
The Future of Artificial Intelligence in the Insurance Industry
Insurance companies are facing rapid tectonic shifts in their business operations as the financial environment changes and new technological advancements are made in the insurance industry. In such a competitive environment, many insurers are restricted to paper-based infrastructures and legacy IT implementation thus limiting their ability to make technological advancements. As new ideas and companies emerge in the industry, insurance companies will have to rely on artificial

Could a Trade War Be a Commodities Buying Opportunity?
President Donald Trump has officially set out his plan to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports with China. Tariffs of 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminum imports will result in a price increase for multiple consumers and slow down growth for many businesses globally. The rising tensions between China and the U.S. might seem like a time to move away from most growth-sensitive asset classes, but investors could be wrong. The announcement resulted in a decline in th

Auto Dealers Struggling with Prices
Higher interest rates and the implementation of tariffs on production parts and material are creating concerns among auto dealers for increasing prices of vehicles. Auto dealers have joined hands with consumers and are lobbying to keep prices as low as possible for the consumer, worrying existential fears for the future of the business of prices rise. While prices may have risen over the past few years, the deviation from the standard level of inflation remains low. One of th

Brief Look on Chinese Investment Policies
With China and the U.S. reported to have quietly started negotiating to improve U.S. access to Chinese markets, it remains important for investors to understand the perspective of the Chinese government. New research suggest that the investment of Chinese ventures is set to reach $2.5tn throughout the following decade in spite of rising protectionism. Investors believe yearly sums to consistently beat the record set in 2016, the year preceding Beijing's wide crackdown on "non

Wealth Management and Automation
An industry known to have faced various challenges over the years, Wealth Management continues to be of interest to investors. The adoption of new technology, demographic changes and regulation have created speculation about the futures of the profession. This transition for Wealth Management is not a new one; before electronic quotes were readily available, 30, 40 years ago. Wealth Managers served the purpose of giving you an idea and executing trades. Now, half of that pro

Global Real Estate Market Status and Forecasts
The Global Real Estate Market performed exceptionally well in 2017, with yields compressing and prime rents rising above consensus forecasts, rising 0.12% and 1.7% respectively, all while overall volumes increased by 13.2%, the highest level of real estate investment on record. The Industrial sector benefited from low comparable prices as well as new growth opportunities, factors that led to investment growth of 29.5% YOY. Asia captured 52% of the global market, setting a rec

President Trump’s Tariff: Future Outlook & Market Volatility
Last week, President Donald Trump announced a plan to set imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports further adding a layer of uncertainty on the future outlook of the markets. Tariffs of 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminum imports will result in a price increase for multiple consumers and slow down growth for many businesses globally. This news could also play a major impact on foreign countries as they might also impose a similar tariff on U.S. exports. President Tr

The Aging Wealth
The 10-year Treasury yield has risen from 2.0% last year to over 2.9% in 2018, causing many investors to announce the end of the 30-year bond bull market. With the U.S. economy gaining further stimulus from sweeping tax cuts and an expansionary budget, analysts fear this will finally promote inflationary pressures. According to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, the tax cuts are projected to increase the budget deficit from about 3.9% of GDP to about 6.1% in 2020. In addit

Global Impact as The ECB Plans an End to Quantitative Easing
The European Central Bank (ECB) decided on continuing its bond purchase program also known as quantitative easing till September while keeping interest rates unchanged. The ECB originally kicked off their massive quantitative easing program early 2015 in hopes to stimulate the economy and encourage banks to make more loans. The bank targeted the supply of money by purchasing corporate bonds and putting an end to the scarcity of government bonds. Earlier this month, the ECB Pr

Europe’s Most Powerful Leader is Back In Control
The past couple of months have proven tough for Angela Merkel. The German Chancellor has been under a high level of political scrutiny. Germany spent many days without a proper government, which seemed to limit her authority and strengthen the power of her opposition. Her power seemed provisional and her fate as chancellor was uncertain. With the result of the Social Democratic Poll on Sunday, everything changed. Heading a unified party and stable coalition government, Merkel