Author: Seth Levine - page 3

Banks Create Money From Leverage, Not Thin Air

Image by Kranich17 from Pixabay Not a day goes by without the need for money. Whether buying a cup of coffee, checking your investment portfolio, or contemplating monetary policy, money is always top of mind. Yet despite daily use, money confounds us. Even experts ascribe mythical qualities to it. For example, many believe that banks..

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Pondering Investment Themes After The Russian Invasion

Image by linsenfutter2016 from Pixabay So much for returning to normal. I had hoped that easing COVID restrictions would supercharge economic growth this year. Many affected industries and markets were rebuilding and reopening to a backlog of robust demand. Sure, markets had issues to grapple with: inflation, changing central bank policies, and the return of..

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Rising Rates And Volatility Might Create Future Opportunities

Image by QuakerGirl22 from Pixabay Catching inflection points is the holy grail of trading. It’s what makes investing lore. From shorting the 2005 housing boom or skyrocketing technology stocks in 2000, to classic value investing, taking contrarian positions can create large profits and legendary reputations. While seductive, it’s a difficult way to trade over the..

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Crypto Has Evolutionary Benefits Not Revolutionary Hype

Image by jplenio from Pixabay Cryptocurrency (crypto) is full of potential. It’s also teeming with confusing jargon and grandiose promises that give the most famous of cults a run for their money. Blockchain, DeFi, DAOs, NFTs, Metaverse, and more proliferate the lexicon. To an outsider, crypto can be extraordinarily intimidating. However, below the complex veneer..

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2021 Reads

Image by Hermann on Pixabay I read a fair amount these days. I do it strictly for pleasure which frees me to take my time and explore a wide range of topics. While not everything I read is about investing, I find many to have relatable themes. Below is a catalog of books and papers..

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How Gold Lost Its Inflation Luster

Image from Pixabay. Gold is lots of things to lots of people. To some, it’s the ultimate store of value and a source of financial freedom. To others, it’s just a shiny rock with an inflated, emotionally-driven price. Gold’s most popularly used to hedge inflation risk; to preserve purchasing power from thieving bureaucrats and central..

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Chinese Investment Markets Reveal Their Fatter Tails

Image by ErikaWittlieb from Pixabay I’m truly shocked to watch events unfold in the Chinese investment markets. Throughout the year, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) progressively restricted freedoms of its citizens, plummeting share prices for some of the largest companies in the world. While this not-so-naked power struggle between economic and political factions is as..

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Integrating Investor Interviews Into Investment Gold

Image by Daniel Kirsch from Pixabay We live in the golden age of content. There are so many high-quality investor interviews these days. To be sure, technological advancements facilitated this growth. However, none would be possible without people’s generosity. Interviewees graciously share their time and hard-earned insights. Their stories and lessons have been invaluable for..

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ESG Is A Superfluous Virtue Signal

Image by RoboAdvisor from Pixabay Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing is all the rage these days. Naturally, funds are launching to meet the growing investor demand. However, new company formation cannot keep pace with inflows. Yet, the investible universe is expanding nonetheless. Something funny‘s happening. Nearly every type of company is becoming ESG-compliant without..

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Bringing The Metaverse & NFTs Back To Earth

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay The hype never ends when it comes to cryptocurrencies. These days, the Metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have the spotlight. Like their predecessors (blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum) they carry intimidating labels and lofty promises brandished by their supporters. After all, it doesn’t get more “meta” than the Metaverse…

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