Will more investors be inclined to consider alternative investments this year?
*Bloomberg, by Michael Pattersone, August 28, 2006:
Investor Optimism Falls to 9-Month Low on Housing, Poll Shows
"Investor optimism about the outlook for the U.S. financial markets
fell in August to the lowest in nine months because of growing concerns
about the housing market, according to a UBS AG poll.
The UBS/Gallup Index of Investor Optimism slipped to 53 in August, the
lowest reading since last November, from 55 in July. The index has
dropped 40 points since reaching a 19-month high in January.
Pessimism about the housing market increased this month, the survey
found, with 70 percent of investors saying conditions in the
residential real-estate market are getting worse, up from 63 percent in
June. The percentage of investors who rated conditions in the housing
market as ``only fair'' or ``poor'' jumped to 56 percent from 46
percent in July.
``The drop in confidence in the real-estate market reflects the
economic data for that sector and suggests that investors are feeling
the pinch in their local markets,'' wrote Anne Briglia, senior fixed
income strategist at UBS Wealth Management Research.
U.S. stocks declined last week after data showed that sales of
previously owned homes fell in July to the lowest in more than two
years, while new home sales slid to the second-slowest pace of 2006.
High energy prices and so-called geopolitical concerns were also cited
as major concerns of investors."
*This information is solely a highlight of the opinion of a third-party publication and is incomplete. Please subscribe to this publication for the full and timely opinion of the author and call a Monex Account Representative for any additional up-to-date information. This is not an offer to buy or sell precious metals. Investors should obtain advice based on their own individual circumstances and understand the risk before making any investment decision.
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