2017 Investment Outlook
The Dow at 20,000. Trumponomics. A stronger U.S. dollar. Stock markets surprised to the upside in 2016 following a rocky start to the year. With strong returns for the Dow and S&P 500, investors are optimistic that markets are poised for even higher highs. No one knows how long the bull market will last or […]
Bridging the wealth gap: What to do about global inequality
A January 2017 report issued by Oxfam found that the eight richest individuals in the world have a net wealth of $426 billion–equivalent to the total amount of wealth held by the poorest 50% of the global population (some 3.7 billion people). That same report found that the world’s 10 largest corporations together have revenue […]
Azzad asks Alphabet to adopt Holy Land Principles
Falls Church, Va., 1/5/16 – Azzad Asset Management and a nonprofit organization focused on workers’ rights have filed shareholder resolutions with Alphabet (formerly Google), calling on the company to implement fair hiring practices with respect to the Arab Palestinian population working at its offices in Israel. Azzad co-filed in support of the lead filer, The […]
Our stock market predictions for 2017
by Ehab Alalfey, Azzad financial advisor The most common question clients ask me is: “What do you think the future holds for the stock markets?” I’m new here at Azzad, but it’s the same question clients asked when I was at Raymond James. My answer is always the same: no one really knows. But if […]
Buy stock. Save the world.
We’ve been talking a lot about shareholder advocacy at Azzad recently–and about how it’s a largely untapped way for concerned citizens to take action on issues we care about. For those who aren’t familiar with it, shareholder advocacy refers to actions taken by stock investors (shareholders) to ask the companies whose stock they own to […]
Top 5 investor mistakes
We talk a lot about investor behavior at Azzad. Unlike the ups and downs of markets, it’s one of the few variables investors can control. Successful investing is hard, but it doesn’t require genius. Often, success simply means identifying your own psychological weaknesses and changing some behaviors in response. Azzad’s investment advisors have identified five […]
First shareholder resolution on Rohingya presses Chevron on business ties to Burma government
Resolution asks oil giant to halt business with regimes engaged in genocide or crimes against humanity Falls Church, Va., 12/12/16 – A socially responsible investment firm and a Roman Catholic international religious congregation announced today that they have filed the first shareholder resolution focused on the persecuted Burmese Rohingya minority, calling on California-based Chevron Corporation […]
Azzad asks pharma companies to reassess drug pricing
Socially responsible investment firm joins interfaith coalition to make health care more affordable Falls Church, Va., 12/5/16 – Azzad Asset Management, investment advisor to the Azzad Funds, announced today that it has submitted drug pricing proposals to Merck & Co. and Gilead Sciences, two major pharmaceutical companies that manufacture some of America’s most popular prescription […]
2016 Year-End Financial Planning Basics
As we end the year, it’s time for some housekeeping tasks such as updating your beneficiary information for retirement accounts or other investment accounts. Plus, the window of opportunity for many tax-saving measures ends on December 31. There’s still time to affect your bottom line for the 2016 tax year, but you need to act […]
Azzad Signs Statements in Support of Environmental Safeguards
Investor statements appeal to private and public sectors to combat climate change Azzad recently joined two initiatives targeting climate change. The first is a business and investor statement to President-elect Donald Trump in support of U.S. participation in the Paris Climate Agreement. Organized by Ceres, a coalition of sustainability-focused groups, the statement is intended to […]
