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The Panamanian side of the Darién is dominated by deep valleys, rivers and a 6,000-foot-high mountain peak. You won’t find much else here. Starbucks hasn’t made it, and there’s no Home Depot. This is frontier country. But you will find an open door to immediate residency in Panama, along with a chance for profitable investing.
Not needed: coat, scarf or sweater. But some sun-block would be welcome. Early December and the afternoon temperature is nudging 70 F. Sunbathers are on Isla Plana’s beach, and children are building sand-castles. I can even see swimmers.
Squashed into the back of a Buenos Aires taxi between the two women, I hadn’t been paying much attention. But once they mentioned MercadoLibre, it sounded like a conversation that I overheard several times during my three-week investment-scouting trip to Argentina and Uruguay.
Contrarian investors “run into burning buildings.” This doesn’t mean they’re daredevils. It just means they understand a basic principle of the market: That the best time to buy is when the crowd is running in the opposite direction. This stampede effect causes prices of perfectly good assets to hit the floor.
Bull markets are all born in extreme pessimism. That means the time to invest is when the flames are licking higher, not after the fire trucks have arrived. And Europe is up in smoke right now…I’m not calling for the bottom in Europe stocks or for an immediate end to the debt crisis there. Plenty more can go wrong. But contrarian investors “run into burning buildings.”
The world’s consumer power base is shifting. The “rest” are playing catch-up to the “West” right before our eyes. Most investors don’t see this. They are blinded by the doom and gloom surrounding the financial crisis, the debt ceiling, and the gridlock in Washington.
Most investors don’t see fear or abject pessimism as powerful investing tools. But that’s exactly what they are. To maximize your profits you must invest at rock bottom.
This kind of “mega trend” may not be winning a lot of attention in the mainstream media. But it is a critical insight for global investors. The “Age of Man” is literally changing the face of the earth. As such, it will have profound implications on every investment decision you make.
If you want to live with world-class natural beauty without the world-class price tag, come to Mexico’s Baja California Sur. And be sure to bring a camera. This is a desert land of sharp, clear lines. The mountain peaks in the distance gleam a delicate mauve. I drive up a hill and suddenly there is the sea; a vast expanse of blue dotted with rocky, deserted islands.
First Eagle Overseas Fund seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in equities issued by non-U.S. corporations. The fund’s management’s research-driven approach seeks to minimize risk by focusing on undervalued securities.
Here’s a trend you can take to the bank: as consumers in the U.S. and Europe cut back on spending, the source of growth for companies will shift to consumers in fast-growing overseas markets.
Today you can buy real estate in Ireland at discounts of up to 80% from peak prices. Here’s the “why” and the “how….”
One of my favorite overseas markets to invest in for the long term is Chile. It’s a high-growth emerging market…and it’s a country that treats capital well. People often see emerging markets as Wild West-like frontiers where corruption is rife and the rule of law doesn’t exist. This can be true in some cases. But it’s not so in Chile.
To evaluate our seven countries for our Business Index 2011 we consulted seasoned entrepreneurs who’ve made the move and learned the ropes, as well as worked through in-country attorneys. We asked them about visa requirements, financing, and how easy it was to set up a bank account. They told us about local taxes, business expenses, infrastructure and the local culture for doing business, Here is what they had to say…
Today I’m going to tell you that you should buy a Spanish phone company. Your friends may laugh at you. Let them. It’s easy to repeat Warren Buffett’s advice at dinner parties: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.” It’s harder to follow when it comes to your own portfolio. But that is exactly what I recommend you do with this Spanish company.
It’s a business in which the big players make millions. I’m talking about the guys on the billionaire lists. But you don’t have to be made of money to do what they do. For as little as $20,000, you can ride major global trends and pocket serious profits. I’m talking about investing in commercial real estate.
It’s easy to repeat Warren Buffett’s advice at dinner parties: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.” It’s harder to follow when it comes to your own portfolio.
Enduring the winter months in Northeast USA can be rough. The snow, sleet and cold always compels me to go someplace warm. I often dreamed of having my own tropical paradise to visit whenever I wanted…although the reality of it seemed so out of reach.
I was lucky, not smart, when I bought my first Paris apartment, but it was still the smartest thing I ever did. I simply didn’t want to move from my 17th-century pied-à-terre in Le Marais district when the owners wanted to sell.
With more than three in five U.S. workers in their 50s and 60s planning on working past 65 (and over half of them planning on working into their 70s and beyond), the American Dream continues to die a death. IL’s Chris Hunter offers some sound advice on what you can do to protect your retirement.
Dividend champions are particularly attractive if you’re nearing retirement or are already retired. That’s because on top of capital growth (what happens when the stock price rises) they allow you to create a passive income stream in your account.
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