Nancy Ajram's TikTok concert rescheduled to September 18

Nancy Ajram postponed her TikTok concert due to the devastating blast in Beirut on August 4, but the singer has now announced that the online gig will take place on Friday, September 18.

Streaming on the app from 10pm UAE time, Ajram will perform what TikTok describes as “her first magic show".

Although it remains to be seen if she will pull rabbits out of a hat, fans can bank on Ajram performing some of her greatest hits.

Accessing the show on TikTok is straightforward: after downloading the app, follow the @nancyajram account and tune into that page at the time of the performance.

Back into the virtual groove

It will be Ajram’s second major online concert since the pandemic shut down most of the regional live music industry in March.

She was originally supposed to perform the TikTok concert on August 6, but postponed it after the Beirut port explosion.

Back in May, she delivered a successful Eid show that was streamed on YouTube. Shot on a rooftop in Beirut, the concert featured Ajram performing stripped-down takes of big hits Betfakar Fi Eih and Badna Nwalee El Jaw.

However, these shows come on the back of a January 5 incident in which a man was shot dead in Ajram's Beirut home by her husband, dentist Fadi Al Hashem, after a reported attempted burglary.

Ajram and Al Hashem recently gave their account of that night in the documentary, Rou'ya Al Kamila (The Full Picture), which is streaming on MBC's Shahid platform.

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.

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How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?

If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.

Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.

Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.

Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).

Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.

Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.

By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.

As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.

Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.

He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”

This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”

Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme

Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5