Century Direct Group: Financial Research & Market Intelligence
A Global View
Given the rapid globalization of economics and business, our investment research and market intelligence seek out extraordinary opportunities wherever they may occur, assisting clients to identify relevant investment ideas that are timely and are in keeping with unfolding sectoral trends that so often represent superior growth opportunities.
CDG monitors developments and emerging trends throughout the global economy, ensuring that its focus is directed onto those sectors that offer above average performance potential in the foreseeable future. In that regard, the early 21st Century has seen a paradigm shift in global economics and business that is witnessing dynamic investment trends never before seen; Trends that demand an outside-the-box approach if one is to garner performance that is ahead of the crowd.
In the wake of the 2008 stock market meltdown, which saw shares plummet to extremely undervalued levels, a period of extraordinary recovery potential emerged in 2009. Despite the banking and credit crisis that accompanied the general economic recession, prompting many pundits to forecast total collapse and a deep recession, this nascent recovery propelled share prices sharply higher across selected industries, particularly the commodity sectors including energy, metals and other sectors that had been decimated by the global financial crisis. Fundamentals prevailed and the system did not collapse. And while serious hurdles remain in the way of a rapid return to a healthy rate of global economic growth for all, the emerging economies have led the way toward recovery by underpinning global demand and prices for all manner of commodities. CDG research and market intelligence identifies those market sectors that emerge as leaders in the ongoing recovery, and focuses its efforts on identifying those companies which can be expected to achieve outstanding performance during these volatile times.
A Disciplined Approach
CDG’s disciplined approach to research analyzes industries and companies in light of global and national economic trends and emerging industry developments. Our “Top Down” approach allows us to identify those global, national and industry trends that offer exceptional upside in the long term. By insisting upon positive macro trends and a favorable business environment for a given industry, this approach allows us to confine our in-depth company research to candidates whose industries offer maximum potential for growth in the current circumstances. Through thorough and incisive fundamental analysis, buttressed by quantitative studies and technical analysis, our research strives to select only those companies that can reasonably be expected to lead the way higher. Timeliness in identifying such companies is paramount because such extraordinary stock market opportunities are always discovered by the “Street” eventually.
Century Direct Group’s Monthly Market Review
Each month, CDG publishes a compendium of economic and investment views that have been distilled from our ongoing research and market intelligence activities. This monthly report focuses on relevant topics that our analysts judge to be particularly noteworthy at that time, such as early detection of emerging trends, or our analysis of long term “big picture” trends and their relevance to certain investment sectors or even specific companies or investments. Clients can expect to see timely analysis of economic developments, stock market performance, industry trends and, when appropriate, portfolio balancing advice.
Foreign Exchange
The purchase of foreign stocks entails the assumption of a degree of foreign exchange (FOREX) risk, which is in addition to the normal investment risk when buying any stock. The exchange rate between any two currencies can fluctuate significantly over time, having a positive or negative effect on overall performance of the foreign investment security held. Placing a FOREX hedge allows one to manage, or mitigate, foreign exchange risk.
Carried out properly, FOREX hedging can be a valuable tool for managing such risk but, if such hedging is not implemented properly, it can result in unexpected investment losses.
For the convenience of clients who hedge exposure to various currencies in their investment portfolios, the following table tracks fluctuations in many popularly traded currencies:
FOREX Rates