Finance

10 Money-Saving Tips to Survive Inflation

Author ByCFI.co

During the rest of 2022, it is estimated that global inflation will reach 5.7% in advanced economies and 8.7% in economies of developing countries. What is inflation? It is the decline in the purchasing power of currency and can seriously affect an individual’s financial health as prices rise. Luckily, there are many things that you can do to prepare for inflation. Do you want to learn how to survive inflation?

Keep reading this guide for the top 10 money-saving tips that will help with surviving inflation.

1. Assess Your Spending Habits

Assessing your spending habits is one of the easiest ways you can save money in times of high inflation. Inflation can make it difficult to stick to your budget, so you should try to identify all the areas where you are spending money.

This will allow you to adjust your budget and change your spending habits in response to the higher prices.

Are there things that you can temporarily stop paying for to save money? Consider all of the non-essential expenses that you can cut back on!

2. Avoid New Debt

Another important tip that can help you save money as inflation rises is avoiding new debt when possible. In the last year, interest rates have risen, which makes it more difficult to pay off your loans.

This is especially difficult if you have variable rate loans, as the rates can change without much notice.

Avoiding new debt can help you reduce your monthly payments and will give you more financial flexibility!

3. Pay Off Existing Debt

Not only do you need to avoid new debt, but you must also pay off existing debt. When you are in debt, you are responsible for a monthly payment. These obligations can make it more difficult to pay for the things that you need to survive.

To pay off your existing debt faster, you should try paying more than the minimum payments on your balances each month!

4. Have an Emergency Fund

Building an emergency fund is necessary for any budget, but is especially helpful when inflation increases. This will help you plan for the future and will protect you in the event of an emergency or changes to the economy.

It is a designated savings account that has reserve funds and will provide you with a buffer that will protect you as prices continue to increase.

5. Wait for Large Expenses

If you were planning on making any large purchases, like a new car or a new appliance, these prices may be affected by inflation.

If possible, it is best to wait to buy these large expenses until it is completely necessary. This way, you can start setting aside extra money to prepare for the increased prices!

6. Shop Sales

Being frugal and learning to save money can help you survive when prices start to rise. One way you can do this is by starting to shop sales. Just because prices are starting to rise doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the things that you normally purchase.

Instead, you can just wait until things go on sale to buy them!

There are also other ways you can save money, like buying in bulk or using rewards programs to save money.

7. Diversify Your Portfolio

Having a diverse portfolio can help you prepare for increasing inflation and will help you save money! It is important that you have investments that will continue to appreciate, even as the value of money decreases.

Make sure you don’t put all of your eggs in one basket! Having many types of investments will ensure that you don’t lose all of your investments to inflation and will protect your portfolio.

8. Find Ways to Increase Your Income

Not only do you need to save money when you are dealing with inflation, but you also must find ways to increase your income. This will help balance the rising costs to keep up with the cost of living.

For example, you can ask your boss for a raise to account for changes in inflation.

There may be other ways that you can increase your income with a side hustle or a hobby that you can use to start making more money.

9. Conserve Energy at Home

There are many expenses that are often out of your hands, like your rent or mortgage payments. However, things like utility bills change each month and you can make changes to your habits to save money!

Finding ways to conserve energy at home can help you save money to combat inflation.

For example, you can start by turning off the lights in rooms that you are not using. You can also keep your home at a lower temperature during the winter and at a higher temperature in the summer months.

Making these small changes to your energy usage can save a lot of money in the long run.

10. Be Prepared

Finally, it is essential that you are prepared for inflation! You can often expect inflation rates to rise over the years, so learning to prepare for inflation can help you get through the difficult times.

Learning to be frugal and how to increase your savings will provide you with additional cushioning when inflation starts to increase.

When you are prepared, you don’t have to panic. You will know what changes to make to survive inflation and you will be okay!

Learn How to Survive Inflation by Preparing Now

Inflation is something that you cannot avoid. Still, there are ways that you can prepare for inflation so it doesn’t affect you as much as it affects others around the world. Following each of these tips can help you survive inflation without affecting your financial health.

Do you want to learn more about inflation tips to follow? CFI.co can help! Our bank provides expert advice about wealth management and finances and can help you prepare.

Check out our wealth management blogs today for more money-saving tips!

Finance

7 Benefits of Investing in Stocks

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

If you’re new to investing, now is a great time to learn the ropes. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about investing styles, risk tolerance, and much more. Your investments will likely rise and fall. You’ll also gain valuable insight into normal market volatility. You’ll also be better prepared for the unexpected by investing in stocks. Listed below are the top 10 reasons to invest in stocks. 

7 Benefits of Investing in Stocks

Dividends

The dividends that you receive from stocks can be a great way to diversify your portfolio, in this article they have put together Motley fool vs seeking alpha and compared their investing style. However, while high dividend yields can be tempting, you should also choose the right company for long-term investment. The most popular way to invest in stocks that pay dividends is through a mutual fund or ETF. Many ETFs track dividend-paying companies and focus on certain regions and sectors. You can also choose to invest in ETFs that focus on companies with a history of dividend-paying dividends.

Compounding

Many people are hesitant to invest in stocks, but many realize the compounding power of these investments. Investing over a long period will reap the most benefits. If you start early, compounding will take care of the rest. By the time you are sixty, your $10,000 investment will be worth $67,275. This is the same amount as if you invested only one month earlier. Here are some simple ways to maximize your investment’s compounding power.

Long-term growth

The long-term growth benefits of investing in stocks are many. They include greater profits, reduced taxes, and fewer fees. However, long-term investments do require a careful selection of businesses. Investors who buy and sell stocks too often are handicapping their chances of success. Ideally, long-term investments should be made in companies with sound management, long-term growth prospects, and a good balance of risk and reward.

High potential returns

While stocks and bonds have historically produced the highest average annual returns, these calculations do not consider all factors. This may result in an inaccurate picture and unrealistic expectations. In addition, the volatility of stock prices overtime should not be confused with historical returns. Stocks can increase and decrease more than bonds. You should always check with your financial adviser before making a decision. Investing in stocks is an excellent way to protect your money from inflation.

Reduced risk

If you’re worried about investing in stocks, you’re not alone. Many people have similar concerns, making it even harder to know where to begin. However, some simple tips can help you reduce your exposure to stocks. Investing in stocks can be risky, so a few strategies can help reduce it. First, diversify your portfolio. Then, you can invest in various types of stocks, including low-risk and high-risk stocks.

Diversification

When you invest in a range of assets, you limit the risk of anyone asset crashing down and reduce the impact of sudden increases. While diversification does limit your upside potential in short-term markets, it can lead to higher long-term returns. While some investors prefer to invest in single stocks, a diverse portfolio can help balance their risks. The benefits of diversification can be seen in a variety of situations.

Low volatility

One of the main reasons for low volatility is the lottery ticket effect. Many investors participate in the market purely as a gamble and don’t care about the downside risk. As a result, stocks with high volatility have greater upside potential, but the downside risk is generally limited to the money invested. As a result, investors are willing to pay a premium for a lower volatility index. This anomaly hasn’t been arbitraged away, but it remains a key reason to invest in stocks with low volatility.

Banking

What Do Increased Interest Rates Mean for Your Wealth?

Author ByCFI.co

Congratulations, you’re a grown-up!

That means that your money is doing more than just sitting in a savings account. You’ve got an IRA and you’re investing in real estate. Heck, you might even have some stocks or bonds.

As a savvy and forward-thinking person, you are already aware that interest rates are the price of borrowing money. These rates affect everything from auto loans to mortgages. When there are increased interest rates, lenders make more money on each loan.

But what does all this mean for your wealth?

We’re going to dig into this question to see how recent increases in interest rates might affect your current and future expenses. Keep reading to get the scoop.

The Federal Reserve Bank and the Overall Economy

The Federal Reserve Bank is a private bank that works independently of the federal government. It’s responsible for setting interest rates and regulating the banking system. When there are economic problems, they can lower or raise interest rates to help stimulate growth in the economy.

In May 2022, federal interest rates rose by half a percentage to 0.75% – 1%. This may increase to around 3% by the end of this year if we stay on track with our current economic situation and the inflation rate continues to rise as predicted. So you should continue to keep up to date on how this latest federal reserve hike are impacting business loans and mortgages.

Your Existing Loans

It is important to know how the new interest rates will affect your monthly payments if you already have a loan. If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, for example, there won’t be much of an impact on your debt since it does not change based on market conditions. However, if you have a variable-rate mortgage or student loans, higher interest rates could mean that your payment amount will increase and become more difficult to handle.

To avoid any surprises in the future, consider refinancing at a lower rate now while they’re still available. This can help reduce the cost of borrowing and improve overall savings. Plus, if there are other options available, like shorter terms or even no prepayment penalties, refinancing may be well worth it!

Credit Card Debt

If you have credit card debt, your interest rate is likely to increase because of the Federal Reserve’s rate hike. This is because credit cards are based on the prime rate, which moves in tandem with the federal funds rate.

If you have outstanding balances on multiple credit cards with different rates, consider merging them into one debt with a fixed interest rate that better matches what you pay now. That way, your payments will remain stable whenever your current card adjusts its rates.

The Housing Market

The housing market is one of the biggest economic drivers, so it’s no surprise that any changes to this sector would impact your wealth.

When interest rates increase, it becomes more affordable for you to buy a new home. On the flip side, renting may become more expensive as landlords pass along their rising expenses by raising rents (or evicting tenants).

Increased Interest Rates and the Stock Market

When the Federal Reserve Bank raises interest rates, it can have a positive impact on bank stocks. In fact, when the Fed raised interest rates in December 2018, bank stocks performed very well. Reason: When the Fed raises interest rates, savings accounts can earn more money and people are likely to use banks more often.

The stock market as a whole does not react favourably to rising hikes from the Federal Reserve Bank though. Instead, it goes down because of inflation eroding away at investors’ returns.

There’s no guarantee how your investment portfolio will move if interest rates go up. However, it is good practice that you regularly rebalance your portfolio so that any potential losses remain minimal.

Bonds and Other Fixed Investments

When you invest in bonds, you are lending money to the issuer of the bond. The issuer pays a fixed rate of interest on this loan (known as “coupon payments”), which is paid at regular intervals (usually monthly). Most bond issuers are corporations and governments, although they can also be other entities, such as mutual funds.

When interest rates rise, the price of bonds decreases to attract investors. Issuers might even be forced to reduce the interest rate they pay out in order to attract investors.

Personal Spending

It’s not uncommon for people to panic when they hear the word “interest rate hike.” But it’s important to remember that interest rates affect all sectors of the economy. While they might have a negative impact in some areas, there are others where higher rates can be beneficial.

Some people may choose to spend less when interest rates are high, but this could also be a good time to invest in certain areas. For example, if you’re thinking of buying a home, a higher interest rate may mean that you’ll have to pay less each month for your mortgage. It will also likely mean that the value of your home, along with other investments you make during this time, could appreciate at a faster-than-average rate.

Wealth management during this period of inflation can be difficult, but if done correctly, it can lead to financial stability.

Protect Your Wealth in Any Economy

As you can see, increased interest rates have a lot of implications for consumers. But don’t worry—by paying attention to these trends and making smart decisions about where to invest your money, you can still work to grow your wealth.

With careful planning and a clear idea about your spending habits, you can take control of your money situation. Check out our other blogs to learn more about how to protect your assets during periods of economic instability.

Finance

Protecting Your Portfolio: How to Choose Stocks to Invest In

Author ByCFI.co

According to CNBC, academic studies estimate that 85 per cent of day traders lose money — and that’s just the professionals. By the numbers, amateur traders had an even harder time with the stock market. Between 401ks and private investments, however, it turns out that most Americans own shares in some capacity. In 2022, for instance, Gallup found that 58 per cent of adults admitted to owning stocks.

But there’s an open secret in the investing world:

To be a successful investor, you have to know how to choose stocks to invest in. It sounds pretty simple, but the process is more complicated than it might seem.

Would you like to be profitable, retire early, and achieve all your wildest dreams through the stock market? Keep reading to learn how to build a winning investment portfolio.

1. Figure Out Your Trading Personality

This is about to get surprisingly philosophical. But truthfully, buying stocks isn’t just about dollars and calculations. It’s also about having the right mentality towards the market.

Have you ever met someone with such an abrasive personality that they could make sandpaper feel like silk? Talk about the last person you’d hire as a grief counsellor.

In the same way that some personalities don’t always mesh well with certain professions, investors can set themselves up for failure by choosing the wrong investment strategy.

Are you a high-risk and high-reward kind of person? Or do you take a slow-and-steady-wins-the-race approach to things?

Before you start looking at charts and evaluating broker spreads, you’ll want to understand your risk tolerance levels and your ideal day-to-day trading habits. This will give you a general sense of what a sustainable trading strategy might look like for you.

2. Set Your Portfolio Goals

Imagine you’re watching a wilderness survival challenge on TV. One team brings a map, a compass, and a GPS. And the other team is winging it.

All things being equal, the group with the map is more likely to reach the final destination first, right?

While most investors would agree that they want to make money, it can be hard to tell if you’re doing well or you’re underperforming when you don’t have financial targets. Consider this:

From 1926 to 2021, the S&P 500 has had an annualized return of roughly 10.5 per cent. Can you beat that result? Should you be trying to?

When you have specific benchmarks, it becomes a lot easier to evaluate stocks within the context of your overall investment portfolio goals.

3. Establish Trading Rules

So at first glance, this might sound like How to Start Investing 101. But having rules of engagement around your stock purchases is one of the most important investment tips you’ll ever get.

Stock market investing is about compounding returns. When you’re changing strategies on a whim, it becomes harder to cash in on the full growth potential of your investing approach.

However, that’s only half the story. Along with a reasonably well-established set of rules, you’ll also want to ensure that your strategy can respond to market conditions.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, the hospitality and travel industries were hit extremely hard. But as restrictions eased and borders started reopening, suddenly everyone wanted to book flights and hotel rooms. A well-rounded trading strategy would have considered both the short-term drop in the market and the potential for big returns in the medium to longer term.

4. Become an Industry Expert

Fast forward a few months from now. You’ve developed your strategy and found a few positions you like. Now all you have to do is start buying stocks and watching the money roll in, right?

Well, not necessarily.

The internet is full of people telling each other to, “Do your own research!”. But beyond settling online disputes, it’s a sound piece of advice for aspiring stock market investors.

Here’s why:

Contrary to popular belief, the stock market rarely moves totally at random. Maybe there’s an under-the-radar scandal taking place that only people following the news would have noticed. Or perhaps, because you didn’t understand the principles of Hollywood accounting, you decide to pass on a stock that you would have purchased otherwise.

When push comes to shove, you don’t want to be one of those investors who can’t sell any of their shares in the buggy industry because consumers are buying cars. It doesn’t matter if you’re purchasing mining stocks or retailers — keeping your finger on the pulse of the trends can allow you to make better purchasing decisions.

5. Manage Your Risks

It’s not enough to just purchase stocks and let them grow. You also want to have a serious answer to the question, “How will I protect my profits in a market downturn?”.

To that end, common investment risk management strategies include:

  • Buying stocks in safer, steadier companies
  • Hedging
  • Using stop losses, options, and derivatives
  • Investing in bonds and mutual funds

Most profitable investors use a mixture of these strategies. After all, if you’re investing for retirement, for instance, your portfolio should become gradually less risky as you get closer to leaving the workforce.

But whatever you choose, there’s one thing that most experienced investors can agree on:

Being a profitable investor isn’t just about picking the right stocks and watching your portfolio value increase. It’s also about knowing when to cut your losses.

How to Choose Stocks to Invest In

Have you ever wondered how some people know how to choose stocks to invest in while others just don’t? The answer more than likely boils down to consistency.

Successful investors have consistent rules and due diligence procedures. And they’re also consistent about keeping up with industry news and growing their positions.

We can give you general investment tips about purchasing stocks with growth potential and portfolio protection. But uncovering hidden gems and staying profitable in the stock market is actually quite simple.

First, you need to find a stock-picking approach that makes sense to you. Then, you need to keep doing what works.

Are you looking for more information on all things investing? Check out the investment management section of our site to see more content like this!

Digital Banking

Sports sponsorships by crypto apps skyrocket in the past year

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

The sports sector has become the ideal target for some of the best crypto apps seeking growth. Some of the largest players in the cryptocurrency sector have announced strategic deals with sports clubs, leagues and organizations to attract new audiences. 

crypto

Best crypto apps scramble for sports partnerships 

The crypto space has grown significantly over the past year, and sports franchises have been open to securing deals in the world of cryptocurrencies. Some of the most reputable athletes have also pocketed deals, such as being brand ambassadors of some crypto projects or accepting their salaries in crypto assets. 

Last year, some of the largest crypto sports sponsorships were recorded. The sponsorship deals were worth around $1.2 billion in total. One of the greatest sports deals secured last year was by Crypto.com. The exchange acquired naming rights for the Staples Center in Los Angeles for $700 million. They also spent another $210M in a major deal with UFC.  

However, Crypto.com is not the only crypto app tapping into sports deals. FTX has also secured several major deals, including the naming rights to the Miami Heat arena last year. FTX also invested $210M for a sponsorship deal with TSM. 

Other top exchanges like Binance and Coinbase are also investing in the space. Binance, the world’s largest exchange by trading volumes, was the major partner for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament. Coinbase is also the cryptocurrency exchange for the NBA. 

Regarding the number of sports sponsorship deals secured, eToro stands out, having secured 36 sports deals with football teams based in Europe. 

Football attracts more deals 

The crypto industry is yearning to attract sports enthusiasts by marketing during major competitions. For instance, Super Bowl, the most televised sports event in the US with an over 90 million audience, attracted advertisements from leading crypto exchanges. 

Football has attracted more sports deals than any other sport. At least 56 sports partnerships have been with football clubs, tournaments and players. Football is one of the most-watched sports globally, and it makes sense that crypto apps are focusing most of their attention here.  

However, partnerships with football clubs have also attracted attention from regulators. For instance, Arsenal was banned from promoting its fan tokens last year. Liverpool fans also criticized the club’s decision to release a non-fungible token (NFT) collection. 

Sports players are also venturing into crypto 

Sports players are also entering the crypto space. Odell Beckham Jr, an NFL star, became among the first marquee sports players to receive a salary in Bitcoin. Around 8 NFL players accept part or all of their salaries in digital currencies. 

After signing for the Jacksonville Jaguars last year, Trevor Lawrence agreed to take a huge share of his $24M signing bonus in several digital currencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL). 

Bitcoin has particularly become the top option chosen by players who want to receive their wages in digital currencies. However, fan tokens are also becoming a favourite, with Lionel Messi accepting PSG fan tokens after joining the French club last year. 

Finance

7 Financial Tips Every Business Owner Should Know

Author ByCFI.co

46% of entrepreneurs don’t have any form of business education. These entrepreneurs struggle to formulate sound business financial plans. They unintentionally do things that sabotage their businesses’ growth. As one of these entrepreneurs, you should look for ways to fill this knowledge gap. To help you out, here are seven financial tips every business owner should know.

1. Separate Personal and Business Finances

As a small business owner, you don’t see the need to have two different bank accounts. You claim you can separate the personal and business finances on paper. Unfortunately, having a single bank account will lead to business financial woes.

You’re going to use business funds for personal stuff and struggle to make finances balance.

To simplify money management:

  • Open a separate bank account for your business
  • Instruct your customers to pay for products/services your business sells via this account
  • Avoid withdrawing money from this bank account for personal expenses

You want your business to stand as an independent entity.

2. Learn to Create a Periodic Business Budget and Stick to It

Most new business owners adopt a “wing it” approach when dealing with expenses and revenues. They have no idea how much money they’ll spend on a given expense. And that’s why their businesses constantly face money problems.

To counter this challenge, learn how to create a business budget. The idea is to allocate money to things that smoothen business operations. Also, a budget will help you track business expenses, thereby enhancing accountability.

3. Know When to Seek Professional Business Financial Advice

As a new entrepreneur, you assume that you’ve to figure out everything yourself. You experiment with different business management practices hoping one will work. Sadly, you make errors that hinder business growth and threaten its survival.

Instead of this trial and error approach, know when to seek professional financial advice. You want to find experts who educate you on things such as managing business credit. Also, seek advice on common financial problems small businesses face and how to overcome them.

The great thing is that you’ll find many affordable business financial experts using the internet. Besides, leverage online entrepreneurs’ forums to get financial tips from other business owners.

4. Always Track Your Working Capital

A business can report profits yet go under due to working capital problems. Working capital is the money used for the day to day business operations. It’s current assets (cash, account receivables/unpaid invoices, and stock) minus current liabilities (account payable and debts).

Your business should strive to have positive working capital as this means you’ve enough money to cater to recurring expenses. To achieve this goal, learn how to effectively manage your business’s cash flow. You want to avoid cash flow problems that disrupt operations.

Here are some of the things you can do to improve your business’s working capital:

• Cut all unnecessary spending
• Give debtors incentives to pay you sooner
• Request your creditors for longer repayment periods
• Examine your company’s cash flow patterns
• Explore cash flow loans

You want to adopt a proactive working capital management approach to streamline operations.

5. Choose the Right Business Investors

When facing business financial woes, it’s tempting to take money from anyone. The problem is that some investors are the wrong fit for your business. Some will use their investment to strong-arm you into doing things you don’t like.

Others will insist on a high return which your business can’t afford.

To avoid all these problems, take time to screen investors to find the right ones. You want to partner with people who share your passion for the business. On top of funding the business, you may also want to find investors who are experienced within your business area and can advise you on how to run it.

6. Plow Back Profits

Once your business starts generating profits, it’s tempting to withdraw all of them. You argue you’ve waited for so long, and you deserve to be rewarded. And you’re right, yet to grow your business, you need to plow back the profits.

Here are some of the ways you can reinvest the profits:

• Hire more employees and expand your workforce
• Invest in new technology that gives you an edge over the competitors
• Increase your sales and marketing budget
• Open another business branch
• Start a business emergency fund

Your goal is to invest in things that give your business stability and stimulate growth. You want to forgo current profits with hopes of reaping huge ones in the future.

7. Protect Your Enterprise Against Fraud

Cyberattacks cost companies $200,000 on average, putting many of them out of business. That’s why you should look for ways to curb these risks.

Here are some of the measures you can take to prevent cyberattacks:

• Train your staff on modern cybersecurity practices
• Invest in data encryption
• Only use secure devices and networks
• Undertake systems audit regularly to test for weakness
• Develop policies on how to handle data breaches to cut losses
• Buy cybersecurity insurance
• Consider hiring a cybersecurity consultant

Implementing these measures will help you keep up with the latest technologies without compromising cybersecurity. You want to accept electronic payments from your customers. Also, you should take advantage of different e-commerce platforms to expand your business’s reach.

Boost Business Growth by Adopting Practical Financial Tips

To stimulate business growth, you need to learn how to handle its finances effectively. Rely on the above financial tips to give your enterprise an edge. The idea is to improve your business’s working capital to give it stability.

Also, know when to seek professional business financial advice. Finally, be careful when choosing investors, as they’ll impact the business’s direction.

Please check out our Business and Finance sections for more incredible financial tips.

Economics

What Are the Key Recession Indicators to Watch?

Author ByCFI.co

The Great Recession which occurred in 2009 was so significant that it affected the whole world.

It came about after the US housing market bubble (which had been growing) suddenly burst. A recession is a bad economical state that can lead to significant losses for organizations and individuals. It’s much easier to remain secure in a recession if you know it’s coming ahead of time.

There are some recession indicators you can observe that often precede a recession. For some of these key indicators, keep reading.

1. Yield Curve

When looking at the global economy, one of the most noted trends indicating a coming recession is the “yield curve”. The yield is the interest rate on treasuries or government bonds, and these bonds have varying duration lengths (known as maturity). Some last for just a month, while others last decades, and the yield curve compares how the interest rate of these bonds changes with time.

Bonds with a longer maturity typically have higher interest rates. For investors, this presents a ‘higher risk, higher reward’ situation. When investing in a bond, a lot more can go wrong in 10 years than in 10 months, so by accepting the risk of a longer investment, they also want to receive more in return.

An inverted yield curve will slope downwards and shows that investors are asking for higher yields for short-term investments. This means that they believe there is more risk in holding a bond for a short period.

Historically, the yield curve has been known to precede downturns. A lot of economic indicators seem to lag as they come after the event. A yield curve inversion, however, comes beforehand, making it a suitable indicator to see where the global economy is going.

2. Confidence Indexes

While economics is mostly about facts and figures, people’s feelings still play a large part. A typical example is the trade war that’s going on between the US and China. It has given firms a feeling of uncertainty about the future, which has caused delays in investments and hiring.

Predicting economic trends isn’t easy, and getting things wrong can result in huge losses for businesses. Situations that make people uncertain result in a lot of caution as people don’t want to make any wrong decisions.

This even affects the choices of consumers. When people are worried about the state of the economy and are unsure how things will go, they become more reluctant to spend money. The result of this is reduced profits made by businesses.

Many organizations publish regular reports regarding confidence amongst businesses and consumers. Recent years have seen some notable dips in confidence, causing some economical issues.

With that in mind, month-to-month fluctuations are not something to be too worried about. Like many economical factors, the long-term is more important, and confidence is generally more stable in the long run.

3. Employment Data

Each month the Department of Labor publishes a report on the job market. It contains several employment measures that can be important indicators of a potential recession.

Among the various data points included is the number of hours worked, which is sometimes claimed to be a leading indicator. This is down to the number of hours a business gives to its workers. When they’re worried about sales dropping, the first thing most companies do is cut hours.

Another data point listed is “temporary help”. This is a measure of temporary workers that businesses take on. When a company is less confident they’re likely to take on more temporary workers rather than permanent employees.

“Jobless claims” is another indicator, giving an in-depth look at the labour market. The time frame is also tighter as it’s posted weekly, rather than monthly. It’s simply a count of people applying for unemployment benefits, which is naturally higher when fewer people are working.

4. Leading Economic Index

Like the yield curve, this is one of the few indicators that predicts where the global economy will head. It’s generated by the Conference Board and is comprised of 10 datasets including:

  • Average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance
  • S&P 500 stock index
  • New orders index
  • Average weekly hours worked by manufacturing workers

A negative year-over-year index has historically been closely associated with recessions. Businesses often use this index to plan future activities, helping to protect them in the event of any downturns.

5. Gross Domestic Product

Gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of economic growth, and any time the economy isn’t growing, we’re in a recession. Whenever the economy is faltering it will be clear when looking at the GDP. It’s worth noting, however, that the GDP normally fluctuates, so it’s not always a cause for concern.

Comparing the GDP to longer-run expectations from economists can help give an insight into whether or not fluctuations in the GDP are something to worry about. This information can also help determine the “output gap”.

The output gap is the difference between the maximum possible output of the economy (as viewed by economists) and the actual output and can be positive or negative. When the GDP is adjusted for inflation it’s known as the “real GDP”. Sometimes the real GDP will go above its potential, and will then fall back down below it.

6. Recession Probability Model

This is a compilation of data based on the three-month and ten-year treasury yields. It’s specifically designed to determine how likely there is to be a recession in the coming year and is typically updated at the start of each month.

The likelihood is measured as a percentage, and anything over 30% is considered a warning sign. When it reaches the 30% point, it means a recession is predicted for 12 months from that time.

Watching for Recession Indicators

Ultimately it’s not entirely possible to say exactly what will happen in the future with the economy, but the recession indicators above have historically proven to be good signs to follow. Paying attention to these is the best way to know when we’re on our way into a recession.

CFI.co has all the latest information on financial news and economical developments. If you have any questions for us click here to contact us today, and you can sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

Economics

Investment Portfolio Management: How to Hedge Against Inflation

Author ByCFI.co

2021 saw an inflation rate of 7%, making it the highest rate in decades.

Inflation is a constant factor and affects all investors. It can result in losses for individuals and businesses, and the best way to avoid these losses is to hedge against inflation.

So what does it mean to hedge against inflation? Keep reading to find out.

What Does Inflation Hedge Mean?

Inflation is one of the most important economic forces for investors to understand. It’s the reduction in the value of financial assets along with the returns that those assets produce. While some assets naturally lose value with time, this refers to a loss in terms of purchasing power and relates to all assets.

Investors work to increase their wealth with time, and to do this they need to hedge against inflation. An inflation hedge is an asset that produces returns that match or exceed the inflation rate. This means that with time, the value will either stay the same or increase.

Investors aim to incorporate these kinds of assets into their portfolios while removing any that don’t protect against inflation.

Best Investments to Hedge Against Inflation

Inflation rates change each year, meaning past solutions don’t always work. No assets are guaranteed to hedge against inflation, but some are far more reliable than others.

Gold

People often settle on buying gold to protect against inflation. Despite its popularity, there have been some periods where inflation has been very high and it has not quite stood up.

Gold has a correlation of 0.16 to inflation, which isn’t particularly high. It’s worth noting that gold also generates no dividends or interest, which some other assets do. This means that to hedge against inflation its value has to increase at the same rate.

Real Estate

Real estate has long been one of the best assets for hedging against inflation. The value of property tends to increase at a higher rate than inflation does. On top of that, property can generate a lot of income through renting/leasing.

REITs (real estate investment trusts) are companies that own or finance real estate that generates income and covers a range of sectors. Of the different REITs available, equity REITs have the best correlation with inflation. Mortgage REITs are another option, but can sometimes underperform when inflation is high.

Commodities

Commodities generally perform well against inflation and include a range of assets such as:

  • Oil and gas
  • Precious metals
  • Grains and foods
  • Timber
  • Building materials

You can invest in these through stocks, which will increase in value as the commodities do.

ETFs (exchange-traded funds) track price movements of different commodities, generally holding derivatives or futures instead of the actual commodities themselves. These are ideal for investors who don’t want to invest in a commodity directly.

TIPS and Floating Rate Bonds

TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities) are government bonds. They are pegged to inflation, meaning they will increase at the same rate. The coupon payment is reset every year to match the CPI (Consumer Price Index).

Other floating rate bonds work similarly but are pegged to interest rates rather than the CPI.

Stocks

Stocks are another very well-known investment choice. The thing that’s noteworthy with stocks is that they do best when inflation is modest – ideally between 1% and 4%.

When inflation is below 1% most stocks will have negative returns. Above 1% will give positive returns, but when inflation is over 4% it generally exceeds the returns from stocks.

The return rates can vary a lot depending on the type of company a stock is. Companies that deal with sustainable resources tend to have a better correlation with inflation.

Some companies can change their prices without much change in costs, meaning they can adjust to meet inflation. Companies that use many raw materials can’t generally do this as they have much less flexibility.

Value stocks can be a good choice as they don’t tend to be too sensitive to price increases. Dividend stocks are also good as they raise dividends with time.

Worst Investments to Hedge Against Inflation

The above assets are generally good options for hedging against inflation. There are, however, some places you can put your money that aren’t nearly as good.

Most people keep their funds in cash, but it tends to always experience value erosion. Short-term fixed-yield instruments are similar, so not the best choice.

Long-dated US Treasuries and corporate bonds have fixed yields and almost always underperform. Inflation is often higher than the coupon, which will result in a negative inflation-adjusted return.

High-end luxury goods stocks and discretionary goods may seem like a good idea, but when prices rise people tend to opt for cheaper alternatives, which makes these stocks underperform.

What About Crypto?

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are very recent assets, and there is still a lot of debate regarding them. Many people claim they’re an effective hedge against inflation, but due to how new the technology is, there currently isn’t enough data to say for a certainty.

Hedging Limitations

Even with this knowledge about the different options for hedging against inflation, some limitations make it difficult.

Inflation projections aren’t set in stone, so they won’t always be accurate. Even someone with years of experience in investing won’t always make the right purchases.

While it’s fairly clear that some investments are better than others, no assets are perfect for hedging against inflation. You should do as much research as you can into the options you have, and make a choice based on what you think is best.

Be aware that there’s always a risk with any investment. Determine the risk before investing so you know what the losses will be if things don’t go how you want them to.

Making the Right Choices

Making decisions when it comes to investing is never easy. No one ever knows for certain how their investments will pan out, and there’s always a chance of losing money. The best thing you can do to hedge against inflation is to diversify your investment portfolio – that way, if one of your assets doesn’t do well, you have less chance of making significant losses.

Staying informed with the latest financial news will help you make the best decisions. Click here to head over to CFI.co and sign up for our newsletter so we can keep you up to date.

Business

What to Expect from the Real Property Market in Dayton in 2022

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

2021 truly turned out to be a great catch for Dayton realtors. The real estate market saw a record-shattering year, quadrupling the 2011 sales. Single-family houses are trending here, the market itself proves to be client-friendly, offering relatively low prices.

Real Estate

This very inexpensiveness draws buyers like bees to a honey pot. But what surprises the most is how, despite all this, Dayton still succeeds to stay in the focus of many hunters on real estate and attract investors. Indeed, everyone in the field (both investors and buyers) has increasingly been aiming at small markets with lower prices over the past few years.

There are not so many smaller markets that have experienced high increases in rent, but Dayton is definitely one of those which enjoy the rise in numbers. Even though we are said to observe the continuation of this trend, and sales prices may face some sort of a decrease, this year still has a great possibility of becoming another bunch of records.

Dayton is a city in Ohio, actually located in the southwest of the state, in the Miami Valley (or Greater Dayton metro area). The city, despite its sizes, which are relevantly small, has a complex economy fueled by such industries as manufacturing, aeromechanics, agriculture, logistics, government, military, automotive, etc.  Many projects in economic development are constantly being implemented here, and a vast number of big companies have their headquarters located in the city.

It is 14% cheaper to live in Dayton as compared to the national average; due to the interstate major roads permeating the fabric of the city, more than half of all the Americans may reach it in only one day; there are a lot of places to visit, views to see and things to do. So if choosing where to establish a realty company in Ohio, the city of Dayton wouldn’t be a mistake.

The city is one of the largest in the state, housing approximately 137,000 people at the moment. Even though the amounts of population haven`t increased a lot, and the pace in Dayton itself has slowed down compared to previous results from 2021, its suburban areas do have experienced the largest rates of growth over the decade, setting a new record mark.

Joblessness is becoming less and less of a problem in Dayton, while the number of people with higher education is growing steadily. Now almost 32% of those living in the area hold at least bachelor’s degrees, many of which are in the fields of exact sciences. This further enhances the region’s reputation as one of the centres of the exact sciences. After all, there are many universities, colleges and other educational institutions to guard this image (at least five universities appear in mind immediately). The GDP here is over 41 billion dollars. This means that over the last decade it has grown by more than 16%.

The Dayton real property market has many advantages and interesting features, but 2021 became a success first of all for the investors in rental property. Now more households belong to tenants than to anyone else in the city.

Over the last few years, house prices in Dayton have been steadily rising. In general, the average values are now: $129,900 for a home (1 family) and $97 per square foot. But in the end, houses are usually sold at a slightly higher price – $140 000. If you want to settle in the region, the best option would be to buy a house in the Westwood area. The average listing price there is more than twice as cheap ($52,000).

In fact, one of the secrets of the market attractiveness for tenants is that housing prices are relatively low, while the proportion of price to rent keeps rising. And, to put it mildly, there are not that many cities where a social security check can easily cover your rent. But Dayton can rightly boast of offering such an opportunity, even though there was a slight leap in rents over the last few years. That makes it special. On average, for living a month in a home with three bedrooms you would pay $983 here. That’s the median rent in the city. The cheapest offers in the neighborhood are even less than $750 per month, while the highest reach $1,650 per month.

The affordability of housing and the dynamics of changes in prices are the main components that investors should take into account when they decide whether to enter the market or not. This analysis over the long run can suggest what to expect in the possible future, as well as present a broader picture of prospects. The housing affordability index (median family income compared to the median price of a house) may also give you a useful hint. But keep in mind that affordability does not always entail the purchase of real estate. We have already said about some special features of the market in Dayton, and one of them is that more people here would rather rent than own, so most households now belong to renters. Therefore, all factors must always be carefully considered. According to the latest data, the average family in Dayton can easily afford to pay for housing without any significant difficulties.

Dayton, the historic land and the birthplace of Orville Wright (world-famous inventor) is increasingly becoming not only an interesting place for tourists to visit but also one of the most comfortable cities in the United States to live in. Prices here are relatively low, the life is inexpensive, and the city is one of the most favorable for business and career growth. There are more than 300 miles of different biking trails in the area, dozens of cozy parks, and thanks to Dayton Art Institute the city became an outstanding art destination.

That’s all about the real property market in the city of Dayton, which certainly still has much to offer in 2022.

Business

What is the connection between tokenization and your PCI compliance?

Author ByCFI.co Blogger

The payment system has been one of those that has been developing steadily and progressively for decades. Each era has brought some changes in its development from cash registers to online shopping, from coupons to credit cards. Currently, the priority issues are the security of data and confidential information of buyers and customers. The following article is chiefly related to this issue.

What is the connection between tokenization and your PCI compliance

PCI DSS is the international attempt to solve this problem and to create a standardised and appropriate system. There are many different ways to make your organization meet PCI DSS requirements such as tokenization, encryption, network segmentation and many others. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but while some remain a well-known method, others are a mystery.

Tokenization is usually the way that raises the most questions and doubts, including what token compliance meaning is, how it affects PCI compliance and one of the most common questions about how it works.  In fact, this method is one of the most effective, as it minimizes risks, allows you to be flexible and, moreover, in some way may even be called a PCI assessment solution.

The best idea is to start with the definition. So, what is tokenization? To cut a long story short, it is a process in which confidential data is replaced with a non-sensitive element called a token. In case when someone wants to get to the confidential data token is preventing him from doing so. In other words, the token is a barrier between your private data and cyber-scammers.

The token is the replacement of data with random symbols and signs, as it is forbidden to store such data as identification numbers or bank accounts in their original form in the network. It is the token that guarantees the inviolability and security of data. This is especially noticeable during online transactions in which the card is not physically used. Due to tokenization, information about the cardholder and other personal data does not appear and is not used in transactions as well. With the use of a token, information is not stored in online databases, because it does not even have contact with it. The token guarantees security both inside the system and during the transition from one system to another.

The token does not store any confidential information that has been replaced by other random characters. Imagine a situation where cyber-scammers managed to seize the token. Even if it happens, he will not be able to seize any confidential data about either card or its holder.

It is very convenient, easy, fast and flexible to use the token. It can be simply created with a credit card. The transaction process is as well quite easy and very fast. In fact, the original information is stored in special repositories, which are under a strong system of protection. Such repositories are called vaults.

There are several types of tokenization in payment systems. Most common are Acquiring Token, Issuer Token, and Payment Token. According to the PCI DSS, only card numbers can be tokenized, passwords and CVV2 are not subject to tokenization. In addition, PCI DSS requires that tokens should be generated at least one in a million. Rainbow Table is one of the most popular and well-known methods of token data capturing.

But safety is not just an unpredictability. At least this whole protection system is much more complicated than it might seem. to be considered safe enough, token-based PAN must be nearly impossible to predict (with the probability of success being incredibly low, more than one in a million actually). And there is no instrument to capture such data (and to hack the cryptographic hash functions) that enjoys more popularity than Rainbow Table.

There is also an official set of recommendations on how to determine the value of the tokenization product. The first thing that is mentioned is, again, the extremely high importance of confidentiality. If an outsider had access to the PANs, it could be considered a disaster because it would seriously threaten the whole affair. There is a clearly defined data environment of the cardholder, and its “borders” must always be adhered to. The entire structure of the system must be in the internal network, protected from suspicious elements and the traffic which has not been verified. Anything unwanted should be discarded to keep the system isolated. This raises the question of trust: only complete confidence in the message can be considered a condition for his omission. Anything that raises doubts should be strictly prohibited from reaching the system. If you have a need or desire to store the information in one place (or if you would need to transmit it), care must be taken to ensure that it is encrypted. The most reliable way to do this is through the AES-256 algorithm. It has already stood the test of time, so to speak. Care must be also taken with means of access and identification. Monitoring safety and compliance with all conditions (clearly defined in PCI DSS Requirements 7 and 8) are extremely important. Everyone who needs to have access should have a unique identifier. This will weed out those who shouldn’t have access and strengthen protection. It is necessary to protect the system from cyber-attacks and harmful influences. Data should be deleted periodically, but this process should be determined by the special preservation of the necessary data policy. It is important to take into account everything that passes through the network. It would be good to have a defined procedure for emergency notification of experts on suspicious actions (traffic) to prevent unpleasant consequences, or just to check what is in doubt.