My Posts (31 March - 6 April 2024)
This week, I found interesting articles on Wealth Management, Japanese equity and bank's behaviors. I also learned about the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) Model which I think has application to investment risk analysis, and the exciting Nigerian film industry.
INVESTMENT
Wealth Management Is a Risky Gold Rush for Banks (https://bit.ly/4aqlgHe): “The industry’s love affair with the rich is a rational one.”
Swiss private banker charged with stealing dirty money from own client (https://bit.ly/4aFR8r2): Stealing from criminals is a crime.
Buffered ETFs make gains in retirement portfolios (https://bit.ly/3xt4GIb): More than $20 bn are invested in these funds. Investors are buying a piece of mind by paying higher fees. ?
Argentina equity returns (https://bit.ly/3U3WV4i): Totally missed this.
Sequoia’s former Indian arm reaps benefits of investors moving money from China (https://bit.ly/4cOn4LC): Peak XV Partners invests in 400 start ups, not 20 or 30. I think that is the key for VC investments as it follows Power Laws.
Indian equities have reduced sensitivity to MSCI EM (https://bit.ly/3J5v5hI): ?Is it time to consider EM ex India?
Southern European economies have been outperforming Germany (https://bit.ly/3J9yrk0): Diversity works for investors. Might be a headache for policymakers.
Banks Are Extending Office Loans. Are They Also Pretending? (https://bit.ly/3U7FMpl): ?Extra innings… will the rate cut come in time? Or would it become a great bargain hunting season?
The $1tn ‘hold-to-maturity’ sleight-of-accounting (https://bit.ly/4aIGlwl): Banks can reclassify bonds on their books from “available for sale” to “hold to maturity” and avoid mark-to-market accounting.
Do Bond Ladders Really Work? (https://bit.ly/3TQAMVR): It’s not difficult and you are holding bonds to maturity so don’t need to worry about market timing. ?
The critical role of commodity trading in times of uncertainty (https://bit.ly/3xqFm5y): The article discusses the role of commodity trading in uncertain times, highlighting that despite challenges, trading generated significant earnings in 2023.
Copper Price Movement (https://bit.ly/4azAzgu): Copper price is sensitive to economic activity… sign of “no landing”?
Hedge funds circle struggling UK investment trusts (https://bit.ly/3PSTJWK): The UK closed end funds (called investment trusts) are trading at a discount (as large as 17%).
What Does the Breadth of the Nasdaq’s Bull Run Tell Us? To Be Wary (https://bit.ly/3vKquOX): Introduction to Market Breadth by The Wall Street Journal. ?
Which factor looks most attractive to you? (https://bit.ly/43KMcip): “Forward earnings yields and implied volatility (“expected performance” vs. “perceived risk”).”
Which country looks most attractive to you? (https://bit.ly/49pErj8): “Forward earnings yields and implied volatility (“expected performance” vs. “perceived risk”).”
JAPANESE EQUITY
Japan stock splits jump 60% as Fujitsu and Suzuki join bandwagon (https://bit.ly/3TFmg36): An undercurrent that may be less noticed from headlines we read. ?
Berkshire Hathaway-backed Japan trading house boosts shareholder returns (https://bit.ly/3xy2qPH): Animal spirits awakening.
This Top International Fund Is Snapping Up Japan Stocks (https://bit.ly/3xqF0vK): MFS International Equity fund (ticker: MIEJX) conducts "pre-mortem analysis."
Japanese EQ Update by S&P (https://bit.ly/3xmvFFf): Last month, Real Estate, Energy and Utilities did very well. ?
Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company raises corporate pension rates. (https://bit.ly/4cN2AmI): First move since BOJ ended ZIRP.
JAPAN in GENERAL
Japan maglev back in spotlight as critic leaves governor's office (https://bit.ly/49tA32q): The controversial governor is leaving. Stock price is reacting.
Riding in Style on Japanese Trains (https://bit.ly/3PSZEuZ): There’s a serious competition going on between the railway companies.
Nikkei's interview with Honorary Chief Blender at Suntory, Mr. Seiichi Koyama (https://bit.ly/3PTpH57): Excerpt of Nikkei's interview with Honorary Chief Blender at Suntory, Mr. Seiichi Koyama.
SUSTAINABILITY
Annual CO2 emissions from wildfires (https://bit.ly/49tilfD): Annual CO? emissions from wildfires. With only 20 years of data, it is too short to confidently say it is on a downward trend.
?The big worry for carmakers: what if the EV slowdown is not a blip? (https://bit.ly/4cPoAgP): "It doesn't matter whether a cat is white or black, as long as it catches mice."? - Deng Xiaoping
OTHERS
Nigeria's film scene is blowing up (https://bit.ly/3vxq0M9): Nollywood is coming.
New celebrity must-have: An alcohol brand (https://bit.ly/3TQ2dzb): Interested in a single malt Scotch whisky featuring your personalized label?
The History of the Linear No-Threshold (LNT) Model (https://bit.ly/3U7rKFl): The Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model and the Threshold model represent two distinct approaches to assessing the risks associated with exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation.
The Twenty Fifth Amendment And Presidential Inability?(https://bit.ly/4cMEkB1): ?The 25th amendment “seeks to promote the prompt, orderly, and democratic transfer of executive power: In particular, the Amendment establishes procedures for addressing presidential inability and vacancies that arise in the presidency or vice presidency.”
Business Schools Are Going All In on AI (https://bit.ly/3U7X3Qq): Personally, I think using AI is like using a spreadsheet at a different scale. Forensic accounting would be a great place to apply it.