5 reasons why you should invest in stocks

Jan 17 2022

As the economy continues to grow and individuals remain hungry in their pursuit of new streams of revenue, investing in stocks seems more and more attractive as time goes by. The stock market’s generous return over time is only complemented by the risk-and-reward thrill which comes with any investment.

Higher return on investment

While no investment is without its drawbacks, the stock market offers the potential to earn higher returns as opposed to other investment alternatives. Most investors tend to purchase low and sell high to capitalize on companies’ appreciation in value while others prefer a regular cash flow from companies that grow at a moderate rate and pay dividends.

Whichever way you prefer investing, the potential income from stocks is enticing enough for would-be investors to at least research the market and take a look at what they may be missing out on.

Potential for passive income

The term ‘passive income’ is thrown around a lot nowadays, with investors and entrepreneurs highlighting the importance of having at least one stream of passive income to contribute to financial security. Simply put, passive income is a regular source of earnings obtained through another source over and above your employment income.

Passive income could be anything from rental income to any business activity in which the earner does not materially participate in or in this case; dividend income. Owning dividend-yielding stocks will allow the shareholder to receive payments at regular intervals, meaning that if you invest in the right stocks, you could secure a solid stream of passive income.

The ease of buying and selling

Unlike other type of investments, the stock-market allows quick buying and selling in a matter of a few seconds. Having 24/7 access to the stock market and the ability to constantly monitor your portfolio, with real-time pricing, the MeDirect app allows you to benefit from the swift and abrupt movements of the stock market.

Needless to say, despite being easily accessible, the stock market is also volatile, and returns aren’t necessarily guaranteed so staying on your toes and playing it safe when needed is important for even the most experienced of investors.

The ability to diversify

Due to the liquid nature of stock investment, diversifying one’s portfolio based on their financial goals is one of the largest advantages. A diversified portfolio carries more advantages than disadvantages, allowing the investor to lower their investment risk.

Diversifying means that one spreads the investment capital over several companies across the globe which vary in size and market share. So whether you’re feeling bold and want to go for the big fish or try your luck with a more stable and safe investment, you can via the MeDirect App!

Easy access via MeDirect App

It has never been so easy to start trading as it is now with the MeDirect App. You can become a MeDirect customer, from the comfort of your own home within a few minutes, benefit from the best customer service on the island, and be able to Invest, Save & Trade on one platform with no account or maintenance fees.

The MeDirect app offers you a wide range of funds, shares, ETFs and bonds to choose from with competitive and straightforward trading fees. So, when trading is that easy, with free of charge real-time pricing, you can’t help but take a look!

So what are you waiting for to start reading up on investing?

To celebrate this important milestone, MeDirect has decided to launch a promotion where all new customers who join the Bank and invest a minimum of Eur5,000 will receive a cashback of Eur100. This offer is available between the 1^st of December 2021 and the 28th February 2022. Further information, including the terms and conditions, can be found here: https://promo.medirect.com.mt/receive-100-cash-back.

MeDirect, is also organising a giveaway, giving all its customers, who trade and invest with them, the opportunity to win exclusive prizes. Over the same time period, anyone who buys any security through the MeDirect platform with a minimum investment amount of Eur100, will be in with a chance of winning an iPhone 13 Pro Max (that will be drawn monthly) and a voucher of Eur250 from The Point Shopping Mall, which will be drawn on a weekly basis. Further information, including the terms and conditions, can be found here: https://promo.medirect.com.mt/trade-and-win.

Send this to someone who should start investing.

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Promotional offers mentioned are for a limited time only and terms & conditions apply.

MeDirect Bank (Malta) plc, company registration number C34125, is licensed to undertake the business of banking in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371) and investment services under the Investment Services Act (Cap. 370).

Endangered shark meat sold off as swordfish

Jan 17 2022

Customers were buying shark meat thinking they were being sold swordfish, after a fish importer was caught with a storeroom full of protected shark carcasses.

Officials from the Department of Fisheries were carrying out routine inspections in September 2019 on a local fish market when they noticed the swordfish at one stall having peculiar looking flesh.

The seller at the market stall told inspectors he bought the fish from a local importer and believed it was genuine swordfish, with the importer being identified later identified as being from Pisani Fisheries in Qormi.

A raid on the importer’s Żejtun cold stores a few weeks later revealed around two dozens carcasses of short-fin mako shark. The carcasses had heads and fins removed, but a team from the Environment and Resources Authority assisted the fisheries officials in correctly identifying them as shortfin mako.

The shark species also known as blue pointer are an endangered species and are protected under the Convention on international Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. This is a global agreement among governments to regulate and ban international trade in species under threat.

The sharks are not allowed to be fished in Maltese waters and cannot be sold for consumption, and it turns out they had not come from Maltese fishing boats but had been irregularly imports to Malta from Spain. The importer was fined €10,000 this week after he was found guilty of violating wildlife protection laws.

Even if fishing for these sharks were to stop immediately, it could take around 50 years to recover the population of these sharks said the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

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Study suggests rubbing wasabi on your head could stop balding

Jan 17 2022

Even though there’s a multi-billion industry built around touting cures for baldness, people might be better off just going to the local sushi restaurant.

According to some researchers, the secret to stimulating hair growth is found in wasabi, a condiment offered with most Japanese takeouts.

A 2017 study published by wasabi producers Kinin, it was revealed that the spicy sauce contains high levels of a chemical known to awaken the papilla cells responsible for hair growth in the human scalp.

This study proclaiming the benefits of wasabi, run by a wasabi company, should probably be taken with a pinch of salt. Allegedly, the chemical isosaponarin prompts the papilla cells to respond to external stimulus promoting hair growth.

This, allegedly, triggers the development of proteins that create pathways for nutrients to feed the cells, according to English-language Japanese news site SoraNews24.

Isosaponarin has already been shown to aid human collagen production in previous studies, with researchers not claiming that the chemical could be up to three times more effective than classic hair loss treatments in treating male pattern baldness.

The catch is, you cannot get the benefits by eating wasabi. It has to come into direct contact with the human scalp, which means you have to actually rub it into your head.

And its not just any wasabi, its fresh Japanese wasabi that you need. So don’t rub just any green paste sachets onto your head. That will probably also come at a bit of a cost, as wasabi plants sell for around $80 per pound.

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Public transport use increased last year when compared to 2020

Jan 17 2022

The pandemic landed a big blow to the usage of buses in Malta, as many feared infection and being in tight spaces with more people. However, it seems as though the use of tal-linja has increased, with many making use free of charge.

Transport Malta director Ivan Pierre Vella explained how before the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Malta registered a record breaking amount of public transport voyages.

Between January and February of 2020, Vella revealed, the amount of passengers using the bus system was way higher than any other previous year. A 21% increase to previous years was being noticed – a statistic which unfortunately fell due to COVID.

However, between March and December of 2021, the number of voyages increased by 24% when compared to the same period the year before. Vella also highlighted how a substantial amount of voyages which occurred last year were free of charge.

‘In 2021, up to 20% of public transport voyages were carried out free of charge for the individuals concerned’ said Vella. He went on to highlight the environmental benefits of using public transport by reducing emissions.

Using public transport reduces the amount of cars on the road, with the buses in use all being Euro6, which means that they have the highest standards in emission reduction.

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