Blog - Sophisticated Investor

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Good Idea, Bad Investment?

Michael Panzner – February 15, 2016

The bet that many investors made last year that the U.S. financial sector was heading higher seemed to have a...

Negative Interest Rates and Your Investments

Renee Ann Breiten – February 11, 2016

Negative interest rates seem to be the new trend. The Bank of Japan just cut interest rates to NEGATIVE 0.1%...

Some Recent Hedge Fund Trends that Investors Need to Know About

Michael Panzner – February 8, 2016

Last year proved to be tough going for many hedge funds, with average returns hovering around zero. That said, aggregate assets under...

Interest Rates, the Economy, and Investors

Renee Ann Breiten – February 4, 2016

At the Federal Reserve increased interest rates in December, the U.S. stock markets have taken a considerable dip. The December...

Outlook Remains Bright for Activist Investing

Michael Panzner – February 1, 2016

In theory, a bear market should be a godsend for activist investing. When share prices fall, shareholders, board members, senior managers and...

Private Markets Face Big Challenges in 2016

Renee Ann Breiten – January 28, 2016

As the global economy changes and shifts, shockwaves are being felt all through the world’s stock markets and much of...

Pre-IPO Market Souring Fast

Michael Panzner – January 25, 2016

An earlier article at Sophisticated Investor argued that the outlook for growth stage private companies, especially the $1 billion-plus technology "unicorns,"...

Gain An Edge: Consider Adding 40s Act Funds To Your Portfolio

Gino D'Alessio – January 24, 2016

What exactly defines a 40s Act Fund? The main strategies and how they fit into my portfolio General performance in...

Venture Capital is on Controlled Burn

Renee Ann Breiten – January 21, 2016

The stock market may be in the midst of a tumble but venture capital is strong. According to Thomson Reuters...

Economic Risks Are to the Downside

Michael Panzner – January 18, 2016

One of today's more contentious debates centers on where the U.S. economy is headed. To some, the economy remains on...

Higher Volatility Is Here to Stay

Michael Panzner – January 18, 2016

There's no doubt that equity (and other) markets have been more volatile this year than in 2015. This partly reflects...

Recession, China, and the Global Economy

Renee Ann Breiten – January 14, 2016

China’s stock market has been in the headlines so far this year. The slowdown in its economic growth and worries...

Angel Investing: Interesting Prospects

Michael Panzner – January 11, 2016

If the venture capital industry's best days are behind it, as suggested previously, it is only natural to assume that...

ETFs: Riskier than Advertised?

Michael Panzner – January 11, 2016

For anyone who has been paying attention, it's no surprise to learn that the exchange-traded fund industry has seen phenomenal growth,...

Hedge Funds Are Taking On The Role Of Portfolio Substitutes!

Gino D'Alessio – January 10, 2016

We are going to look at the results of a paper published by AIMA (Alternative Investment Management Association) in collaboration...

The U.S. Oil Export Ban and Your Portfolio

Renee Ann Breiten – January 7, 2016

Oil prices hit their lowest in years and the export ban on U.S. crude oil was lifted after a larger...

Private Equity Real Estate: Still Looking Up?

Michael Panzner – January 4, 2016

An earlier article at Sophisticated Investor, "Dark Clouds Looming for Private Equity," discussed prospects for an industry that makes money by acquiring...