March 2022

In mid-March, movie theater chain AMC announced a deal to buy shares in their Hycroft Mining Holding Corp.

AMC will spend 27.9 million on 22% shares. The investment provides much-needed support for mining activities that are struggling financially. Hicroft owns a mine in northern Nevada and aims to raise cash by selling shares. Their goal is to generate 500 million.

In recent months, AMC has seen a dramatic improvement in their financial position as a result of their meme stock situation. In 2021 the stock rose more than 1,000% which gave a break to the broken chain. This catastrophe allowed the company to be more aggressive in their investments.

The question is: why buy shares of a mining company?

Although there does not seem to be a definite answer, there are some theories. Some suggest that AMC is a way to invest in diversifying their business. The move could be in response to the continued popularity of streaming entertainment. In addition, the occasional resurgence of the Covid variant has kept viewers away from the theater.

Another reason for the deal could be a relationship between Jason Mudrick and AMC CEO Adam Aaron. Mudrick – who brought Hiccroft to the public in 2020 – advised them to launch an at-the-market share offer in 2021 to help AMC escape bankruptcy. The move has helped AMC fully capitalize on their rocket share price.

The money raised from Hicroft AMC and the money they want to raise from others can be used to buy new technology that can process their reserves more efficiently. The effectiveness of this plan remains to be seen.

Aaron believes the deal is a wise move for AMC because Hicroft has “rock-solid assets” and will only need to overcome liquidity issues to reach profitability. Aaron further hinted that he believes the deal could encourage more investors to buy Hicroft shares.

The newly raised capital could be shot in the hands of Hicroft to realize the full value of their operation. The mining company focuses on gold and silver deposits in northern Nevada. Their long-term plan is to redesign their process for sulfide gold and silver resources and turn it into a large-scale mining activity.

Investors became enthusiastic soon after the announcement of the AMC deal. Hicroft shares have closed up nearly 9% since the announcement of the deal.

This increase could also signal a renewed interest among investors in precious metals. As geopolitical tensions escalate in the Ukraine-Russia war, more investors are considering assets that are more likely to hold their value in the world market as a waiver. For these investors, buying physical gold is probably the most meaningful. However, investors’ appetite for gold and silver has also grown enough to revive interest in mining. AMC and Hycroft are in a good position to benefit from investors’ search for stability at an uncertain time.

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Prior to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, the Federal Reserve Board relied on a little-known but useful guideline that economists called “The Taylor Rule.”

We thought it was time to dust off the Taylor Rule, shed some light on what it says – and discuss what has happened since the Fed abandoned its earlier useful guidelines.

First, what are Taylor’s rules? John Taylor, a professor at Stanford University, introduced this formula in 1993, which sets a certain level of interest rates for the Federal Reserve based on the rate of inflation and how strong the economy is. This mathematical formula provides an accurate level of where the Fed’s benchmark interest rate should be.

As you may know, the Fed’s benchmark interest rates are extremely low in historical terms. Yes, the Fed recently raised its rate by a quarter point – but it still stands at 0.25-0.50%.

The fact that the Federal Reserve has been lazy for the past six months, when inflation is high and high – now at a 40-year high – is probably the grave of former Fed Chairman Paul Volker.

Mr. Volker was widely known for his success as chairman of the Fed in a successful battle to end the high levels of inflation seen in the United States in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

So, where does the Taylor Rule say that the Fed’s benchmark interest rate should be now?

The Fed’s interest rate should be above 5.0%, not below 1%! It’s like sleeping on the Fed wheel.

Not only that, after US central bankers dropped their playbooks in the last 14 years, the size of the US balance sheet has exploded to record heights and now stands at $ 8.9. Trillion – with a “t” USD. Before the 2008 crisis, the Fed’s balance sheet was about $ 870 billion. It is not surprising that inflation has skyrocketed. The US government has printed money like never before in history and the Fed is sitting on its hands on interest rates.

Precious Metals: A safe haven in this unexpected time

When you can’t rely on the Fed to follow predictable rules, individual investors must take the financial future into their own hands.

The price of precious metals has risen this year as investors, large and small, turn to gold and silver to protect and hedge their assets. The gin of inflation has been taken out of the bottle. The Fed knew better, but they still failed to act quickly. When it comes to your finances and your financial future, there is nothing more important than making a decision that will protect your hard-earned money. Do you own enough gold?

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A U.S. bill was introduced in early March in an attempt to prevent Russia from selling their gold. The bill was a collaborative effort from a bipartisan group of senators.

The bill has far-reaching implications as Russia faces the toughest sanctions in history. Many believe that the Russian government will have to give up its gold reserves in order to stay afloat economically.

Four senators raised the bill. They are Angus King (I-Main), John Cornin (R-Texas), Bill Hager (R-Ten), and Maggie Hassan (DNH). The bill targets about 2 132 billion worth of gold held by Russia. The goal is to dramatically limit the number of people who can afford to buy gold from Russia. In particular, the bill seeks to impose secondary sanctions on any American entity that is intentionally involved in a transaction involving Russia’s central bank holdings or attempts to transport gold outside Russia. These rules will apply to both physical and digital sales of gold.

The move would further limit Russia’s participation in the global economy. The bill would also derail a significant part of Russia’s long-established strategy. In 2014, the United States imposed sanctions on Russia in retaliation for its invasion of Crimea. In response, Russia has increased its gold purchases. The move was probably aimed at protecting the country from the effects of those sanctions and other expected sanctions.

In a statement, Senator King remarked, “Russia’s huge gold supply is one of the few remaining assets that Putin can use to protect his country’s economy from further collapse.” “By approving these reserves, we can further isolate Russia from the world economy and increase the difficulty of Putin’s increasingly-expensive military campaign,” he continued.

The bill, entitled “S.3771 – Close the Russian Gold Act of 2022,” will remove one of Putin’s remaining assets. The bill does not limit Russia’s ability to survive sanctions. The bill would make it difficult for Putin to maintain his hold on Ukraine even if he succeeds in occupying the country.

Meanwhile, costs continue to rise as Russia continues its military offensive. A study by the Center for Economic Recovery, CIVTTA and EasyBusiness concludes that the daily cost of the war for Russia is about $ 20 billion. Their inability to liquidate their gold reserves will make it difficult to meet these costs.

These measures have renewed interest in gold among investors who see the metal increasingly as a reliable store of value in times of global unrest. Gold prices have risen about 8.7% in the last six months, while the S&P 500 has risen about 2.1% over the same period. Moreover, the S&P has declined by more than 6% over 500 years.

As the war continues to ravage Ukraine, it is clear that gold will become an increasingly important part of the global financial system as other asset classes will be pardoned amid uncertainty.

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The government plans to increase the national insurance contribution for employees, self-employed and employers in April 2022. They want to spend this extra money on health and social care.

But how much will it cost you?

Is this a real national insurance increase?

The government is actually introducing a new ‘health and social care’ tariff. For the tax year 2022-23, they are collecting it by adding it to the national insurance contribution that you have already paid.

This is why it has been widely denied that the government is breaking its election promise not to raise taxes. Technically, this is not a national insurance tax increase, but a completely new tax

Then in the tax year 2023-24, National Insurance will return to its current rate and new taxes will be collected as a separate entity. You will still pay the same amount, but it will have a new name

Basically, they have been using the National Insurance System since April to give them time to set up a new one for the new tax.

How much will NI increase my cost?

The new tariff is 1.25 percentage points above your current national insurance rate. Employers, employees and self-employed taxpayers are responsible for paying it.

Employees

If you are an employee, the more you earn, the higher your NI increase will cost you.

Some approximate examples of annual growth for different income levels:

• Employees at £ 20,000: £ 130 increase.
• £ 30,000 Earnings Employees: Extra £ 255.
• High Rate Taxpayer with আয় 50,000 Income: Extra £ 505

The government has asked employers to include this statement in your pay-slip: “1.25% improvement in NICs, funding NHS, health and social care.” Like the current income tax and National Insurance, your employer will pay the extra money directly to HMRC from your earnings.

People over the state pension age

In 2022-23, if you are of state pension age, you will not pay an additional 1.25% because you do not pay national insurance. But from 2023, you will pay the new 1.25% health and social care duty. This is the same for all people of state pension age, unless you exceed the lower profit threshold through self-employed earnings.

Self-reliant

If you only pay Class 2 NICS, the NI increase and subsequent new charges will not apply to you.

If you have a profit that exceeds the lower profit margin for a Class 4 national insurance contribution, you will increase the NI from April and pay health and social care duties from the next tax year. You pay both through your self-assessment tax return.

Employers

As an employer, you need to increase the NI in 6 to Class 1, Class 1A and Class 1B NICs.^M April 2022. And then you have to pay 6 to 1.25% new levy^M April 2023.

The good news is a little bit. If you are eligible for an employer’s NICS relief and allowances, you will be able to apply them to the new tariffs when it comes to law.

Why new taxes are being imposed?

The government has always said that these new tariffs (starting with the NI increase) are aimed at raising money for the NHS, funding NHS workers’ wage increases and helping the social care sector. It hopes to raise 12 12 billion a year, with 2 2.2 billion going to the governments of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

An official spokesman said: “We have taken decisive and historic steps with the health and social care tariffs to raise about bn 13bn a year for the NHS and social care. This is a progressive tax for those who pay more.

“It addresses the backlog of epidemics created by NHS operations and procedures, strengthens the adult social care system so that people do not have to bear the financial risk of catastrophic care costs themselves, including people above and below the country, and 3% pay for nurses. -Funds for growth.

But there has been a lot of press rumbling and public concern from some members of the government, who think the tax hike should be stopped. In the face of the crisis of life, many feel that it is too much on top of rising fuel bills, rising inflation and rising commodity prices.

The chancellor may decide to suspend this tax increase, we will all have to wait and see what this April’s budget brings.

Tony Shanks
Director of Operations
ATT member

After the panic of 1857, many Americans saw the West as an opportunity to achieve financial security. In 1858, the Colorado Gold Rush began with more than 100,000 people Flocking in the Rocky Mountain area.

“Pike’s Peak or Chest” was a typical break between early exhibitors in reference to the imposed mountains of the Colorado front range.

Early in the Colorado Gold Rush, there was a shortage of money. Prospecters pay merchants for the goods they need with a pinch of gold dust from their bags. The “pinch” was intended to be equal to $ 1 gold and weigh 0.05 troy ounces. However, the traders of the fat fingers seized the big pinch of gold and the prospectus had small assets left.

The need to standardize money was clear – and it opened the door to private or “regional” gold production. Entrepreneurial merchants have partnered to open private mints that have turned gold dust into usable and value-sized gold coins.

These early private miners refined and refined the gold dust, cast it and rolled it to a certain thickness then cut the gold into round spaces. And, then presses the machine into gold coins for their customers.

During this time Clark, Gruber & Co. was the first and most respected mint in Colorado. In the first three years of the firm’s existence, they reported a ikes 594,305 worth of Pikes Peak Gold.

Eventually, the United States acquired Mint Clark, Gruber & Co., and it became the Denver Mint.

Clark, Gruber & Co. Made $ 2 1/2, $ 5, $ 10 and $ 20 gold coins.

The 1860 version of the $ 10 gold coin had an amateur presentation of Pike’s pick. The 1861 coin was upgraded with the addition of PIKES PEAK to its coronet to look similar to the then-existing Liberty Head Federal Gold Coin.

See 1861 $ 10 pieces here.

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Investors are being tested. Equities have declined significantly for the year and 2022 has just begun. High-risk speculative assets like Crypto have performed even worse.

Meanwhile, inflation threatens the “sideline” money that investors hold, as they wait to see how far the market will go. There seems to be less room for investment due to rising interest rates. For the most part the goal has shifted from earning a decent return only to saving capital or minimizing losses. This cold start to the year has left many investors worried about what they will do in the next 11 months. Many are asking if gold can balance some of the new risks that have crept into so many portfolios.

An analysis by the World Gold Council gives some answers.

Their study concludes that “adding 4% and 15% of gold to the projected average portfolio over the last decade will increase risk-adjusted income, depending on structure and region.”

The same report shows how many structural changes have increased the effectiveness of gold in recent decades. For example, the growth of emerging markets – as seen in India and China – has expanded the group of people who are able to buy gold. In addition, rising central bank demand has boosted gold performance as more countries rely on their reserve metals. Finally, the global financial crisis has warned more investors about the importance of gold as a strategic asset to offset risk.

These advantages can make one wonder why gold has not become the mainstay of the retail investor portfolio. The answer may be mania surrounding equities in recent years.

2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 large cap growth stocks were the highest performing asset class. This pattern has attracted millions of investors. Problem: The song is off.

Although 2022 is still young, it is unlikely that growth will continue to be high. Evaluation remains high. Against the backdrop of the supply chain challenge, more profits will be needed to meet this expectation.

At the same time, the upswing around technology stocks has slowed as recent earnings reports have been disappointing. This low performance is a cause for concern because many growth indexes, such as the S&P 500, are supported by some technical heavyweights. The five highest performing stocks have largely outperformed everyone else on the index. Those top five have returned 25.6% annually in the last five years. The other 495 stocks returned an annual return of 6.5% over the same period. Most of these five stocks are found in the FAANG group of Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google.

Gold offers a degree of diversity that is disappearing from the indicators. Consider that over the last half-century, “gold prices have risen by an average of about 11% in US dollars since 1971,” according to a study by the World Gold Council. In the last five years, gold has surpassed commodities, cash, US bonds, hedge funds and global bonds.

Signs early next year have given investors reason to reconsider their strategy and consider gold.

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Making Tax Digital (MTD) visually on the horizon for the Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) period. On the 6th^M April 2023, all unorganized businesses and self-employed persons earning more than £ 10,000 will have to register for MTD for ITSA.

HMRC has not yet released the final regulations, they are expected this October. So what do we know now, what is left to decide and how should you prepare?

MTD for ITSA: What we know now

From the current regulations of HMCR, we know something about what can be expected from MTD for ITSA.

• It doesn’t matter if your accounting period ends in 6^M April 2023, all unorganized businesses must register.
• Turnover threshold is ট্যাক 10,000 in that tax year. You may have different income streams that are individually less than this, but if their combined total is more than £ 10,000 then you are in MTD for ITSA.

For example, আয় 8,000 rental income and £ 4,000 earnings from trading Both are below £ 10,000, but above the total 12,000 turnover threshold.

• You will report revenue and expenditure to HMRC quarterly. At the moment this deadline is 5^M August, 5^M November, 5^M February and 5^M May for all.
• Registration will be suspended for certain types of partnerships: limited partnerships, LLPs and partnerships that have a corporate partner.
• Possible discounts for: Non-resident companies, estates of deceased, trustees and trustees of registered pension schemes. There are also potential discounts for ‘digitally excluded’ people. But it has a strict definition which means you have absolutely no internet access. It does not account for the speed or quality of your connection.
• You will not receive a penalty notice for late filing unless you are late in submitting your four quarterly submissions.
• Your tax bill payment date is still the same – 31^St. January, after the end of the tax year.
• You do not even have to submit a self assessment tax return.
• You must complete an End of Period Statement (EOPS) and write a final statement to file within the same 31st date.^St. HMRC uses the following documents to calculate your tax bill.
• The business needs to keep a digital record.

Will it still be finalized by HMRC?

Indeed, the whole policy has not yet been fully finalized. But there are key elements to which everyone will be interested to know the answers, such as:

• It is possible that the idea of ​​having a set of reporting deadlines – including the April registration date for all businesses – would be considered too irresistible for HMRC management. So there is a possibility that this will change.
• Will there be penalties for making mistakes during MTD for ITSA filing?
• How are expenditure categories defined in quarterly reporting forms? It is widely assumed that they will be similar to current self-assessment tax returns, but this has not been confirmed.

What should I do now, to prepare?

You can proceed by participating in HMRC’s pilot scheme and start your transfer to MTD for ITSA now.

If you meet all the criteria, you can sign up your business here.

If you leave it up to your accountant or tax agent, there are separate guidelines for them.

The first thing you need is compatible software If you already use an accountancy app, they can create MTD for ITSA capabilities as you read this. They will be able to tell you when it will be fully ready. You need it to keep a digital record and submit your quarterly report to HMRC.

HMRC publishes its own guidelines entitled ‘Find Software Compatible with Tax Digital Making for Income Tax’. It lists all HMRC approved software that currently maintains all required records and is compatible with HMRC’s filing portal. They will update it as it becomes more available.

Don’t worry you still have time

This is an additional administrative thing to do. But you still have plenty of time before the official 2023 deadline. You don’t have to panic. It is wise to work out the basics, such as which software package you are going to use.

HMRC’s complete making tax digital strategy aims to make tax administration more accurate and easier for us. Of course, there are stages of tooth extraction, where work needs to be done through technology and knowledge issues. But it can also be seen as a useful development for business owners.

No more bad annual bills that you, probably, didn’t expect very much. Regular reporting gives you the opportunity to be clear about how much tax you have to pay on that quarterly income. And put it aside in your business account. You will probably do it informally anyway. It gives you more detailed pictures.

Tony Shanks
Director of Operations
ATT member

39 year high inflation. Stocks in the correction zone. Russia warns of military action in Ukraine Federal Reserve increases rates. Choose your poison. Financial markets are rapidly opening up and panic and fear are rife on Wall Street.

Three years after the S&P 500 gains in the 18-31% area (historically unusual), the stock market is returning to reality. The worst performing stocks in 2022 are already down nearly 90%. Here is a list.

TDH Holdings -89.42%

Astro Aerospace -88.89%

Aligos Therapeutics-76.15%

Good health – 63.41%

Gex Management -63.33%

The technology-heavy NASDAQ Composite Index fell an incredible 13.5% at the end of January – and the month is not over yet. S&P has traded 10% less for 500 years.

The consensus on Wall Street is that stock market losses can get worse before they get better – the overall S&P 500 decline extends to 20%. Are you ready for what lies ahead?

This brings us to an important quote for the time being. As the famous investor Peter Lynch put it: “Know your ownership, and why you own it“

One of the essential principles of successful investing is diversity – across unrelated assets. Gold is an unrelated asset in the equity market, a key feature that makes it so valuable to investors looking to diversify their portfolios and protect their assets.

Gold demand has already risen this week amid fears of a military confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. Historically, investors have flocked to gold during geopolitical conflicts because the yellow metal acts as a safe-haven investment and retains its value when other asset classes fall.

With inflation hovering around the 40-year high of 7%, it is easy to see the price of gold. According to State Street Global Advisors, gold has provided an average annual real return of 12.7% over the past 50 years, compared to the average negative return for both US equities and bonds, while the US CPI has exceeded 5%.

Indeed, January 25th The Wall Street Journal The article states: “An asset holding on to market volatility in early 2022: gold. Rising geopolitical tensions in Europe and a slide in major US stock indices have pushed investors toward heaven metal.”

Experts agree. The historic low liquidity is coming to an end. The Federal Reserve is going to bring back some simple monetary policies that have supported the recent rise of the stock market. As the Fed removes the easy money rage and the stock market collapses further in the face of rising inflation, investors who own gold know they will sleep better at night knowing that a portion of their assets will not disappear with the fall in equity prices.

What’s in your portfolio now? And, as the legendary investor Peter Lynch says, do you know why you own it?

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The price of building materials has increased by 20% compared to last year. Considering all the other difficulties for the industry, will this be the final straw for the government’s ‘Build Back Better’ plan?

Construction industry in a broader economic context

The construction industry accounts for 6% of the UK’s economic output and is valued at 7 117 billion. Construction projects are an important component of our overall economic recovery. Andrew Goodwin, chief UK economist at Oxford Economics, told The Independent: “If people stop building because they know they will face delays, it will start to have a real impact on the wider economy.”

People will not be interested in spending their lockdown savings on a construction that is going to be severely delayed and the overall confidence of the industry will be damaged.

Problems faced by the construction sector?

If you are doing construction work, this all sounds very familiar. The following ingredients are included in this disaster recipe:

• Lack of qualified manpower
• Global supply problems
• Red tape due to leaving the European Union
• Delay in UK delivery
• Increase in the price of materials

This combination of problems is hammering into construction projects, especially when it comes to meeting project deadlines. The inevitable impact on materials and transportation costs is disappointingly predictable.

Is the government helping to solve these problems?

In each of these problems there are different levels and different ways in which the government can support the industry. But it hasn’t been forthcoming, so far.

For example, logistical nightmares are a common lack of lorry drivers since partial Brexit. The other component, however, is the hindrance to global shipping, caused by the effects of COVID-19. Despite repeated requests, HGV drivers are not on the government’s list of deficit occupations.

Another example is the lack of skilled construction workers, again due to the UK’s reaction to leaving the EU. The government’s new immigration system is not helping to address this serious lack of skills. Like the UK, many of our European construction partners are self-employed. And, as a professor of economics at King’s College, Jonathan Portes explains: But there is no provision for self-employed. ” So the problem remains.

The biggest losers are small construction companies

About 90% of the construction industry consists of small companies. And they are being hit the hardest by the current problems. Take the most recent increase in material costs as an example. Larger companies can save money by hoarding assets (an option not available to smaller companies).

Since you can’t build without the necessary materials, many of their projects are being hampered, delayed or completely stuck. A recent survey conducted by the Federation of Master Builders shows this level. They found that 98% of small building companies are seeing prices rise and expect this to continue for the rest of the autumn. Businesses rely on the understanding of their clients when their work cannot be done within agreed timeframes. Leads to frustration everywhere.

Larger companies can do better in storm weather, but they are also experiencing the negative effects of all these existing problems at the same time. For example, in their AGM memo, the Berkeley Group states:

“While the sales market has been resilient, the operating environment remains challenging. As reported in the broader market, and in line with our year-end results update, we have experienced inflationary pressures on build costs during this period, mainly through materials, and we have supply chain and We are aware of the ongoing problems in the labor market since Brexit and the epidemic. “

Regardless of the size of your business, any help from the government would be welcome to ease any of these serious issues. During this time, we can help with other things like your CIS tax return and your tool tax rebate. Just drop us an email, or give us a call and we’ll keep track of that direction together.

Tony Shanks
Director of Operations
ATT member