A community of allied businesses committed to becoming a unifying force in society promoting a practical approach to technology, healthcare and stewardship of the planet.

 

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A Message to Our Readers

 

In today’s multi-media environment, it is so easy to become overwhelmed with too much information from too many sources. MANIFEST will present important, objective, practical information on the economy, politics, technology and investing to not only inform our readers but to present an insight into how QPG makes decisions on the strategic direction of the Company and the impact on how we will inform our MISSION in the world.

Some “forward looking statements” are presented in real time and may involve adjustments as anticipated results evolve. We are obligated to our readers to be useful with information that is factual, friendly and easy to understand.

 

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Philanthropy

Quantum Projects Group is involved with ENDCan Foundation to End Child Abuse and Neglect.

 

QPG’s Mission Statement, “We Will Make A Difference and We Know What Kind Of Difference We Want To Make” absolutely aligns with ENDCan’s commitment to raise awareness of the mental and physical health impact of child abuse and neglect. Nearly 700,000 children are abused and neglected each year in the U.S. Five children die each day, sometimes by the hand of a stranger but more often than can be imagined, by someone they love. (Source: ENDCan: 4/2021) QPG will provide funds to ENDCan to promote research on diseases related to child abuse such as auto-immune diseases, cancer and conditions like mental illness that can contribute to suicide. Suicide is a topic that is surrounded by falsehoods and stigma. More education on child development and proactive referrals to prevention programs is sorely needed. ENDCan believes that an approach must be taken for leveraging existing infrastructure, increasing system collaboration and enlisting experts in a population-based public health campaign.

Focusing on macro-level factors like an active connection to government both on a local and national level can help parents to consistently provide safe and sufficient environments for their children. Some educators have pointed out that the current silos in graduate education must be disrupted in order to take an integrated approach across multiple disciplines to improve outcomes for families.

In 2018, Dr. Richard Krugman co-founded ENDCan with a former patient, Lori Poland. The traumatic event that would forever change Ms. Poland’s life happened in August 1983.

Three-year old Lori Poland was abducted by a stranger in broad daylight outside her home near Denver, CO. She was sexually assaulted and thrown into a remote 15-foot outhouse toilet where she was left for dead. She was discovered almost four days later by a couple of birdwatchers. Her remarkable story of survival is nevertheless haunted by post-traumatic stress triggered by the smell of excrement or urine or being alone, feeling abandoned and unprotected.

Lori Poland is presently a licensed therapist and Exeutive Director of ENDCan. In 2022, Dr. Krugman and his colleague, Dr. Jill Korbin, rereleased the second edition of the “Handbook of Child Maltreatment,” a study of comprehensive international research on the subject. “Truly understanding and preventing child abuse requires a multidisciplinary and cross-cultural approach,” said Dr. Krugman.

 

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Fun Facts & Considerations

 

Bonds are definitely attractive in the U.S. fixed income landscape as the Federal Reserve continues to communicate that it expects lower rates. Bonds add stability to an overall investment strategy because they add the stability and income as opposed to the volatility of stocks.

Given the continued high-interest rates, investors have a valuable opportunity to diversify into bonds for the second half of 2024.

Cash you can access immediately. Cash and associated cash equivalent vehicles, e.g., money market funds, bank savings accounts and CD’s are a safety zone in an investment portfolio. Conventional wisdom typically urges investors to maintain a cash allocation of between 2%-10% of their overall portfolio resulting in liquidity and stability. There is obviously the added security of having an emergency fund you can access for unforeseen circumstances like illness or natural disasters.

High Federal Reserve interest rates are particularly advantageous in 2024 as investment returns can reach into the 5% range.

Roth IRA’s, the earlier you start, the better; tax-free growth and withdrawals as long as certain conditions are met.

No upfront tax deductions made when contributions are made with after-tax dollars. Roth IRA’s are particularly useful as a retirement savings boost for people without a workplace plan such as a 401(k) plan.

Alternative Investments include private equity, venture capital, precious metals, e.g., gold and silver, crypto-currency, foreign currency, commodities, e.g., oil, gas and alternative energy. “The public markets have more risk exposure when there is geopolitical uncertainty, so having money in privately owned, alternative assets can hedge a lot of that risk,” said Kelly Ann Winget, founder and CEO of Alternative Wealth Partners in Dallas, TX.

Quantum Projects Group’s participation in higher-risk, higher-reward alternatives is active and poised to make significant dividends for the stakeholders in the immediate future. We are not only beginning the active trading with the FOREX robots but will be making major announcements shortly concerning DPI’s intellectual property, particularly the gaming app that was dramatically featured on the Sphere in Las Vegas. Once you have curated a solid portfolio, you have a reasonable foundation to move into higher-risk, higher reward assets like alternatives.

Financial experts are particularly interested in crude oil and natural gas investments. “One of the primary advantages of investing in oil and gas mineral funds is the potential for regular monthly cash flow from producing wells,” says Jace Graham, CEO of Rising Phoenix Capital in Dallas. “This income is generated from the ongoing production and sale of oil and natural gas, which can be particularly valuable in a high-interest-rate environment where returns can be much lower in alternatives such as real estate.”

Real Estate: QPG is actively negotiating the sale of two major properties. First, there is The Time Hotel in New York City in the Times Square/Theater District area, 224 West 49th Street. The 193-room facility has an outdoor pool deck. The second property is a tract of land, ideal for development, adjacent to the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.

The recent DPI activity with Holiday Island Holdings, Inc. is significant for developing revenue and earnings for our stakeholders and for advancing our commitment to be mindful caretakers of the planet. Holiday Island Holdings specializes in the secondary recovery of oil and gas with a balanced environmental impact. Holiday Island Holdings also operates recreational, remote living and commercial properties in at least six states now.

The activity will produce an OTC stock with broad appeal from acquisitions that include exploration and processing of hydrocarbons to a campground in Arkansas, an RV park and self-storage facility in Texas.

 

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Inflation – The GDP – Federal Reserve Rate Hikes

 

Consumer spending plays the most important role driving the U.S. economy. In the second quarter of 2023, personal consumption expenditures represented more than 68% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. (Source: USBank: Wealth Management – September 2023) Many people take on credit card debt and may not pay off the total bill each month. The interest rate on that credit card debt is effected by the Federal Reserve’s decision regarding rate adjustments. The Fed’s decision impacts inflation which in turn impacts the overall economy from consumer spending to business development and into government policy to cite a few examples. The last rate hike by the Federal Reserve was in July 2023. Annual percentage rate for inflation fell to 3.7% in September 2023 from its peak of 9% in June 2022.

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$157,500

 

The average amount a 65-year old retiring this year can expect to spend on health care and medical expenses throughout retirement, according to an estimate from Fidelity Investments. For the first time in nearly a decade, the anticipated cost remains flat from the previous year. According to the CDC, (Center for Disease Control) there is a gender gap between men and women in the U.S. Men die younger than women in the U.S., 73 years old compared to 79 years old for women. (2021 data)

 

In the second quarter of 2023, personal consumption expenditures represented more than 68% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. (Source: U.S. Bank: Wealth Management – September 2023) Many people take on credit card debt and may not pay off the total bill each month. The interest rate on that credit card debt is effected by the Federal Reserve’s decision regarding rate adjustments. The Fed’s decision impacts inflation which in turn impacts the overall economy from consumer spending to business development and into government policy to cite a few examples. The last rate hike by the Federal Reserve was in July 2023. Annual percentage rate for inflation fell to 3.7% in September 2023 from its peak of 9% in June 2022.

There is Much to Learn from Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway.

Warren Buffet, the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, is the most successful investors of our time. In his latest report, Mr. Buffet calculates that the average yearly gain in market value from his acquisition of Berkshire in 1965 through the end of 2022 was 19.8% compared with 9.9% for the S&P 500.

Berkshire Hathaway’s overall portfolio, stock plus operating authority, is diversified by sector including tech, financial institutions, energy, healthcare, media and insurance companies. Five stocks account for three-fourths of the value of Mr. Buffet’s stock holdings: Apple, Bank of America, Coca Cola, American Express and Chevron. He owns and operates in full, BNSF Railway and GEICO. (Source: Kiplinger)

The QPG takeaway, a business is not just a symbol with a number attached to it, it is a partnership with other like-minded entrepreneurs to become a unifying force in society promoting a balanced approach to technology, healthcare and environmental sustainability.

 

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Snapshot for 2024

 

The key takeaways from Wall Street analysts for the stock market in 2023 highlight a resilient economy, diminishing inflation and the potential peak in interest rates after eleven rate hikes and three skips. Investor fears of the prospect of a recession have calmed and they have jumped back into stocks. The biggest question is whether the strong market rally can continue into 2024.

Stocks soared in 2023 after a dismal 2022, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 jumping more than 20% and 50% respectively. Some caveats should be noted. The extremely narrow dominance of the mega-cap stocks, e.g., Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, Netflix, Nvidia, Microsoft, Tesla and Apple is likely to continue into early 2024 but eventually subside according to some analysts. Referencing that, some mega-cap growth stocks will underperform relative to cyclical value stocks originating in financials, energy, construction materials like bricks, glass and gravel and real estate. There is the looming shadow always present of rising geopolitical risks and a lack of consumer confidence but lower inflation should allow the Federal Reserve to navigate a soft landing that would permit the cyclical bull market to continue.

A strong job market, falling interest rates and inflation along with rising corporate earnings will further propel the markets into a pattern of normalcy and earnings growth. Equities, the value of an investor’s stake in a company, represents the value of shares an investor owns representing potential capital gains and dividends. Some banks expect the S&P 500 to rise above 10% in 2024 to 5,100, as the economy dodges a recession. The U.S. economy is expected to post GDP growth as much as 1.5% in 2024. Most gains are likely to come in the second half of 2024 as the Federal Reserve shifts from inflation remediation to business cycle management.
Sources: businessinsider.com – Bank of America – JP Morgan – Morgan Stanley – Goldman Sachs