009 10:31

This section is brought to you by the Luxembourg based online broker Internaxx. Market analysis is provided by Fortis Investments, the asset management arm of the BNP Paribas Fortis group.
Mixed macro data puts equity rally on hold (source: Fortis Investments)

While most manufacturing and trade data have bounced from extremely depressed levels, consumer and labour market data remained generally poor. Markets have taken notice and the equity market rally has stalled.

When substance meets good sense

Friday, 28 August 2009 12:24

International investment
Stick with this abiding rule in wealth management and you will have nothing to fear in this safe harbour

By Martin Crawford, CEO of Labuan IBFC Incorporated, the marketing and promotional agency for the Labuan jurisdiction

Wealth, like a good reputation, takes a long time to build but can also disappear with one false step, one bad moment, or even an unexpected economic crisis similar to the one the world is digging itself out from.

The Financial Scandals in Perspective

Tuesday, 28 July 2009 10:02

Letter from America - The Financial Scandals in Perspective

by Charles Lewis Sizemore, CFA
Chief Investment Officer

Would you consider putting your investable assets in “a company for carrying on an undertaking of great advantage, but no one is to know what it is”?

A prudent investor might require a little more due diligence and demand a little more information about this company of “great advantage” before buying shares. But during the British South Sea investment mania of the 1720s, £2000 in investment capital was raised by the founder of said company – which would be between £270,000 and £3 million at today’s prices, depending on how you account for inflation, according to research site measuringworth.com. Not too surprisingly, the founder of this venture quietly disappeared to the Continent and was never heard from again. “Of great advantage” indeed, at least for the promoter.