Author: Cornerman

Strange China markets and debt

It has been a strange beginning of the new year in the financial markets. China crashed a bit, and then the trading was suspended. And it happened again. Then as quick as the rule was implemented. It was withdrawn again.

The worries about the Chinese economy, and with that the rest of the world maybe justified. I don’t know. What I do know is a lot of the trading in China is more gambling than anything else. A lot of people borrow money to speculate rather then invest. And if the market doesn’t go your way the need to sell fast is much higher with borrowed money. So it may not even be a problem of the ‘real’ economy but more a problem of gambling with borrowed money. But it could mean a debt problem in the near future. Which will slow the ‘real’ economy.

Debt in all forms is bad, in my opinion. If you can’t afford something, simply don’t buy it. The only exception being to buy a house. And even then it’s very much advisable not to overspend on a house.

A lot of people are always talking about the beauty of compounding interest. Well buy simply paying off all your debt , you will save a lot of money on interest payments which you can then save or allocate to other useful goals. It creates space in your monthly budget. If you have debt and are thinking about investing in any shape way or form. Just keep it simple and start by paying off your debt. It might sound boring but it works like nothing else.

Portfolio news – December additions

So it’s December again, end of the year and the last stocks I bought this year. Rocky markets all round with declining commodities , nervous currencies and bond issues. Hopefully I have managed to select a few nice stocks. I am also researching alternative energy company’s away from the oil, gas sector. Which has not been easy, most don’t pay dividends yet and are heavily indebted. So this is something to work on more in the next few months. I also want to invest more in technology and engineering. Any helpful insight will be much appreciated.

Ok back on topic, what did I add to the Portfolio. New to the portfolio are Accell, Whole foods and Disney.

An interesting addition is Accell which is a Dutch bicycle manufacturer, a steady growing business , especially the e-bikes, which allow older people to still enjoy long distance bike tours. More importantly there may be a nice future for longer distance commuting using the battery packs and the electric power to ease the bike ride. So you don’t need to take a shower upon arrival at the office. If everyone does this the Paris eco agreement goals are easily obtainable.

I personally like bikes very much, I don’t own a e bike since I have sufficient condition to take longer rides and since being fit is the new wealth I can only see this business grow. The products are of great quality and the sale numbers are solid. They also pay out a bit of dividend, not a lot percentage wise , but I think the dividend will grow along with the business.

Disney is something I had set my eyes on for some time. It’s maybe a bit expensive , but it has come down somewhat from the 120 dollar per share earlier this year. Having seen the new Star Wars film I am sure they will generate a lot of business from this franchise. They also have been paying dividend for a long time. I think this will be around the 120 again soon. And hopefully they will rise the dividend payment.

Last addition this month is whole foods. They say they are the healthiest supermarket in the US, well a lot healthier than others I have visited and they are building more supermarkets in area’s where fresh vegetables and fruits, and all other healthier foods are not available. And have programs for sustainable fishing growing etc. This is a very good thing, so this purchase has been done more from the fact I like their view of things than anything else. They do pay out dividend and I think they will raise this in 2016. It’s a bit expensive now but as with everything, it’s all for the long term. Hopefully lot’s of people will see the benefits of healthy food.

Star wars – the force awakens

As a Star wars fan, this was a no brainer. So on the second day of the release we managed to get tickets and go to the cinema.

I really liked the movie, it all feels very old school, and got me hooked from the first minute. Everything was done very well and although the story is far from complex , It didn’t bother me at all. Just loved the ride. Well just go and see this one ! Simply not much more to say about it.

star wars the force awakens

Richie Hawtin – From my mind to yours

One of my favourite artists has released a new album, from my mind to yours, unfortunately I missed the vinyl edition as it’s sold out already. Too bad , now there’s a hole in my collection. But it’s also on Spotify.

I mostly like his Plastikman and old plus 8 releases , which is exactly what he is up to on this album.
He uses a lot of his old aliases and is back to the old school way of working, drum machines and 303’s. And the odd Synth here and there.

The album starts with No way back which is a very cool acid track which builds up and is pretty intense. Other favorites are Close, Purrkusiv, Systematic , Creepr (love the kick) and Grindr.
All tracks are very good and I hope He will continue this , In the mean time I will have to search for the 7 12 inch records. Or the CD. For now it’s on repeat on Spotify.

Youth

Youthfilmposter

I have seen Youth this week, the new movie by Paolo Sorrentino, I had seen La grande bellezza , which was a bit too long and somewhat too dark for me at the time. It needs another run for me to really appriciate it I think.

This movie has some of my favorite actors in it, Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, and Rachel Weisz. Which are all excellent. The movie has a dark undertone, but feels very light. The shots are beautiful again, and the story is moving in a strange way.

It reminded me not to waste time. I had a very optimistic feeling leaving the cinema. Which I found a bit strange. Need to watch this one again too I think.

It’s another great movie and you should watch it. Preferably on a rainy day.

Gearbox records – Seedr campaign

Today I made a small investment with Gearbox records, they are seeking funds for the expansion of their business. They are a record label which presses old hard to find jazz and some new artist as well.

I love vinyl and I believe they are on the right track. So I decided to do this. The campaign is almost fully funded and I wish them all the best. And hopefully they meet their goals.

Links :

Campaign : Gearbox seedr campaign
Website : Gearbox records