GameStop, short-sellers, Reddit rebels and Wall Street’s wonky plumbing
What was the furore over US retailer GameStop really about? Is silver the next big social media-driven trade? And what does any of this mean for sensible long-term investors? John Stepek tries to unravel the story.
Hedge funds: hedge funds are the same as normal funds except a) they can use strategies such as shorting that regulators consider too risky for “retail” investors and b) they charge a lot more. Their mystique is pure branding – like most actively run funds, they struggle to beat the market long term.
YOLO: You Only Live Once, with the implication being, why not take a big bet on a high-risk stock? Needless to say, some unfortunate investors will be learning the answer to that the hard way.
HODL: “Buy and hold” rather than trade. The term caught on after a drunken bitcoin investor captured the popular imagination with the late-night typo, “I AM HODLING”, on a cryptocurrency messaging board in 2013.
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Diamond hands: holders who will never sell until they reach their goal, whatever that may be – as opposed to paper hands who fold “too early”.
Stonks: a comic mis-spelling of “stocks”.
Tendies: profits. Named after chicken tenders (battered chicken). Don’t ask.
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‘Sandwich generation’ carers losing £6,000 a year to support elderly relativesMiddle-aged adults are often caught between caring for children or grandchildren and their elderly parents, leaving them taking time out of the workforce and facing a huge hit to wages while they are still trying to save for retirement. We look at the true cost of caring.
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Ground rents to be capped at £250 a year – what does it mean for you?The government has published draft legislation which would see ground rents capped at £250 per year for leaseholders. We examine what it means for homeowners and the housing market.
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Three promising emerging-market stocks to diversify your portfolioOpinion Omar Negyal, portfolio manager, JPMorgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, highlights three emerging-market stocks where he’d put his money
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Coface offers excess profit in an unloved sectorCoface is a world leader in trade-credit insurance with key competitive advantages in a niche market
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Exciting opportunities in biotechBiotech firms should profit from the ‘patent cliff’, which will force big pharmaceutical companies to innovate or make acquisitions
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How to invest in the new breed of payment providersUpstart payment providers are taking the world by storm. It’s time for investors to buy in, says Rupert Hargreaves
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What turns a stock market crash into a financial crisis?Opinion Professor Linda Yueh's popular book on major stock market crashes misses key lessons, says Max King
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How to add cryptocurrency to your portfolioA new listing shows how bitcoin might add value to a portfolio if cryptocurrency keeps gaining acceptance, says Cris Sholto Heaton
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Profit from pest control with Rentokil InitialRentokil Initial is set for global expansion and offers strong sales growth
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Three funds to buy for capital growth and global incomeOpinion Three investment trusts with potential for capital growth, selected by Adam Norris, co-portfolio manager of the CT Global Managed Portfolio Trust
