Jim Rogers, author and investor
“It is the time to buy commodities again. I would say to you, write it down – commodities are going to do better than stocks.” Jim Rogers, who worked with George Soros on the Quantum Fund in the 1970s, has long been a fan of “real assets”, yet most raw-materials prices peaked in 2011 and have since struggled to regain the lost ground. But with US stocks and the tech sector now on the slide, and interest rates rising, Rogers reckons now is the time for the sector to shine, he tells Remy Blaire at Sprott Media.
However, not all stockmarkets are heading for further falls, reckons Rogers. Smart investors need to “buy low and sell high”. It may sound like obvious advice, but Rogers points to a number of markets that are well below their all-time highs yet remain out of favour with investors. “China’s down 60% from its all-time high. Japan’s down 50%… Russia is hated – I own Russian shares; I own Russian bonds; I own the currency.”
Rogers made his reputation as an adventurous investor – his book Investment Biker was all about a post-Quantum Fund gap year spent touring emerging markets – and he hasn’t changed. On his radar now? Zimbabwe. With former dictator Robert Mugabe no longer in power, Rogers reckons “things are going to change. They may get worse, but I would suspect Zimbabwe is now an interesting place to look”. But do your research. “If you can’t find Zimbabwe on a map… please do not invest… Only invest in what you, yourself, know a lot about.”