The recent developments in our local financial sector have once again resurfaced the issue of risk and safety of our investments. As investors, we frequently neglect to ask the important questions that are needed to assess the safety of our banks, pension savings, investment houses or insurance companies.
Assessing the Safety of your bank/investment house
For the purpose of a financial institution, safety can be assessed by looking at the size of a company’s capital base relative to the size of its assets. This is an indication of the institution’s degree of leverage. “This is simply the amount of money the institution has saved...
If you own a unit trust or a mutual fund that invests directly in the bond or stock market, chances are – the value of your investment is down relative to last year. The performance of pooled funds is heavily influenced by the movement in the prices of the assets it holds. As asset prices...
Oct 17, 2022
You can’t pour from an empty cup or vessel, is a phrase that many of us have heard or used at some point in our lives. While the saying tends to be used in relation to our personal and mental well-being, I think it is pertinent to also include this phrase in our financial lives. As market...
Oct 10, 2022
Earlier this week, Tropical storm Ian passed through the region and caused much panic and chaos in the islands which were affected by the strong winds and heavy rains. Here in Jamaica the situation was no different. Those who were adequately prepared remained calm in anticipation of the...
Oct 03, 2022
The U.S. Federal Reserve's (Fed) policy setting committee boosted its benchmark rate (fed funds rate) by 75 basis points (bps) or 0.75% on Wednesday, September 21st. That was the third consecutive increase of such magnitude, and it brought the target range for the federal funds rate to 3.0...
Sep 26, 2022
A promissory note, also called a "pro note", "p note" or simply "note", is a type of fixed-income debt instrument, similar to a bond, loan or even an IOU, in which one party, known as the issuer, makes a written promise to pay a certain amount of money to a specific person or entity...
Sep 19, 2022
Many local financial institutions have discontinued offering repurchase agreements, more popularly known as “repos”. However, repos should not be overlooked. Although simple in nature they are very useful short-term investments and can be a valuable addition to your portfolio.
A...
Sep 12, 2022
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