AutosNissan is investing big to make the switch to EVs. (bloomberg.com)How magnetic roads could be used to charge EVs in transit. (nytimes.com)EnvironmentThe U.S. is the world’s biggest contributor to plastic waste. (washingtonpost.com)Why Arctic precipitation will switch from snow to rain over time. (newscientist.com)State transportation departments are slowly coming to terms with the effects of climate change on infrastructure. (washingtonpost.com)Wildfire policy doesn’t work any more in the U.S. (slate.com)The Bradford pear tree is just awful. (nytimes.com)ScienceResearchers are planning to drill into Antarctic ice to obtain a record of Earth’s climate stretching back 1.5 million years. (bbc.com)Paleontologists have found a ‘dog-sized dinosaur species that had a unique slashing tail weapon.’ (apnews.com)What barnacles know about whales. (hakaimagazine.com)ArchaeologyResearchers … [Read More...]

MarketsWhy has Apple ($AAPL) options volume surged? (ft.com)The market’s hottest stocks are now getting crushed. (bloomberg.com)Homebuilder stocks are breaking out. (allstarcharts.com)StrategyPicking winners is harder than avoiding losers. (awealthofcommonsense.com)Beware the fee grab with anything with ‘inflation’ in the name. (wsj.com)A new crypto solutionWisdomTree ($WETF) and Ritholtz Wealth Management have teamed up to build the RWM WisdomTree Crypto Index to give retail investors easier access to crypto investments. (coindesk.com)It takes a team to bring an effective crypto solution. (thereformedbroker.com)What to look for in a crypto SMA solution. (ritholtz.com)Why straight-up indexing doesn’t make sense in crypto. (theirrelevantinvestor.com)CompaniesWhy the FTC move to block the Nvidia ($NVDA) deal for Arm Holdings matters. (fastcompany.com)What’s behind the surge in tech companies renaming themselves? … [Read More...]

BooksAn excerpt from “The Next Supper: The End of Restaurants as We Knew Them, and What Comes After” by Corey Mintz. (wired.com)An excerpt from “The Warehouse: Workers and Robots at Amazon” by Alessandro Delfanti. (engadget.com)An excerpt from “Freedom to Discriminate: How Realtors Conspired to Segregate Housing and Divide America” by Gene Slater. (theatlantic.com)Air pollutionThe dangers of air pollution are clear, but not enough is being done to combat it. (lrb.co.uk)Why we should take the literature on the ill effects of air pollution seriously. (marginalrevolution.com)GamblingRex Woodbury, “If everyone becomes an investor, the inverse is also true: Everything—and everyone—becomes a potential investment.” (theatlantic.com)Why gambling, in all its forms, is spreading unchecked. (theatlantic.com)LongreadsBoeing ($BA) was an engineering powerhouse. What went wrong? … [Read More...]

MarketsThe FAANG stocks have cooled off. (morningstar.com)The Treasury yield curve is flattening. (allstarcharts.com)StrategyThe advantages of great operators grow over time. (theundercoverfundmanager.com)What effect would sustained inflation have on equity valuations? (blogs.cfainstitute.org)CryptoCryptocurrencies appeal to a very different demographic. (wapo.st)Why fashion brands are so eager to get their wares into video games. (gq.com)Customer serviceApple’s ($AAPL) customer-facing employees are struggling. (theverge.com)Costco ($COST) is a standard bearer for good customer service. (humbledollar.com)Companies should not treat customer service as a cost center. (seths.blog)Real estateBill McBride, “In real terms, house prices are now above the previous peak levels.” (calculatedrisk.substack.com)Where investors are stepping up their purchase of single family home rentals. (nytimes.com)Why Bentonville, Arkansas is the next Austin. (wapo.st)EconomyWeekly … [Read More...]

GenderAn excerpt from Dominique Mielle’s “Damsel in Distressed: My Life in the Golden Age of Hedge Funds.” (institutionalinvestor.com)Reporting sexual harassment is unfortunately for many an economic decision. (klementoninvesting.substack.com)A list of funds that invest through a gender lens. (wsj.com)ETFsThe top ESG ETF launches of 2021 including the BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF ($LCTU). (etf.com)The Invesco ESG S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF ($RSPE) will invest in companies considered leaders in ESG metrics. (investmentnews.com)ESG skepticismPeople are waking up to some of the contradictions of ESG investing. (bloomberg.com)When it comes to ESG there is a gap between what people say and what they actually do. (financial-planning.com)A debate over whether the ESG movement is a sideshow from the bigger picture. (wsj…. [Read More...]

MarketsHow major asset classes performed in November. (capitalspectator.com)Three sectors that have historically done well going into year-end. (sentimentrader.com)When sentiment and stock prices diverge. (theirrelevantinvestor.com)Big TechTech moguls, like Jack Dorsey, seem to be getting bored with their companies. (nytimes.com)Salesforce ($CRM) has a new co-CEO. (axios.com)Match Group ($MTCH) has settled with Tinder founders. (techcrunch.com)VentureVenture capitalists are betting big on crypto start-ups in 2021. (nytimes.com)The Chernin Group is actively investing in web3 companies including Dapper Labs. (fastcompany.com)Commonwealth Fusion Systems LLC said it has raised more than $1.8 billion to help it develop a fusion energy solution. (wsj.com)What are the odds that a VC seed funded startup raises a subsequent round of capital? (news.crunchbase.com)Republic has acquired UK crowdfunding … [Read More...]

InstitutionsEndowment fund are essentially equity funds. (papers.ssrn.com)Pension funds extrapolate past trends. (papers.ssrn.com)EarningsThe universe of stocks where earning revisions work is relatively small. (blog.validea.com)More earnings data is now hidden in footnotes. (institutionalinvestor.com)Intangibles have only grown in importance as a factor. (klementoninvesting.substack.com)Round-upsA round of November’s white papers including ‘Alternative investments: The essential buyer’s guide.’ (bpsandpieces.com)A round-up of recent research on cryptocurrencies including ‘Does Bitcoin Behave Like a Commodity?’ (capitalspectator.com)ResearchCan prospect theory help explain the value and momentum factors? (alphaarchitect.com)There is no single, perfect, measure of investment returns. (breakingthemarket.com)Professional investors are just as prone to the disposition effect. (evidenceinvestor.com)A crucial decision when it comes to using ML models. (blogs.cfainstitute.org)On the … [Read More...]

MarketsThe problem with low TIPS yields. (thinkadvisor.com)Analysts have been skeptical of bonds for well over a decade. (morningstar.com)Does it ever make sense to borrow money to buy stocks? (marketwatch.com)CryptoBitcoin and the rest of crypto are diverging. (bloomberg.com)Grayscale has launched a Solana trust product for accredited investors. (theblockcrypto.com)What does it mean that China and India are opting out of cryptocurrencies? (axios.com)TwitterTwitter’s ($TWTR) business model really hasn’t changed much. (stratechery.com)Why Twitter ($TWTR) is such a disappointment. (howardlindzon.com)Jack Dorsey is going all-in on crypto over at Square ($SQ). (protocol.com)Fund managementNo matter how you slice it, the ETF industry is highly concentrated. (klementoninvesting.substack.com)Why Envestnet ($ENV) is now launching new ETFs. (riabiz.com)Why did fund managers GQG Partners go public … [Read More...]

MarketsHalf of this year’s big IPOs are trading below their offer price. (ft.com)Most market terminology does not have a precise definition. (ritholtz.com)Every generation has to deal with stuff, like Covid-19. (awealthofcommonsense.com)CryptoMicroStrategy ($MSTR) has purchased more Bitcoin. (theblockcrypto.com)The case for dollar-cost averaging into some cryptocurrency exposure. (impersonalfinances.com)Putting Bitcoin’s energy use into context. (marginalrevolution.com)CompaniesTwitter ($TWTR) has a new CEO. (theverge.com)In the U.S. alone, Amazon ($AMZN) has added 450 new facilities. (wsj.com)The IT department is an outdated idea. (wsj.com)Fund managementExpert networks have outgrown their hedge fund niche. (institutionalinvestor.com)Another VC, Thrive Global, is registering with the SEC. (wsj.com)GlobalChina’s population growth is set to turn negative far sooner than anticipated. (ft.com)All eyes are on South Africa to see how … [Read More...]

MarketsHow the stock market has, on average, responded to a strong Friday sell-off. (quantifiableedges.com)It’s hard not to notice all the FOMO out there. (humbledollar.com)Bond market participants have become more homogeneous. (economist.com)CryptoCrypto can be a nightmare at tax time. (barrons.com)Stephen Diehl, “If there is any innovation in crypto assets it’s not in software engineering, but in financial engineering.” (stephendiehl.com)CompaniesBig Tech are the new conglomerates. (nytimes.com)Do we really want our companies to break down along partisan lines? (nytimes.com)Why publishers are signing onto Twitter ($TWTR) Blue. (adweek.com)FinancePrivate equity deals are set to top $1 trillion in 2021. (wsj.com)Don’t be surprised if BNPL services come under more regulation. (protocol.com)Fund managementHow the ‘Great Resignation’ has changed the talent pool for asset … [Read More...]

OmicronWhat we know about the Omicron variant. (statnews.com)There is a wide range of potential outcomes with Omicron. Right now we really don’t know much. (emilyoster.substack.com)Nu seems to be spreading more rapidly in South Africa. (ft.com)Countries have been quick to impose travel restrictions on South Africa and neighboring nations. (wsj.com)Dutch authorities have isolated passengers from two South African flights. (washingtonpost.com)Omicron, may or may not, escape vaccines but we have to plan accordingly. (marginalrevolution.com)We shouldn’t be surprised new variants are popping up. (bloomberg.com)VaccinesVaccine makers, including Moderna ($MRNA), are working on omicron-specific vaccine candidates. (on.ft.com)AstraZeneca ($AZN) is running out potential customers in the UK. (ft.com)Longer term data for the Pfizer ($PFE) vaccine in 12-15 year olds looks good. (statnews…. [Read More...]

AutosDon’t turn in your leased car until you check the price of it in the market. (nytimes.com)You can’t talk about EVs without mentioning tax credits. (wsj.com)Climate-controlled seating is becoming a mass market item. (marketwatch.com)TransportBoats are the next industry to go electric. (bloomberg.com)Porsche has acquired a majority stake in e-bike maker Greyp. (theverge.com)Are we getting any closer to drone-based deliveries? (techcrunch.com)EnergyWhy optimism is now rising for the prospects of nuclear fusion. (on.ft.com)If the future is electric, then we need to recycle spent batteries. (reasonstobecheerful.world)Environment’Climate refugees’ are now a thing in the U.S. (politico.com)Farms are a big new market for cabon credits. (nytimes.com)AnimalsArmadillos have made their way into North Carolina. (wired.com)How do pigeons … [Read More...]

The bizSpotify ($SPOT) is making a push into audiobooks. (sleepwell.substack.com)CompaniesGuy Raz talks with Brian Armstrong CEO of Coinbase ($COIN). (npr.org)Patrick O’Shaughnessy talks with Will Marshall who is the co-founder and CEO of Planet. (joincolossus.com)EconomyMichael Batnick and Ben Carlson joined Derek Thompson to talk about the reality of inflation and the pandemic economy. (theringer.com)Cardiff Garcia talks with economist Diane Coyle about her new book “Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be.” (shows.acast.com)Quinn Emmett talks with Christopher Mims about how innovation works. (podcast.importantnotimportant.com)AlternativesChristine Benz and Jeff Ptak talk with Phil Huber author of “The Allocator’s Edge: A Modern Guide to Alternative Investments and the Future of Diversification.” (morningstar.com)Barry Ritholtz talks with Edwin … [Read More...]

StrategyToday is a good reminder why bonds have a role in a portfolio. (thereformedbroker.com)There is a cost to trying to outperform the market. (theirrelevantinvestor.com)Why you need an investment plan before you start. (awealthofcommonsense.com)DisneyESPN is losing cable subscribers while gaining online subscribers. (deadline.com)Disney ($DIS) is stepping up its streaming content spending in 2022. (thewrap.com)EVsDeliveries of GM’s ($GM) Hummer Edition 1 start next month. (engadget.com)On the road with the new Ford ($F) Mach-E Mustang. (arstechnica.com)A rave review for the Rivian ($RIVN) R1T pickup truck. (nytimes.com)ShoppingBlack Friday was changing even before the pandemic. (protocol.com)Twitter ($TWTR) wants in on the live shopping action. (theverge.com)IndiaThe Paytm IPO was a mess. (ft.com)India’s fertility rate is rapidly falling. (washingtonpost.com)DemographicsWhat the growing gender … [Read More...]

BooksAn excerpt from “The Plant Hunter: A Scientist’s Quest for Nature’s Next Medicines” by Cassandra Quave. (wsj.com)An excerpt from “The Other Dark Matter: The Science and Business of Turning Waste into Wealth and Health” by Lina Zeldovich. (slate.com)An excerpt from Brad Stulberg’s “The Practice of Groundedness.” (wsj.com)Big TechClickbait sites are a key part of the misinformation network. Facebook ($FB) and Google ($GOOGL) enable them. (technologyreview.com)You can’t talk about Big Tech without talking about the role music and entertainment played in their rise. (tedgioia.substack.com)CryptoCrypto isn’t BS, but the crypto-proponents can be pretty annoying. (modelcitizen.substack.com)What are the newly crypto-wealthy going to buy with it? Influence, perhaps? (josephcwells.com)LongreadsSahil Bloom, “The Cantillon Effect is the most important economic concept … [Read More...]

MarketsThe best stocks of 2020 are taking it on the chin in 2021. (theirrelevantinvestor.com)Higher inflation is good for value stocks. (awealthofcommonsense.com)This stock market recovery is ahead of prior ones. (capitalspectator.com)More stocks are making 52-week lows. (ft.com)Mortgage rates are higher than they were a year ago. (housingwire.com)Talking points16 talking points that will make you seem smarter including ‘Residential construction is happening like it’s 1974.’ (tker.co)10 things that you will make you sound like you know crypto including ‘Imagine never having to come up with a username or password ever again. Your crypto wallet *is* your sign-in.’ (bloomberg.com)CryptoIndia’s crypto crackdown is making for some weird pricing. (bloomberg.com)What if Bitcoin, and other coins, really do replace gold as a store of value? … [Read More...]

AlternativesRichard Ennis, “U.S. equity market beta has been an important driver of return across the board — in public markets and private; in hedge funds; in real estate; in U.S. and non-U.S. equities; and in some segments of fixed income…” (institutionalinvestor.com)Why private equity replication has made little headway against the real thing. (bloomberg.com)FactorsFactor investors need to have a long time horizon to see a payoff. (evidenceinvestor.com)An overview of fundamental value strategies. (sr-sv.com)How to combine different momentum strategies. (quantpedia.com)Just because high beta has negative alpha doesn’t low beta has positive alpha. (alphaarchitect.com)ResearchDoes the day of the month matter when it comes to implementing a tactical asset allocation strategy? (allocatesmartly.com)Cap-weighted indices aren’t perfect, then again … [Read More...]