2017-A year to Remember(Reviewing the Investment year)

The year 2017 was a year to remember for all investors especially those in the crypto-currency market. In a few words we will review the year and discuss what next year has for us.

Crypto-Currencies. 

Bitcoin as at the time of writing Bitcoin hit an all time high of $19,891 having opened the year at $966.58. That was a return of 1957.87% for those who were bold enough to scale the height. This unprecedented rise of bitcoin did kick-start a frenzy as to which crypto-currency would be the next bitcoin. Ethereum was the second to make such rise. Rising from $8.17 to a high of $863 (a return of 10463%). its rise was majorly due to the announcement by some big money bag that ethereum had a brighter future than Bitcoin. 

So far the strongest crypto-currencies are; 

Bitcoin 

Bitcoin Cash

Ethereum

Ethereum/BitCoin 

Litecoin

Ripple

Forecast for 2018

These frenzy is likely going to continue however kindly note that investing in crypto-currencies is closer to gambling than  a real investment as the long term future of these currencies is unknown. For those who were bold enough they did reap the reward of taking risks for those who are still bold enough these investments can still yield considerable incomes before it finally fails.

Commodities

Oil and Gold were key highlights of 2017 which did make some gains this year but nothing compare to a typical bullish commodity frenzy. There is obviously pressure on the energy makes the market uncertain for all of the participants. Many companies are still recovering from the sudden crash of 2014-2015. While oil may be bullish for the early 2018 the rest of the year remains hinged on what happens in the middle east which is currently quite unstable.

Gold is always a favourable investment to have as its value is not tied to any commodity, currency import or export. The current bullish run may not last long in the early stages of 2018 but is likely to rebound some time in that year.

Stocks

Stocks did really well this year. For most people who took the risk. Banking stocks such as GTB made an 100% return for investors in Nigerian stocks. Facebook and Amazon both made around 58% return in 2017 that is a remarkable return for any stock investor.

2018 Forecast 

As more people become financially inclined to invest we are likely going to see plenty of activity in stocks. However, caution must be held as regards to buy stocks based on recent price surge as there is more than meets the eye when it comes to these financial instruments.

Forex

Forex was a good year for me personally. As I broadened my horizon in this sector. I love these instruments because of their volatility and flexibility when it comes to trading and they did well for those of you which care to to take my advice in the PAMM accounts or other products I suggested Alpari's TSPAF has been performing impressively  and I did well to put my money where my month is. It made a remarkable 100% from when I suggested it to the end of the year.

Conclusion

 Do well to invest periodically in different instruments. You can learn how to do that here. It will do well to help you when the market crashes and people begin to loose jobs. Then you will have something to hold on to.

Have a fruitful end of the year and plenty of luck investing in the new year 2018!!!.

I leave you with Solomon's  (my best friend) advice.

Ecclesiastes 11:4-10King James Version (KJV)

4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Stocks to Watch-SQUARE Dec2017- In-depth Analysis

Today we get to analyse Square which is the stock to watch on our stocks to watch. (You can follow them via the RSS feed in our Investment Guide app. 24th December 2017

An impending breakout was spotted by the analysts at Investing.

Square weekly stocks chart Image source Investing 

Square Dailyy stocks chart Image source Investing 

Looking at the two chart it is clear that the market will go down at least by 4 more points. The Head and Shoulders pattern on the daily time-frame confirms this. 

We are expecting the market to over around 30 or 29$ before it finds support.  We will do well to go short and move to our stops to Break Even at that point.

RECOMMENDED: High Yeilding REITs to invest in December 2017

The 2017 has been a great year for investments. Though I did not invest in crypto-currencies one cannot deny the amazing returns that they were certainly one of the investments that made a huge impactto many investors portfolio. The benefits of Real Estate Investment Trusts have already been discussed here together with their types.

To round up your investments for the year, Here are the best REITS investments you can invest in.

American Capital Agency

AGNC Investment Corp. was setup on May 20, 2008 following the completion of our initial public offering. and is primarily traded on The NASDAQ. As with most REITS they distribute 90% of our taxable net income annually. see below a snapshot of the performance so far this year.

Stock Performance of American Capital Agency (AGNC) Image source: (http://www.dividend.com/dividend-stocks/financial/mortgage-investment/agnc-american-capital-agency)

Anworth Mortgage

This  are not actually REITS but are Collateralized Mortgage Obligations  (Mortgage Backed Securities). They are listed here because their investments based on Real Estates. It has hovered around $5 for most part of the year its major  strong point is its Dividend yield which should account for most part of your return should you choose to hold it for 1-2 years. Their interest payments are guaranteed by a government-sponsored enterprise, or GSE, such as the Federal National Mortgage Association, or Fannie Mae, or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.

Stock Performance of Anworth Mortgage Image source: (http://www.dividend.com/dividend-stocks/financial/real-estate-development/anh-anworth-mortgage/)

Great Ajax Corp

This is another investment with minimal volatility. The price has not really changed significantly in the past year. There has also been a lot of insiders buying the stock which shows confidence in their company at least for the near future. The current dividend yield stand at 8.34%.

Stock Performance of Great Ajax Corp Image source: (http://www.dividend.com/dividend-stocks/financial/reit-diversified/ajx-great-ajax-corp//)

ACRE

Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp 

This company specializes in financing the  needs of middle-market which has been under-served. It's divided pay out stands at $1.06 which is great given the fact that it's current price is $13.32.

Stock Performance of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp Image source: (http://www.dividend.com/dividend-stocks/financial/reit-diversified/acre-ares-commercial-real-estate-corp//)

AHT

Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc

This REIT  has undergone a lot of volatility this year. in the past month it has been steadily on the rise though. it makes this list based on it's Dividend yield.

Stock Performance of Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc
 Image source: (http://www.dividend.com/dividend-stocks/financial/reit-hotel-motel/aht-ashford-hospitality-trust-inc/)

Introduction Binary trading and Effective Strategies

Are you looking to trade the financial market without having to go through the lengthy beginner courses and rigorous training? if so this post is for you.

Binary trading is a relatively new investment product similar to that of the Forex market. It allows you to trade the major currency pairs and some major stocks without having to go through all the rudiments of risk sizing, detailed analysis etc. They are usually easier than conventional Forex or stocks because there are only two (binary) options involved and that is to decide if price will go up or down.

Be Warned though there a lot of fraudulent brokers who manipulate the results/price. A lot of countries have banned this investment because of the degree of fraud perpetrated by many institutions/individuals.

Tips on Trading Binary options

• Look to trade  higher timeframes. the lower the time frame the harder it is to predict where price will be in x minutes
• use a 5period , 8period or 14 period moving average to to determine the trend on the timeframe you are trading
• use strength indicator to show you where the price is like going to be heading in the next hour
• place your trades based on the assessment above. if you do it right you should get about 70% accuracy in trading which is a very good return giving that each correct decision doubles your investment
• do not trade more than thrice a day. Simply look to have a profitable day and get out. three consecutive loss is a good time to call it off.

Pros of binary trading

1.  They are easier because they don't involve the need to predict how far price will go.
2. They only risk the amount you put in the trade. its not like conventional trade where not having a stop loss can ruin your account 
3. you get upto 90% of  the investment you make in each trade when you trade.

Cons of binary trading

1. A lot of critics consider them gambling. I sit on the fence non this one as they actually need analysis and can have an accuracy that exceeds 80%.
2. They are fraud prone as many fraudsters look to defraud individuals looking for quick lazy money
3. They can make you loose your investment traits and become a pure gambler.

Trading Binary options can be easy and fun if you know what you are doing. I personally don't trade them because I don't want to have a gamblers mentality. If you have weighed the pros and cons and are comfortable with them you can invest in them.  ALPARI ONE OF THE REPUTABLE BROKERS THAT TRADE BINARY AND THEY DO HAVE A CONTEST THAT CAN HELP SHOWCASE AND TEST YOUR SKILLS

How to Generate Capital for an investment or to start a Business as A startup

Generating revenue for an investment is an Herculean task ( a difficult task) for people who are not privileged to the minimum capital required for the investment. The fact that over 70% of start ups fail and 90% of new investors loose the go bankrupt or loose their starting capital makes things worse. Most of the investors you speak to will be unwilling due to the attached risks associated with beginners. 

In this post some various ways of generating capital will be discussed.

For Investment

Run a demo:  No investor would like look at your product without you having to instill some level of confidence in him. There are a lot of people with viable business claims but only a few can actually deliver. Having a demonstration of what ever investment you propose will give you an hedge over other investors as your past performance may convince them you are worth a try. The longer you be diligent to run the demo the better. A demo doesn't have to be a virtual currency you can also run a demo with real life funds howbeit they will be far smaller than your own. Examples can be opened here if you trade forex or here if you trade stocks. 

Get into contests:  There are several contests for investors who have sound trading skills. These contests exist for several investment types. Stocks, cryptocurrencies, binary options, Forex, PAMM traders etc. They offer a great platform to raise capital. Rewards usually range from $500 to $1000 and could sometimes be as high as $5000. For an investor who is very confident of his/her strategy this is a very nice place to start.

Get a loan: Banks are a great way to start your investment career, especially if you have a good credit rating. If you previously have an overdraft facility you can easily apply for your limit to be increased. Overdrafts are easier and often don't need collateral. Other than overdrafts, you can also apply for a standard loan however the bank will want to see an example of your past performance and the risk involved in your investment strategy.

Contact friends and family: Friends and family are a great way to kick-start your investment career. They fact that they want you to succeed means the  they will be more readily willing to part with their money than conventional banks. More so, they are not likely going to be pressuring you for a quick return which is great because pressure can make you make careless decisions when investing.

Work Part-Time: Working part-time is a great way to raise capital. This is particularly a preferred decision for those who don't want to share their returns with the bank  as interest or investors. You must however note that you can not trade intra-day when working part-time as you will not be able to monitor your trades as often as you should.

For Business

Develop a prototype: Unlike investments where a demo or statement of account is needed to get investors attention, businesses require a physical prototype for bakery a piece of your product; For an electronic, the product prototype. Kindly note, it is very compulsory to have a business plan irrespective of whether you have a physical product or not. This will help investors know how long it will take to get their capital back, the challenges the business will encounter etc.

Advertise to investors:  There are a lots of investors out there that are looking for the next big business to invest in however, you have to be able to showcase your business for them. Advertisements is a great way to do so. you can do so nowadays via e-advertising such as  Facebook, Google Adwords, twitter etc. 

use LinkedIn:  Linkdin is an amazing platform for professionals whether they be in business or be looking for jobs. You can easily reach out and build a connection of investors who will be looking to discuss with you to bring your investment plan to pass. You can use their premium features which allows you to contact a number of high profile professionals or investors. An ability to know who to contact and what to say will always give you an extra advantage.

Contact friends and family:  Funds from Friends and family as said earlier are readily available because of the relationship ties. However don't get offended or disappointed when you are unable to convince them. You are expected to do or present a business plan or make cash flow projection to easily convince them. A cash flow projection is simply the difference between expenses and income expressed as a function of time. see the example below.

Adapted from https://articles.bplans.com/category/plan-as-you-go/5-dressing-and-growing/

Loans: It is usually very difficult to get loans from banks as a startups because of their high failure rate however, if you have a very good business plan you may be able to convince them.

Utilize Seedinvest and Angelist: These are websites that allow startups to showcase their companies to investors (usually called angels) who look to invest in the company in return for a certain percentage stake in the company.

Conclusion
With the rise of social media, startup sites, and awareness in investments it is now easier than ever to get funds to start your company. More so, nothing stops one from utilizing all the channels discussed above to boost your capital. Do well to utilize them.



Great Links to Use to Raise money

Start with a Broker issuing depositInvest In Alpari PAMM that earns over 10% monthly