‘Year of Rooster good for Cebu businesses’

Feng Shui expert Edgar Hao foresees bright prospects for businesses in Cebu in the Year of the Rooster during the Sun Life Chinese New Year celebration at the Ayala Activity Center.

WITH bright prospects seen for business in Cebu for the Lunar New Year, a financial advisor said now was the time to stay invested to make 2017 more prosperous.

Richard Liboro, mutual fund distribution officer of Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc., said the markets cannot be controlled but there is one thing that can be.

“It’s us being consistent and disciplined in investing because now is the time to invest,” he said during Sun Life’s “Rise and Shine” Chinese New Year celebration in Cebu City last Saturday.

The country’s robust 6.8-percent economic growth in 2016 is a signal for new investors to enter the market as well as for old ones to stay.

He said that if one has extra money, it should be set aside and allowed to grow. One way to achieve this is to invest in funds.

Liboro said that new investors do not necessarily have to invest their assets in one go, but can take it slow.

“When there is a pulldown in the market, that gives us an opportunity to invest,” he said.

Since the stock market is volatile, he said investors should wait for prices to go down before buying stocks.

But which industries should investors buy stocks from?

Edgar Hao, a Feng Shui expert who gave a talk during the Sun Life celebration, said the three luckiest elements this year are Metal, Water, and Fire.

This meant prosperity for businesses in construction, business process outsourcing, real estate, transportation, tourism, consumer goods, oil, technology, and medical-related ventures, among others.

Hao said Cebu, as a whole, will enjoy gains as most of these industries are present in the province.

However, he cautioned that competition will be stiffer across all businesses this year.

“There is a winner-take-all attitude. If you are weak, you will be left behind,” he said.