2019 promises to be an exciting one for the markets following the past year of record stock market highs, swings in cryptoasset prices, and a number of major macro events driving strong market movements. So where are some of the most interesting investment and investment opportunities in 2019 and which sectors look as though they offer the best promise? From cryptos to shares in some of the world’s most dynamic companies and a look at some of the next big ideas, we’ve covered the top five investment ideas for 2019.
Automation
Perhaps one of the most interesting investment sectors of 2019, driving automation, is arguably one of the most exciting industries to watch in 2019. The race to develop safe, trustworthy transportation automation is well and truly on with the likes of Tesla, GM, Ford and Uber all vying for supremacy.
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It is little wonder with the potential benefits on offer as the world moves towards more efficient, cheaper and cleaner modes of transport. Automated driving systems could soon be involved in everything from delivery supply chains to public transport and even leisure pursuits and the industry is worth billions. With General Motors’ chief technology officer Jon Lauckner predicting that autonomous vehicles will be on the roads in 2019, next year is when the industry could really take off. It is also no exaggeration to say that automation will be a game-changer for the auto industry as those who fail to adapt will face a changing marketplace where more and more modes of transport rely on automation and AI. Smart investors will see this as a key opportunity to be involved in the early phases of what could become a market driven by high demand over the next few years.
Virtual Reality
The next big thing in the world of tech, VR has implications for everything from gaming to online shopping and practical educational platforms. Almost all of the biggest players in the tech market are investing heavily in VR technology and some of the front runners include Snap Inc, Sony, Google and Facebook.
Facebook is leading the gaming side of VR with their focus firmly on the powerful, standalone Oculus Quest headset which is due to ship in early 2019 and aims to usher in a new era of VR gaming. Google has moved into the world of smartphone VR and has also launched its Daydream platform and Daydream standalone headset. Not to be outdone, Microsoft is also pushing a VR headset called HoloLens which will offer a mixture of virtual and augmented reality applications.
With so many major players investing so heavily and with a huge potential global audience for VR products, the industry is likely to see significant growth in 2019 as new products and technology wow audiences around the world. Savvy investors will be keeping an eye on these and other big companies in the VR space as we head into 2019.
FAANG Stocks
That Wall Street is in the midst of a record bull run is not news and the fact that this has been driven by the big FAANG (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google) tech stocks, or shares, is hardly surprising. While the end of November saw a dip in fortunes of some of Wall Street’s best performers, 2019 looks like a year that could see huge investment and growth for these blue chip shares. Amazon continues to be the “everything company” averaging stunning growth of 24% over the past five years and investing heavily in Amazon Web Services to further power it’s e-commerce offering. Netflix has a whole host of hit shows on its hands, some of which, like Stranger Things, have reached cult hit status, propelling the company forward and helping it dominate the streaming space. Expect more hit shows and bigger, better things from the company in 2019.
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Healthcare
Healthcare is one of the world’s biggest growing industries and offers investors and traders plenty of exciting trading and investment opportunities. As countries like the UK and US face ageing populations and daunting medical bills to pay for care, so innovative companies specialising in both direct care and treatments could grow significantly in 2019 and beyond. Major players in the space like McKesson corp, UnitedHealth, CVS Health, Pfizer and GSK will be firms to watch as debates about how to balance healthcare concerns dominate political considerations on both sides of the Atlantic.
Cryptos
The Cryptoasset market has seen some huge changes over the course of 2018, with Bitcoin in particular gaining a wider mainstream acceptance and greater media coverage. Some of the newer cryptos have begun to see far greater investment too as more and more traders, angel investors and big financial firms realise the value of cryptoassets to the wider market. Greater integration is already happening as evidenced by Santander’s recent partnership with Ripple. Expect more similar ventures on 2019 as the possibilities of Blockchain technology begin to be more widely explored by major tech firms and startups. Keep an eye out for upcoming ICOs as well as moves within the crypto market as newer assets like ethereum, bitcoin cash and litecoin overcome their growing pains. Trading cryptoassets could be one of the most exciting opportunities of 2019.
Please note that due to market volatility, some of the prices may have already been reached and scenarios played out.
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