Tag Archives: Greenwood Management

Business

Property in Dubai still a strong investment option, says AAA

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Smart investors from the growing economic power that is India are putting their cash into real estate in Dubai, in a move that could prove a sound alternative investment strategy, according to AAA.

Boston, MA, August 16, 2012 – Smart investors from the growing economic power that is India are putting their cash into real estate in Dubai, in a move that could prove a sound alternative investment strategy, according to Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

The figures from the Real Estate Investment Promotion and Management Centre at the Dubai Land Department, since the laws on foreign buyers changed, investors from India have purchased 2,153 properties in the country. The second most avid foreign property buyers in Dubai are Pakistanis, who are responsible for the purchase of 1,814 properties.

In total some 12,875 properties, including land, apartments, villas and other properties, have been purchased by foreign buyers. Majida Ali Rashid, Chairwoman of the Real Estate Investment Promotion and Management Centre, said that real estate investment in Dubai is growing in strength once again, after falling out of favor for a period. She said, “The real estate sector performance is moving from strength to strength over the past two years. The market has been attracting more foreign investors, which reflects the solid national economy and its excellent growth potentials.”

British investors have also been very attractive in buying properties in Dubai, which continues to be a extremely popular vacation location for British holidaymakers. Brits have bought up an impressive 1,564 Dubai properties, and many will be hoping to make healthy returns form their investment when it’s time to sell.

AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, said that Dubai is looking like an attractive real estate investment prospect once more, following an uncertain period. He said, “Real estate investment is growing in popularity as investors look for alternative investment strategies away from riskier asset classes, like equities and bonds.

“More and more investors are looking for something tangible in exchange for their investments, and it’s easy to see why following the global economic crisis.”

AAA supports a wide range of alternative asset classes, including forestry investment through sustainable projects such as those run by Greenwood Management in Brazil.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

Investment expert joins FRA in promoting Green investments

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Increasing green investments in asset classes such as forestry will help investors and will also help to boost the creation of a sustainable economy, according to an experts US-based money manager and FRA.

Bainbridge Island, WA, August 16, 2012 – Increasing green investments in asset classes such as forestry will help investors and will also help to boost the creation of a sustainable economy, according to an experts US-based money manager and Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

Quoted by KMS Baltic, Jeremy Grantham, the head of Boston-based investment firm GMO said that investing in green asset classes should be encouraged, In response, FRA, A research and analysis consultancy, has agreed, stating, “investing in sustainable forestry and other green asset classes can help developing countries to start to reap the benefits of a truly global sustainable economy.”

The statement from Mr Grantham came as part of a letter to his GMO clients last week. As a result of his views on the importance of green investments and the rising price of food, in particular, GMO is changing its focus to include around 15 per cent investment in forestry and agriculture land from now on.

His letter stated, “You can confidently expect that if resource prices steadily rise in real terms, then resource stocks should outperform the market.”

FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, said that the increased use of materials like timber as a fuel is also a reason to invest more heavily in these resources. “As energy prices continue to rise and fossil fuels become more scarce, the demand for biomass energy, which include crops and wood chips, is bound to rise further and further. Investing in sustainable sources for these resources should pay dividends in the future.

FRAs support sustainable forestry investment through plantation projects such has the one run by Greenwood Management in Brazil. A growing number of investors are opting for forestry investments as demand for timber grows as a result of renewable energy demand and demand for timber as a construction material in China, India and other emerging economies.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

Social investing is taking off in the US, claims AAA

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A growing number of savvy investors are putting their cash into social investment bonds and funds that not only help vulnerable people to make more of the lives, but also make the investors money, according to AAA.

Boston, MA, August 09, 2012 – A growing number of savvy investors are putting their cash into social investment bonds and funds that not only help vulnerable people to make more of the lives, but also make the investors money, according to Alternative Asset Analysis.

AAA, an alternative investment advocacy group, claims that a number of recent articles in high-profile publications, such as NBCnews.com have underlined the growing popularity of social impact investing in the US. Although impact investing is not a new thing, some may think it only tends to focus on helping those in developing countries However, this is not so and a large number of bonds and funds are popping up in US cities aimed at helping locals get back on their feet.

The Calvert Social Investment Foundation is one such fund, which has loaned money to a range of good causes, such as Portland, Oregon-based central City Concern. This non-profit organization helps locals afflicted by poverty, homelessness and addiction to learn skills and start businesses.

The investment part of the deal takes place when the loans made by the Calvert foundation, and other similar funds, are packaged into bonds, which are then sold to investors who might be looking to invest in social projects.

AAA supports these kinds of projects, claiming that they can make a significant difference to people all over the world if they are managed correctly and there is enough interest. “A growing number of wealthy individual are becoming interested in philanthropy” stated AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson. “Following the global economic crisis, making a quick buck has become less important than helping their fellow man, it seems.”

AAA supports a range of alternative investments, with the emphasis on forestry research through sustainable plantations run by firms like Greenwood Management.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

AAA Welcomes Report on Bransons impact Investing efforts

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AAA has welcomed a report into Richard Branson’s impact investing efforts.

Boston, MA, August 08, 2012 – Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) has welcomed a report into Richard Branson’s impact investing efforts. The article, published by Marketwatch.com, talks about how Virgin boss, Richard Branson, has taken a huge interest in impact investing and has launched Virgin Unite to try to help boost its popularity among regular investors.

The celebrity ambassador for social enterprise investment recently held a promotional shark-swimming activity in Cancun, which attempted to promote small businesses such as the shark-swimming trips that help to raise eco-awareness. The trips illustrated how investors can help small social enterprises and family business in developing countries to thrive, according to AAA. “They help communities and local environments to flourish, while investors start to see returns on their investment when the small businesses begin to grow and pay back loans,” explained AAA’s partner Anthony Johnson.

Richard Branson recently published a book called Screw Business As Usual. He stated, “I have written this book for those who, at the same time as wanting to develop a business and make a living, also want to do more to help people and the planet.

“It’s a vibrant sea change from the way business was always done, when financial profit alone was the driving force.” The book is intended to back up the work of Virgin Unite, which is a non-profit organization intended to help guide investors towards suitable social enterprise that need investment.

Jean Oelwang, the CEO of the organization, explained, “We basically look at ways philanthropy and charity can play a role in kickstarting new markets.”

AAA, an advocate of alternative and impact investing, supports many kinds of ethical investment, including timberland investment. Mr Johnson, explained, “Investing in sustainable forestry land through organizations like Greenwood Management, for example, can help to reduce deforestation by providing alternatives to illegally sourced timber. Greenwood Management runs plantations on non-native trees species in Brazil and Canada.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

AAA welcomes Expansion of Unique wine investment scheme

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A UK-based online wine investment firm has expanded into Australia and the US, in a move that has been welcomed by AAA.

Boston, MA, August 06, 2012 – A UK-based online wine investment firm has expanded into Australia and the US, in a move that has been welcomed by Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

The Naked Wine offering differs quite a lot from other wine investment funds, as customers can help to choose which small winemakers the firm invests in. They become ‘Angel’ investors to help these small and niche winemakers produce more wine, and they receive bottles in return.

These bottles can, due to their rarity, become quite valuable – making the whole process a realistic option for alternative investors looking to diversify their portfolios, claims AAA. The alternative investment advocacy group supports a wide range of alternative asset classes and claims that wine is fast-becoming a popular option for many people who want something tangible in return for their investments.

The latest move from Naked Wines will see the firm invest more than $7 million in independent US and Australian wine producers. The Angels commit to investing small amount each month and receive a discount off the regular price of the wines produced in return.

AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, said, “The Naked Wines brand had a good way of engaging investors by encouraging them to get involved in social networking and discussion forums. The fact that they even have the opportunity to choose where the investments go is also a major perk.”

AAA claims that more and more people are becoming interested in alternative investments in response to the global economic crisis and the general volatility of the equity markets.

Forestry investment is one of the main areas of interest for AAA. It claims that investing in sustainable plantations run by firms like Greenwood Management in Brazil and elsewhere is an ethical option and one that can generate generous returns. Forestry investment also helps to boost habitat for wildlife, claimed Mr Johnson.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

AAA reviews Gold, Silver and Bronze as Investments

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AAA thinks that the Olympics is the perfect time to review the performance of the medal metals, gold, silver and bronze, in terms of their recent performance as alternative investments.

Boston, MA, August 03, 2012 – Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) thinks that the Olympics is the perfect time to review the performance of the medal metals, gold, silver and bronze, in terms of their recent performance as alternative investments.

Since the last Olympic Games in Beijing, the price of both gold and silver have soared as an increasing number of investors and central banks bought up the precious metals as a buffer against the uncertain economic climate. “Investing in stocks and shares looked decreasingly attractive to many in the past four years and one of the obvious alternatives is precious metals,” explained Anthony Johnson, AAA’s analysis partner.

Illustrating this perfectly is the S&P GSCI Gold Spot Index, which increased by a huge 87.64 per cent between the Beijing Olympics and the London Olympics. In the meantime, Silver grew by 78.74 per cent over the same period. However, lagging a long way behind in third place is copper (from which bronze is made), growing by just 1.56 per cent according to the S&P GSCI Copper Spot for the period.

AAA claims that the reason behind gold’s popularity was the physical nature of gold. “Everyone wants something tangible in exchange for their cash when times are tough and the economy is uncertain,” claimed Mr Johnson.

However, this is not to say that there hasn’t been a fair amount of volatility in the gold and silver markets over the period in question. AAA said that there are several other tangible options that are less volatile and offer risk-averse choices – such as forestry investment.

Investing in timberland in the form of sustainable plantations can provide a great mid-to long-term option for investors who want to diversify their portfolios. In addition, investing in trees through firms like Greenwood Management in Brazil, means that investors only need as little as $10,000 to buy their own slice of timberland.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

FRA Endorses Harvard’s support for Forestry Investment

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Harvard University’s investment manager has spoken out in favor of timberland investment as a way to make cash while investing in an ethical cause, in a move endorsed by FRA.

Bainbridge Island, WA, July 31, 2012 – Harvard University’s investment manager has spoken out in favor of timberland investment as a way to make cash while investing in an ethical cause, in a move endorsed by Forestry Research Associates (FRA).

Harvard Management Company’s chief executive, Jane Mendillo, spoke at the CNBC Delivering Alpha Conference in order to voice her support for investing in natural resources. This is according to a report in The Australian.

The Antipodean newspaper was particularly interested in the endorsement from Harvard as the timber the legendary university has invested in is growing in New Zealand.

FRA, is a research and analysis consultancy specializing in forestry investment. FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, said, “We rarely hear from Harvard Management Company, but when we do, they often speak about their investment in natural resources and the gains they have made from this investment strategy,”

The company manages the not insignificant $32 billion Harvard endowment and purchased forested land measuring 170,000 hectares in central North Island in 2003. At the time, the forestry investment industry in New Zealand wasn’t looking good thanks to high export costs and a huge preference for Russian softwood in China. Ms Mendillo said that Harvard’s investment came at a good time, when forestry investment were less fashionable than they are now. “Natural resources is our favourite area and it happens to be a favourite area where we feel that we may have an advantage as an early entrant into the asset class, “ she explained.

Mr Collins added, “Harvard got a good price for their timberland as the investment was made before people learned what a great hedge against inflation and the strong returns timberland can generate over time.”

FRA supports a number of forestry investment projects and particularly investment in non-native plantations in Brazil through firms like Greenwood Management. “Investing in trees provides a great mid- to long-term option for risk-averse investors,” added Mr Collins.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

AAA Claims the Wealthy are Turning to Tangible Assets

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AAA claims that a growing number of wealthy investors are buying things like art, antiques and jewellery instead of stocks and bonds.

Boston, MA, July 31, 2012 – Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) claims that a growing number of wealthy investors are buying things like art, antiques and jewellery instead of stocks and bonds.

The alternative investment market has become even more ‘alternative’ according to AAA, an alternative investment advocacy group. Its analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, is backing a new report from Barclays Wealth Insights in the UK, which found that millionaires in Ireland now have 10 per cent of their wealth tied up in investments including antique furniture and fine art and jewellery.

The research found that a large percentage (73 per cent) of the wealthy people questioned in the report said they were finding it increasingly difficult to source secure investments. As a result, they are looking towards tangible items that have intrinsic value, as well as a value that can grow due to variable such as rarity, craftmanship, fashion and age.

Pat McCormack, the head of wealth management at Barclays, said, “Treasure may, if you’re lucky or very knowledgeable, give you a financial return, but buy something you enjoy and it will always give you an emotional return.”

“This report just goes to show how investors don’t need to just rely on stocks and shares to make money – in fact, there is a growing number of viable alternative investments to consider, such as art, antiques, precious metals, timberland and wine,” stated Mr Johnson.

AAA advocates the decision to invest in alternatives at a time when the equity markets are extremely volatile, thanks to the ongoing global economic slump. The group is particularly keen to promote ethical choices, such as impact investing and investing in sustainable forestry and timberland through firms like Greenwood Management, which operate sustainable plantations on non-native tree species in Brazil and Canada.

“Timberland offers investors a great diversifier for their investment portfolios,” added Mr Johnson.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

FRA claims Romania is increasingly Attractive to Ethical investors

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The latest economic figures to come out of Romania show that the country’s forestry sector is bucking the overall trend for recession, by growing by more than 4 per cent.

Bainbridge Island, WA, July 13, 2012 – The latest economic figures to come out of Romania show that the country’s forestry sector is bucking the overall trend for recession, by growing by more than 4 per cent. Forestry Research Associates (FRA) claims that this news will attract more foreign investment into the forestry industry in Eastern Europe.

FRA, a research and analysis organization, is a keen advocate of sustainable forestry projects and believes that investing in forestry can be a great way of diversifying a portfolio. “Forestry has a low correlation with equity markets and can also be a good option to offset inflation,” stated FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins.

In the first quarter of 2012, Romania’s GDP fell slightly, indicating the country is in recession, following a period of growth in 2011. However, the figures released by the country’s Statistics Institute, show that the forestry industry grew by 4 per cent. The growth in the forestry market and the fact that most analysts believe that the current slump is just a blip, means that foreign investors are likely to remain interested in Romania.

“Ethical investments, such as investing in plantation and sustainable forestry projects all over the world, are proving much more popular following the global economic crisis.

“We believe that countries like Romania will begin to attract more and more investment from foreigners in the coming year or so,” added Mr Collins.

Bogdan Ion, Ernst & Young’s managing partner, told Romanian Business Insider: “We see more and more investors attracted by the renewable energy sector. More privatizations are planned in the future, encouraging investors worldwide to look to our country.”

FRA supports a number of forestry projects run by firms like Greenwood Management in Brazil and elsewhere. “Investing in plantations is a good way to gain something tangible in exchange for your cash and can also help to prevent deforestation,” concluded Collins.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

AAA says Real estate sales increases are Good news for Alternative Investors

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There has been some good news for those investing in real estate, in the form of stronger US property sales figures, according to Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA), an alternative investment advocacy group.

Boston, MA, July 05, 2012 – There has been some good news for those investing in real estate, in the form of stronger US property sales figures, according to Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA), an alternative investment advocacy group.

The National Association of Realtors has revealed that property sales had increased by over 10 per cent in April, compared with a year earlier. The Association added that sales could be up by as much as 13 per cent overall, by the end of the year.

Analysts believe that improving employment figures and falling mortgage costs are helping the industry get back on its feet, which means prices are rising. “This is great news for anyone who has invested in property over the past few years when prices were low,” claimed AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson.

“It is still a great time to buy homes in the US for investment purposes, as the market is bottoming out, which means the only way is up,” he added.

In fact, prices rose in 50 per cent of US cities in the first quarter of 2012 and this trend is expected to continue throughout the year. Mortgage rates have also fallen drastically. The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage a year ago was 4.5 per cent, while is now stands at just 3.66 per cent, according to a Freddie Mac survey.

Anthony Johnson stated, “investing in real estate has become more popular among those who want to diversify their portfolios against risk. It’s understandable that people want something tangible to show for their investments – especially after the economic crisis.

“We also support investment in other alternative asset classes, such as timberland, through firms like Greenwood Management, which runs sustainable plantations of non-native trees species in Brazil.” AAA claims that investing in alternatives can offer a more ethical option than stocks and bonds.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com