Looking Forward

So we’re all into the New Year good and proper now and resolutions are probably being broken all over the country. That doesn’t mean we should let our business goals slide though. One of the major factors of meeting targets is setting them and working towards them with a focussed attitude. Having the right mind set and belief in creating what we want can be tinged by what happens to the world at large. This period in January can be a good time to consider just what might be afoot for us as our companies are related to what’s happening out there. By attempting to forecast what the markets and currencies will do over the year ahead we can try to establish what decisions we should make particularly if we want to be trading internationally.

Obviously none of us can predict what the future will hold but if we look back across the last year we can see how a variety of events have affected our business or personal wealth and prepare ourselves for similar happenings again. So what were the major events that occurred during 2012? Most of the time it’s hard to remember as things happen so thick and fast. This time last year the Euro was at its lowest point for well over 12 months as a portion of the debts of Greece were written off. Whilst here in the UK, the unemployment figures were at another high. USA on the other hand saw an improvement is house sales. The bank base rate remains unchanged for the longest period anyone can ever remember even though the quantitative easing increased. Inflation fell from its 2011 high point to less than 5%. UK’s national debt continued to soar and is expected to carry on. The PIGS needed more bailouts from the likes the International Monetary Fund as if it hadn’t enough problems already and then our beloved pound traded higher against the Euro than it had for several years.

In June the Bank of England said it would provide cheap loans to UK banks to try to boost lending and said it would opt against further Quantitative Easing and yet there is little evidence of that helping your average business. The following month the Bank of England increased Quantitative Easing by another £50 billion as inflation fell further to its lowest level since 2009. The jobless figure did apparently drop in the second quarter of the year but what kind of jobs are we creating? The end of summer produced more worldwide monetary devaluation. It was lucky for us that the Olympic Games were able to help us out with its boost to the economy in the biggest recession most living people can remember. As autumn set in the Euro and the US dollar takes a further pounding as we start winter with George Osborne telling us that he will totally miss the target for getting UK debt mountain down even in the year 2015/16.

When we think of the last year, it shouldn’t be difficult to paint a better scenario for the year ahead. Whatever affects the rest of the world has an effect on us and the things we do directly for our own wealth should take this into account. Finding the best investments or even just safeguarding our personal reserves can be a nightmare anywhere now as there seems to be few safe places to trust. Even the Swiss franc took a dip below its minimum exchange rate last year so that alone indicates the level of difficulty across the globe. We’re not going to have a miraculous recovery this year, far from it I would be so bold as to predict. Looking back over 2012 can show what we need to think about to help us during 2013. The massive debt levels won’t disappear and the austerity versus growth measures will carry on as the economies continue to struggle. Generally we can only look after our own investments and concentrate on what is best for us. I for one will be putting my time, effort and what’s left of my money back into property.

There comes a time when you have to trust what you know well, what you can see and what is tangible. The Euro still sits on a knife edge but I will try to secure my future with what I know has worked for me before, what I have seen and understood how the vital statistics can affect my income and what is always needed by someone. Getting property investment right is not so simple either as I speak to so many who have lost out either through their own greed or that of others taking advantage of their unsuspecting nature. I believe I have the associates that can help anyone create positive wealth through property and I’m happy to discuss and pass on my contacts to anyone who wants to chat about positive wealth building. Likewise anyone who has had a good experience building their financial success please let me know.

Endeavour to seek your own financial success for the year ahead.