investmentwatchblog--2020-08-13--Markets Have Outperformed When a President Seeks Reelection

By now you ’ ve all heard the news .
Joe Biden , the Democrats ’ presumptive nominee for president , has selected as his running mate Kamala Harris , junior senator from California and the state ’ s former attorney general .
If elected , she would be not only the first woman vice president in U.S. history but also the first Black American and first Indian American .
Biden ’ s announcement is as good an occasion as any for investors to start thinking about the upcoming election , less than three months away .
Although Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radical as , say , Bernie Sanders ’ or Elizabeth Warren ’ s , his administration could very well bring about significant policy changes that may impact your investments—especially if the Democrats maintain the House and take control of the Senate .
But first , what are markets telling us about the election ?
As legendary value investor Benjamin Graham once said , “ In the short run , the market is a voting machine , but in the long run , it is a weighing machine.
” Pay Attention to the Three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preceding the election are a crucial time .
According to the presidential election cycle theory , when the market rose from July 31 to October 31 , the incumbent party has tended to win the presidency .
And when the market slumped , it ’ s the challenging party that ’ s been victorious .
Look at the 2016 election as an example .
Polls strongly favored Hillary Clinton , the incumbent party ’ s nominee , but Mr. Market had other ideas .
The S & P 500 fell 1.7 percent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day , and the challenging party ’ s nominee , Donald Trump , won the White House .
Since World War II , this trend has had a 72 percent win rate .
Put another way , investors have accurately “ voted ” for the winning candidate roughly three out of every four times .
And if we exclude the 2000 election , the win rate increases to 78 percent , or one-in-five .
Why 2000 ?
For one , even though I label the S & P as being up for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essentially flat at 0.18 percent .
And two , the election was highly contentious , as you no doubt remember well , with George W. Bush losing the popular vote and winning the Electoral College vote with one of the slimmest margins in U.S. history ( and only after the Supreme Court ruled that Florida must end its recount ) .
So how is Trump ’ s reelection bid looking so far , according to Mr. Market ?
As of August 12 , the market was up more than 3 percent since July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It will be interesting to see if the trend remains intact .
During election years , the market has historically done well , returning an average 6.23 percent , using data going back to 1928 .
I discussed this trend more in-depth in a Frank Talk from five years ago .
I ’ d like to break it down even further and look at how well the market performed depending on whether the incumbent president was running for a second term , or whether a new president would need to be elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m using “ incumbent ” here to describe the sitting president , not the party in power . )
As you can see , the S & P performed better in the years when an incumbent was seeking reelection , compared to the years when the next president would be someone completely different .
Incumbent years ended with an average return of 7.84 percent , while non-incumbent years rose by less than half that on average .
This probably shouldn ’ t come as a surprise .
When a president is seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to enact policies intended to boost economic growth , create jobs and drive the stock market .
Consider President Trump ’ s most recent memorandums and executive orders , signed this past weekend .
All of them are designed to assist households that have been economically impacted by the coronavirus , whether it ’ s extending weekly relief checks or minimizing evictions and foreclosures .
Where to Invest in a Biden Presidency So what happens if the Biden-Harris ticket comes out on top ?
How should investors prepare ?
As I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re agnostic when it comes to party .
It ’ s the policies that matter , and we believe there are always ways to make money , no matter which party controls the White House .
A Biden presidency , working with a Democratically controlled Congress , could be good news for a number of industries , including renewable energy , mass transit and health care stocks .
Then again , a Trump presidency was supposed to favor fossil fuels , and yet energy has been the worst performing sector since his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blame .
Between January 2017 and January 2020 , the S & P 500 Energy Index lost 26 percent , the only sector unable to deliver a positive gain .
It ’ s reasonable to expect , though , that taxes could rise and regulations could become more severe with a President Biden in the Oval Office .
He supports lifting corporate profits to 28 percent from the current 21 percent , and doubling the capital-gains tax to an eyebrow-raising 39.6 percent from 20 percent on income of more than $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealthy investors may have is to sell their shares now and pay the current rate instead of selling later and paying nearly 40 percent .

by Frank Holmes, CEO, U.S. Global Investors
By now you’ve all heard the news. Joe Biden, the Democrats’ presumptive nominee for president, has selected as his running mate Kamala Harris, junior senator from California and the state’s former attorney general.
If elected, she would be not only the first woman vice president in U.S. history but also the first Black American and first Indian American.
Biden’s announcement is as good an occasion as any for investors to start thinking about the upcoming election, less than three months away. Although Biden’s proposals aren’t nearly as radical as, say, Bernie Sanders’ or Elizabeth Warren’s, his administration could very well bring about significant policy changes that may impact your investments—especially if the Democrats maintain the House and take control of the Senate.
But first, what are markets telling us about the election? As legendary value investor Benjamin Graham once said, “In the short run, the market is a voting machine, but in the long run, it is a weighing machine.”
Pay Attention to the Three Months Before the Election
The three months preceding the election are a crucial time. According to the presidential election cycle theory, when the market rose from July 31 to October 31, the incumbent party has tended to win the presidency. And when the market slumped, it’s the challenging party that’s been victorious.
Look at the 2016 election as an example. Polls strongly favored Hillary Clinton, the incumbent party’s nominee, but Mr. Market had other ideas. The S&P 500 fell 1.7 percent in the three months leading up to Election Day, and the challenging party’s nominee, Donald Trump, won the White House.
click to enlarge
Since World War II, this trend has had a 72 percent win rate. Put another way, investors have accurately “voted” for the winning candidate roughly three out of every four times. And if we exclude the 2000 election, the win rate increases to 78 percent, or one-in-five.
Why 2000? For one, even though I label the S&P as being up for the three-month period, it was in reality essentially flat at 0.18 percent. And two, the election was highly contentious, as you no doubt remember well, with George W. Bush losing the popular vote and winning the Electoral College vote with one of the slimmest margins in U.S. history (and only after the Supreme Court ruled that Florida must end its recount).
So how is Trump’s reelection bid looking so far, according to Mr. Market? As of August 12, the market was up more than 3 percent since July 31, close to its all-time high. It will be interesting to see if the trend remains intact.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Government Policy Is a Precursor to Change
During election years, the market has historically done well, returning an average 6.23 percent, using data going back to 1928. I discussed this trend more in-depth in a Frank Talk from five years ago.
I’d like to break it down even further and look at how well the market performed depending on whether the incumbent president was running for a second term, or whether a new president would need to be elected. (To avoid confusion, I’m using “incumbent” here to describe the sitting president, not the party in power.)
As you can see, the S&P performed better in the years when an incumbent was seeking reelection, compared to the years when the next president would be someone completely different. Incumbent years ended with an average return of 7.84 percent, while non-incumbent years rose by less than half that on average.
click to enlarge
This probably shouldn’t come as a surprise. When a president is seeking a second term, he is more likely to enact policies intended to boost economic growth, create jobs and drive the stock market. Consider President Trump’s most recent memorandums and executive orders, signed this past weekend. All of them are designed to assist households that have been economically impacted by the coronavirus, whether it’s extending weekly relief checks or minimizing evictions and foreclosures.
Where to Invest in a Biden Presidency
So what happens if the Biden-Harris ticket comes out on top? How should investors prepare?
As I’ve said many times before, we’re agnostic when it comes to party. It’s the policies that matter, and we believe there are always ways to make money, no matter which party controls the White House. A Biden presidency, working with a Democratically controlled Congress, could be good news for a number of industries, including renewable energy, mass transit and health care stocks.
Then again, a Trump presidency was supposed to favor fossil fuels, and yet energy has been the worst performing sector since his inauguration. The pandemic is not all to blame. Between January 2017 and January 2020, the S&P 500 Energy Index lost 26 percent, the only sector unable to deliver a positive gain.
click to enlarge
It’s reasonable to expect, though, that taxes could rise and regulations could become more severe with a President Biden in the Oval Office. He supports lifting corporate profits to 28 percent from the current 21 percent, and doubling the capital-gains tax to an eyebrow-raising 39.6 percent from 20 percent on income of more than $1 million a year. One strategy many wealthy investors may have is to sell their shares now and pay the current rate instead of selling later and paying nearly 40 percent.


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-13--Rumors in China of Upcoming War with the US

disturbing wechat discussion this morning – mother in law in hainan said she is stockpiling food because everyone she talks @ @ @ @ @ a war between the us and china .

disturbing wechat discussion this morning – mother in law in hainan said she is stockpiling food because everyone she talks to thinks there will be a war between the us and china.
— Bill Bishop (@niubi) August 12, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-13--Jim Bianco discusses why college football being cancelled is a bad sign for the broader economy

Jim Bianco discusses his outlook for the financial sector and why he ’ s worried about inflation and its impact on risk markets .
Jim Bianco is President and Macro Strategist at Bianco Research , L.L.C .
Since 1990 Jim ’ s commentaries have offered a unique perspective on the global economy and financial markets .
Unencumbered by the biases of traditional Wall Street research , Jim has built a decades long reputation for objective , incisive commentary that challenges consensus thinking .
In nearly 20 years at Bianco Research , Jim ’ s wide ranging commentaries have addressed monetary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics , the role of government in the economy , fund flows and positioning in financial markets .
Prior to joining Arbor and Bianco Research , Jim was a Market Strategist in equity and fixed income research at UBS Securities and Equity Technical Analyst at First Boston and Shearson Lehman Brothers .
He is a Chartered Market Technician ( CMT ) and a member of the Market Technicians Association ( MTA ) .
Jim has a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Marquette University ( 1984 ) and an MBA from Fordham @ @ @ @ @

Yahoo Finance, Released on 8/11/20
Jim Bianco discusses his outlook for the financial sector and why he’s worried about inflation and its impact on risk markets.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Jim Bianco is President and Macro Strategist at Bianco Research, L.L.C. Since 1990 Jim’s commentaries have offered a unique perspective on the global economy and financial markets. Unencumbered by the biases of traditional Wall Street research, Jim has built a decades long reputation for objective, incisive commentary that challenges consensus thinking. In nearly 20 years at Bianco Research, Jim’s wide ranging commentaries have addressed monetary policy, the intersection of markets and politics, the role of government in the economy, fund flows and positioning in financial markets. Prior to joining Arbor and Bianco Research, Jim was a Market Strategist in equity and fixed income research at UBS Securities and Equity Technical Analyst at First Boston and Shearson Lehman Brothers. He is a Chartered Market Technician (CMT) and a member of the Market Technicians Association (MTA). Jim has a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Marquette University (1984) and an MBA from Fordham University (1989).


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--Stupidity About Coronavirus-19 Policy

Stupidity About Coronavirus-19 Policy

Stupidity is rampant about coronavirus-19 policy , in the countries that are performing the worst on this , such as America and UK .
We ’ ll start here with the lists of those countries : have the most cases : Unadjusted for how large each country ’ s population is , you will first see here the list of the world ’ s countries on the basis of simply how many coronavirus-19 cases each nation has , just by clicking here .
Though it ’ s an informative list , it ’ s not actually the list of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top twelve nations on this list , in order — the 12 countries that the highest rates of cases per million inhabitants , and of deaths per million inhabitants , are the actual worst-performing countries .
To find each of those two lists , click onto that same site ( “ Tot Cases/1M pop ” , or total cases per million population , and you will see the absolute-worst countries in order , on that measure , “ Tot Cases/1M pop ” .
They are : Countries that have , andare theworst-performing countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lists , click onto that same site ( here ) , and then click atop its column , or total cases per million population , and you will see the absolute-worst countries in order , on that measure , .
They are : libertarian countries — have the most-relaxed policies regarding protection of the public from the spread of the virus .
All of these countries have the most-libertarian policies regarding coronavirus-19 , policies such as the smallest percentage of people who are wearing face-masks in public , and such as the freest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the least concerns about spreading the virus to others ( such as to teachers , healthcare providers , and the general public ) .
These countries —countries — have the most-relaxed policies regarding protection of the public from the spread of the virus .
All of them are U.S.-allied countries .
The first of the three lists — the list that ’ s unadjusted — includes two countries that are not U.S.-allied : Iran and Russia .
However , Iran and Russia aren ’ t among the actual 12 worst , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Tot Cases/1M pop ” , and “ Deaths/1M pop ” .
Each list of the three “ worst nations ” changes over time , because some nations have passed their peak of cases and of deaths , while other nations have not .
( To check each individual nation on that , go to that same site and click onto that given nation ’ s name ; and , then , scroll down to the chart for “ Daily New Cases , ” and the chart for “ Daily New Deaths.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to worsen in some countries , and to improve in some countries .
The three “ twelve worst ” lists that are shown here are only as-of this particular moment in time .
However , the “ twelve worst ” s have consistently been overwhelmingly lists of libertarian countries ( except at the start , when China was the worst merely because it was the first ) ; and the lists at the opposite end — the best-performing countries ( nations with the lowest ratios of cases and deaths ) — have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
non-quantitatively , simply upon the basis of the prejudices the given individual happens to hold .
Libertarian individuals who can ’ t think quantitatively can ’ t recognize that the coronavirus data contradict their Most individuals don ’ t think quantitatively , and they therefore evaluate their own country ’ s coronavirus-19 policies-quantitatively , simply upon the basis of the prejudices the given individual happens to hold .
Libertarian individuals who can ’ t think quantitatively can ’ t recognize that the coronavirus data contradict their ideology , and they therefore continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anecdotally and prejudicially , instead of systemically : they select anecdotes that support their prejudices .
Here are two such stupid articles about coronavirus-19 policies , both of which ignore the quantitative factors that have been discussed here : Both of those articles favor a more relaxed public response to the coronavirus problem .
Clearly , each of the two articles ignores the bottom-line data about what constitutes failure and success here , and they therefore recommend the very same policies that , in the failed nations on coronavirus-19 , have caused the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed nations on coronavirus-19 .
There are other interesting stupidities regarding various nations ’ policies on Covid-19 .
For example : As of August 12th , the U.S. Centers for Disease Control warns Americans who are considering travel to Myanmar ( Burma ) , “ COVID-19 risk in Burma is high .
CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to Burma.
” Myanmar has 55 million people , and as of August 12th has had a total of 361 known cases of coronavirus-19 , and a total of 6 deaths from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases there are not increasing ever since April 11th .
The United States has 331 million people , 5,343,849 Covid-19 cases , and 168,662 deaths from the disease .
Whereas Myanmar ’ s death-rate per million inhabitants is 0.1 , America ’ s is 509 , or is 5,090 times higher .
But the U.S. Government is warning Americans that “ COVID-19 risk in Burma is high.
” So , obviously , it ’ s good to have such a protective government , and such an honest one , as people do , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s article “ Foreign Relations of Myanmar ” states that , “ Bilateral relations with the Russian Federation are among the strongest enjoyed by largely isolated Burma.
” So , since the U.S. Government has been trying ever since 26 July 1945 to conquer Russia , one can easily understand why the U.S. Government is warning Americans that “ COVID-19 risk in Burma is high .
”

by Eric Zuesse
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Stupidity is rampant about coronavirus-19 policy, in the countries that are performing the worst on this, such as America and UK. We’ll start here with the lists of those countries:
have the most cases: Unadjusted for how large each country’s population is, you will first see here the list of the world’s countries on the basis of simply how many coronavirus-19 cases each nation has, just by clicking here . Though it’s an informative list, it’s not actually the list of the worst-performing countries; and these are the top twelve nations on this list, in order — the 12 countries that
1. USA
2. Brazil
3. India
4. Russia
5. South Africa
6. Mexico
7. Peru
8. Chile
9. Spain
10. Colombia
11. Iran
12. UK
the highest rates of cases per million inhabitants, and of deaths per million inhabitants, are the actual worst-performing countries. To find each of those two lists, click onto that same site (“Tot Cases/1M pop”, or total cases per million population, and you will see the absolute-worst countries in order, on that measure, “Tot Cases/1M pop”. They are: Countries that have, andare theworst-performing countries. To find each of those two lists, click onto that same site ( here ), and then click atop its column, or total cases per million population, and you will see the absolute-worst countries in order, on that measure,. They are:
1. Qatar
2. French Guiana
3. Bahrain
4. San Marino
5. Chile
6. Kuwait
7. Panama
8. Oman
9. USA
10. Vatican City
11. Peru
12. Brazil
the highest rates of coronavirus-19 deaths per million inhabitants are listed in order if you will click atop the column (“Deaths/1M pop” and these are the world’s worst-performing nations on that measure: Countries that haveare listed in order if you will click atop the column ( here ) that is headedand these are the world’s worst-performing nations on that measure:
1. San Marino
2. Belgium
3. UK
4. Andorra
5. Peru
6. Spain
7. Italy
8. Sweden
9. Chile
10. USA
11. Brazil
12. France
libertarian countries — have the most-relaxed policies regarding protection of the public from the spread of the virus. All of these countries have the most-libertarian policies regarding coronavirus-19, policies such as the smallest percentage of people who are wearing face-masks in public , and such as the freest activity in crowds, and, generally, the least concerns about spreading the virus to others (such as to teachers, healthcare providers, and the general public). These countries —countries — have the most-relaxed policies regarding protection of the public from the spread of the virus.
All of them are U.S.-allied countries. The first of the three lists — the list that’s unadjusted — includes two countries that are not U.S.-allied: Iran and Russia. However, Iran and Russia aren’t among the actual 12 worst, according to either of the two bottom-line measures: “Tot Cases/1M pop”, and “Deaths/1M pop”.
Each list of the three “worst nations” changes over time, because some nations have passed their peak of cases and of deaths, while other nations have not. (To check each individual nation on that, go to that same site and click onto that given nation’s name; and, then, scroll down to the chart for “Daily New Cases,” and the chart for “Daily New Deaths.”) Consequently, the problem is likely to worsen in some countries, and to improve in some countries. The three “twelve worst” lists that are shown here are only as-of this particular moment in time. However, the “twelve worst”s have consistently been overwhelmingly lists of libertarian countries (except at the start, when China was the worst merely because it was the first); and the lists at the opposite end — the best-performing countries (nations with the lowest ratios of cases and deaths) — have been the least-libertarian countries on coronavirus-19 policies.
non-quantitatively, simply upon the basis of the prejudices the given individual happens to hold. Libertarian individuals who can’t think quantitatively can’t recognize that the coronavirus data contradict their Most individuals don’t think quantitatively, and they therefore evaluate their own country’s coronavirus-19 policies-quantitatively, simply upon the basis of the prejudices the given individual happens to hold. Libertarian individuals who can’t think quantitatively can’t recognize that the coronavirus data contradict their ideology , and they therefore continue believing their counter-factual ideology. They think anecdotally and prejudicially, instead of systemically: they select anecdotes that support their prejudices.
Here are two such stupid articles about coronavirus-19 policies, both of which ignore the quantitative factors that have been discussed here:
CORONAVIRUS-stupidity:
Both of those articles favor a more relaxed public response to the coronavirus problem. Clearly, each of the two articles ignores the bottom-line data about what constitutes failure and success here, and they therefore recommend the very same policies that, in the failed nations on coronavirus-19, have caused the failed nations on coronavirus-19 to be the failed nations on coronavirus-19.
There are other interesting stupidities regarding various nations’ policies on Covid-19. For example: As of August 12th, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control warns Americans who are considering travel to Myanmar (Burma), “COVID-19 risk in Burma is high. CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential international travel to Burma.” Myanmar has 55 million people, and as of August 12th has had a total of 361 known cases of coronavirus-19, and a total of 6 deaths from the disease. The numbers of daily new cases there are not increasing ever since April 11th. The United States has 331 million people, 5,343,849 Covid-19 cases, and 168,662 deaths from the disease. Whereas Myanmar’s death-rate per million inhabitants is 0.1, America’s is 509, or is 5,090 times higher. But the U.S. Government is warning Americans that “COVID-19 risk in Burma is high.” So, obviously, it’s good to have such a protective government, and such an honest one, as people do, who are in Myanmar. Wikipedia’s article “Foreign Relations of Myanmar” states that, “Bilateral relations with the Russian Federation are among the strongest enjoyed by largely isolated Burma.” So, since the U.S. Government has been trying ever since 26 July 1945 to conquer Russia, one can easily understand why the U.S. Government is warning Americans that “COVID-19 risk in Burma is high.”
—————


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--Where Will the Next Billion Internet Users Come From?

Internet adoption has steadily increased over the years—it ’ s more than doubled since 2010 .
Despite its widespread use , a significant portion of the global population still isn ’ t connected to the internet , and in certain areas of the world , the number of disconnected people skews towards higher percentages .
Using information from DataReportal , this visual highlights which regions have the greatest number of people disconnected from the web .
We ’ ll also dive into why some regions have low numbers , and take a look at which countries have seen the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 Most Disconnected , by Number of People The majority of countries with lower rates of internet access are in Asia and Africa .
Here ’ s a look at the top 10 countries with the highest numbers of people not connected to the web : *Note : Rankings only include countries/territories with populations over 50,000 .
Interestingly , India has the highest number of disconnected people despite having the second largest online market in the world .
That being said , 50 % of the country ’ s population still doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 % of the U.S. population remains disconnected to the web .
Clearly , India has some untapped potential .
China takes second place , with over 582 million people not connected to the internet .
This is partly because of the country ’ s significant rural population—in 2019 , 39 % of the country ’ s population was living in rural areas .
The gap in internet access between rural and urban China is significant .
This was made apparent during China ’ s recent switch to online learning in response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school children living in rural areas weren ’ t able to access their online classes , only 5.7 % of city dwellers weren ’ t able to log on .
It ’ s important to note that the rural-urban divide is an issue in many countries , not just China .
Even places like the U.S. struggle to provide internet access to remote or rugged rural areas .
Top 10 Most Disconnected , by Share of Population While India , China , and Pakistan have the highest number of people without internet access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s a look at the top 10 most disconnected countries , by share of population : There are various reasons why these regions have a high percentage of people not online—some are political , which is the case of North Korea , where only a select few people can access the wider web .
Regular citizens are restricted from using the global internet but have access to a domestic intranet called Kwangmyong .
Other reasons are financial , which is the case in South Sudan .
The country has struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , which has caused widespread poverty throughout the nation .
It ’ s also stifled infrastructural development—only 2 % of the country has access to electricity as of 2020 , which explains why so few people have access to the web .
In the case of Papua New Guinea , a massive rural population is likely the reason behind its low percentage of internet users—80 % of the population lives in rural areas , with little to no connections to modern life .
While internet advancements like 5G are happening in certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowing down , there ’ s still a long way to go before we reach global connectivity .
Despite the long road ahead , the gap is closing , and previously untapped markets are seeing significant growth .
Here ’ s a look at the top five fast-growing regions : Africa has seen significant growth , mainly because of a massive spike of internet users in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC ) —between 2019 and 2020 , the country ’ s number of internet users increased by 9 million ( +122 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilitated by non-profit organizations and companies like Facebook , which have invested heavily in the development of Africa ’ s internet connectivity .
India has also seen significant growth—between 2019 and 2020 , the number of internet users in the country grew by 128 million ( +23 % ) .
If these countries continue to grow at similar rates , who knows what the breakdown of internet users will look like in the next few years ?

by visualcapitalist
Internet adoption has steadily increased over the years—it’s more than doubled since 2010.
Despite its widespread use, a significant portion of the global population still isn’t connected to the internet, and in certain areas of the world, the number of disconnected people skews towards higher percentages.
Using information from DataReportal, this visual highlights which regions have the greatest number of people disconnected from the web. We’ll also dive into why some regions have low numbers, and take a look at which countries have seen the most growth in the last year.
Top 10 Most Disconnected, by Number of People
The majority of countries with lower rates of internet access are in Asia and Africa. Here’s a look at the top 10 countries with the highest numbers of people not connected to the web:
Rank Country / Territory Unconnected People % of Population 1 India 685,591,071 50% 2 China 582,063,733 41% 3 Pakistan 142,347,735 65% 4 Nigeria 118,059,925 58% 5 Bangladesh 97,427,352 59% 6 Indonesia 96,709,226 36% 7 Ethiopia 92,385,728 81% 8 Democratic Republic of Congo 71,823,319 81% 9 Brazil 61,423,295 29% 10 Egypt 46,626,170 46%
*Note: Rankings only include countries/territories with populations over 50,000.
Interestingly, India has the highest number of disconnected people despite having the second largest online market in the world. That being said, 50% of the country’s population still doesn’t have internet access—for reference, only 14% of the U.S. population remains disconnected to the web. Clearly, India has some untapped potential.
China takes second place, with over 582 million people not connected to the internet. This is partly because of the country’s significant rural population—in 2019, 39% of the country’s population was living in rural areas.
The gap in internet access between rural and urban China is significant. This was made apparent during China’s recent switch to online learning in response to the pandemic. While one-third of elementary school children living in rural areas weren’t able to access their online classes, only 5.7% of city dwellers weren’t able to log on.
It’s important to note that the rural-urban divide is an issue in many countries, not just China. Even places like the U.S. struggle to provide internet access to remote or rugged rural areas.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Top 10 Most Disconnected, by Share of Population
While India, China, and Pakistan have the highest number of people without internet access, there are countries arguably more disconnected.
Here’s a look at the top 10 most disconnected countries, by share of population:
Rank Country / Territory % of Population Unconnected People 1 North Korea 100% 25,722,103 2 South Sudan 92% 10,240,199 3 Eritrea 92% 3,228,429 4 Burundi 90% 10,556,111 5 Somalia 90% 14,042,139 6 Niger 88% 20,977,412 7 Papua New Guinea 88% 7,761,628 8 Liberia 88% 4,372,916 9 Guinea-Bissau 87% 1,694,458 10 Central African Republic 86% 4,132,006
There are various reasons why these regions have a high percentage of people not online—some are political, which is the case of North Korea, where only a select few people can access the wider web. Regular citizens are restricted from using the global internet but have access to a domestic intranet called Kwangmyong.
Other reasons are financial, which is the case in South Sudan. The country has struggled with civil conflict and economic hardship for years, which has caused widespread poverty throughout the nation. It’s also stifled infrastructural development—only 2% of the country has access to electricity as of 2020, which explains why so few people have access to the web.
In the case of Papua New Guinea, a massive rural population is likely the reason behind its low percentage of internet users—80% of the population lives in rural areas, with little to no connections to modern life.
Fastest Growing Regions
While internet advancements like 5G are happening in certain regions, and showing no signs of slowing down, there’s still a long way to go before we reach global connectivity.
Despite the long road ahead, the gap is closing, and previously untapped markets are seeing significant growth. Here’s a look at the top five fast-growing regions:
Rank Region Change in internet use (From 2019 to 2020) 1 Central Africa +40% 2 Southern Asia +20% 3 Northern Africa +14% 4 Western Asia +11% 5 Caribbean +9%
Africa has seen significant growth, mainly because of a massive spike of internet users in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—between 2019 and 2020, the country’s number of internet users increased by 9 million (+122%). This growth has been facilitated by non-profit organizations and companies like Facebook, which have invested heavily in the development of Africa’s internet connectivity.
India has also seen significant growth—between 2019 and 2020, the number of internet users in the country grew by 128 million (+23%).
If these countries continue to grow at similar rates, who knows what the breakdown of internet users will look like in the next few years?


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--Who could of seen this coming!?

Who could of seen this coming!?

@ HRGPFOREVER @ realJosephRich @ RetirementRight who could of seen this coming !
?
t.co/FU1FHDWEao

@HRGPFOREVER @realJosephRich @RetirementRight who could of seen this coming!? t.co/FU1FHDWEao
— Greg Crennan (@GregCrennan) August 12, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--Melt up in Russell as small businesses practically wiped out. This ponzi keeps surprising everyday.

“ U.S .
serious delinquency rate to quadruple by the end of 2021 , pushing 3 million homeowners into serious delinquency.
” Banks Braced as Pandemic Poses Biggest Test Since Financial Crisis Provisions for loan losses are at the highest in a decade as lenders prepare for large-scale company bankruptcies… The economic conditions continue to worsen as we see continued unemployment claims at a record high , millions laid off that have acknowledged they won ’ t be able to get their old job back , and a cascade of debt , defaults , and bankruptcies .
But on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have unbelievable speculation in equities markets at this time .
Never before in history have we seen such exaggerated statistics but since there are no sirens blaring , people don ’ t know , and will never know .
Suggests we will revisit the March lows this year .
US Dollar will not be the reserve currency forever .
It ’ s not possible to unwind the stimulus .
Not possible to pay back the unfunded liabilities .
Clouds on The Horizon for Many U.S .
Homeowners : Overall Delinquency Rates Beginning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Insights Report | Business Wire Boeing order cancellations outpace new sales for sixth straight month as demand continues to fall Gundlach Says Trump Will Win , Calls Harris Too Charismatic – Bloomberg Justifiable Bullishness Or Is It Willful Blindness ?
– RIA

Look at that melt up in Russell 2000 lol! Small businesses practically wiped out. This ponzi keeps surprising everyday. — Hoz (@Hoz94s) August 12, 2020
We know that larger companies are filing for bankruptcy at record pace, but small businesses are disappearing by thousands & unfortunately there aren’t many ways to track data real-time, other than @Yelp’s breakdown of business closures @Bloomberg pic.twitter.com/6ktLfwUYKQ — Liz Ann Sonders (@LizAnnSonders) August 12, 2020
“Financially Devastated” – 83% Of NYC Restaurants Unable To Pay July Rent
Mortgage Mayhem Begins: Overall Delinquency Rates Soar As Housing Crisis Lurks
“U.S. serious delinquency rate to quadruple by the end of 2021, pushing 3 million homeowners into serious delinquency.”
Banks Braced as Pandemic Poses Biggest Test Since Financial Crisis
Provisions for loan losses are at the highest in a decade as lenders prepare for large-scale company bankruptcies…
The economic conditions continue to worsen as we see continued unemployment claims at a record high, millions laid off that have acknowledged they won’t be able to get their old job back, and a cascade of debt, defaults, and bankruptcies. But on the other end of the spectrum, we have unbelievable speculation in equities markets at this time. Never before in history have we seen such exaggerated statistics but since there are no sirens blaring, people don’t know, and will never know.
Gundlach:
Suggests we will revisit the March lows this year.
US Dollar will not be the reserve currency forever.
It’s not possible to unwind the stimulus.
Not possible to pay back the unfunded liabilities.
Poverty Overview
www.worldbank.org/en/topic/poverty/overview
Best Small Business Credit Cards of 2020 – CreditCards.com
www.creditcards.com/business/#small-business-poll
New York, Miami Leading America in Mortgage Delinquencies – Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-11/new-york-miami-leading-america-in-mortgage-delinquencies
Clouds on The Horizon for Many U.S. Homeowners: Overall Delinquency Rates Beginning to Climb, According to CoreLogic Loan Performance Insights Report | Business Wire
www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200811005275/en/Clouds-Horizon-U.S.-Homeowners-Delinquency-Rates-Beginning
CoreLogic_LPI_Bar-Graph_NationalOverview.jpg (1200×1083)
mms.businesswire.com/media/20200811005275/en/811911/5/CoreLogic_LPI_Bar-Graph_NationalOverview.jpg?download=1
CoreLogic_LPI_Table_Metropolitan-Area-Delinquency-Foreclosure.jpg (2500×1615)
mms.businesswire.com/media/20200811005275/en/811909/5/CoreLogic_LPI_Table_Metropolitan-Area-Delinquency-Foreclosure.jpg?download=1
CoreLogic_LPI_Table_Overall-Delinquency-Unemployment.jpg (5000×2583)
mms.businesswire.com/media/20200811005275/en/811910/5/CoreLogic_LPI_Table_Overall-Delinquency-Unemployment.jpg?download=1
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Boeing order cancellations outpace new sales for sixth straight month as demand continues to fall
www.cnbc.com/2020/08/11/boeing-order-cancellations-outpace-new-sales-for-sixth-straight-month-as-demand-continues-to-fall.html?__source=sharebar|twitter&par=sharebar
Gundlach Says Trump Will Win, Calls Harris Too Charismatic – Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-11/gundlach-says-trump-will-win-calls-harris-too-charismatic
UBS Tells Rich Clients to Leave Stock Bubbles to Day Traders – Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-19/rich-clients-should-leave-stock-bubbles-to-day-traders-ubs-says
Top5-Stocks-SP500.png (899×633)
realinvestmentadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Top5-Stocks-SP500.png
FAAMG PE.jpg (1279×638)
www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/FAAMG%20PE.jpg?itok=QSv0NZ-2
silver 1 day 8.11.jpg (1199×658)
www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/silver%201%20day%208.11.jpg?itok=QTDPZO1B
Screen-Shot-2020-08-03-at-1.31.21-PM.png (2300×1666)
thefelderreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Screen-Shot-2020-08-03-at-1.31.21-PM.png
D5-WPq_W0AA0-hB.jpeg (1398×684)
thefelderreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/D5-WPq_W0AA0-hB.jpeg
Justifiable Bullishness Or Is It Willful Blindness? – RIA
realinvestmentadvice.com/justifiable-bullishness-or-is-it-willful-blindness/
Fed-BalanceSheet-080420.png (960×561)
realinvestmentadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Fed-BalanceSheet-080420.png
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realinvestmentadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2-6.png
bfmD112.jpg (936×499)
www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/bfmD112.jpg?itok=t6S8Qdl1


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--Visualizing Coronavirus Economic Impact on Major Corporates

COVID-19 continues to inflict massive damage on the global economy , but how are some of the most recognizable companies doing ?
We crunched the numbers for a handful of well known corporations from around the world to visualize just how bad the carnage has been in some corners of the corporate world for the first half of 2020 .
• Two of the companies with the worst balance sheets in our visualization are the oil companies BP ( - $ 21.2B ) and Shell ( - $ 18.1B ) .
• Our visualization illustrates the pain being felt by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airlines like Delta ( - $ 6.3B ) , car manufacturers like Volkswagen ( - $ 1.8B ) and banks like Wells Fargo ( - $ 1.7B ) .
• COVID-19 is also punishing companies that were already experiencing trouble , like Boeing , which has lost $ 3B in the first half of 2020 alone .
We sourced the data for our visualization directly from each company ’ s separate quarterly earnings report for 2Q2020 .
We plotted the total net income lost in the first half of the year together with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correspondingly sized representation of the coronavirus .
The carnage to corporate balance sheets is enormous .
Top 10 Companies With the Worst Losses in Our Visual Our visualization illustrates in stark detail how the coronavirus pandemic is inflicting significant damage on the travel industry .
First and foremost , oil companies saw a total collapse in oil demand .
Back in April 2020 , there was so much excess oil on the market and not enough demand that prices actually turned negative .
That means there was so much oil , and nowhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that producers would literally pay anyone to take it off their hands .
This new reality directly impacted the bottom lines at companies like BP ( - $ 21.2B ) , Shell ( - $ 18.1B ) and Chevron ( - $ 4.7B ) .
Oil companies weren ’ t the only ones to suffer an epic collapse in consumer demand with the onset of the pandemic .
The TSA counts how many people pass through its checkpoints at airports around the country .
During the 2Q2020 , more than 90 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the profits for airlines .
Delta lost $ 6.3B , American Airlines saw a loss of $ 4.3B , and Air France-KLM likewise suffered a decline of $ 3.1B .
Even Warren Buffett decided to dump all of his airline stocks .
The same economic damage is visible in other parts of the economy , like auto manufacturers , banks and consumer goods , but it ’ s nowhere near as bad as in the travel industry .
But also spare a thought for Boeing .
The company was already experiencing significant problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boeing was forced to ground its marquee airplane , the Max 737 , in March 2019 due to two horrific fatal crashes .
Airlines have since canceled over 800 orders for the plane , slamming the company ’ s profits and resulting in a combined loss of - $ 3B for the first half of the year .
We should also add that there is a significant disconnect between the real economy , as it ’ s experienced by the tens of millions of unemployed Americans , and the stock market .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is currently experiencing record unemployment rates of 10.2 % , and yet the S & P 500 is actually up 3.19 % year-to-date as of this writing ?
Part of the explanation is that some major companies , like Amazon , have benefited from the coronavirus and now represent a larger share of the economy while all the companies in our visual suffer .
Another reason is that stock prices are inherently future oriented , and count us among those who hope for a brighter future ahead .
If you own a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason why you should consider business insurance , which could cover a disruption to your normal operations like COVID-19 .
Check out our small business insurance guides to learn more .

by howmuch
COVID-19 continues to inflict massive damage on the global economy, but how are some of the most recognizable companies doing? We crunched the numbers for a handful of well known corporations from around the world to visualize just how bad the carnage has been in some corners of the corporate world for the first half of 2020.
Buy this visualization
Two of the companies with the worst balance sheets in our visualization are the oil companies BP (-$21.2B) and Shell (-$18.1B).
Our visualization illustrates the pain being felt by travel companies around the world, including airlines like Delta (-$6.3B), car manufacturers like Volkswagen (-$1.8B) and banks like Wells Fargo (-$1.7B).
COVID-19 is also punishing companies that were already experiencing trouble, like Boeing, which has lost $3B in the first half of 2020 alone.
We sourced the data for our visualization directly from each company’s separate quarterly earnings report for 2Q2020. We plotted the total net income lost in the first half of the year together with each company’s logo and a correspondingly sized representation of the coronavirus. The carnage to corporate balance sheets is enormous.
Top 10 Companies With the Worst Losses in Our Visual
Company Net Income (Loss) 1. BP -$21.2B 2. Shell -$18.1B 3. Santander -$12.7B 4. Renault -$8.6B 5.Delta -$6.3B 6. Chevron -$4.7B 7. American Airlines -$4.3B 8. DuPont -$3.1B 9. Air France-KLM -$3.1B 10. Boeing -$3B
Our visualization illustrates in stark detail how the coronavirus pandemic is inflicting significant damage on the travel industry. First and foremost, oil companies saw a total collapse in oil demand. Back in April 2020, there was so much excess oil on the market and not enough demand that prices actually turned negative. That means there was so much oil, and nowhere near enough people to buy it, that producers would literally pay anyone to take it off their hands. This new reality directly impacted the bottom lines at companies like BP (-$21.2B), Shell (-$18.1B) and Chevron (-$4.7B).
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Oil companies weren’t the only ones to suffer an epic collapse in consumer demand with the onset of the pandemic. The TSA counts how many people pass through its checkpoints at airports around the country. During the 2Q2020, more than 90% of the market simply disappeared, directly hammering the profits for airlines. Delta lost $6.3B, American Airlines saw a loss of $4.3B, and Air France-KLM likewise suffered a decline of $3.1B. Even Warren Buffett decided to dump all of his airline stocks. The same economic damage is visible in other parts of the economy, like auto manufacturers, banks and consumer goods, but it’s nowhere near as bad as in the travel industry.
But also spare a thought for Boeing. The company was already experiencing significant problems before the coronavirus suckerpunched global travel. Boeing was forced to ground its marquee airplane, the Max 737, in March 2019 due to two horrific fatal crashes. Airlines have since canceled over 800 orders for the plane, slamming the company’s profits and resulting in a combined loss of -$3B for the first half of the year.
We should also add that there is a significant disconnect between the real economy, as it’s experienced by the tens of millions of unemployed Americans, and the stock market. How can it be true that the US is currently experiencing record unemployment rates of 10.2%, and yet the S&P 500 is actually up 3.19% year-to-date as of this writing? Part of the explanation is that some major companies, like Amazon, have benefited from the coronavirus and now represent a larger share of the economy while all the companies in our visual suffer. Another reason is that stock prices are inherently future oriented, and count us among those who hope for a brighter future ahead.
If you own a small business, this visualization is a major reason why you should consider business insurance, which could cover a disruption to your normal operations like COVID-19. Check out our small business insurance guides to learn more.


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--Worried About Student Loans? Follow These Tips

Student loans are a worry for almost everyone and can cause a lot of stress on young individuals .
The payments can seem never-ending , and it ’ s unsettling to see a large part of your paycheck disappear .
However , it ’ s important not to get too overwhelmed , as there are strategies to help you pay off your loans quickly and easily .
In this article , we ’ ll provide you with some tips and tricks to help you get on top of your debt .
Trust us when we say , the quicker you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Take time to choose the right lender One of the most important things you need to do before you even start paying off your student loan is to choose the right lender to begin with .
This is essential because it can ultimately determine how much interest you will be paying over the next few years .
Finding a great lender could potentially save you hundreds of dollars .
A certificate of deposit is always a good way to go because you have a lock-in interest rate .
A popular choice for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many different options .
Sallie Mae still has good CD rates and should be considered if you ’ re not wanting to worry about the hassle of anything changing .
Make sure you ask around for advice and opinions before you make your decision , it can make a huge difference .
Get a part-time job while you are still learning Taking a part-time job is not only a great way to make extra money for luxuries while in college but can also help you pay off your loans as soon as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each week , you can put a great payment onto your debt initially and take months off of your loan .
While it might seem a little annoying , you ’ ll be grateful for the money you save on interest .
On top of that , if you do happen to be in a bit of dry spell , it ’ s always good to have savings prepared so that you don ’ t incur extra fees for missed payments .
Say , for example , that you put away $ 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Four years later , that ’ s $ 2000 you can put straight onto your loan .
$ 30 , and it ’ s over $ 6000 .
It can undoubtedly make a huge difference .
When you start paying back your loan , it will generally be close to the same amount each month .
If you ’ re looking to pay it off a little quicker , try increasing your payments above the minimum .
Even as little as $ 5 a week can be a huge difference .
If something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it back down again , it ’ s always an option .
Most lenders are understanding of situations , and as long as you are still paying on time , they won ’ t be concerned .
Just remember , the quicker you pay it off , the faster you no longer have to worry about it .
Add an extra payment here and there If you don ’ t want to increase your overall payments for each month , another thing you can do is add on an extra payment here and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some extra shifts at work , or received your tax back ?
Put it on your debt , and you can slowly reduce the amount of time it will take to pay it off .
It might be hard to see all that money go , but it will definitely be worth it .
It would be best if you also aimed to pay off as much as you can while you are still in college .
The last thing you want is to put your life on hold because it has accumulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasons why many individuals struggle to pay off their debt is that they don ’ t budget their finances .
This then can lead them to fall short and miss payments as they don ’ t currently have the funds .
By creating yourself a budget with all of your expenses planned out , you ’ ll know exactly how much you can afford to spend on each area .
Everything from your bills , debt , groceries , and luxurious should have their own section .
At the end of each month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and see where you can be a little more lenient .
Check out some budget templates online if you need help getting started .
For some individuals , over the course of your college years , you may have accumulated more than one type of debt .
This can cause great confusion , especially if you ’ ve used different lenders with different interest rates .
To make things easy , you should aim to consolidate all of your various loans into one .
This will make your interest rate go down , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to manage .
You will be able to physically see the amount that is left and make payments quickly and easily .
Lastly , an important thing that you should remember is that your student loans shouldn ’ t rule your life .
It ’ s essential to prioritize everything so that you can determine what needs to be sorted out first .
For example , you obviously would want to pay your housing payments before your student loan .
You also might have a higher interest on your credit card , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off first .
By determining the priority of things , you can keep everything sorted and won ’ t be so stressed about managing your finances .
It can certainly make a huge difference .
While it is normal to get overwhelmed when you first see your student loans , it ’ s important to remember that you can get through this .
The more ahead of yourself you are , the easier it will be to make payments and manage any of your accumulated debt .
While it might seem easier to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life , it ’ s better to pay it off quickly .
This way , you can then focus on graduating , getting a fantastic new job , home , and starting a family .
Disclaimer : This content does not necessarily represent the views of IWB .

Student loans are a worry for almost everyone and can cause a lot of stress on young individuals. The payments can seem never-ending, and it’s unsettling to see a large part of your paycheck disappear. However, it’s important not to get too overwhelmed, as there are strategies to help you pay off your loans quickly and easily. In this article, we’ll provide you with some tips and tricks to help you get on top of your debt. Trust us when we say, the quicker you get rid of it, the better.
Take time to choose the right lender
One of the most important things you need to do before you even start paying off your student loan is to choose the right lender to begin with. This is essential because it can ultimately determine how much interest you will be paying over the next few years. Finding a great lender could potentially save you hundreds of dollars.
A certificate of deposit is always a good way to go because you have a lock-in interest rate. A popular choice for many is Sallie Mae, which has many different options. Sallie Mae still has good CD rates and should be considered if you’re not wanting to worry about the hassle of anything changing. Make sure you ask around for advice and opinions before you make your decision, it can make a huge difference.
Get a part-time job while you are still learning
Taking a part-time job is not only a great way to make extra money for luxuries while in college but can also help you pay off your loans as soon as possible. By setting aside a little money each week, you can put a great payment onto your debt initially and take months off of your loan. While it might seem a little annoying, you’ll be grateful for the money you save on interest.
On top of that, if you do happen to be in a bit of dry spell, it’s always good to have savings prepared so that you don’t incur extra fees for missed payments. Say, for example, that you put away $10 a week when you start college. Four years later, that’s $2000 you can put straight onto your loan. $30, and it’s over $6000. It can undoubtedly make a huge difference.
Increase your payments
When you start paying back your loan, it will generally be close to the same amount each month. If you’re looking to pay it off a little quicker, try increasing your payments above the minimum. Even as little as $5 a week can be a huge difference.
If something does happen and you need to put it back down again, it’s always an option. Most lenders are understanding of situations, and as long as you are still paying on time, they won’t be concerned. Just remember, the quicker you pay it off, the faster you no longer have to worry about it.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Add an extra payment here and there
If you don’t want to increase your overall payments for each month, another thing you can do is add on an extra payment here and there. Maybe you’ve done some extra shifts at work, or received your tax back? Put it on your debt, and you can slowly reduce the amount of time it will take to pay it off. It might be hard to see all that money go, but it will definitely be worth it. It would be best if you also aimed to pay off as much as you can while you are still in college. The last thing you want is to put your life on hold because it has accumulated so high.
Set yourself a budget
One of the main reasons why many individuals struggle to pay off their debt is that they don’t budget their finances. This then can lead them to fall short and miss payments as they don’t currently have the funds. By creating yourself a budget with all of your expenses planned out, you’ll know exactly how much you can afford to spend on each area. Everything from your bills, debt, groceries, and luxurious should have their own section. At the end of each month, you can then evaluate your expenses and see where you can be a little more lenient. Check out some budget templates online if you need help getting started.
Combine your debts
For some individuals, over the course of your college years, you may have accumulated more than one type of debt. This can cause great confusion, especially if you’ve used different lenders with different interest rates. To make things easy, you should aim to consolidate all of your various loans into one. This will make your interest rate go down, and you will find it much easier to manage. You will be able to physically see the amount that is left and make payments quickly and easily.
Prioritize everything
Lastly, an important thing that you should remember is that your student loans shouldn’t rule your life. It’s essential to prioritize everything so that you can determine what needs to be sorted out first. For example, you obviously would want to pay your housing payments before your student loan. You also might have a higher interest on your credit card, so it might be worthwhile to pay it off first. By determining the priority of things, you can keep everything sorted and won’t be so stressed about managing your finances. It can certainly make a huge difference.
While it is normal to get overwhelmed when you first see your student loans, it’s important to remember that you can get through this. The more ahead of yourself you are, the easier it will be to make payments and manage any of your accumulated debt. While it might seem easier to leave it all until later on in life, it’s better to pay it off quickly. This way, you can then focus on graduating, getting a fantastic new job, home, and starting a family.
Disclaimer: This content does not necessarily represent the views of IWB.


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--20 countries orders ONE BILLION doses of world’s first Covid-19 vaccine

A total of 20 nations from Latin America , the Middle East , and Asia have already requested doses of Russia ’ s breakthrough coronavirus vaccine , which was confirmed to be registered on Tuesday by Russian President Vladimir Putin .
At a conference dedicated to the announcement of the vaccine ’ s registration , the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund ( RDIF ) explained that it had already received orders for a billion doses .
“ Together with our foreign partners , we are ready to produce more than 500 million doses of the vaccine per year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produced in Russia will be used domestically , and doses for use in other countries will be made abroad .
According to Dmitriev , the RDIF is also working on a humanitarian aid program for developing countries , with the aim of making the Covid-19 vaccine available in states that can ’ t afford to make or buy their own .
Explaining that vaccination is an acute problem in the world ’ s poorest countries , Dmitriev said that the fund believes “ people around the world should have equal access to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” On Tuesday , Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the country had registered the world ’ s first Covid-19 vaccine .
Named “ Sputnik V , ” the vaccine is due to enter mass production soon , and will be available to the general public from January 2021 .
Despite being registered , the vaccine will still go through more clinical trials in Russia and the Middle East .

A total of 20 nations from Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia have already requested doses of Russia’s breakthrough coronavirus vaccine, which was confirmed to be registered on Tuesday by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At a conference dedicated to the announcement of the vaccine’s registration, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) explained that it had already received orders for a billion doses.
“Together with our foreign partners, we are ready to produce more than 500 million doses of the vaccine per year,” Kirill Dmitriev explained. Everything produced in Russia will be used domestically, and doses for use in other countries will be made abroad.
According to Dmitriev, the RDIF is also working on a humanitarian aid program for developing countries, with the aim of making the Covid-19 vaccine available in states that can’t afford to make or buy their own.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Explaining that vaccination is an acute problem in the world’s poorest countries, Dmitriev said that the fund believes “people around the world should have equal access to a vaccine, regardless of their financial situation.”
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the country had registered the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine. Named “Sputnik V,” the vaccine is due to enter mass production soon, and will be available to the general public from January 2021. Despite being registered, the vaccine will still go through more clinical trials in Russia and the Middle East.
www.rt.com/russia/497719-russia-vaccine-orders/


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--Technical Analysis Suggests Stock Market Peak May Be Near

by Chris Vermeulen of The Technical Traders Our Adaptive Fibonacci Price Modeling system is suggesting a moderate price peak may be already setting up in the NASDAQ while the Dow Jones , S & P500 , and Transportation Index continue to rally beyond the projected Fibonacci Price Expansion Levels .
This indicates that capital may be shifting away from the already lofty Technology sector and into Basic Materials , Financials , Energy , Consumer Staples , Utilities , as well as other sectors .
This type of a structural market shift indicates a move away from speculation and towards Blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investors are expecting the US consumer to come back strong ( or at least hold up the market at least ) over the next 6+ months .
Recently , a moderately large shift away from Technology and Biotech has taken place where traders and investors have started to move capital away from these high-flying sectors and into more traditional market sectors like the Industrials , Financials , Energy , Materials amongst others .
This type of shift takes place when traders and investors believe a consumer-based economy will dominate essential components within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has driven stock price levels to near extreme levels .
Take a look below for a list of the top-performing sectors over the last 30 days .
We like to think of these things in terms of simple supply and demand .
When price levels reach extreme highs and buyers no longer believe the valuation levels to be accurate ( or overvalued ) , then buying activity slows or stops .
Buyers will start to seek our other assets that appear to be undervalued as there is a greater chance to profit from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now shifting into consumer staples , energy , materials , and financials , expecting market support for the remainder of 2020 to come from the things that people can not live without .
This could mean the high flying NASDAQ and Bio-Tech sector may be left wanting for the next 4+ months or longer .
FIBONACCI PRICE RANGES SUGGEST A PEAK MAY BE NEAR Our proprietary Fibonacci Price Modeling system assists us in learning where and when price levels have reached critical turning points and nearing exhaustion points The NASDAQ Daily chart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It shows a YELLOW Rectangle that spans the range of the upside Fibonacci projected price expansion level from the lows in late June 2020 .
Notice how price rallied above the 10,600 price level in mid-July , then began to weaken and rotate between 10,600 and 11,300 .
The projected Fibonacci Price Expansion levels suggested price would attempt to move into this range as the main Resistance area .
Of course , price could continue to rally beyond these ranges in strong momentum – which we ’ ve seen in the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the NASDAQ pushes price levels below 10,915 on a closing price basis , then the Daily chart will confirm a new potential BEARISH price trend in the NASDAQ which could see price levels falling to 10,650 , 9,175 , or 8,190 .
Each of these lower Fibonacci price expansion levels are adapted to the current range of price rotation ( peaks and troughs ) setup over the past 280+ days .
Thus , our Fibonacci Price Modeling system attempts to adapt to price ranges and rotation in a way that presents very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price activity .
Be sure to sign up for our free market trend analysis and signals now so you don ’ t miss our next special report !
This next chart , the Transportation Index Daily chart , also suggests that price levels have already breached the Fibonacci Projected Price Expansion levels .
As such , the Transportation Index may have already breached key resistance – pushing into a Scouting Pattern type of price formation .
This is where price attempts to “ scout out ” a price area that is somewhat “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If strong support if found above this resistance level , then prices will hold above the resistance level and attempt to move higher .
If support is not found in the scouting area , then price will almost immediately fall back into the resistance area and consolidate or initiate a new downside price trend .
The YELLOW Rectangle area on the chart above highlights the Fibonacci Price Expansion levels presented by the Fibonacci Price Modeling system .
Any rally beyond these projected expansion levels would suggest a massive shift in capital is taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the shifting trading environment , are driving price activity well beyond normal Fibonacci price expansion ranges .
As you can see from the chart below , the number of stocks above the 50-period Moving Average ( MA ) level has climbed to 87.49 .
In layman terms , this means that nearly 90 % of all stocks ( within the Dow Comp ) are above their 50-period MA is near extremely high levels .
Historically , when this indicator reaches above 85~90 , price peaks usually set up within 5 to 7+ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may last 10 to 30+ days .
Additionally , over the past 12+ months , we can see that the current level of this indicator is near the highest levels reached at any other time over the past 12+ months .
This suggests that the US stock market has currently reached overbought levels that are moderately extreme .
We would expect this indicator to rotate lower , possibly reaching levels near 35 to 45 from these current peak levels .
Recently , we published a research article that suggested the SPY and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have another 2 to 4 % ( or more ) to the upside before reaching a full 100 % measured move .
After the past two days of strong upside price activity , we believe we are nearing a peak in price levels and urge traders to take precautions – protect open long positions .
The NASDAQ appears to be much weaker than the Dow Jones or S & P500 right now – yet all of these US major indexes appear to be nearing a peak level .
The breakdown of Gold and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved beyond critical support on panic buying .
A similar type of downside price move could take place in the US major indexes if traders suddenly realize price levels have been pushed “ too far to the upside ” … particularly in the NASDAQ .
Pay attention to our research and please protect your assets and family .
The process of global recovery after the COVID-19 virus is likely to take years .
There will be very big and incredible opportunities for skilled technical traders over that time .
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If you have a buy-and-hold account ( like retirement accounts ) and are looking for technical signals for when to own equities , bonds , or cash , be sure to subscribe to my Passive Long-Term ETF Investing Signals , for which we expect to issue a new signal for subscribers soon .
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NOTICE : Our free research does not constitute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice , or solicitation for our readers to take any action regarding this research .
It is provided for educational purposes only .
Our research team produces these research articles to share information with you in an effort to try to keep you well informed .
Visit our web site ( www.thetechnicaltraders.com ) to learn how to take advantage of our members-only research and trading signals .

by Chris Vermeulen of The Technical Traders
Our Adaptive Fibonacci Price Modeling system is suggesting a moderate price peak may be already setting up in the NASDAQ while the Dow Jones, S&P500, and Transportation Index continue to rally beyond the projected Fibonacci Price Expansion Levels. This indicates that capital may be shifting away from the already lofty Technology sector and into Basic Materials, Financials, Energy, Consumer Staples, Utilities, as well as other sectors.
This type of a structural market shift indicates a move away from speculation and towards Blue Chip returns. It suggests traders and investors are expecting the US consumer to come back strong (or at least hold up the market at least) over the next 6+ months.
SHIFTING MARKET SECTORS COULD CATCH TRADERS OFF-GUARD
Recently, a moderately large shift away from Technology and Biotech has taken place where traders and investors have started to move capital away from these high-flying sectors and into more traditional market sectors like the Industrials, Financials, Energy, Materials amongst others. This type of shift takes place when traders and investors believe a consumer-based economy will dominate essential components within the markets and when technology or price speculation has driven stock price levels to near extreme levels. Take a look below for a list of the top-performing sectors over the last 30 days.
We like to think of these things in terms of simple supply and demand. When price levels reach extreme highs and buyers no longer believe the valuation levels to be accurate (or overvalued), then buying activity slows or stops. Buyers will start to seek our other assets that appear to be undervalued as there is a greater chance to profit from those assets.
It appears that traders are now shifting into consumer staples, energy, materials, and financials, expecting market support for the remainder of 2020 to come from the things that people cannot live without. This could mean the high flying NASDAQ and Bio-Tech sector may be left wanting for the next 4+ months or longer.
FIBONACCI PRICE RANGES SUGGEST A PEAK MAY BE NEAR
Our proprietary Fibonacci Price Modeling system assists us in learning where and when price levels have reached critical turning points and nearing exhaustion points The NASDAQ Daily chart below highlights our Fibonacci Price Modeling system. It shows a YELLOW Rectangle that spans the range of the upside Fibonacci projected price expansion level from the lows in late June 2020. Notice how price rallied above the 10,600 price level in mid-July, then began to weaken and rotate between 10,600 and 11,300. The projected Fibonacci Price Expansion levels suggested price would attempt to move into this range as the main Resistance area. Of course, price could continue to rally beyond these ranges in strong momentum – which we’ve seen in the past.
If the shift in capital away from the NASDAQ pushes price levels below 10,915 on a closing price basis, then the Daily chart will confirm a new potential BEARISH price trend in the NASDAQ which could see price levels falling to 10,650, 9,175, or 8,190. Each of these lower Fibonacci price expansion levels are adapted to the current range of price rotation (peaks and troughs) setup over the past 280+ days. Thus, our Fibonacci Price Modeling system attempts to adapt to price ranges and rotation in a way that presents very real trigger levels and targets for future price activity.
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This next chart, the Transportation Index Daily chart, also suggests that price levels have already breached the Fibonacci Projected Price Expansion levels. As such, the Transportation Index may have already breached key resistance – pushing into a Scouting Pattern type of price formation. This is where price attempts to “scout out” a price area that is somewhat “alien” to normal price ranges. If strong support if found above this resistance level, then prices will hold above the resistance level and attempt to move higher. If support is not found in the scouting area, then price will almost immediately fall back into the resistance area and consolidate or initiate a new downside price trend.
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The YELLOW Rectangle area on the chart above highlights the Fibonacci Price Expansion levels presented by the Fibonacci Price Modeling system. Any rally beyond these projected expansion levels would suggest a massive shift in capital is taking place where price momentum, traders piling into the shifting trading environment, are driving price activity well beyond normal Fibonacci price expansion ranges.
MOVING AVERAGES ALSO SUGGEST A PEAK
As you can see from the chart below, the number of stocks above the 50-period Moving Average (MA) level has climbed to 87.49. In layman terms, this means that nearly 90% of all stocks (within the Dow Comp) are above their 50-period MA is near extremely high levels. Historically, when this indicator reaches above 85~90, price peaks usually set up within 5 to 7+ trading days prompting a downside price trend that may last 10 to 30+ days.
Additionally, over the past 12+ months, we can see that the current level of this indicator is near the highest levels reached at any other time over the past 12+ months. This suggests that the US stock market has currently reached overbought levels that are moderately extreme. We would expect this indicator to rotate lower, possibly reaching levels near 35 to 45 from these current peak levels.
Recently, we published a research article that suggested the SPY and TRAN (Transportation Index) appear to have another 2 to 4% (or more) to the upside before reaching a full 100% measured move. After the past two days of strong upside price activity, we believe we are nearing a peak in price levels and urge traders to take precautions – protect open long positions. The NASDAQ appears to be much weaker than the Dow Jones or S&P500 right now – yet all of these US major indexes appear to be nearing a peak level.
The breakdown of Gold and Silver today suggest that metals may have moved beyond critical support on panic buying. A similar type of downside price move could take place in the US major indexes if traders suddenly realize price levels have been pushed “too far to the upside”… particularly in the NASDAQ.
Pay attention to our research and please protect your assets and family. The process of global recovery after the COVID-19 virus is likely to take years. There will be very big and incredible opportunities for skilled technical traders over that time. Learn how we can help you trade and find success in these markets – sign up for my Active ETF Swing Trade Signals today!
If you have a buy-and-hold account (like retirement accounts) and are looking for technical signals for when to own equities, bonds, or cash, be sure to subscribe to my Passive Long-Term ETF Investing Signals, for which we expect to issue a new signal for subscribers soon. Stay healthy and rest easy at night by staying informed through our services – sign up today!
Chris Vermeulen
Chief Market Strategist
Founder of Technical Traders Ltd.
NOTICE: Our free research does not constitute a trade recommendation, investment or trading advice, or solicitation for our readers to take any action regarding this research. It is provided for educational purposes only. Our research team produces these research articles to share information with you in an effort to try to keep you well informed. Visit our web site (www.thetechnicaltraders.com) to learn how to take advantage of our members-only research and trading signals.


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-12--China To Expand Its Influence In The Middle East With Major Oil Deal

China continues to expand its influence in the Middle East through oil and infrastructure deals , and the latest deal with ADNOC is a great example of how Beijing looks to grow its presence in the offshore oil business It is little surprise to see that China – again – figures in yet another concessions award in the Middle East , this time relating to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ( ADNOC ) .
In the aftermath of Saudi Arabia ’ s second disastrous oil price war against the U.S. shale sector , virtually all major Middle Eastern state-owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant operational deficits , as are their governments .
In the absence of a sudden major spike in oil prices , economic survival in practical terms now comes down to one of two broad options .
The first is to sell off chunks of state assets in initial public offerings ( IPOs ) or stakes in ongoing oil and gas projects , which ADNOC recently did with the sale of a 49 per cent stake in its gas pipelines for just over US $ 10 billion to international investors .
The second is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from countries for which the immediate economic shortfall inherent in such deals pales into insignificance compared to the longer-term geopolitical and financial advantages .
In this latter regard , Russia has its own financial constraints to deal with but China does not .
Specifically , ADNOC has announced the transfer of ownership rights in its Lower Zakum , and Umm Shaif and Nasr offshore concessions from the existing holding of the China National Petroleum Corporation ( CNPC ) to China National Offshore Oil Corporation ’ s ( CNOOC ) subsidiary , CNOOC Limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquiring a 40 per cent interest in CNPC ’ s majority-owned subsidiary PetroChina Investment Overseas ( Middle East ) Ltd ( PetroChina ) through its holding company , CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Limited ( CNOOC HK ) .
After the proposal has been approved by Abu Dhabi ’ s Supreme Petroleum Council ( SPC ) – a rubber-stamping affair – CNOOC will join the principal operating consortium in the Lower Zakum concession , comprising India ’ s ONGC Videsh ( 10 per cent stake ) , Japan ’ s INPEX Corporation ( 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNPC ( 6 per cent ) , Italy ’ s Eni ( 5 per cent ) , and France ’ s Total ( 5 per cent ) .
CNOOC will also join the principal operating consortium in the Umm Shaif and Nasr concession , comprising Total ( 20 per cent ) , Eni ( 10 per cent ) , and CNPC ( 6 percent ) .
ADNOC will retain a 60 per cent majority ownership interest in both concessions .
Significantly , aside from the broader relentless expansion of China into the Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ One Belt , One Road ’ programme , this deal marks the first time a dedicated Chinese offshore oil and gas company has joined in any ADNOC concession .
These points did not go unnoticed by the chairman of CNOOC , Wang Dongjin , who said : “ CNOOC will leverage our extensive expertise in the offshore sector and be dedicated to value creation in these concessions for our mutual benefit.
” In this context , this latest deal follows the signing on 22 July 2019 of a comprehensive framework agreement between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunities for collaboration ’ in the upstream , midstream , and downstream oil sectors as well as in liquefied natural gas ( LNG ) .
Described at the time by ADNOC chief executive officer , Ahmed Al Jaber as “ far-reaching ” , the deal is such a significant move by China into the core oil and gas interests of one of the U.S. ’ s few remaining vocal allies in the Middle East – the UAE – that the deal signing ceremony was attended in person by China ’ s President , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual platitudes expected in such deals , even the official guidance on its contents highlighted its vast scope and scale .
For example , ADNOC and CNOOC , according to the official published notes on the agreement , will ‘ share knowledge , best practices and technologies in ultra-sour gas development to improve operational efficiency in gas processing and treatment , deliver efficiency , performance and reliability for drilling operations and develop field and reservoir development plans ’ .
As an adjunct to this , China ’ s Offshore Oil Engineering Company ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for associated engineering , procurement and construction opportunities , as would China Oilfield Services Ltd ( COSL ) for the supply of oilfield services and to explore collaboration opportunities in offshore oil and gas field assets in Abu Dhabi .
Also according to the July 2019 agreement , ADNOC and CNOOC would jointly explore LNG sales and purchase opportunities , share knowledge and expertise in LNG markets , and evaluate partnerships and joint investment opportunities in the LNG value chain .
Finally , in the downstream sector , the two companies would collaborate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China , co-operate in CNOOC ’ s refining assets , and jointly partner and invest in the refining and petrochemical value chain .
One of these early , albeit indirect , China investments may well be into an investment platform to fund local chemicals projects , as part of an overall push to invest US $ 45 billion in downstream activities in Abu Dhabi , according to a senior oil and gas industry source familiar with the project .
The investment platform is to be run as a joint project between ADNOC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ADQ ( formerly known as the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company ) and will oversee the development of projects in the planned Ruwais Derivatives Park .
Although ADNOC has not made public the breakdown of where all of the funding is to come from , ADNOC and ADQ together will hold a 60 stake in the project .
That the ADQ has any money at all for such an investment , or indeed for anything at all , is surprising , given that less than two months ago it was in urgent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least US $ 3 billion ” , according to various reports .
“ ADQ ’ s attempts to put together a syndicate of banks did not go well and yet here it is with investment funding , at a time when the broader deal with China is moving forward , ” he said .
“ There are no public statements that China is involved in the funding , of course , but it is fair to say that if ADQ or ADNOC had asked China for funding for the investment platform then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he concluded .

By Simon Watkins
China continues to expand its influence in the Middle East through oil and infrastructure deals, and the latest deal with ADNOC is a great example of how Beijing looks to grow its presence in the offshore oil business
It is little surprise to see that China – again – figures in yet another concessions award in the Middle East, this time relating to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). In the aftermath of Saudi Arabia’s second disastrous oil price war against the U.S. shale sector, virtually all major Middle Eastern state-owned oil firms are looking to plug varyingly significant operational deficits, as are their governments.
In the absence of a sudden major spike in oil prices, economic survival in practical terms now comes down to one of two broad options. The first is to sell off chunks of state assets in initial public offerings (IPOs) or stakes in ongoing oil and gas projects, which ADNOC recently did with the sale of a 49 per cent stake in its gas pipelines for just over US$10 billion to international investors. The second is to sell-off the same assets to companies from countries for which the immediate economic shortfall inherent in such deals pales into insignificance compared to the longer-term geopolitical and financial advantages. In this latter regard, Russia has its own financial constraints to deal with but China does not.
Specifically, ADNOC has announced the transfer of ownership rights in its Lower Zakum, and Umm Shaif and Nasr offshore concessions from the existing holding of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) subsidiary, CNOOC Limited. This will be done by CNOOC acquiring a 40 per cent interest in CNPC’s majority-owned subsidiary PetroChina Investment Overseas (Middle East) Ltd (PetroChina) through its holding company, CNOOC Hong Kong Holding Limited (CNOOC HK). After the proposal has been approved by Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC) – a rubber-stamping affair – CNOOC will join the principal operating consortium in the Lower Zakum concession, comprising India’s ONGC Videsh (10 per cent stake), Japan’s INPEX Corporation (10 per cent), China’s CNPC (6 per cent), Italy’s Eni (5 per cent), and France’s Total (5 per cent). CNOOC will also join the principal operating consortium in the Umm Shaif and Nasr concession, comprising Total (20 per cent), Eni (10 per cent), and CNPC (6 percent). ADNOC will retain a 60 per cent majority ownership interest in both concessions.
Significantly, aside from the broader relentless expansion of China into the Middle East, in line with its multi-generational ‘One Belt, One Road’ programme, this deal marks the first time a dedicated Chinese offshore oil and gas company has joined in any ADNOC concession. These points did not go unnoticed by the chairman of CNOOC, Wang Dongjin, who said: “CNOOC will leverage our extensive expertise in the offshore sector and be dedicated to value creation in these concessions for our mutual benefit.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
In this context, this latest deal follows the signing on 22 July 2019 of a comprehensive framework agreement between ADNOC and CNOOC to ‘explore new opportunities for collaboration’ in the upstream, midstream, and downstream oil sectors as well as in liquefied natural gas (LNG). Described at the time by ADNOC chief executive officer, Ahmed Al Jaber as “far-reaching”, the deal is such a significant move by China into the core oil and gas interests of one of the U.S.’s few remaining vocal allies in the Middle East – the UAE – that the deal signing ceremony was attended in person by China’s President, Xi Jinping.
Although couched in the usual platitudes expected in such deals, even the official guidance on its contents highlighted its vast scope and scale. For example, ADNOC and CNOOC, according to the official published notes on the agreement, will ‘share knowledge, best practices and technologies in ultra-sour gas development to improve operational efficiency in gas processing and treatment, deliver efficiency, performance and reliability for drilling operations and develop field and reservoir development plans’. As an adjunct to this, China’s Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC) would be in prime position for associated engineering, procurement and construction opportunities, as would China Oilfield Services Ltd (COSL) for the supply of oilfield services and to explore collaboration opportunities in offshore oil and gas field assets in Abu Dhabi.
Also according to the July 2019 agreement, ADNOC and CNOOC would jointly explore LNG sales and purchase opportunities, share knowledge and expertise in LNG markets, and evaluate partnerships and joint investment opportunities in the LNG value chain. Finally, in the downstream sector, the two companies would collaborate in new integrated refining and petrochemical assets in China, co-operate in CNOOC’s refining assets, and jointly partner and invest in the refining and petrochemical value chain.
One of these early, albeit indirect, China investments may well be into an investment platform to fund local chemicals projects, as part of an overall push to invest US$45 billion in downstream activities in Abu Dhabi, according to a senior oil and gas industry source familiar with the project. The investment platform is to be run as a joint project between ADNOC and the Abu Dhabi state-owned holding company, ADQ (formerly known as the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company) and will oversee the development of projects in the planned Ruwais Derivatives Park. Although ADNOC has not made public the breakdown of where all of the funding is to come from, ADNOC and ADQ together will hold a 60 stake in the project.
That the ADQ has any money at all for such an investment, or indeed for anything at all, is surprising, given that less than two months ago it was in urgent talks to raise a loan of “at least US$3 billion”, according to various reports. “ADQ’s attempts to put together a syndicate of banks did not go well and yet here it is with investment funding, at a time when the broader deal with China is moving forward,” he said. “There are no public statements that China is involved in the funding, of course, but it is fair to say that if ADQ or ADNOC had asked China for funding for the investment platform then China would have given it,” he concluded.
By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com