Blog.
Bitcoin and FOMO
Paul Sutherland responds to the question: are cryptocurrencies a good thing or a bad thing? He addresses bitcoin and the “fear of missing out.”
Finding Niches, Avoiding Valeants
FIM Group has long taken pride in our independent views. While we don’t necessarily set out to be contrarian, the nature of our value-focused investing often leaves us standing apart from the herd. This month we’d like to share some perspective about why we aim to avoid the herding instinct and how we go about keeping our thinking sharp and unbiased.
A Few Predictions for the New Year (and Beyond)
Now that we are a couple weeks into the New Year, most economists, market strategists, bloggers and other prognosticators have already pushed the send buttons on their annual forecasts for stock market levels, interest rates, foreign exchange rates and the like. Most will be off the mark come year-end, but that never seems to stop them from gazing into their crystal balls and letting the world know what they see.
Optical Discomfort
Investing with a thoughtful, proactive, transparent process, as we do here at FIM Group, can be uncomfortable at times. This month, I’ll address some of the discomfort that can occur with our approach. I’ll also share some thoughts on why I feel that by accepting some of this discomfort along the way, our approach can lead to better long-term outcomes than alternative approaches like indexing. Sprinkled throughout the newsletter, you’ll find a number of exhibits.
It's Complicated
“The market will not go up unless it goes up, nor will it go down unless it goes down, and it will stay the same unless it does either.” – Adam Smith
Margin of Safety
Comparative analysis, realistic analysis and accurate thinking are attributes of investing that are not often discussed. We are wired to oversimplify and be “lazy-brained,” and nowhere is the concept of the lazy way to riches more prevalent than on Wall Street.
Is Gold the Right Investment?
I was asked by a journalist this week about investing in Gold it is often considered a “safe haven” and insurance against financial woes like inflation, deflation, currency collapse and other calamities. But just today “Gold Fell to a Two Month Low.”
Responsible Investing
Often I am asked about our socially responsible investing and our core beliefs that guide our investment strategies. As investors that want to be responsible, thoughtful, and ethical in their investment themes, it becomes difficult with the landscape of ever-moving corporate management, investor’s fickleness and short-termism.