New Sector to S&P500
S&P Adding New Sector To S&P 500 The S&P 500 index is adding a new sector to its mix. REITs will become part of the S&P 500 compilation on September 16th, making it the 11th sector. The growth and capital representation of REITs in the markets will now formally allow REITs to sit along side the other 10 sectors as a standalone class. REITs have been part of the financial sector for years, but now have earned their own designated category. REITs have become increasingly popular with investors as their management teams have become more professional and the companies have become larger. There are two main types of REITs, equity REITs and mortgage REITs. The newly added sector will only include equity REITs that own physical property such as apartments, office buildings, industrial buildings, malls, hotels, cellular towers, data storage facilities, self-storage facilities, movie theaters, timber and even prisons. [...]
Bitcoin Hysteria
Bitcoin Hysteria – Digital Currency Overview Euphoria has swept Bitcoin to unreal levels over the past few weeks. Bitcoin, one of many digital currencies, shot past 11,000 in the final week of November after eclipsing 10,000 just hours prior. The cumulative value of all cryptocurrencies throughout the world are estimated to be more than $300 billion, an enormous increase from the $18 billion at the beginning of the year. The commodity futures trading commission granted the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) to issue Bitcoin futures which will allow traders to bet on the price of the digital currency via a trusted exchange. Traders will be allowed to bet on the appreciation of the cryptocurrency or the demise of it by buying and selling the futures. What took the equity markets decades to establish, the cryptocurrencies market is trying to build in mere months. Bitcoins emerged in 2008 designed by a [...]
Jason Labrum Featured in Horsemouth Article
How to Keep Clients Calm When the Market Tanks This month, Jason Labrum, President and CEO of Labrum Wealth Management was invited to contribute to an article regarding emotional behaviors with regards to investing. Jason discusses how he helps clients keep calm during market downturns by educating them on academic and empirical evidence. Read the article now Contact an Adviser Today
Retirement Planning
Many Americans look forward to retirement. It’s a time to either relax or pursue your dreams. Regardless of your goals for retirement, funding the process is no simple task. Nobody knows just how long their life will last nor the future cost of living. Maintaining a balanced cost of living is the simplest way to make retirement projections much simpler and more accurate. Fortunately there are ways to reduce the financial risks of retirement while still enjoying yourself. An easy way to gain a little extra spending money during retirement is finding a part-time job. It doesn’t necessarily have to earn a lot of money (that’s what you just spent 40 years doing!); just find something you enjoy doing. Apply for a job as a tour guide at a historic landmark or even pursue a position teaching at a community college. In addition to the extra money, employment can [...]