H O W T O S U R V I V E T H E
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 BCBUSINESS 21
If you're at a loss as to where
to allocate your savings in 2021, you're
not alone. All the mainstream financial
asset classes seem set for a fall. There's a
glaring disparity between the recent per-
formance of the stock market and that of
the underlying economy, leading many
market veterans to brace for a second
COVID-induced crash. The bond market is
no more promising: in a year-end note to
clients, Scotiabank strategists stated, "We
believe government bonds have the worst
outlook and possess the greatest risk of
generating negative returns" in 2021 as
yields gradually rise and valuations erode.
Real estate? Rents are f lat to falling as
foreign students and Airbnb guests are
forced to stay away. That's if you're even
collecting rent.
The same goes for all the other securi-
tized assets you can buy, from derivatives
to commodities to hedge funds. Those most
fearful of a financial apocalypse are cast-
ing their net wider to more exotic stores of
value, from cryptocurrency to whisky.
FINANCIAL
APOCALYPSE
A D I S A S T E R
P R E P P E R ' S
P R I M E R O N
R EA LLY
A LT E R N AT I V E
I N V E S T M E N T S
b y M I C H A E L
M c C U L L O U G H
i l l u s t r a t i o n s b y
B Y R O N
E G G E N S C H W I L E R
2 0 2 1 I N V E S T M E N T G U I D E
