📉 The chips are down

Apple's at risk | The state of real estate | [TOGETHER WITH]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for March 31st in 2:54 minutes. 🤔 Curious about markets, stocks, or opportunities we haven’t got round to covering? We’d love to know: [tell us]( what you think we should be writing about, and you might see it pop up in a future newsletter. Today's big stories - Apple supplier Foxconn posted earnings that missed analysts' expectations and warned chip shortages could hurt its future orders - There are five reasons to buy the dip in gold’s price – [Read Now]( - London apartment prices are recovering in what could be good news for cities everywhere Foxconned [Foxconned] What’s Going On Here? Taiwanese electronics assembler and major Apple supplier Foxconn [posted]( earnings on Tuesday that missed analysts’ expectations – and warned that ongoing microchip shortages could hurt its future orders. What Does This Mean? Strong demand for Foxconn-built iPhones and home-working equipment drove last quarter’s revenue higher, but international currency swings ate into the company’s profit. As the value of the Taiwanese dollar increased relative to the American, Foxconn’s local costs increased, while the worth of its overseas sales was eroded. But naturally forward-looking investors were more bothered by Foxconn’s unexpectedly dire predictions for the future. The company warned that the global [shortage]( of microchips could potentially leave it unable to fulfil up to 10% of its orders this year. Why Should I Care? For markets: Tech firms struggle when the chips are down. Semiconductor shortages were previously thought to hit carmakers hardest: they reportedly pay less for chips than technology companies and are therefore last in line. But as the world’s largest electronics assembler, Foxconn should know when tech firms are also set to miss out. That may help explain why Apple’s share price initially fell 2% on Tuesday. Zooming out: My other car is a Foxconn. Taiwan’s largest firm recently announced plans to help other companies build electric vehicles (EVs) too. It’s a fast-growing market, but Foxconn may have its eye on Apple in particular. The Californian company is [planning]( to launch its own smart cars soon, and may well need assistance with production and assembly. Foxconn has already entered partnerships with carmakers including [Geely](, and investment bank Morgan Stanley reckons more tie-ups are in the pipeline: it [estimates]( Foxconn’s EV shipments could make up 10% of the global total by 2025 ([tweet this](). You might also like: [How much Apple’s shares are really worth.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Foxconned&utm_campaign=daily-global-31-03-2021&utm_source=email) 2. Analyst Take Five Reasons To Buy The Dip In Gold’s Price What’s Going On Here? The price of gold [hit an all-time high]( back in August, but since then it’s collapsed 17%. That’s left investors wondering whether to cut and run, or if [now’s the time to buy](. That means analyzing the five key drivers of the commodity’s price, and – for the first time in a while – they’re all saying the same thing: [there’s an opportunity in gold](. Whether you’re looking to [add gold to your long-term portfolio](, profit from a short-term trade, or simply understand what drives gold’s price, knowing how to [analyze those indicators]( is worth its weight in gold. So that’s today’s Insight: what drives gold prices, why [now could be the time to buy]( – and what to look out for that means it’s time to sell. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY SWAN BITCOIN Get your free bitcoin here Bitcoin is the [best-performing asset]( of the last decade, and its meteoric rise has been hard to miss. In fact, if you’d saved $50 worth of bitcoin a week for the last three years, you’d have [turned $7,850 into $ 60,294](. Swan Bitcoin makes it simple to do exactly that: it’s the best way to buy [bitcoin with your bank account](. We’re talking [instant purchases and automatic recurring buys](, with daily, weekly, or monthly savings options to steadily convert your dollars into bitcoin savings. And if you sign up with Swan today, you’ll get [$10 in free bitcoin](. [Find Out More]( [Turn off adverts]( Big Bend [Big Bend] What’s Going On Here? Data out on Tuesday showed London apartment prices are finally beginning to turn a corner and [recover]( from pandemic-induced declines, suggesting big city life may not be dead just yet. What Does This Mean? The average London apartment cost 10% less last October than it did in December 2019. But vaccine rollouts now appear to be making city living more attractive again: sale prices were 1.2% higher than that last month. What’s more, recent research suggests that an expected exodus of office workers from the UK’s capital has failed to materialize despite the home-working hegemony. That should signal good news for the future of major metropolises everywhere. Why Should I Care? For markets: Investors heart cities. Swiss bank Julius Baer has been saying all along that cities will continue to be the growth engines of global economies – and of investors’ portfolios too. Forthcoming swaths of government stimulus spending are likely to be lavished on city-centric infrastructure such as roads, railways, and bridges. Urban digital infrastructure could get a boost as well, with 5G-fueled data collection making city management more efficient. And buildings themselves should get smarter as equipment monitoring improves maintenance. Public companies carrying out all this work stand to benefit. The bigger picture: Global housing markets are still running hot. While London apartment prices have only just begun to bounce back, many other [housing markets]( have been on fire throughout the pandemic. Governments are now worried that unprecedented economic aid packages and [ultra-low mortgage rates]( are pushing property prices artificially high, setting them up for a sharp correction. And when home prices fall, people could well cut back on spending – damaging economic growth. While some countries are taking action by [tightening]( lending standards, others are hoping things will gradually calm down of their own accord once [interest rates]( rise and upgrades to larger suburban homes are mostly completed. You might also like: [How to invest in the future of cities.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Big Bend&utm_campaign=daily-global-31-03-2021&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day “The only thing I like about rich people is their money.” – Nancy Astor (an American-born British politician) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY EXODUS Take control of your money Investing in crypto can be pretty complex, especially when you’re new to it. But [Exodus]( is designed to feel as premium as it does simple to use, which is probably why Investopedia named it the [best wallet for beginners](. And Exodus didn’t sacrifice any features for that simplicity: it [supports over 130 cryptocurrencies]( seamlessly across desktop and mobile via an intuitive app. You can even [exchange one crypto directly for another](, earn interest on some of the most popular tokens, and [integrate a hardware wallet]( with the app. See for yourself: [download the Exodus app](. [Get The App]( Please support our sponsors 🌎 Finimize Events 🌱 Grassroots investing There’s been a plethora of new trading platforms entering the market over the past year. So to cut through the noise, we’ve got Stephanie Leung of StashAway to explain how to evaluate whether your broker is right for you. Don’t miss [The Rise Of The Retail Investor]( on April 6th. 😡 [The Influence Of Behavior On Investing](: 5pm UK time, March 31st ♻️ [ESG: The Environmental Perspective](: 6pm UK time, March 31st ⏰ [Is It Too Late To Invest In Bitcoin?](: 1pm UK time, April 1st 🥕 [Crafting A Vegan Portfolio](: 6pm UK time, April 6th 🚀 [The Rise Of The Retail Investor](: 9pm Hong Kong time, April 6th 👀 [How To Spot The Next Bitcoin](: 12pm NY time, April 7th 💵 [The Surge In Digital Payments](: 6pm UK time, April 8th 🍷 [Investing In Wine And Whiskey](: 6pm UK time, April 9th 💆 [Control Your Emotions, Control Your Trading](: 6pm NZ time, April 12th 🔥 [The Three Most Important Trading Signals](: 6pm UK time, April 20th 🏡 [The Pros And Cons Of REITs And Real Estate](: 1pm UK time, April 22nd 🛢 [How To Inflation-Proof Your Portfolio](: 6pm UK time, April 22nd 💰 [Crowdfunding Club](: 1pm NY time, April 28th 📚 What we're reading - Going from a single unpaid debt to jail time ([Vox]() - Okay, so where exactly do Amazon’s workers pee? ([The Intercept]() - Why the new £50 note features Alan Turing ([BBC]() ❤️ Share with a friend Your Referrals: 0 Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. If they sign up on your unique link, you’ll earn some sweet swag. Share your unique link: [ You stay classy, {NAME} 😉 We’d love to hear your thoughts. [Give feedback]( Want to advertise with us too? [Get in touch]( Image Credits: Image credits: Lelia Lincoln @lelialincoln - Unsplash ub-foto, Hadrian - Shutterstock | John Gomez - Shutterstock Preferences: [Update your email]( or [change preferences]( [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( from all Finimize Emails 😴 Crafted by Finimize Ltd. | Third Floor, 1 New Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1AN, UK. All content provided by Finimize Ltd. is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to represent trade or investment recommendations. 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