Global Mining Investing $69.95, 2 Volume e-Book Set. Buy here.
Author, Andrew Sheldon

Global Mining Investing is a reference eBook to teach investors how to think and act as investors with a underlying theme of managing risk. The book touches on a huge amount of content which heavily relies on knowledge that can only be obtained through experience...The text was engaging, as I knew the valuable outcome was to be a better thinker and investor.

While some books (such as Coulson’s An Insider’s Guide to the Mining Sector) focus on one particular commodity this book (Global Mining Investing) attempts (and does well) to cover all types of mining and commodities.

Global Mining Investing - see store

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Download Table of Contents and Foreword

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Traditional Measures of Economic Well-Being

Economists have constructed a vast array of indicators to measure the financial health of countries, and under pressure from the IMF and other international agencies, many developing countries have had their arms twisted to get them to join this international accounting standard. The principal measures are:
  1. Gross Domestic Product (GDP): This is a measure of the value of products & services produced by an economy. Importantly, it includes imports and exports, as well as other unrequited transfers. In as much as its a measure of costs, it fails to measure the utility or productivity of any investment. Often this measure is expressed in terms of GDP per capita. Given the aging of many populations, its likley that immigration will play a part in reducing the deficit in some countries.
  2. Real Wealth: There is no official measure of real or nominal wealth as such, merely the capitalisation and market indices which represent the performance of various asset markets like property, equities and commodities. Any asset index also has its limitations since assets are subject to pricing bubbles reflecting easy monetary conditions which are never sustained. Clearly consideration of real worth should focus on net wealth and values under neutral or comparative monetary settings. The best measure however is Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).
  3. National Savings Rates: This purports to measure the extent to which households and corporations save income and refer expenditure. Traditionally Anglophile markets have performed poorly by this measure because they are asset-rich, and the fiscal tax regime in their countries favours debt-financing rather than trusting governments with personal savings. Notwithstanding that Australia now has a compulsory superannuation scheme.
  4. Exchange rates: It is a myth that exchange rates reflect national prosperity. Investors buy currencies for a range of returns, though most often its to gain exposure to a country experiencing strong economic growth, or during times of contraction, higher yields on their investment. In as much as higher yields are required to defend higher risks, a currency might become 'stretched' in the short term. Higher rates of inflation will erode the nominal interest rates in the various markets, requiring an even higher inflation premium to offset any depreciation in the currency.
  5. Domestic Demand: Domestic demand whether reflecting retail/household sales or capital investment are often treated as a positive sign, but in fact its more important what the quality of that expenditure is like. Public spending is often mis-directed into schemes that offer minimal return, and thus add to costs.

Japan Foreclosed Property 2015-2016 - Buy this 5th edition report!

Over the years, this ebook has been enhanced with additional research to offer a comprehensive appraisal of the Japanese foreclosed property market, as well as offering economic and industry analysis. The author travels to Japan regularly to keep abreast of the local market conditions, and has purchased several foreclosed properties, as well as bidding on others. Japan is one of the few markets offering high-yielding property investment opportunities. Contrary to the 'rural depopulation' scepticism, the urban centres are growing, and they have always been a magnet for expatriates in Asia. Japan is a place where expats, investors (big or small) can make highly profitable real estate investments. Japan is a large market, with a plethora of cheap properties up for tender by the courts. Few other Western nations offer such cheap property so close to major infrastructure. Japan is unique in this respect, and it offers such a different life experience, which also makes it special. There is a plethora of property is depopulating rural areas, however there are fortnightly tenders offering plenty of property in Japan's cities as well. I bought a dormitory 1hr from Tokyo for just $US30,000.
You can view foreclosed properties listed for as little as $US10,000 in Japan thanks to depopulation and a culture that is geared towards working for the state. I bought foreclosed properties in Japan and now I reveal all in our expanded 350+page report. The information you need to know, strategies to apply, where to get help, and the tools to use. We even help you avoid the tsunami and nuclear risks since I was a geologist/mining finance analyst in a past life. Check out the "feedback" in our blog for stories of success by customers of our previous reports.

Download Table of Contents here.

'Buying Philippines Property – Download a free sample chapter!

The Philippines property market remains one of the strongest in Asia thanks to rising incomes, rising population and rapid rates of urbanisation. The administrative reforms of the Arroyo government have given way to improved administration under Aquino. ASEAN countries can be expected to achieve even greater price gains than Western markets, demonstrating that this super cycle is far from over.

Buying Philippines Property 2010
- Download the table of contents or buy this 2-volume eBook at our online store for just $US19.95.



Investment Strategy

If you are investing for the long term, you still need an investment strategy. Dont be fooled by the rhetoric of fund managers. The reason they advise you to 'buy & hold' is because they dont want to compete with you in sell-offs. Markets and industrial sectors are cyclical, so they demand trading to get the best returns. Fund managers actually cant hope to match the performance of small investors (if you are half good) because they have to manage huge amounts of funds and charge you a fee besides.
MY ADVICE is (i) look at a range of market indices and decide upon what level of correction would give you the justification you need to get in & out of the market. It might be a 5-10% retracement or a break of trend. (ii) Diversify if you dont have an intimate knowledge of the company or management. More than 30% in one company is aggressive.

'Buying NZ Property – Download the free sample readings!

The NZ property market is shaping up as one of the most attractive property investment markets for the next few years. High yielding property and the collapse of the NZD make NZ the perfect counter-cyclical investment if you buy right! In addition, there is no capital gains tax, transfer taxes, VAT/GST or wealth taxes in NZ, so rest assured that NZ property is tax-effective! Learn more now!

New Zealand Property Report 2010 - Download the table of contents or buy this report at our online store for just $US19.95.