Latest news with #AnthonyGray
Irish Independent
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
After hugely successful first year, Taste of Sligo Food Festival is back with stellar line-up
Running from Friday 19th to Sunday 21st September, the annual celebration of food, which is the brainchild of local food hero Anthony Gray, brings top chefs and food producers to Queen Maeve Square in the heart of Sligo town. It's all about the atmosphere and a winning combination of cookery demonstrations, al fresco dining, live music and kids' entertainment as well as dozens of artisan food stalls and food trucks it adds up to a superb experience for foodies of all ages. It's an additional draw, bringing tourists to Sligo for a foodie weekend. 'The Taste of Sligo Food Festival highlights the rich food culture and incredible food tourism experience in Sligo', explains Anthony Gray of Eala Bhán and Hooked restaurants, Taste of Sligo Food Trails and a founding member of Sligo Food Trail, 'It showcases everything that's good about food in this county and brings in top chefs from around the country. Last year was amazing and it's going to be even better in 2025'. Professional cookery demonstrations include celebrity chefs Kevin Dundon, Shane Smith and Sham Hanifa with well-known MC Tracie Daly of Ballymaloe fame. Also starring on the demo stage are award winning local Sligo Food Trail members Alan Fitzmaurice (The Glasshouse Hotel), Becca Sweeney (Hooked), Rafal Chimiak (Eala Bhán), Anthony Gray (Wild Atlantic Way), Aisling Kelly (Sligo Oyster Experience), Afro Caribbean cooking sensation Funké Egberongbe (Funké Restaurant) and Dr Prannie Rhatigan as part of the Spanish Armada Ireland weekend. Sarah Browne (Oysome) is a new local face on the demonstration stage. Stands include a fabulous cross-section of producers with lots of artisan produce to bring home and enjoy on the day. Mammy Johnson's have all the home made ice-cream flavours you can imagine. Drinks are well represented too with Lough Gill Craft Beer catering for craft beer lovers and the Drumshanbo Gin Bar offering delicious options. New this year is the Cool Food School with cookery workshops for 5th and 6th class students. Presented by BTEC-qualified Health Coach Deirdre, the mission is to teach children of all ages about the joys of healthy eating. Workshops will be held before the festival opens on Friday in Eala Bhán. For 2025 a third day has been added due to popular demand and the festival begins this year on Friday 19th September with a tapas-style event running from 4.30 to 9pm. Festival hours on Saturday 20th September are 12-8pm and on Sunday 21st September 12-9pm. Large crowds are expected and advance booking is advised. The Taste of Sligo Food Festival is supported by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Rural Innovation and Development Fund (RIDF), Sligo BID, Sligo Food Trail, Visit Sligo, Sligo County Council, Fáilte Ireland, Wild Atlantic Way and Sligo Chamber of Commerce, Whitesides SuperValu, Expert Electrical and Hawks Rock Distillery. The easiest way to get festival tickets is to book in advance through Eventbrite. The cost is €10 per day or €15 for an early bird three day-ticket (before 31st July). The standard three-day ticket price is €20. Under-12s get free admission with an adult.
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Will S&P 500 End 2025 Higher?
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 14: A trader signals an offer in the Standard & Poors 500 stock index ... More futures pit at the CME Group December 14, 2010 in Chicago City. (Photo by) Over the last 100 years or so, the S&P 500 has ended higher in about 70% of the years. Similarly, about 60% of the S&P months have turned up positive. Not a bad bet! However, what if you didn't have to predict whether the S&P will go up or down in the next 6 or 12 months? After all, most investors can - and should - focus on their broader financial objectives, and look out 10 to 20 years, or maybe even 50 years. Yes - 50 years. We live long, and it pays to focus on your long-term wealth objectives, much like your long-term health objectives! At least that's what smart money, wealthy family offices, and their advisers recommend. Anthony Gray is one such in Minnesota, in his early 40s, Anthony Gray has taken on a more midwestern demeanor after the last 6 years, despite being originally from NY/NJ. A midwestern demeanor fit to be universally likable. Anthony is a financial adviser - he got his start at JP Morgan, then spent time at Merrill, and now wants to focus only on doing what's best for his clients. Of course, he did that earlier. Now that he's running his own practice, he just enjoys the vibe that it creates for his clients. True independence matters to him; and his comes across as someone truly content in life. That shows. And he wants to treat you like family and help you be content as well. Maybe some of that Zen does rub off on his clients. However, don't mistake his calm for a passive approach. Quite the contrary. Anthony is plenty passionate and active when it comes to protecting his understand the client This takes time, and it's not to be taken lightly. Anthony has worked with many of them for years, and likes to invest time upfront, making sure he understands what the client wants. Sound clichéd? There's an art to it, he says. Don't rush the journey. What smart people do first, fools do in the end. Anthony is patient. What about exciting investment opportunities - crypto and tax strategies Sure. Anthony has seen plenty not to be enamored by the new shiny toy. He understands the lure of fresh IPOs and crypto; for example, clients are wondering if Circle stock could be 2x. Crypto is fine, in small doses. Alternatives to S&P, Russell, or Nasdaq? For example, why did he care about the Trefis High Quality (HQ) strategy? It's simple, Anthony says. In 2023, HQ outperformed the S&P - and HQ did it without Nvidia, and while being underweight the Magnificent 7 stocks. That's not the kind of data and results he had seen before. He wanted to learn more about the HQ metrics and story, and how HQ scored >91% returns since inception. Taxes? Of course, he's helped clients manage investments so they're smart about tax implications. Remember, with his time at large firms - like Merrill and JP Morgan - he's seen much. He knows the tools. However, the focus for him is not the tools or the product - it's the client's financial objectives. Which brings us to the second part of his approach Anthony's point is, he does not want to try to predict, but rather position the client irrespective of what happens in the market. How does he do that? Simple. Consider a broad range of market scenarios, including 7 market crashes, and ensure your asset allocation is appropriate - "what's the least amount of risk I need to take in order to get over the finish line?" He's done it so many times, Anthony says he can spin up a financial plan in his sleep! Finally, it's all about continuous dialogue He continues to engage clients on an ongoing basis. Through good times and bad. Importantly, in bad times.'You do all this work upfront so you can talk your client away from those big, bad, emotional decisions,' says Anthony. Because there will be those dreadful moments. Loss of a loved one. Big market drops. When things look so bad, they look like they can never get better. Ever again. Think 2008. Think 2022 and, more recently, the tariff wars in 2025. The 20% market drop. They don't come often, see - how low can stocks go in a crash. However, that's when Anthony's clients know he's going to be responsive. Answer their calls right away. And will discourage rash decisions. People have aversions to seeing a wealth adviser - here are 6 aversions. Prevention and planning are more effective for wealth, as much as for health. Anthony has data! As a data and technology company focused on covering equity securities and markets, we believe investors - you - will benefit from hearing stories of market practitioners and professionals who work with individuals and families. These practitioners have helped their clients navigate choppy waters, uncertain times, so their clients enjoy financial success! We will provide perspectives from such professionals who inspire us. Hope they'll inspire you too!
