Exponential Investor Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Exponential Investor’s one aim: to make you a smarter, better investor. Host Sam Volkering is a world-renowned tech investor who first bought Bitcoin in 2011, when it traded at just $12 a pop. His co-host, Kit Winder, has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the clean energy market. Every Friday, they discuss breakthrough investment ideas the mainstream media hasn’t covered, to help put you on to the next market mega trend.
I (Shae Russell) kicked off today’s Exponential Investor podcast asking my co-editor Sam Volkering, are the current falling stock and crypto markets a “zoom out” or a “buy the dip” opportunity?
“The markets” said Sam with his index fingers. “Pfft”. It turns out, Sam isn’t a fan of simply referring to all asset sectors as just “the markets”. Rather, he points out, what really matters is looking for the individual opportunities within the markets.
Tech stocks, commodity stocks and cryptocurrencies have all seen sell-offs of various sizes. It’s not a case of buy the dip, Sam tells me, but rather look for excellent companies that are being unfairly knocked around by market sentiment.
Settle in and join Sam and I as we talk about what to look for when stocks get kicked around. (Bonus points if you spy the moment where Sam ran away to take delivery of nine extremely large chipboard panels...).
For more expert financial analysis from the Exponential Investor team, go to: https://subscribe.exponentialinvestor.com/X983X827/3c-sb
Which three key events will lead to global stagflation? That’s what I ask a special guest in today’s episode.
Earlier in the week, I attended an Australian mining conference where I asked keynote speaker Nick Frappell, ABC Refinery’s Global Head of Institutional Markets, to share his speech with us.
Today, this is basically me introducing you to one of my all-time gurus.
You see, Nick has been on the institutional side of the precious-metals markets for the better part of 30 years. Or, as he puts it: “I’m two bear markets and one bull market old” – a reference to gold’s bull market from 2002 to 2012 once in Nick’s three decades of trading gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Nick doesn’t just understand what moves gold, he feels the flow of the metal.
Nick and I kick off our discussion with some technical analysis around crude prices, complete with some very bullish price targets. We also talk about how Russia’s prolonged invasion in Ukraine is putting extreme pressure on food prices, and about central banks increasing rates, and how this could push gold prices higher in the next 12 months.
Nick explains tha all of these factors are leading to global stagflation.
For more expert financial analysis from the Exponential Investor team, go to: https://subscribe.exponentialinvestor.com/X983X827/3c-sb
ad Sign up to what Sam describes as his “most important interview ever”.
He shares the exact four moves you need to make to prepare for the alternative financial system: https://subscribe.fortuneandfreedom.com/2002965/NMNR
Sign up to what Sam describes as his “most important interview ever”.
He shares the exact four moves you need to make to prepare for the alternative financial system:
https://subscribe.fortuneandfreedom.com/2002965/NMNR
This video explores one of the most important subjects facing you today… the massive change in global finance and the explosion of the crypto economy.
There are big changes coming to everything you do in the world today. How you communicate and network, how you access and share data, and how you transact and function in a global economy.
What do these changes look like, what should you be thinking and doing when they come?
Also, crucially, how does the fast moving and innovative world of crypto fit into all this?
In today’s podcast I divulge what I consider to be some answers to those questions.
You may already be down that rabbit hole, or you may still be a crypto-sceptic. Whichever you are, it doesn’t matter: what’s coming is going to impact us all.
That’s why next week you’ll have access to an interview I took part in with one of the most recognised names in the UK. That person is someone who understands what change looks like, what it means for the people of this country, and why it’s important to absorb and understand all aspects of what’s coming down the pathway.
It’s possibly the most important interview that I’ve ever done. In it, I tell you exactly what four moves you need to make to prepare for when New Money, New Rules take hold.
Make sure to get access to the whole interview when it drops next week here.
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Something’s gotta give.
Property prices are up. The cost of living is up. Inflation is up. Rates are heading up. Wages… actually wages are not heading up in line with all this.
So, ask yourself what the logical outcome to all this is.
Sure, you’ve seen property prices rise, and rise and rise.
You’ve seen properties worth £200,000 a few decades ago now tip over £2 million. But in another 30-odd years’ time do you really believe those £2 million properties will be worth £20 million (or more)?
Really?
Think about it hard.
That is because what you’ve known for the last 30 years is, in our opinion, emphatically not what you could, should or will expect in the next 30.
We all know the past is not a true indicator for the future. We learn from the past. We take lessons from events and patterns that have passed by.
But, deep down, we all know that what we’ve seen particularly in the last few years is not what we can expect moving forward.
The game has changed. The world is a completely different investment beast. It requires a new approach to how you think about assets like property and how you plan for the future.
We’re not saying that having a property is a bad thing. A roof over your head and at least the perception of security is comforting to many.
But as an investment vehicle… again, perhaps you might want to think again or look somewhere else.
In today’s podcast we explain that line of thinking, why it’s so relevant, how it plays into the cost of living and why we both believe that we’re heading towards… the word we dare not say…
… the “R” word!
That’s right, if keep heading down this pathway, and it looks like they will, then it’s fair to expect the country will head into… a recession.
If so, what steps should you take? How can you prepare for it? What should you do with your investments? What should you do about property? We look at these issues and pick apart some thoughts on it all in this week’s Exponential Investor podcast.
For more expert financial analysis from the Exponential Investor team, go to: https://subscribe.exponentialinvestor.com/X983X827/3c-sb
In today’s Exponential Investor Podcast, Sam and Shae look at the confusing gold markets.
In times of turmoil and economic uncertainty gold is supposed to be the best hedge for investors…right? RIGHT?
Then why did the price pump higher and then fall right back. IT just doesn’t look like how a “crisis asset” is supposed to behave in an actual crisis.
What’s going on and what are we to make of these moves? Luckily our resident expert, Shae Russell has a pretty good idea about why. And she’ll let you in on a little secret about where the fast money is moving and what the slow money is doing…it’s not what you might think.
Also, is gold trading like a stock? Buy the rumour, sell the news? It appears that way. Which is funny because that’s also how it appears another “crisis asset” is trading now too, bitcoin.
And here’s the thing, both gold and bitcoin can and in our view, should exist as a portion of an investor’s portfolio.
But both gold and bitcoin investors tend to be very adversarial. It doesn’t have to be that way. And in today’s Exponential Investor we unpick why that is and how you should be thinking about both gold and bitcoin in your portfolio.
Until next time…
For more expert financial analysis from the Exponential Investor team, go to: https://subscribe.exponentialinvestor.com/X983X827/3c-sb
Today is a special edition of Exponential Investor.
We’ve got some exciting news and we thought the best way to explain it is by video!
In today’s Exponential Investor: Special Video, we welcome a new editor who’s going to be writing to you regularly and you’ll be hearing and seeing more of in our podcasts and investor briefings.
Shae Russell is an expert in commodities, mining and metals and she’s joining us at Exponential Investor and Southbank Investment Research as our go-to expert on everything to do with commodities, metals and mining.
I’ve known Shae for about nine years now. Back then we were Melbourne, Australia, where we both worked as investment writers and analysts with Fat Tail Media (then known as Port Phillip Publishing).
Shae is – hands down – one of the most brilliant investment analysts and writers that I’ve ever seen when it comes to the commodities, metals and mining markets.
Her depth of knowledge, access to industry contacts and understanding of this (often) complex world is second to none.
It’s quite the coup that we’ve been able to bring Shae on board as a regular editor here at Exponential Investor and I know that you’ll come to love hearing from her and about the opportunities she’ll be uncovering.
But as I say, the best way to get to know Shae is to meet her (almost) in person.
In our conversation we unpick what Shae is all about, what she’ll bring to Exponential Investor and some of the areas she’s most excited about in the commodities and mining sectors.
You can also expect to hear from Shae this coming Thursday as she publishes her first piece of editorial with us at Exponential Investor: make sure to get your eyes on that one!
But for now, enjoy our video conversation and join me in welcoming Shae Russell to the team.
Until next time…
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Take a look at the market…
It’s not pretty.
The stock market is floundering. The crypto market is floundering.
Now cast your eye over the stock market in China…
It has taken a beating the likes we’ve only seen previously in 2008/09 and more recently in March 2020 in the early stages of the pandemic.
Some stocks that were the darlings of the market, Alibaba, JD.com, Baidu are trading upwards of 50% off their recent highs.
Is China a happy hunting ground now? You can bet your bottom dollar if you’ve got any kind of emerging markets fund or ETF you’ll have a big Chinese exposure. So do you load up for the long Chinese run back to power, or will there be some more pain before gain?
And if China is on the comeback trail what does that means in the broader geopolitical landscape?
Having seen Russia recently cut out of the global financial system, they’ve turned to their Chinese buddies for a bit of salvation, and there’s talk of oil getting paid for in Yuan.
So what?
Who cares?
What really matters is the optics of all this for the markets. And perhaps the really bigger story here is a glimpse at a precursor to a system of digital currency issued by central banks that is coming to your front door faster than you think.
There is of course a fast and easy way to ensure that regardless of these geopolitical shenanigans you can build and grow wealth. Even when the markets are down, inflation is up and the cost of living is soaring, you can earn more money in new ways that defies all the headwinds we face.
There’s a few dots to connect and we certainly try to pick through the noise this week in what is an exciting, slightly worrying, but always optimistic episode of the Exponential Investor Podcast.
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When it comes to the markets right now, it’s fair to say that things are wild!
Nickel hit a record $100,000/tonne, with the chart going vertical, trading like some cryptos do.
I didn’t think I’d be comparing the commodities market to crypto this year, that’s for sure.
Yet, here we are, at a time that the costs of critical metals are skyrocketing. Yet these are also supposed to be the metals that will help us usher in a new energy revolution that will make our energy cleaner, greener and ultimately cheaper.
The question on our lips and many others in the UK is, when?
When will things get better and cheaper?
If this is supposed to be deflationary for prices, why are prices tripling when we whip out the energy bill?
Is this just another example of something that will benefit us in another ten years’ time? And if so, what do we do now about it? Can we do anything now about it?
And where are the opportunities in a market that is the most volatile that we can remember of recent times?
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There’s no escaping the most impactful events of today are focused squarely on the Ukraine. It’s such a world-impacting event that it’s throwing all markets into turmoil.
The oil market has gone bonkers.
The gas market has gone bonkers.
The stock market, crypto market, all markets, all going bonkers.
Wheat, rapeseed oil, copper, silver, gold, all of it, volatile and full of opportunity. If you’re fast enough you can get ahead of some of these massive moves in commodities and resources.
But these are all short-term trades that will swing on the events of a war.
Trade that market at your own peril!
What is very clear though is some key outcomes that forever will change the direction of this decade.
In our view it comes down to three big outcomes…
Energy independence: countries in Europe know that pinning your energy hopes to an authoritarian regime like Putin’s Russia is no longer plausible. That means figuring out how to ensure the energy security of their own countries at any cost.
Military strength: this kind of threat can’t exist and already Germans are open to greater military spending in the economy. Expect that to flow everywhere, and when bills pass parliament for bigger and better military spending, don’t expect too much opposition.
Financial control: there will be a greater push from governments in “democracies” to control money with central bank backed digital currencies. This is brewing as a power grab that a war conveniently provides justification for.
But on the subject of energy independence, never before has there been a more important time to identify what the opportunities are and how you can get onto them as this decade is ruled by countries spending up big…as in trillions-big…on achieving energy independence.
In today’s Exponential Investor Podcast we look at how this shapes up and where investors can look.
For more expert financial analysis from the Exponential Investor team, go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Exponential Investor editor Sam Volkering had quite the shock this week…
His gas bill has gone up three-fold!
So, what is, going, on?
Why is Sam’s (and likely your) gas bills three-times higher?
Why haven’t the record-breaking winds from Storm A, B, C, D, E and F this year made our energy prices drop?
Where is this promise of clean, cheap…free energy? And if it’s not coming tomorrow, then when is it going to arrive?
How do you as someone who pays the bills to keep your household running afford these massive jumps, while also trying to build wealth?
Or is the trick to build wealth to offset these massive jumps?
Answers are needed.
And answers we will find, for that is why we are here, and why we have energy experts at Southbank Research like Kit Winder.
In today’s Exponential Investor podcast, Kit Winder and Sam Volkering try to figure out why is gas skyrocketing and when is it actually going to get cheaper for you.
Or alternatively, how can you find a way to make more to counter these massive rises?
All that and more in today’s Exponential Investor podcast.
For more expert financial analysis from the Exponential Investor team, go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Ah, the 1990s: grunge music, NBA basketball golden days, “Hammer-pants”, the rise of the Spice Girls and, of course, General Motors’ futuristic, all-electric EV1.
Actually, in the 1990s the abundance of electric-powered devices, transportation… anything was limited to the stuff you’d plug into the wall. Kettles, toasters and microwaves in and near the kitchen, hairdryers near the bathroom…
The idea of long-range, high-capacity lithium-ion battery tech was pretty cutting edge, and expensive. Granted our Sharp MD-MS722 MiniDisc player had a rechargeable lithium-ion battery in it, but that was the latest thing fresh out of Japan.
However, battery tech back then was still a long way from where we are today.
For example, if you wanted to power a house for a day in the 1990s using lithium-ion battery tech, you’d have needed to be filthy rich.
It would have cost around $75,000 for a battery that would weigh about 113kg and be about the size of a beer keg.
Today, it would cost about $2,000 and weigh just 40kg.
So in 30 years the cost of lithium-ion tech has cratered (in a good way) and the actual cost of lithium has also radically fallen.
However, while 30 years is a relatively short period of time to see such progression, what investors want to know today is this: why on earth has the price of lithium increased over five-fold in the last year?
Does this mean that we’ll be heading back to cost per kilowatt-hour of the 1990s? Is the 1990s revival extending past fashion and into the resources sector?
Or does the availability of better and more efficient tech help keep those costs down?
Furthermore, as an investor, when you see the price of lithium skyrocket like this, how do you play it?
Do you look to the domination and control of the market by the big miners and producers? Or do you work your way down the size scale (and up the risk scale) to the junior lithium miners?
When the survival of a penny-stock lithium miner rests on a successful set of assay results or feasibility study, you can be assured of a roller-coaster ride…
So do you onboard risk for potential riches, or play the “safer” game by sticking with the big boys?
We dive into why lithium is skyrocketing, what it means and how to play it as an investor in today’s Exponential Investor Podcast.
And we find out what are three key things Kit Winder looks for when picking out the good from the bad in the junior lithium mining sector… a must watch for any prospective lithium investor!
Find out in this episode of the Exponential Investor Podcast.
For more expert financial analysis from the Exponential Investor team, go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
“Have you ever invested in bonds?”
Does anyone you know invest in bonds?
Or is it more that you’ve got “bonds” but through a fund? Or perhaps you don’t think you’re invested in bonds, but you actually are thanks to how the funds you are invested in operate?
Lots of questions today and that’s because we’re turning the spotlight back on you to a certain degree.
And we also explore, if it’s better to be a stock picker or to pick the right industry, theme, asset class.
All these kinds of investments, asset classes, stock picking vs. value investing, it’s a lot to absorb. For many the simplicity of a fund or ETF is much easier to know and manage.
That’s fine, but you must ask how much do you really know about your fund? Where they invest, what they invest in. Are they carrying more debt than meets the eye, are they involved in structured and complex products that is a feedback loop to scratch the back of the funds management industry?
Funds management can be a murky world at times and transparency hasn’t exactly been a legacy feature. Which means you must ask the questions and take a look at how you are really invested.
Of course there are some great funds, some great operators, but ultimately when it comes to your financial situation and your investments there is only one person who really knows what’s best for you…
And that’s you.
We explore this and much more in today’s Exponential Investor Podcast.
For more expert financial analysis from the Exponential Investor team, go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
We dive into the topsy-turvey world of central bank monetary policy and the wildly volatile stock market.
Firstly, we ask the question where are rates really heading?
Some suggest up, and only up. But really how high can central banks actually move the needle without really crashing the market (further) or destroying people’s equity in their homes?
Also while the central bank might say one thing, what does the actual banking sector really think?
Lloyds Bank just came out with a 10-year, 1.66% fixed rate mortgage. Wowza! That’s cheap money for a long time.
But why is the bank happy to lock down a rate so low for such a long time? What is this saying about that bank’s attitude to the rate environment? Or is this really a ploy to try and gather up new business in a highly competitive and difficult market for the banks on the UK’s High Streets.
If this is a sign that in reality nothing much is going to change over the next five or 10 or 20 years, then what does that say about the action in the market recently?
If money will remain cheap, and if the Bank of England and other central banks will continue to pump money into the global economy, then is the market right now heavily oversold?
Does it mean that this recent dip is exactly that and nothing else?
This is a market which most people think is heading lower, might it not actually be the perfect time to jump in and buy?
It’s easy to get caught up in the rhetoric of the central banks and the mainstream media. But perhaps the best thing to do is to take that contrarian mindset and look at the bigger picture by joining some pretty obvious dots.
There’s a lot to unpack this week in the latest episode of the Exponential Investor Podcast.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Financial repression.
How do you fight it? How do you beat it? What can you do as an investor when the strong arm of the government wants to appropriate your life savings?
You could accept things just are as they are.
You could try and invest your way past excessive taxes and restrictions.
Or you could just buy a yacht, sail off into international waters and conduct business as you see fit.
Ok, maybe that’s excessive, but is changing domicile and tax residency if you’re in your retirement years such a bad idea?
After all, if you think the government is heavy handed now, imagine what could be around the corner if they get really desperate.
If you think things will stay the same as they are, you’ll be in for a rude awakening.
Having seen first-hand around the world how governments always tinker and change and try to squeeze investors and their retirement savings, we know that what’s happening and what’s coming is to be expected.
In today’s Exponential Investor podcast, we bring in special guest, Nikolai Hubble from Fortune & Freedom to talk to us about financial repression and how investors can think about ways to fight for their financial futures.
What investments should be considered?
Are you thinking about how you hold your investments?
Are you thinking about where you hold your investments?
Are you thinking about how you can escape that heavy hand of the government in your later years?
If you answered “no” to any of those, then this is an episode of the Exponential Investor Podcast you absolutely don’t want to miss.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
The market has bounced!
Hooray, we’re all saved!
Or… is it just a distraction from an ongoing gutting of the markets? Besides, why has the market bounced?
Isn’t a change in the mood of the US Federal Reserve (aka the Fed – that country’s central bank) supposed to decimate the growth market and make everyone sell up and move into value stocks?
As you know, growth stocks are those whose businesses are likely to expand sales and earnings very quickly over the coming years. Many are, in some way, tech related.
By contrast, value stocks tend to be long-established businesses that appear cheap in terms of a widely used yardstick such as the price/earnings (PE) ratio: often these companies pay a fairly substantial dividend.
When inflation in the United States has come in at 7% for December (year on year) it’s clear that there’s an inflation issue. We’ve been warning of this for at least a year now. The UK is sure to follow suit as well.
How do you combat the rise in costs and prices?
Well the smart money would be looking for investments that can pay you while gaining in capital value. But that’s not the whole story.
Also, it’s not just as simple as moving out of growth and into value.
It’s about balance and understanding what you might be leaving and what you might really be getting yourself into long term.
You might actually be getting yourself into a world of hurt long term just for some shorter-term chance to “make bank”.
Perhaps there’s more than meets the eye to this idea of rotating investments from growth stocks to value stocks because cheap money is just going to be slightly less cheap.
It could be that the real opportunity is actually in the very segment of the market that the market hates the most right now.
Specifically, this means stocks that show a trend towards greatness, but which are currently misunderstood.
It’s a nuanced approach to dealing with the market and your portfolio right now, an approach we think you need to know more about.
In today’s Exponential Investor Podcast we dive into the idea that moving from growth stocks to value stocks is far more dangerous than it first appears.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
We’re back for 2022… although it might feel like we’re still in 2021, or even 2020!
If the market is anything to go by, well, it’s hard to tell which of those years we’re actually still in.
But while the markets might continue to behave in wild and unpredictable ways, that doesn’t mean an investor can’t make money out there.
If holding cash or risky growth stocks isn’t the answer – in fact, if there isn’t a single, easy solution at all – then what is an investor to do?
Well, in 2022 we hope to guide you through this conundrum, and share ideas and opportunities that you may not have considered before. Perhaps some tried and tested strategies to have fallen out of favour with investors in recent times may even see a revival.
One thing that might be a bit too much in terms of self-control is alternative investments like wine or whisky… Simply put, if you have a habit of drinking those “alternatives investments” then it may be best to steer clear.
And with markets as volatile as they are right now, then it would be very easy to look at a bottle of wine and decide to crack it open…
We discuss what investors should be thinking about at the moment as tech and growth stocks get hammered, China falters and the crypto market decides to collapse in on itself.
What to do, where to go, what signals to look for… even from the most unlikely and controversial of places.
All that and more in today’s Exponential Investor Podcast.…
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
It’s New Year’s Eve…
And we’re looking back at 2021 – which was another weird year.
If 2020 had been bizarre, so too was 2021. The unvanquished and frequently mutating Covid-19 virus continued to dominate headlines and – at times – financial markets as well.
But there were also other sources of weirdness.
Remember GameStop and AMC and the WallStreetBets short-squeeze phenomenon?
Meme stocks were all the rage early in 2021, as major market indices soared to new heights.
Of course, the second half of the year would prove to be very different – not least because it had become clear that the ascent of the aforementioned indices had been driven by a rather small group of very large, and technology-related, stocks.
Meanwhile, for people in the crypto world, 2021 was a year of two halves as well. Or, maybe, it was a year of two humps?
Either way, there are some important takeaways – takeaways that are very worthy of discussion – from the meme stock trading phenomenon, and the rise of the crypto markets into a multi-trillion-dollar asset class, to the words and deeds of Tesla CEO (and Time magazine’s Person of the Year) Elon Musk.
We dive into those takeaways in our 2021 Year in Review edition of the Exponential Investor Podcast.
And we also look at the most heartwarming story of 2021 that you didn’t know you needed to know about…
Have a safe, fun and festive New Year. We look forward to a successful and prosperous 2022!
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
If you can’t wear a great Christmas jumper at Christmas… then when can you? Or perhaps, what’s wrong with you?
Sadly 50% of our editors love a bit of the Christmas spirit… 50% of them have a whiff of the Scrooges about them.
Nonetheless, ‘tis the season for giving. And giving is what we shall do…
In particular, we’ll be giving you some ideas around what we consider to be some of the “Santa trades” you might want to think about in this festive period.
If you’re going to spend all this money at the shops, then perhaps you should think about how some of it might flow back into your portfolio? Do you buy what you know? Or buy what you buy?
Also, when you flick on the TV and see things that are confusing and make no sense… what do you do?
You might think we’re talking about something topical there… and we are, but it’s probably not what you might be thinking of.
Today’s Exponential Investor Podcast is festive, it’s fun, it’s full of fantastic ways to fund your favourite stocks and stockings!
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
If you built horse-drawn carts in the early 1900s there’s no way that you would have been thrilled with the invention of the automobile.
If you were the Post Office, there’s no way you would have been thrilled when email came along.
If you’re the Bank of England… there’s no way that you would be thrilled about the rise of cryptocurrency.
It makes perfect sense that the UK’s central bank should be fearful and worried about something that could be hugely disruptive to its activities – if not quite an existential threat to its very existence.
Therefore, any “warning” from a senior official at the Bank of England that an investment in bitcoin could become “worthless” is something that should be expected – indeed, something that is par for the course in financial markets.
What the Bank of England’s deputy governor for financial stability Sir Jon Cunliffe neglected to mention in his recent interview was that also, in theory, any investment could become worthless, with its market value falling to zero.
Remember HMV? Remember Blockbuster? Remember Netscape? Remember the Woodford Fund debacle?
Financial markets fundamentally run on shared beliefs of value and trust.
And if trust is slipping out from the traditional financial (TradFi) system… where is that system heading?
We also find it suspicious that the Bank of England wants to warn people away from crypto… yet is currently exploring the possibility of its own central bank digital currency (CBDC).
If you’re reading this, the chances are that you’re actually more switched on to what’s happening in the world than are many of the central bankers.
That world most definitely includes crypto and decentralised finance (DeFi).
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Kit and Boaz wondered whether markets were set up for a “Santa Rally” this year: that is to say, for a phenomenon where markets rally into year end, as the festive mood lifts spirits.
It’s almost a self-fulfilling prophecy … but not a certainty.
They also discuss what the big losses in tech stocks means, and whether crypto can detach itself from the speculative aura which currently envelops it.
As always with Boaz, it’s a great conversation with plenty of great insights.
We hope you enjoy it...
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
In today’s Exponential Investor Podcast we look at how the market is reacting to the emergence of another Covid-19 variant.
What does the Omicron variant mean for the “lockdown” stocks – the Pelotons, Zooms, and Robinhoods of the world – that soared in 2020, but have fallen from grace in 2021?
Has the tech bubble burst (again)? Or could we instead be watching the bubble deflate?
Do you buy, hold, or sell?
In today’s podcast we also discuss the metaverse: is the idea of being contained and immersed in a virtual reality more appealing than physical human contact?
We don’t think so. But are our desires to interact in person shared by the general population?
Maybe we’re the outliers. Maybe most people would rather live a lazy existence inside the metaverse.
Today’s episode might just rub you the wrong way. But it certainly contains valuable insights that you can inform your investment strategy.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Things in Germany are about to change, quite dramatically.
A new government has come together, made up of three parties to form a coalition.
The Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals all came together agreed to form a government and put Olaf Scholz in charge.
That means it’s bye bye Angel Merkel and hello Olaf Scholz.
What a time to take the reins!
Well regardless of Germany’s soaring inflation, or social unease at the thought of prices screaming higher for a lot longer than the ECB might think, there’s something else, something quite progressive that’s (likely) coming to Germany.
At first when you hear what this is, you can’t quite believe that it’s happening in Germany of all places.
But, as the epicentre of this industry in Europe, it actually makes perfect sense when you look deeper into this industry.
You see this new German coalition is dead-keen on legalising the recreational use of cannabis in Germany.
Germany currently has rules and regulations in place for the legal use of medicinal cannabis, but to fling open the doors to a nationwide recreational industry too…well that’s quite something.
But we hope you’re not one of those people who thinks this is just some fledgling industry pushed by “Druggies” and “pot heads”?
A lot of people are unfortunately. Their puddle-deep understanding of the cannabis industry always inevitably comes back to the idea of cannabis just being about rolling up a couple of joints and having a smoke in an Amsterdam coffee shop.
More fool them.
In today’s Exponential Investor Podcast we dive deeper into this huge move that is almost certain to get pushed into legislation and what it means for investors with an open mind and a desire to invest in an industry that could very well change “Big Pharma” as we know it.
All this and more in today’s Exponential Investor Podcast.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
What are we to make of the COP26 meeting?
You’ll have heard 1,001 different takes on it all (including a few from us here at Southbank Investment Research) but what does it all really mean?
Who better to ask that our resident green energy expert, Kit Winder.
Also while COP26 might steal the headlines, what is its importance for the financial markets? With green stocks still surging forward, how do you find opportunities and avoid pitfalls?
For example, take a look at Lucid or Rivian. These are electric vehicle (EV) companies (indeed, “the next Teslas”, according to some). How do you explain their meteoric moves considering they don’t really do much?
Put another way, how do you balance fundamental analysis versus the exciting – and blue sky filled – narrative. How much value is there in the story?
We dive into all this and more in today’s episode of the Exponential Investor podcast.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
With COP 26 going on in Glasgow, energy investing analyst Kit Winder talks with precious metals expert Nick Hubble about how a shift in government sentiment could lead to a huge opportunity in Uranium.
And why it doesn’t matter what you think about the energy transition, government involvement will likely generate investable opportunities for you either way.
Nick and Kit give their razor-sharp insights, and the two battle over the future of the global energy system.
It’s a belter, enjoy.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Boaz Shoshan and Kit Winder discuss the shifting winds on western foreign policy towards China, which has grown more antagonistic in recent years.
Boaz has always been an insightful thinker on this topic, and needed no preparation as he outlined why he felt the world was right to be taking a tougher stance, and offering some resistance to the growing menace of Chinese intentions.
Investors would be wise to heed Boaz’s warnings, as it paves the way for the great rivalry of the coming decades, and will surely shape the future trajectory of financial markets too.
We also cover the current problems in their property market, and wonder whether it’s as serious a problem as the US housing bubble was back in 2007...
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Should you buy Bitcoin at its all-time high?
Currently, bitcoin has once again surged past its previous all-time highs when converted into old fashioned “fiat” money (like USD or GBP).
Topping out at $66,930, the best-known crypto is once again surging in price.
As you know, we have we been staunch bulls on bitcoin for a very long time. That includes when it was “crashing” for the thousandth time and the mainstream was saying that “it’ll go to zero” and “it’s all over”.
In the middle of this year, our recommendation on bitcoin was to “buy the dip” – and we have been vindicated.
But the dip is over.
It is likely that there will be more dips in the future.
However, those dips will almost certainly come from higher highs than we are seeing now.
So, do you stop stacking those sats?
Or, do you buy the dips and then buy the all-time highs as well?
If you had only bought at all previous all-time highs, you’d still be in a profitable position.
But, at $66,930 for one whole bitcoin… being a “wholecoiner” may be too much of a stretch for most people now.
So, what to do?
In this episode we look at what’s happening with bitcoin, why it’s happening and ask a fair question, what comes next?
Is this rise because of three key crucial factors, or is there more to it?
Is it just FOMO (fear of missing out) kicking in again, or is there a more sinister backdrop of conditions within the traditional financial system (TradFi) that’s boosting things along?
Can crypto save you from the policies that are going to cost you money?
All this and more in today’s Exponential Investor Podcast.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says bitcoin is 'worthless’.
But should we even be listening?
There’s no denying Jamie Dimon is an expert in big institutional banking and has been successful at the helm of JPMorgan.
But does being an expert in the old banking system automatically make you an expert in the new money world?
Plus, his dislike of Bitcoin – which threatens the very system he’s made all his money in - just feels too convenient.
Like how some big oil executives conveniently think renewables and climate change are a ‘scam’…
Sam Volkering brought Bitcoin at just $12 and his book crypto revolution has been read by more than 40,000 investors.
Listen in to today’s podcast and hear what Sam thinks of Jamie Dimon’s views on Bitcoin.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Facebook, are they profits before people, or people before profits?
Or maybe it’s all over for the social media giant now anyway…
Actually, we really should refer to Facebook as the advertising giant, with several social media platforms.
In either case, profits vs people is a fair question in what’s been a tumultuous week for Facebook.
First, the company had a mass global outage.
This riled everyone in the midst of uploading a snazzy dance routine to Instagram and also those providing clinical guesses as to scientific theories on Facebook.
It also meant a few hours of notification silence.
Hear that...?
That’s the sound of no WhatsApp notifications...
The question is what role a company like Facebook has in our world moving forward. Is it too powerful, too pervasive, too influential?
Should the government step in, split it up, control what it can or can’t do?
Or is that overreach just another centralised authority wishing to impose control and influence over society?
Or does society figure it out for themselves? Let the free market decide with their wallets and “feet”... or in this case, avatars.
We’re sure there will be a divergence of opinion on this, so we’d love to hear from you on this topic.
Just comment your answer below to vote on which state you believe:
1) The free market should decide what happens to companies like Facebook.
OR
2) The government should step in and decide what the future should look like.
We dive into all this and more in this week’s episode of the Exponential Investor Podcast. Click play to watch now.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
With the UK in what appears to be an endless cycle of crisis, what are we to really make of it all?
Is this latest crisis of fuel a one off, or are more crises, shortages and episodes of panic about to beset the UK as we head into winter?
Should you stockpile, hoard, and batten down the hatches? Or should you just keep calm and carry on?
Of course, these events aren’t just reserved for us here in the UK. There is a widespread problem with global supply chains under pressure with everything from energy to food and technology.
You might be feeling smug if you’ve just bought an EV to stave off any future fuel crisis…but you also might be waiting longer than the fuel shortages last to actually buy a new EV if the global semiconductor shortages are any indication.
So…
What’s the answer to it all? How can you as an investor get ahead of crisis, seize opportunity and play the market to profit from crisis?
Maybe instead of panic buying fuel, you should panic buy stocks. That is something to think about before the inevitable “crisis of [insert new industry here]” hits the mainstream media headlines next.
We dig into all this and more including what is going on in China and how new decentralised, distributed technologies may unlock the answers to solving many of these supply chain issues in today’s Exponential Investor Podcast.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
At the beginning of November, Bitcoin will undergo a major upgrade… One which could ignite an end of year rally.
The update, named Taproot, will fundamentally improve Bitcoin’s back-end code. It will also increase privacy, transparency and fungibility, and will improve Bitcoin’s smart contract functionality.
Since its creation in 2009, Bitcoin has simply been a currency, and not much more. With the Taproot upgrade, the Bitcoin network should become significantly more usable in a plethora of ways.
And this could potentially serve as the gateway Bitcoin needs to achieve widespread mainstream adoption.
But what does this mean for the immediate and long-term future of Bitcoin?
Could the update be a catalyst for an end of year rally?
Will we see Bitcoin breakthrough even further and reach new record highs?
In this week’s episode of the Exponential Investor podcast, our crypto expert Sam Volkering is joined by Boaz Shoshan. They discuss several possibilities that we could see unfold with the Taproot upgrade.
Want to hear more from Exponential Investor?
The man who bought Bitcoin for $12 and Ethereum for $10, now reveals…
Three Cryptos to Watch in 2021.
1) The ‘Free Speech Coin’ that will ensure Zuckerberg, Dorsey and Bezos can no longer totally silence you.
2) How to collect ‘crypto dividends’
3) The ‘Coinbase Killer’ that could eliminate pricey trading fees forever.
Join our free daily bulletin, Exponential Investor, to get the research in your special report: Beyond Bitcoin: 3 Cryptos to Watch in 2021.
Click here to join now for free: https://subscribe.exponentialinvestor...
Recently, the UK’s renewable energy supply was pushed to the brink…
After a recent surge in energy usage, the National Grid was forced to bring two coal plants back online to make up for a shortfall in power.
… All because the wind stopped blowing.
It’s all very well that our Prime Minister wants the UK to be the Saudi Arabia of wind.
But what happens if the wind doesn’t blow?
Are we always going to have to rely on dirty fossil fuel back-ups when the weather doesn’t play fair?
We get to grips with this issue and discuss some of the potential solutions on the horizon for the UK’s clean energy future — including an “underground” alternative that many people might be unfamiliar with…
We also look at what other problems ordinary Brits are having to face in a world that’s evermore thirsty for energy…
For instance, some of us are with supposedly “100%” renewable energy suppliers… And aren’t renewables supposed to be cheap?
So why are many of us having to deal with rising energy costs every year?
We answer these questions and more in today’s Exponential Investor podcast, which you can access here.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Is it all over for “covid stocks” such as Zoom?
After some eye-watering gains, driving the stock to almost $590 over the last year, Zoom has lost a big chunk of those gains.
Is this a full cycle condensed into a short space of time? Is it the new platform for Zoom to head higher? Or is it all downhill from here?
We take a look at what might happen and why. We also dive into areas of opportunity in a world in which the “old” way of doing things is once again “new”.
There is a lot to look at, and a lot to think about for investors.
Also keep an eye on China. There’s a strong feeling this is a market that is teetering on the brink of something rather devastating. The knock-on effects could be huge.
And with a never-before-seen market divergence, just how risky has China become and what should you as an investor be thinking about?
All this and more in today’s Exponential Investor podcast, which you can access here.
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Buying the dip.
Is it all it’s cracked up to be?
Or if you’re a billionaire, do you get so deep into a position all you can ever do is just buy your own dip?
Ego, hubris, an innate desperation to be proven right… these are the hallmarks of many of the world’s most reputable (and some of the most notorious) investors.
But ultimately there comes a time when they will be proven right or wrong.
A day of reckoning if you will.
This time around we’re looking at two heavyweight giants of the investing world.
In one corner is the esteemed bull-run magician, tech investing genius, Cathie Wood and her ARK Invest funds.
In the other corner stands Michael Burry, famous for betting and winning big during the 2008 market crisis. He called it early then and won.
But now he’s saying Wood’s funds are no good. He thinks that she’s going to be wrong.
Of course, she disagrees and is adamant her thesis will be proven right.
So who wins? Whose side are you on? How does this impact your own investment strategy?
There is so much to think about and consider…which we do in today’s Exponential Investor podcast.
We also ask why is Michael Saylor, CEO of MicroStrategy a “giga-Chad” and just how big an impact is PayPal’s move into crypto in the UK?
For instance, is PayPal crypto in the UK a genuine threat to the domestic financial services industry?
For more great content from Exponential Investor go to: https://www.exponentialinvestor.com/
Clean, green, renewable energy…our saviour!
Wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, these are the answers to the world’s reliance on dirty fossil fuel energy.
These are key energy sources for the great green energy transition.
However…
What if they’re not the answer?
What if these are just a temporary fad, a steppingstone, to an energy future that many believe will never exist?
What if this week we saw the spark (literally) that could kick off the most exciting development in energy technology the world has ever seen?
And, what if this massive development means the death of wind, solar, hydro, geothermal…and oil, gas, coal and all energy sources you’ve come to know today?
In short, if there’s an area of investment you want to be paying attention to it’s this one, which we explore in today’s Exponential Investor podcast.
We ask the question, what does our world look like in a post-scarcity economy.
We consider how disruptive this new development could be to energy markets. And we highlight for investors which segments of the market you should be thinking about with greater focus to seize the opportunities this may present.
Click play to get the answers now.
,Sam and Kit look at the lithium market to see if there’s still an opportunity and what investors should do.
This comes off the back of a major partnership from a UK based mining company that’s looking to mine for “EV metals” in Greenland.
This partnership means billionaires like Bill Gate and Jeff Bezos (through their investment funds) will be getting into the EV metals space in a big way.
Of course to find out which company on the London Stock Exchange we’re talking about you’ll need to tune in…
We also look at the impact on the energy market a fall in demand for oil will have.
China is shifting into further lockdowns due to the spread of the “Delta” variant of the Covid-19 virus.
That means a huge drop in the number of flights in and around China. Furthermore the whole Asia and Oceania region is almost like a no-fly zone right now.
What impact is this going to have on the oil price and what can investors do about it?
Lots to cover, plenty to think about and unpack.
Click play to get the answers now.
Today we answer:
What is Binance and Tether?
And.
What happens if Binance and Tether fail?
If you’re getting into the crypto markets, then you’ll come across exchanges and stablecoins.
These are commonplace in crypto.
Exchanges obviously allow you to buy, sell, swap crypto. These help support a thriving, functional market for various crypto.
Stablecoins are crypto that are pegged, tied to…tethered to fiat-currency like USD or GBP or EUR.
One of the biggest exchanges in the world is Binance. One of the biggest stablecoins in the world is Tether (a USD stablecoin).
Together they are giants in the crypto market. But there is a lot of conjecture as to their credibility, trustworthiness and stability.
Some suggest they are frauds and scams. A lot of this is based on puddle deep information and a lack of understanding of the wider crypto ecosystem.
But also, where there’s smoke there’s still often a bit of fire at least. And both have undertaken practices that do call into question just how viable long term they might be.
If they are proven to be frauds, or scams, or worse…they fail…what impact would this have to the crypto market. Is Binance the “Lehman Brothers” of the crypto world? Is Tether the Enron in the room?
Or is it all a storm in a teacup?
Well in this week’s Exponential Investor Podcast we deep dive into what is going on here, what might happen, what could happen in a worst case scenario and what we really think is going on.
It’s enthralling, exciting and gives you the real story about Binance and Tether the mainstream simply fails to tell you about.
Today we tackle the electric vehicle (EV) sector and ask some questions about what’s really going on in the sector and is the death of oil really what to expect?
For example, you might think that EV sales are outpacing all others.
But that’s just simply not the case. In fact, there are two other kinds of vehicle that are far outselling EVs and capturing more of the car market.
Why is that so? What does that mean for consumers, the oil industry and the EV industry?
Also for an investor, what angle should you be looking at to play this?
Of course the bigger issue seems to be the shift to net zero… or is it zero carbon… or is there confusion between the two?
And what do floods in Germany, China and the UK have to do with mice plagues and ultimately a boom in the British wine industry?
We cover all these questions and more in today’s Exponential Investor podcast.
Today we discuss the latest inflation data which has “surprised” many commentators in the US and the UK, and the political paradox at the heart of the mortgage-backed securities market.
Finally, we move on to the sad news coming out of South Africa, and wonder whether the conditions which made the violence and rioting likely there, might be replicated elsewhere too.
I hope you enjoy it…
Opportunities in the oil markets and some concerns about the solar market.
Our guest host, Boaz Shoshan, believes oil prices are likely to head higher than $100 per barrel, and I was keen to hear whether he thought this would be a positive for the shift to electric cars and renewables.
He, meanwhile, was intrigued by some of the tensions in the solar industry, where what’s best for the energy transition isn’t necessarily what’s best for the companies' bottom lines…
Today we answer, what works best in the market... ?
Being a stock picker?
Or
Being an asset class picker?
Also, how do you balance picking stocks with the bigger trends and momentum plays in the market?
Do you ride the short-term wave of mainstream movements, or do you take a contrarian view and weather the rocky road longer term?
Lots of readers ask us about asset selection and picking individual winners, so this week we answer those questions and deep dive into our methodologies and processes.
If you’ve ever wondered how we go about uncovering, selecting and building a view on stocks and investment opportunities, then you don’t want to miss this week’s Exponential Investor Podcast.