Time is passing so fast that sometimes I have to count back to calculate my age. I have this theory that you should never pull the future towards you. All too often we tend to pray for the next weekend, the next holiday and mostly pray for the time to pack and go home each day. I call this pulling the future and it invariably leads to a sense that time is flying by as weekends sandwich empty weeks.

I cannot really say if trying the opposite really works. Setting targets and wishing they were days longer definitely doesn’t. But surely, producing something that makes sense on a daily basis at least makes a week at work seem worth it. I also find that regular time with family and friends ‘during the week’ adds to the quality of time and decreases the relative value of the weekend.

In Malta, August epitomizes our typical summer month. August goes away and summer loses its charm. It is also the month were it becomes ultra-difficult to wear anything adequate to work or events. The trend in investment markets during this period is one of calm as many fund managers choose this period for their holidays. Consequently, trading slows, research slows and markets have a tendency to calm.

One of my articles a few months back outlined this historic trend. Time has once again caught up with us and we are now in August. For those who ignored my wise words back then I once more feel compelled to remind investors that August may be an opportunity.

A trend emerges when tracking the Euro Stoxx 50 benchmark index for the past few years. Data shows that between the bottom touched in August and the end of the year, in the past five years, the average return was eight percent. Let me clarify; average means that the lowest gain was four percent in 2014 and 14 percent in 2013. Monthly market bottom means the lowest index price during the month.

At this point it is not out of kindness that I remind readers that there is no known fundamental argument for the above statistics, thus what happened in the past few years will not necessary repeat itself.

I am currently spending my time at work juggling the launch of a new cross asset allocation fund with the necessary research required to keep abreast with market events. European markets appear to have potential based on the prospects of quantitative easing and financial valuations. Emerging markets appear to be the Achilles heel in our outlook this time round. Still I am confident that adding to the European equity market during this month will prove to be a good investment.

However, my top investments picks at this time of the year would be a holiday on some Greek beach, a weekend in Gozo on a sunbed drinking cocktails (with the essential umbrella), the Saturday march at a local village festa, a day out at sea for allungi, trying to convince my boy that sea water is meant for swimming not drinking, taking my girlfriend to watch Anastacia and the best of all… pink sausages and lager. Time will fly, money will come and go, memories will remain forever. Go overweight in them this August.

Disclaimer: This article was issued by Antoine Briffa, Investment Manager at Calamatta Cuschieri. For more information visit, www.cc.com.mt . The information, view and opinions provided in this article is being provided solely for educational and informational purposes and should not be construed as investment advice, advice concerning particular investments or investment decisions, or tax or legal advice. Calamatta Cuschieri & Co. Ltd has not verified and consequently neither warrants the accuracy nor the veracity of any information, views or opinions appearing on this website.