![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.technologyinvestor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/Hokney.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHockney originally sold the painting for $18,000 in 1972. That means the painting appreciated at 20.35% a year for the ensuing 46 years.<\/p>\n
I have several friends who’ve done incredibly well with contemporary art. When I ask them for their secrets, I learn:<\/p>\n
+ They buy only what they like.<\/p>\n
+ They enjoy having the art on their walls. Many of them have lots of walls. Many more than I do.<\/p>\n
+ Their offices and homes are loaded with art books. They study this stuff. They visit the artists.<\/p>\n
+ They buy very, very selectively.<\/p>\n
+ They buy artists who do a good job of promoting themselves and their work.<\/p>\n
+ They watch the auctions online. This is the time of year for the big auctions.<\/p>\n
Read what’s happening to the contemporary art market here.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n This is bad news for real estate<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n As Joel Ross, wrote in his latest Ross Rant<\/em>,<\/p>\n Many construction projects across the country are missing budget by large sums due to huge increases in construction costs of 20% or more, and a lack of skilled labor creating delays in completions. Go try to find a welder. None anywhere are unemployed. The budgets for a development project that were devised two years ago are way off now. As a result, returns on some projects will be nowhere near projection. Projects are missing cost projections by anywhere from 20% to as much as 50%.<\/p>\n I’m hearing the same warnings from my contacts, as the tariffs on steel bit harder.<\/p>\n The Dangerous Na\u00efvet\u00e9 of Trump and Xi<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n That’s the title of a weekend article by Nicholas Kristof:<\/p>\n The United States and China may be on a collision course yet their presidents each underestimate the pain the other could inflict.<\/p>\n I studied Chinese and lived for five years in China; my wife and I wrote a largely upbeat book about the country’s prospects called “China Wakes.” But Xi has damaged China’s brand just as Trump has damaged America’s, and today it’s hard to find either Democrats or Republicans eager to speak up for China.<\/p>\n For its part, Washington misjudges as well. It sees China’s economy as vulnerable and doesn’t appreciate that China can wage a trade war with weapons other than tariffs. It can play a nationalism card so that it becomes unpatriotic for Chinese citizens to buy McDonald’s burgers, drink Coke or wear Nike shoes. Safety inspections can close American hotels; tax investigations can tie American firms in knots; and customs delays can hold up parts and idle American-owned factories.<\/p>\n Chinese tourism to the U.S. can slow, students can be directed to Australian universities over American ones and rare earth minerals needed by American companies may develop shortages. China can further ease sanctions on North Korea, buy more oil from Iran or become more aggressive in the South China Sea. It can cancel Chinese trademarks owned by Ivanka Trump – that might get the president’s attention – and it can dump U.S. Treasury bonds.<\/p>\n You can read Kristof’s entire column here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The 200-day moving average\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Many investors use the 200-day moving average as a key to buying and selling stocks.<\/p>\n Sell when the price is way above\u00a0 the 200 day line.<\/p>\n Buy when the stock’s price is way below (assuming you still like the stock).<\/p>\n Here are a few examples. See what you think:<\/p>\n Dumb me.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I bought a one-year CD from Ally Bank. I’m earning 0.80%.<\/p>\n But I also have a savings account with them. They’re now paying me 2% a year.<\/p>\n CDs make no sense in a time of rising interest rates.<\/p>\n Worse is cash in a bank or a brokerage account — where you typically earn absolutely nothing.<\/p>\n Go to BankRate.com. You’ll find many banks are paying 2% and higher. Click here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Saturday Night Live does Jeff Bezos.<\/strong><\/span> Enjoy<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n