Alternative Outlook

Uncertainty over the viability of the European Monetary Union and volatility of the euro may incite investors to seek refuge in wine, suggest financial experts including John Authers, FT columnist and author of The Fearful Rise of Markets.

While his is a cautionary tale, Authers notes that the scenario offers short-term opportunity for bold and disciplined investors who can spot a potential bubble and sell before it bursts.

‘There are many people who will talk very caustically and matter-of-factly about “can I find the next bubbl…

It might be tricky, when faced with a bottle of fine wine, to do anything other than open it and pour yourself a glass. But for those who can eschew instant gratification, wine can offer a fantastic investment. Through the stock market turbulence of recent years, fine wine has become a safe haven.

Over the last five years, the Liv-ex Fine Wine 100, which tracks the price of the world’s most sought-after wines, has outperformed leading benchmarks, including the FTSE 100 – rising 62% over the period, and 15% in the last two years. I…

The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 has fallen for the third consecutive month, raising both hopes and fears for fine wine investment.

The index fell 6.4% in September, finishing the month at 322.66. This represents a 4.05% decline on the year to date but up 4.72% year on year.

Having peaked in June, the index has been on a downward trajectory ever since and Liv-ex noted that its progress bore a resemblance to what happened in the second half of 2008.

In June 2008, the index fell for six months in total before picking back up again the following …