KentWeakley/iStock via Getty Images Real estate investing is often promoted online as the sure way to riches. Countless gurus online claim that it has the potential to generate significant "passive income" and earn you far greater returns than the stock market, thanks to the power of leverage and tax benefits. Invitation Homes But as someone who has worked in private equity real estate and spent the last decade investing in real estate, I can tell you that the reality is very different. Those same gurus often have a vested interest in convincing you that real estate is such a great investment, as they are selling courses and/or promoting their own funds, charging high fees. As a result, they often end up stretching the truth and not telling the full story. Here are 5 reasons why I think that rental properties are poor investments in most cases in 2026. In the end, I will discuss a better alternative for investors to invest in real estate today, with a big discount. Reason #1: Cap Rates Are Lower Than Mortgage Rates Gurus often claim that you can buy real estate with little or no money down. What they are alluding to is that you can buy real estate with a mortgage, and then have your tenant pay you rent to reimburse your mortgage. That's great on paper, and can work well, as long as you don't overleverage, and are able to earn a positive spread between your acquisition yield (cap rate) and the interest rate on your mortgage. But the problem is that today, most rental properties, especially in desirable markets, are selling at cap rates that are inferior to mortgage rates. The average 30-year mortgage today is 6.5-7%. Yet, the average cap rate of a good property in a strong market is less than 6%. It is likely even less than 5% if you properly account for all maintenance expenses, including reserves for infrequent big repair items. What this means is that you cannot finance most properties with significant debt, as it would result in negative cash flows. The only way ...

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. $TSM Shares Bought by Perpetual Ltd MarketBeat

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. $TSM Shares Bought by Perpetual Ltd marketbeat.com

近期，著名经济学家、莲华资管首席投资官洪灝在财联社首席说节目中对黄金市场和A股作出分析和判断。 投资作业本课代表整理了要点如下： 1、我们知道炒股票也一样，当主流大家一起冲进去的时候，基本上就是冲顶的时候。所以在5500、5600的时候，黄金的避险属性就没有那么明显了，甚至暂时退出了。 但我们相信，长期来说，黄金最大的故事在于它是美元信用的对立面。 2、很多新兴国家的央行为了保护自己的汇率，不得不把手上的黄金卖掉去买美元。这就造成了所谓的黄金抛售。 原来央行本来在囤黄金，现在在卖黄金。 虽然大家也跟着骂，但各位想象一下，这是一个悖论：正是因为黄金的避险属性，正是因为黄金是美元的对立面，所以你不得已抛售手上的黄金去拯救你自己的货币。拯救你货币的唯一对手盘就是黄金，因此黄金才是真正的信念。 3、黄金 还会（继续向）下，先下再上，很明显它没有涨到头。 再翻一倍没有问题，但是不是今年能够完成。 4、尽管黄金下降了这么多，但最主要的问题是，如果我们从数据模型来看它的年化回报率，它依然在历史的最顶端——大概在5到6倍方差之外。 均值回归是一个统计学的定律，它必然要往均值回归。所以这个时候大家就觉得是不是价格将下跌？但这个故事讲完绝对没有。黄金的故事讲了5000年，它会接着再讲5000年。所以我一直说“金屯不炒”，就这个意思。 以下是投资作业本课代表（微信ID：touzizuoyeben）整理的精华内容，分享给大家： 黄金为什么不避险了？ 刘纪鹏：还有一个问题就是黄金，你们莲花资本本身，你们的资产配置里有黄金吗？下一步你们会配置吗？怎么看待，现在黄金实际上比股市波动还要厉害，尤其是这两次，它从5600点跌到4100点，这么大的波动是很罕见的。 今天下午我和一些投资人座谈，大家也提到这个问题：中国股市是不是又要长期在4000点以下徘徊了？我们的资产配置是不是可以考虑黄金呢？还有机会吗？ 洪灝：有很多机会。越动荡，越有机会。 刘纪鹏： 莲花资本可以配置黄金吗？ 洪灝：可以。 刘纪鹏：但你为什么现在没有配置呢（躲过去了？） 洪灝: 之前太高了，所以我们出来一下。因为抛物线式的上涨必然迎来抛物线式的下跌，以前涨得有多快，现在跌得就有多急，没有办法，这是市场规律决定的。 同时，很多人问，为什么黄金就不避险了？黄金传统上是个避险资产，那为什么在打仗的时候…… 我觉得首先我们定义一下什么是避险...

格隆汇4月4日｜为应对中东冲突引发的能源供应短缺以及土耳其里拉贬值压力，土耳其黄金储备在过去两周大幅减少近120吨，为2013年有相关记录以来最大两周降幅。

BLK,BABA,META,CVX,MU,NYT,ORCL,AAL,DIS,CRWV,T,UNP,VTRS,WBD,CNC,CVNA,HPE,CMG,AMZN | stock prices | quote comparison Yahoo Finance UK

Micron Drops 6% After Citi’s Price Target Cut: 3 Reasons Bears and Bulls Are Both Right aol.com

Roberto Mazzarella has been on the run for more than a year and was living under a false name, police say.

If you're one of the millions considering a move abroad, it's important to know where you can afford to live comfortably.

Key Points17% of Americans 55 and older say they’re ready to move to another country.

伊朗外交部长阿拉格齐当地时间4日在其个人社交媒体上表示，美国媒体歪曲了伊朗的立场。我们对巴基斯坦所作的努力深表感谢，也从未拒绝前往伊斯兰堡。我们所关心的是，如何就彻底且持久地结束这场非法战争达成相关条款。（央视新闻）

格隆汇4月4日｜据美国地质调查局地震信息网消息，菲律宾萨兰加尼群岛东南方向90公里处海域北京时间4日18时34分发生6.0级地震，震源深度99.6公里。

格隆汇4月4日｜今天是清明假期第一天，祭祖扫墓、踏青旅游、务工务农等出行叠加，主要高速公路、国省道交通流量明显上升，部分地区进出城、景区墓区周边道路交通流量较大。截至18时，除个别路段因交通大流量导致缓行外，全国道路交通总体平稳有序，未接报严重交通拥堵和较大以上道路交通事故。各地公安交管部门结合假期出行规律特点和交通流量变化，科学调配警力装备，加强重点路段疏导管控力度，严管重点车辆和突出违法，广泛开展交通安全宣传教育，全力保障道路交通畅通和群众安全出行。

格隆汇4月4日｜伊朗外交部长阿拉格齐当地时间4日在其个人社交媒体上表示，美国媒体歪曲了伊朗的立场。我们对巴基斯坦所作的努力深表感谢，也从未拒绝前往伊斯兰堡。我们所关心的是，如何就彻底且持久地结束这场非法战争达成相关条款。

「兩蚊兩折」實施首日，本台發現九巴車費回贈機故障。九巴指檢視後，只是個別拍卡機有問題、已經處理，並確認系統運作正常。 政府高度關注，不會向九巴發還因而引致的額外車費補貼，敦促九巴認真跟進；九巴指回贈機已回復正常運作，會向受影響乘客發還分段收費回贈。

Dmitry Alferov/iStock via Getty Images The semiconductor sector got off to a great start, but it lost most of the gains by the end of Q1 2026 as the sector stumbled towards the latter part of the quarter. Semiconductor stocks were able to rally higher on the back of a number of tailwinds, but semis got stopped in their tracks as headwinds arose, especially on the geopolitical front. Individual stocks may be able to go against the grain, but Q2 2026 is likely to see more downwards pressure on stocks, unless a solution is found to what is weighing on the sector. Tailwinds have morphed into headwinds for semis A previous article at the start of Q1 2026 pointed out how semiconductor stocks look poised for gains because they had a number of powerful tailwinds in their favor, which included accommodation in terms of Fed monetary policy, but, at the same time, these tailwinds had the potential to turn into headwinds. In the end, the article concluded the sector was probably heading higher, but only if tailwinds like Fed policy and AI remained in its corner throughout the whole year. Source: Thinkorswim app These comments at the start of 2026 have begun to look rather prescient with one quarter done. For instance, the iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF ( SOXX ), an ETF which tracks the semiconductor space, wound up with a gain of 9.13% in Q1 2026, which allowed it to outperform both the SPDR S&P500 ETF ( SPY ) with a loss of 4.63% and the Invesco QQQ trust ( QQQ ) with a loss of 6.04%. However, SOXX was up as much as 22.47% at one point in Q1 2026 and the main reason why it lost most of the quarter’s gains was because geopolitical tensions in the Middle East turned into a full-blown regional war as the U.S. and Iran came to blows at the end of February. As stated in the article at the start of the year, semis look poised to benefit from monetary easing from the Federal Reserve, which included not just lower interest rates, but also the resumption in the buying of Treasury Bills...

Political uncertainty can have a significant effect on the major indexes.

And it's in a cannabis-adjacent sector.

Key PointsThe S&P 500 nearly entered correction territory in the first quarter.

Key PointsThe company also has a large investment in a marijuana business.

格隆汇4月4日｜据央视，中东不仅是重要能源中心，同时也是化肥的重要输出地。随着美以伊冲突持续发酵、霍尔木兹海峡航运受到影响，这也导致全球化肥供应面临风险。作为全球重要的农业国家，印度同时也是化肥进口大国。近日在印度，已有部分农户表示，他们对化肥供应和种植季感到担忧。印度政府目前通过提高补贴和加强调配等方式稳定化肥供应，市场上化肥产品的价格目前总体相对稳定，但随着农时临近，对化肥的需求将迅速上升，供需矛盾可能进一步加剧。

格隆汇4月4日｜据印尼气象、气候和地球物理局消息，当地时间4月4日17时34分左右，印尼北苏拉威西省塔劳群岛附近海域发生6.2级地震，震源深度31公里。地震未触发海啸预警。

Palantir Technologies Inc. $PLTR Stock Holdings Reduced by NTV Asset Management LLC MarketBeat

Palantir Technologies Inc. $PLTR Stock Holdings Reduced by NTV Asset Management LLC marketbeat.com

RandyAndy101 VICI Properties ( VICI ) deepened its Las Vegas footprint even further after the Golden Entertainment ( GDEN ) go-private transaction was approved by shareholders. The deal will add seven more Nevada casino properties to VICI's ( VICI ) real estate portfolio after the closing date sometime during the current quarter, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. After the deal closes, Golden Entertainment ( GDEN ) will have its operating assets owned by Blake Sartini and affiliates. The move by VICI Properties extends its strategy of buying high-quality gaming real estate and leasing them back to strong operators under long-term triple-net agreements. After the Golden Entertainment ( GDEN ) deal closes, VICI's ( VICI ) Las Vegas-area holdings will include the iconic Caesars Palace Las Vegas, MGM Grand Las Vegas, the Venetian Resort Las Vegas (next door to the Sphere (SPHR)), four championship golf courses, and about 33 acres of undeveloped and underdeveloped land adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip. It will also own the seven Golden properties in Nevada that are being sold in the transaction, including The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower, Arizona Charlie’s Decatur, and Arizona Charlie’s Boulder, all in the Las Vegas area; and the Aquarius Casino Resort in Laughlin, Edgewater Casino Resort in Laughlin, Pahrump Nugget Hotel & Casino, and Lakeside RV Park & Casino in Pahrump. The latest transaction fits VICI’s broader playbook of pairing with established operators and expanding through sale-leasebacks and financing partnerships across gaming and leisure. As for Las Vegas, VICI ( VICI ) continues to be one of the market's most important real estate owners. Looking ahead, VICI ( VICI ) is anticipated to continue a strategy of building a high-quality experiential portfolio and pursuing additional partnerships with top operators rather than operating casinos directly. Shares of VICI Properties ( VICI ) are down 8.6% over the last six weeks, while Cae...

US and Iranian forces are searching for a missing American crew member after a US warplane was shot down.

The rightwing populist has been in power for 16 years but a new generation of voters are preparing to vote for his opponent, polls suggest As he rushed to finish off his cigarette before heading to class, Ákos, 20, confessed that he has more at stake than most as Hungarians prepare to head to the polls in the coming days. “If things remain the same, or get even worse, I can’t see a future here,” said the aspiring teacher. “There are many people who want to try living elsewhere, and that’s totally fine, but I’m not one of them. For so long I’ve dreamed of working and teaching here.” Continue reading...

From schools in Ghana to workplaces in Britain, underpinned by the colonial roots of ‘respectability’, conversations around natural hairstyle persist Last month a Jamaican woman said her teenage son had been pulled from lessons because school staff had deemed his afro hairstyle inappropriate. “The dean of discipline called me to state that my son has been removed,” Michelle Scott said. “You’re telling me that you took him, a fifth-form student, out of classes to go and get a haircut?” Continue reading...