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Perfect Ending for the “Fascinating China” Events of 72nd Cannes Film Festival

Elliot
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Perfect Ending for the “Fascinating China” Events of 72nd Cannes Film Festival

The “Fascinating China” Events of 72nd Cannes Film Festival is successfully concluded on May 15 and 16 by local time at Cannes, a beautiful town in South France. During the two days, distinguished guests and film and television practitioners from all over the world are attracted to various kinds of activities feeling for the uniqueness of “Fascinating China” during the period of the festival.

The 72nd Cannes Film Festival “Fascinating China” is jointly sponsored by Cannes International Film Festival Film Market, French National Film Commission, French National Film Center, China Xinhua Net and China Film Foundation, and undertaken by Huayi Brothers and Wu Tianming Youth Film Special Foundation, including a series of events such as “Young Film Makers Training Plan”, “Overseas Presentation of Chinese Film Industry”, “China’s Most Beautiful Shooting Location Presenting and Recommending” and “China VR Film Immersive Interaction Experiencing Exhibition”.

Wang Zhonglei (first from left), Co-founder, Vice Chairman and CEO of Huayi Brothers, and Kun Ling (first from right), Chinese actress, are presenting the prizes for the Meritorious Winners.

As one of the highlights of “Fascinating China” Events, the promotion and the award ceremony of “Young Film Makers Training Plan” are held on May 15, which is divided into two competition units, “Short Film Works” and ”Film Script”. Since its startup, more than 800 pieces of works are collected, including feature films, action films, documentaries and other types, with eventually 32 works standing out. Among them, Inheritor, narrating the heritage of traditional Chinese operas, has won the Best Award for Short Films by Young Film Makers; and the screenwriter Lin Weiran of the feature film Great Ideal People has won the Best Award for Young Screen Writers. The Round Table Forum on “Gathering and Promoting Growth of Young Film Makers” is also held on the same day. Film makers from China and France fully exchange by sharing their film ideas, educational experience and the general situation of young film makers in both countries.

The representative from the Tourism Administration Bureau of Cannes, France (first from the left), Michel Chevillon, (Fourth from the left), Vice Chairman of the Bureau of Industry and Commerce in Cote d’Azur and Chairman of Hotel Federation, Adeline CHAUVEAU (third from the right), officer in charge of movie and television projects from French Embassy to China, and the representatives from the cities awarded for “China’s most beautiful shooting location” are taking the group picture.

On May 16 (local time), an event is held at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival to recommend China’s most beautiful shooting locations on the theme of “Fascinating China”. In this event, on the list of China’s most beautiful locations are Huanghai National Forest Park in Dongtai of Jiangsu, Long Stretch of Azaleas in Bijie of Guilin, Siming District in Xiamen of Fujian, and Li Autonomous County in Lingshui of Hainan. After the wonderful live presentation, film makers from all over the world sing high praises for the scenery and vigor of China’s most beautiful shooting locations and express great interest in going to China for shooting and producing film and television works.

Audiences from all over the world are experiencing VR films.

It is worth mentioning that, as an essential part of “Fascinating China” Events, the booths for “Overseas Presentation of Chinese Film Industry”, “ China’s Most Beautiful Shooting Location Presenting and Recommending” and “China VR Film Immersive Interaction Experiencing Exhibition”, jointly launched by XinhuaNet and Cannes Film Market, are displayed during the festival. the booth for “Overseas Presentation of Chinese Film Industry” is designed to unfold the vigorous development and comprehensive strength of Chinese film industry to the whole world. More than 20 representative Chinese film works, such as The Eight Hundred and Skyfire, are introduced on the scene. As the representatives of Damei China (Chinese version of Wild China), the four places of Huanghai National Forest Park in Dongtai of Jiangsu, Long Stretch of Azaleas in Bijie of Guilin, Siming District in Xiamen of Fujian, and Li Autonomous County in Lingshui of Hainan have their own publicity films screened repeatedly at the booth for “China’s Most Beautiful Shooting Location Presenting and Recommending”, attracting many foreign film makers to stop for a look. “China VR Film Immersive Interaction Experiencing Exhibition” brings the audience two VR films with Chinese characteristics, namely Flying over RiversideSceneatQingmingFestival and Hui-style Architecture. By combining traditional culture and technology , both films intensify the understanding of overseas audience about Chinese culture, add the appeal of Chinese traditional culture to the public and make Chinese traditional culture “move up and go out”.

Consequences of Bad Predictions and Emotional Decision-Making

Elliot
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Consequences of Bad Predictions and Emotional Decision-Making

The sun sets and rises the following day: we have confidence that this event will happen again…and again, although it’s never been guaranteed, it gives us faith in the power of prediction, even if we’re incorrect.

During tough, uncertain times, it’s difficult to keep a level head; emotions take over and lead us to make decisions without fully understanding the potential consequences such as making an emotionally-based forecast about unit trust prices.

How bad predictions hurt your financial wellbeing

Predictions about performance of unit trusts need to be based on logic, not emotion, misinterpreting a pattern or incorrectly extrapolating the recent past can have devastating effects.

The performance of unit trusts isn’t linear: this year’s short-term performers are more than likely to be the next year’s under-performers.

When it comes to investing in unit trusts, taking shortcuts to save money, making a decision based purely on speculation can be a very risky path. Without substantiated information founded on logical analysis of patterns made by professionals, you could be susceptible to financial disaster.

A bad prediction can often lead to an investor switching from an under-performing investment to another which is performing well. The problem with this method is that short-term performance shouldn’t be influencing you to make a hasty decision.

An equity-only fund, for example, is susceptible to market fluctuation, but this is a long-term investment and it’s important to keep a rational mindset.

If you switch regularly, the back-and-forth movement of your money, makes you vulnerable to locking in losses and lowering your returns.

A few rules to improve your decision-making ability

If you’re someone who finds it difficult to remain calm if you see under-performance in your unit trusts, take a breath; don’t switch. Follow these steps which can help you evaluate the quality of your prediction, leading to logical decisions:

  1. Establish the facts

 People often get flustered and make a decision based on speculation and facts that are thin, at best. Today, there is so much information readily accessible online that a financial decision made through naivety or based on someone else’s opinion shouldn’t be an excuse for poor decision-making.

It’s important to resist the temptation to only listen to information that supports a particular view. Rather, do your own research; try and speak to industry professionals and people you trust before you make any type of prediction. 

  1. Consider a source’s motivation

Consider the source; could it be that they are pandering to your emotions, knowing that their agenda will compromise a prediction? Take a step back and reassess the situation. Consider your emotional state at that point, this can help you identify any emotional triggers that could be hindering your ability to make rational decisions.

  1. Consider all outcomes

The most effective decisions that you make are the ones that take potential outcomes into account.

An investment manager will use all of his/her expertise to help craft a portfolio that combines both rewards and risks, in an effort to create an investment ‘balance’. An investment that may be performing well, may compensate for one that is experiencing under-performance.

Unfortunately, correctly predicting the future can’t be guaranteed, but you do have the power to make choices about how you respond.

3 New-World Technologies redefining in-store customer experience

Claire James
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3 New-World Technologies redefining in-store customer experience

The rate at which customers are shopping online is skyrocketing by the day. This means that it is now doubly important for brick-and-mortar retailers to enhance the levels of customer experience in-store. A lot of things are being discussed in the global retail arena to achieve this. Ranging from AI to AR and everything in between, there is no denying that the scope and opportunity for in-store enhancement is truly immense.

Although there is a lot that can be done, retailers must keep in mind what it is exactly that their customers want. Wowing customers when they enter the retail store is one thing, making them feel invaded is something completely different. As recent findings clearly suggest, there is a difference between-

Being COOL and Being CREEPY

Amidst all the premium talks of the modern-day customers’ innate love for technology and automation, there is a certain line that retailers must not cross. Customers don’t mind embracing technology if it makes their shopping journey convenient, or provides them a one of a kind in-store experience. The problem starts when technology gets too invasive.

For instance, customer data enables retailers to curate customised offerings for each customer. What customers worry about is data privacy and security. Similarly, there is no denying the marvels that artificial intelligence empowered chat-bots are. However when it comes to customer service, a lot of people can have that connect only with a human being. Besides, the whole idea of computer programmed bots emulating humans might just seem creepy to them as well. It’s not about how good a certain technology is. It’s about what percentage of people can wilfully adapt and be comfortable with that technology that matters.

The following chart clearly identifies what customers treat as cool and creepy when it comes to retail technology.

Considering the above chart as a fair indication of what people generally are comfortable with, let’s look at a few areas in retail technology that are certainly having an impact on the in-store experience for customers.

Robots & Drones

Customer service is one thing that can help brands and retailers score high brownie points in their quest to attain customer loyalty. Robots in retail certainly have the capability to wow customers in store, at the same time be un-invasive. Generally robots have been known to optimise business processes along the supply chain by improving productivity in distribution warehouses. But now they have their work cut even inside retail stores. From the basic meeting and greeting customers to keeping a track of stock inventory, the use cases of robots is pretty extensive. Robots can now also be used in store to detect hazards like spills and spoilage.

That’s not all. Retailers are also looking to install drones in store that can keep a track of misplaced product on shelves and stock inventory. The whole idea is to ensure that the human personnel inside the store are always at the beck and call of customers. Customers don’t appreciate if they don’t get proper assistance in stores. Human personnel available at all times, coupled by the expert assistance of drones and robots will mean that customers are always engaged. The overall in-store experience of customers can be elevated as a result.

AR & VR

Augmented and Virtual Reality is making all the right sounds across the globe as digital marketers look to leverage its power to fulfill their branding and marketing ambitions. Most of us are aware of how we can just put on a pair of VR headsets and enjoy a walk at the Great Wall of China, all from the comfort of our living rooms. When it comes to retail, much of the same is possible. People can now simply wear their headsets to scroll through online stock and get an idea of how the model or mannequin would look in a particular dress. When it comes to furniture shopping and interiors, VR and AR can truly elevate customer experience to a whole new level. Through AR, people can now get an idea of how certain furniture would look at their home, whether it would fit properly in the available space, how different colors would look against the wall, etc. through their mobile phones. Brands like Ikea and Macy’s have already started extensive adoption of the technology.

So where does it leave physical retail stores. On one hand in-store retailers are planning to flood stores with robots to increase customer engagement. On the other, technologies such as AR and VR are further re-instating the fact that going to a physical store can be done without. It is quite the predicament for sure. Well, physical retailers have no choice but to adopt AR and VR in-store as well. The first thing that comes to mind is smart mirrors. Although they are not entirely new to the equation, the voice assistant upgrades are sure to make it more engaging. Smart mirrors allow customers to virtually try out apparels before deciding the one to purchase. Based on what customers are wearing, these mirrors can also recommend alternatives to customers. Apart from mirrors, retailers can also augment the store ambience by installing digital shelves that will display digital product description and demo videos. Despite the surge in online shopping technology, as long as retailers keep the store up to the latest digital standards and lay enough emphasis on retail graphics, people will keep hitting the doors.

Cashier-less check out

One of the biggest reasons people generally get frustrated inside a retail store is when they realize they need to queue up. People don’t have the time for a long wait at the check-out counter and after online, there is no good reason why they should. Retailers must understand that long check-outs can convince people to not bother going to the store. They absolutely need to devise faster check-out mechanisms, especially now that everyone’s emulating Amazon Go; at least the check-out bit.

Cashier-less check outs would mean that people would have to digitally make their payment within an app, or through a finger print device, or even through one of the kiosks. Faster check-outs mean faster shopping. Time is at a premium and customer convenience is the key. Automated, cashier-less check outs is definitely the future.

Takeaway

In-store customer experience is one thing that every brand and retailer are aiming to enhance to remain a force to reckon with against their online counterparts. It’s not just about implementing any technology to boost marketing endeavours, but properly understanding which the ones that their customers want are. Talking about the road ahead, there is no doubt that technology will continue to make in-roads in every industry including retail. Retailers must leverage the power of technology to stay at a competitive advantage. However, a proper analysis on their customers and their expectations will only make it easier for them to adopt or implement a particular technology in their marketing strategy.

How you can help your staff to succeed financially

ABC Staff
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How you can help your staff to succeed financially

It can be too easy to overlook the importance of your employees wielding financial expertise. After all, finance experts and professionals are already close at hand for workers needing their advice. However, financially educating your workers isn’t about effectively turning them into accountants.

Instead, it’s about helping your staff to relieve personal financial pressures that could be weighing down on their mental wellbeing and, consequently, their workplace performance. Therefore, you have an interest in proactively helping to bring the right educational opportunities to their notice.

Treat financial education as an employee perk

You might habitually gift your employees with nights eating out and ping pong tables – but, glamorous though these bonuses might initially seem, there can remain a large question mark over the value that they truly deliver in the long term.

While financial education could come across as too “boring” to count as a perk in the same way, you should remind your staff that lessons learnt from it can stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Offer tools that your workers are likely to use

While there abound many different tools aimed at helping people to track their financial situations, different demographics can be inclined to choose different tools.

In one survey cited by Entrepreneur, though tools for tracking spending and saving are widely favoured, respondents aged under 40 primarily prefer online portals or mobile apps, while respondents past the 40 mark would choose a financial advisor over online resources.

Fortunately, a corporate wellness company like LifeWorks can provide a wide range of financial learning solutions, from instructor-led workshops right through to real-time virtual classrooms.

Don’t allow support to become too intrusive

Research suggests that, while your workers would appreciate you helping them to help themselves when it comes to financial literacy, you should also be careful not to infringe their privacy.  

Therefore, while your attempts to advertise means of improving financial literacy may be welcomed, attempting to advise people on specific financial situations in their lives could be deemed excessive.

Help workers to put financial knowhow into action

While opening up opportunities for financial education would be a wise move, you can’t expect it to reap meaningful results unless the knowledge and skills learnt by your workers is put into action.

Hence, as your personnel grow more confident in their financial decision-making, you could provide additional support aimed at assisting them in meeting specific goals, like achieving positive cash flow and generating savings in both the short and long term.  

Focus on stopping the downward spiral of financial anxiety

When financial problems are left to linger, stress can quickly emerge – and growthbusiness.co.uk calls stress “one of the biggest causes of employee absence”.

For this reason, you should act to nip the problem in the bud. When employees know confidently how to handle their finances, this can prove a major factor in not only keeping their stress at bay but also motivating them to plan for the future – and a financially resilient future at that.

The Rossi Effect: The ECAT from Andrea Rossi

Claire James
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The Rossi Effect: The ECAT from Andrea Rossi

The Rossi Effect is the name given to a form of LENR (low-energy nuclear reaction) discovered by the inventor Andrea Rossi. Rossi’s ECAT (energy catalyser) device, which the Leonardo corporation holds the IP rights to, uses hydrogen and lithium, among others, to produce an exothermic reaction, as explained in the US patent no. 9,115,913 B1, granted in the USA in August 2015 and eventually granted also in Canada, Mexico, all the countries of Europe, Turkey, Brazil, Chile, Russia, China, Japan, Australia, South Africa.  Prior to the discovery of the Rossi Effect, there were only two categories of LENR being studied, but the Rossi Effect is the one that succeeded to enter the energy market.

Cold Fusion / LENR

Research into the potential of cold fusion began in the 1920’s, when scientists hypothesised the possibility of creating a nuclear reaction at room temperature, or very close to it. The natural nuclear reaction that takes place within stars and artificially created nuclear reactions such as those in hydrogen bombs are known as hot fusion, as they require temperatures reaching millions of degrees to occur.

With LENR, this reaction takes place at a much lower temperature. Scientists Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Ponns generated widespread interest in LENR both within the scientific community and the global media in 1989 when they announced they had successfully generated low-energy nuclear reactions in a laboratory setting. However, the results were found to be difficult if not impossible to replicate and interest died down once more. In 2011, when Rossi first demonstrated the ECAT, interest in the field began once more to rise.

The ECAT 1 MW

The ECAT 1 MW was planned for commercialisation in 2018/2019, following a period of data gathering. The reactor’s design includes a hollow cylindrical reactor rod with a thin layer of nickel (the catalyst) and lithium aluminium hydride (the fuel) in the centre of the rod.

The reactor has wing-shaped cooling elements attached and is placed at the bottom of a small box. Clod water flows through an inlet past the reactor and steam or hot water is produced.

The ECAT device has not only been demonstrated publicly; it has also been tested by third parties. These tests have shown that it is capable of producing heat to a useful level while demonstrating energy ten times greater than any known chemical reaction. Inventor Andrea Rossi posts answers to questions regarding the ECAT and cold fusion techniques on his blog www.rossilivecat.com.

Andrea Rossi

Andrea Rossi was born in Italy in 1950 and holds a doctorate in Philosophy granted by the Universita’ degli Studi di Milano (Italy). He is the founder and CEO of Leonardo Corporation, a firm based in the United States.  Andrea Rossi has created the E-Cat in collaboration with Prof Sergio Focardi, Professor Emeritus of Physics in the Universita’ Degli Studi di Bologna, where he has also been dean of the branch of sciences.

How to choose a broker in London

Claire James
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How to choose a broker in London

When choosing a financial broker your decision will be influenced by a wide range of factors. The first of these of course will be cost and accessibility. On the second point, the internet means that all major brokerages have a global reach, and where the company is based is of less concern than it once was. However, some brokers are only licensed to operate in certain territories, so when choosing an online broker one of the first things you should do is check whether they are able to trade in your country.

There are also advantages to having a broker based in your home country though, and even in the city where you live. London is one of the main financial centres of the world, and London-based trading companies have a reputation for fairness, competiveness and honesty. Even if you are not actually based in London there are many good reasons to choose a broker that is based there.

Brokers based in London (and indeed the rest of the UK) must adhere to strict regulations and meet stringent standards, which means that your money is safer with them than with companies based elsewhere in the world where the rules may be more lax. A genuine financial broker in London will be approved by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

London financial brokers are also close to where the financial action is, particularly if you are trading on the London Stock Exchange. London is also a centre for forex trading and for markets in a wide range of commodities and assets. As such it has a wealth of different brokers to choose from when you’re looking to buy and sell on one of the different financial markets.

Multiple markets

Exactly which market you are looking at will certainly affect your choice of broker as not every company deals in every form of financial asset. One of the leading multi-asset brokers in London is City Index, which offers forex trading, CFD trading and spread betting. Their custom trading platform can be accessed via your City Index login and offers many unique specialised features, including price tolerance, HTML charts and research tools.

London Capital Group has been trading out of the city for over 20 years and allows a wide-range of asset trading on its custom platform, LCG Trader. With relatively low fees and minimum spreads they are understandably popular, though online reviews suggest that their customer service has room for improvement.

Levels of service

Brokers can be divided up into categories according to the level of service they offer as well as the markets they trade in. Financial brokers can be described as either discretionary, advisory or execution only. A discretionary broker has the ability to buy and sell on your behalf and also to make investment decisions for you without your prior approval; in other words, they offer a full portfolio management service in return for a regular fee. As well as costing more this option requires you to put a large degree of trust in your broker. Nevertheless this may be the best option for a novice investor with a significant amount of capital.

An advisory broker will buy and sell according to your instructions and will also provide financial advice, usually for a fee. Smaller firms are more likely to offer individual advice than bigger ones, although it’s worth noting that expert advice is one of the extra features offered by City Index, above.

Finally an execution only broker will simply execute your instructions to buy or sell and will not offer advice, although their website may still include educational resources and how-to guides. This is the most common form of online brokerage and the most popular, as it costs the least and is simple and easy to access.

Frequency of use

Another question you should ask when choosing a broker is how often will you be using their services? Many brokers in London and elsewhere charge an inactivity fee, while frequent traders are generally charged at a more favourable rate. That said, you should choose your broker according to your needs and not try to adapt your trading habits to what your broker encourages. Over trading in the hope of avoiding fees could be a false economy if you invest more than you can afford or eat into your returns.

London is one of the best cities in the world for choosing a broker, and the list of options is very long. Large, well-established companies are generally safer but every investor’s needs are different. You are sure to find the broker that’s right for you in London if you ask the right questions and research thoroughly.

The 3 Most Useful Indicators In Forex Trading

ABC Staff
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The 3 Most Useful Indicators In Forex Trading

When you start your Forex trading journey, you will likely be swarmed with dozens of different trading methods. There are plenty of indicators available with compelling introductions, like learning algorithmic trading strategies, which can leave you confused as which trading idea is the best.

If you are stuck amidst options, this article may be useful to you. Below are the 3 most useful indicators in Forex trading.

1. Moving Average

The Moving Average is a trend-following indicator used by almost all Forex traders. Displayed on price charts as a line, it shows you the average price of an asset for a specific period of time.

The Moving Average’s main functions include:

  • Smoothening the price action
  • Identifying support and resistance levels
  • Determining market trends
  • Identifying changes in market sentiment

The Moving Average can work as an independent trend detecting tool or can be combined with an oscillator to create a complete trading system. In addition, you can use multiple Moving Averages to determine trends more accurately.

2. Relative Strength Index (RSI)

First introduced in 1978, the RSI is an oscillator (also known as a leading indicator) invented by a mechanical engineer named J.Welles Wilder. The indicator has quickly become famous for its accuracy and is now one of the most commonly used tools in Forex trading.

The RSI is represented by a line that moves in a range from 0 to 100. This indicator was originally designed to identify overbought or oversold conditions of an asset.

  • When the RSI line crosses above 70, the price of the asset is considered overbought. That indicates upcoming downward reversals.
  • When the RSI line turns below 30, the price of the asset is considered oversold, and that signals upcoming upward reversals.

As time progressed, traders have figured out more methods to use this indicator, such as:

  • Determining trends
  • Finding divergences
  • Confirming trends (when the RSI is combined with trending indicators

The RSI can work in many different market conditions; however, as an oscillator, it’s most useful when the market is ranging.

3. Average Directional Index (ADX)

The ADX is a very comprehensive indicator. Not only can it help traders identify market trends, but it can also help with determining trends’ strength.

The ADX has the following components:

  • An ADX line, running in a range from 0 to 100. This line shows the trend’s strength.
  • Two Directional Movement Indexes (DMIs), including +DI and -DI. These two lines are used to identify the market trend.

Traders often use the ADX in the following way:

  • First, they use the DMIs to determine trends. When the +DI line is above the -DI line, the market’s trend is considered bullish. Conversely, when the -DI line is above the + DI line, the market’s trend is considered bearish.
  • Next, they use the ADX line to determine the trend strength. A trend is considered tradable when the ADX is above 25.

The ADX works best in trending conditions.

Conclusion

Above are the 3 most useful indicators in Forex trading. As you can see, these indicators belong to different classes and have their own advantages.Therefore, which one you should use will depend on your trading style. You can also combine these indicators together to create a comprehensive trading system. To learn more about forex indicators, Easy Markets provides a series of articles that cover this topic in more depth.

The Cannabis Industry in the Face of Inconsistent Regulation

ABC Staff
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The Cannabis Industry in the Face of Inconsistent Regulation

Despite some people raising their eyebrows, the cannabis industry is among the most promising in 2019, as the legalization for recreational purposes or medical treatments continues both in the United States and Canada, as well as other European countries. Bloom cannabis shop.

In terms of stock market trading, several companies from the industry had already gone public, but yet, the growth of the industry might become inconsistent, due to pending inconsistent regulations.

Industry Growth Potential

According to investors.com, only in the United States, nine states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana, and 29 states have legalized medical weed. Although there are still many places where federal governments outlaw cannabis, several important companies from the industry had already conducted their IPOs.

Canopy Growth Corp. Began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) back in May 2018, while Cronos Group started to trade on the Nasdaq this year in February. Although a US marijuana company valued at $1.65 billion, MedMen conducted its IPO in Canada also in May last year.

Potential 2019 IPOs

There are still a lot of companies from the industry which might take the path of going public in 2019. Pax Labs is a cannabis-focused vaporizer founded by James Monsees and Adam Bowen. At the present time, Pax is producing vaporizers designed to be used with cannabis flowers and a pen and pod system for use with cannabis oil.  

A second important company that might go public this year is KushCo Holdings Inc., based in the US, California, which produces packaging for various forms of marijuana products, and other business units not involving touching the plant. According to CEO Kovacevich, the company will try to get listed on the Nasdaq in the first half of 2019.

Negative drags to consider

Cannabis stocks had been taking a tumble this month after comments from Attorney General William Bar, who showed muted support for States Act. Although the desire to regulate cannabis is evident, regulatory procedures might become harder to implement than previously expected. The second important aspect has to do with the cannabis price. According to Statistics Canada, the legal price stands at $9.99 per gram, while on the black market it stands at $6.37.

A setback in the price per gram could have a negative influence on the profitability of the companies from the industry, which leads us to conclude that despite its huge potential, the cannabis industry might have a bumpy ride.

The rise of online investment fraud

Claire James
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The rise of online investment fraud

Every year, British investors lose a staggering £1.2bn – an average of £29,000 each – as a result of fraud. Regardless of the sector of your investment, fraud is something one must always be wary of, from property investment to precious metals. Online forex fraud is particularly insidious and has been getting worse. Fortunately, although there are some very devious scams out there, you can make yourself much safer by familiarising yourself with the common ones, and there are additional measures you can take to keep your risk as low as possible.

Signal selling

Probably the most common forex scam is signal selling. Although it can be genuine, at least in intent, most experts believe that the majority of signal sellers are intentionally committing fraud. What this involves is selling a system that supposedly lets you know the best times at which to trade particular currency pairs. The underlying problem with this is obvious if you think about it: if somebody really had a system like this they would get very rich and wouldn’t need to sell it. If they just wanted to help people by sharing a genuine system, they wouldn’t charge money for it. There are a variety of reasons given for how it’s supposed to work but you should always treat it with caution.

Phony funds

If you want to invest your money in forex but you don’t want to make all the trades yourself, it can be tempting to sign up to a fund. There are genuine funds run by competent managers who will – for a fee – take care of those investments for you. Unfortunately there are others run by managers you really can’t trust, who simply want to take your money and disappear. Sometimes they will provide you with impressive returns for a little while at first so that you decide you’re onto a good thing and invest more heavily. Where they tend to slip up is in over-egging the pudding. If the returns you’re offered look just too good to be true, they probably are, and you will lose money.

Dodgy brokers

Because the forex market is unregulated there are, sadly, lots of opportunities for brokers to commit fraud. They often look like the real thing with impressive advertising and websites, but they either rip you off heavily on each trade or take your money and give you nothing in return. It’s safest to stick to well known brokers in order to stay out of trouble. If you’d like to try one you’re not familiar with, check established trade publications for reviews. This Alvexo review illustrates what you should be looking for. Don’t rely on sites where users reports their own experiences with brokers as these mini-reviews are easy to fake. Bear in mind that brokers offering other assets alongside forex do have to be regulated so are usually a safer bet.

What to watch out for

There are several warning signs that commonly crop up with scammers. If you encounter any of these, be wary.

  • Cold calling – people who approach you (on the phone, online or even in person) instead of waiting for you to go looking for them.
  • Big promises – trustworthy individuals and organisations working with forex will always be honest about the fact that you might lose money.
  • Pressure – time-limited offers, people who say they need your involvement to avoid letting others down and people who make you feel intimidated.
  • Flattery – people who tell you they want you on board because they think you have amazing potential and are different from other investors.
  • Details that don’t check out – a lack of street address, an address you can’t confirm or registration details that regulators can’t confirm.

You may feel frustrated by having to double check things or uncomfortable about doubting people, but anyone who is genuine will respect your caution and your diligence will pay off.

What to do if you’re scammed

Sadly many victims of scams like the above are unsuccessful in attempting to recover their money. What you can do, however, is take action to help prevent the scammers successfully ripping off other people. First of all, report to the police what happened. Secondly, report it to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Thirdly, discuss your experience on any trading-related discussion forums you use – they often have special sections for this. Finally, bear in mind that scammers often hunt down those they know have been scammed because they think they make easy targets, so be extra careful in future.

There are some dodgy people out there but if you reason things through and take a calm approach to decision making, you’ll usually be able to avoid them and enjoy trading forex.

5 countries you can get second citizenship from

Claire James
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5 countries you can get second citizenship from

While 89% of British citizens would like to own a second passport, only 11% of those surveyed actually do. Though many people are able to acquire dual citizenship by living abroad or as a result of their foreign ancestry, others are able to do so by making an investment in exchange for a second citizenship. This is possible through citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes, where applicants can obtain citizenship of a particular country in exchange for a significant financial contribution to its economy.

According to citizenship experts CS Global Partners, public interest in CBI has seen a tremendous spike over the last few years, which is unsurprising given the multiple benefits of dual citizenship. A second passport could mean the opportunity to fly visa-free to more destinations as each country has a unique travel arrangement with other nations around the world. It also offers a chance for you and your family to live and work in an incredible new location, often with warmer climates and breathtaking natural scenery.

Many countries are embracing citizenship by investment programmes to reap the rewards of a hefty financial boost. These are the top five currently offering the scheme, and how the investment is benefiting their citizens:

St Kitts and Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis is the country that introduce the oldest citizenship by investment programme back in 1984, still running to successfully to this date. The scheme provides you with a second citizenship in exchange for a real-estate investment of at least GBP305,000; a minimum economic donation of £114,000 to the Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF), or £191,000 to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation. The most straightforward and popular option is SGF.

These schemes aim to develop the economy of the nation, with the Sustainable Growth Fund acting as a successor to the Hurricane Relief Fund. The investments made are used to benefit all the citizens, whether this is through education or healthcare. The Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation helps develop economic growth strategies away from the traditional sugar cane industry by investing in entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized businesses.

St Kitts and Nevis is also the only CBI jurisdiction to offer an Accelerated Application Process (AAP), ensuring the passport is delivered in as little as 60 days. Key benefits of the programme include visa-free travel to almost 160 countries and territories. Though some exceptions may apply, St Kitts and Nevis’ citizenship by investment programme is currently closed to citizens of Afghanistan, North Korea and Iran.

Grenada

Since restructuring and relaunching its CBI programme in 2013, Grenada has been popular with people hoping to obtain a second passport. This is the only one in the Caribbean to offer visa-free travel to China and holds an E-2 treaty status with the United States, making it easy to enter and work in America.

The fastest route to citizenship is a donation of at least £114,000 to the country’s National Transformation Fund, which aims to make Grenada’s economy more resilient and prosperous. Investments are used to provide funding to the agricultural sectors and industries like sustainable development, while also offering grants in education and youth training. This funding is also used to promote tourism in Grenada, and the country saw a 27% increase in visitors in 2018 compared to the previous year.

This boost in tourism can be used to entice investors specifically for the growing demand. You may choose to make a joint investment in tourism accommodation for £168,000, or can even invest independently in real estate, at a cost of £305,000.

Dominica

Investors in Dominica can take advantage of living amongst stunning scenery like the Morne Trois Pitons National Park and the world’s second-largest hot spring, Boiling Lake. The cost of living is also much more affordable in comparison to the UK, being 36% cheaper than in London.

The CBI programme offers one of the most affordable economic citizenships you can obtain, accepting an investment of £152,000 in real estate, or £76,000 to the Economic Diversification Fund. This scheme is in place to benefit the local community by sponsoring and developing the education, tourism, and industrialisation sectors. The investment was recently used to help the island recover after being hit by Hurricane Maria in 2017, and funded the swift regeneration projects. This has meant the tourism industry hasn’t suffered major setbacks, and has helped to safeguard the lifespan of businesses—and investments—across the island by “building back better” – a construction code that makes buildings and infrastructure hurricane-proof.

St Lucia

Gaining St Lucian citizenship means gaining access to the Commonwealth of Nations, CARICOM, and the International Organisation of La Francophonie. Though there are no residency requirements, you must take the Oath of Allegiance in Saint Lucia or before any Saint Lucian Embassy, High Commission, or Consulate.

To apply, you must invest £229,000 in government-approved real estate—which must be held for at least five years—or donate a minimum of £76,000 to the National Economic Fund. This scheme was created to fund government-approved projects that benefit the local community and safeguards St. Lucia’s economy. These projects could include things like infrastructure and buildings, maintaining agriculture, or even funding research institutions and facilities.

The St Lucia passport offers you benefits such as visa-free travel to around 150 countries, including the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore. There is also no requirement to live in the country at any time during or prior to the application process.

Antigua and Barbuda

With an abundance of sandy beaches, citizens of Antigua and Barbuda can also enjoy visa-free access to 133 countries around the world, including the Schengen countries for three months. However, this duration must be within six months of first entering any EU country. The country is perhaps one of the safest in the Carribbean, with a friendly local community, and you can secure the right to pass your citizenship on to future generations.

In order to gain citizenship to Antigua and Barbuda, you can make a contribution of at least £76,000 to the National Development Fund or invest a minimum of £305,000 in government-approved real estate. However, you are also able to invest £1,140,000 in a pre-approved business, or £305,000 as a joint investor, with a total investment of £3,820,000.

Alternatively, you may invest £114,000 in the West Indies Fund, which finances the University of the West Indies’ fourth campus in Antigua and Barbuda. You must apply with at least three dependants, one of whom will be entitled to a one-year tuition-only scholarship at the university.

Though most programmes do not require you to have spent any time in their nation of choice, you (but not your family) must spend at least five days in Antigua and Barbuda over a five-year period.

With these five nations offering significant travel benefits, appealing business prospects, and brilliant quality of life, investing in second citizenship may be the most worthwhile investment you could make.

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