The hottest Finance Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Finance Topics
The Leonard Letter β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 08 Sep 23
  1. House hacking a $998k duplex in Oakland may not be financially viable in the short-term due to high monthly costs.
  2. Consider alternative rental strategies like furnishing rooms for students or exploring short/medium-term housing to increase income potential.
  3. In markets like Oakland, renting may be more financially beneficial than buying, especially with low interest rates and restrictions on potential rental income.
tsalikhov β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 09 Jun 23
  1. Investing in traditional fine art is challenging due to market complexities and transaction limitations.
  2. Art indices provide an incomplete picture of the art market, with limited representativeness and investability.
  3. Digital art on the blockchain offers potential as a more accessible and diverse asset class with compelling risk-reward ratios.
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The Sunday Morning Post β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 09 Jul 23
  1. Bank runs can still happen today, triggered by various factors like social media rumors and liquidity issues
  2. The FDIC, established in 1933, guarantees a certain amount of depositors' funds to prevent bank runs and provide stability to the banking system
  3. Modern banking faces new challenges like swift fund transfers, online activism affecting stock prices, and the need for regulators to adapt to the changing landscape
The Sunday Morning Post β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 17 Sep 23
  1. Total credit card debt in the US surpassed $1 trillion for the first time in history, with high interest rates reaching an average of 20.68% in May 2023.
  2. Credit card delinquencies hit an 11-year high in the second quarter of 2023, with 2.77% of all credit card payments being missed.
  3. Delinquency rates for home mortgages and commercial loans are remarkably low, contrasting sharply with the concerning trend of rising credit card debt and delinquencies.
The Sunday Morning Post β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 04 Jun 23
  1. Inflation is causing consumers to shift spending towards necessary goods and services like food and healthcare.
  2. Americans are turning to credit cards to bridge the gap between rising prices and stagnant wages.
  3. High collective credit card debt and increasing delinquency rates could pose a significant threat to the overall economy.
Mike’s Blog β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 07 Apr 23
  1. Betting markets slightly outperformed FiveThirtyEight in predicting NBA, NFL, and MLB games.
  2. New data collected for March Madness shows both FiveThirtyEight and betting markets performed similarly, and neither significantly outperformed.
  3. Hypothesis: Both betting markets and experts may have worse accuracy in playoffs and tournaments compared to regular season games.
The Chargeback β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 21 Aug 23
  1. There was a 10% increase in tax delinquent Detroit homeowners as of August 2023 compared to August 2022.
  2. This increase in delinquency was driven by fewer homeowners paying off their debt and more homeowners falling into delinquency.
  3. Notable concentrations of newly tax delinquent homeowners in areas like northeast Detroit, west side, and southwest Detroit were observed in August 2023.
Climate Money β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 29 Mar 23
  1. SVB's collapse impacts capital markets, leading to fear and hesitation in committing funds.
  2. Climate tech companies are disproportionately affected by the liquidity crunch due to their capital needs and revenue profiles.
  3. Founders in the climate tech space should be prepared for higher financing risk and seek alternative forms of capital.
Philoinvestor β€’ 78 implied HN points β€’ 04 Apr 23
  1. Moderna has faced significant insider selling of stock by top executives, leading to questions about their management and future prospects.
  2. Despite recent success with COVID vaccine sales, Moderna is now facing a period of cash burn and uncertainty as they seek to pivot post-pandemic.
  3. Investors in Moderna are banking on the company's RNA-technology pipeline to potentially deliver groundbreaking solutions, but there is high risk involved.
Spilled Coffee β€’ 112 implied HN points β€’ 04 Jan 25
  1. The S&P 500 had a strong year in 2024, finishing with a gain of 23.3%. It was one of the best years for the stock market since the late 90s.
  2. Many stocks performed well, like Nvidia and Palantir, while others like Boeing and Nike struggled significantly. Investors are keeping a close eye on these ups and downs.
  3. Although not as high as 2023, the actively managed portfolio outperformed the S&P 500 with a return of 49.5%. This shows a consistent trend of good investment decisions.
Faster, Please! β€’ 91 implied HN points β€’ 20 Feb 25
  1. Interest rates might predict the rise of advanced AI. As people expect big changes, they want to spend more now instead of saving for the future.
  2. Higher long-term growth expectations often lead to higher real interest rates. This shows that bond markets can hint at when transformative AI might arrive.
  3. Both positive and negative outcomes of AI can push rates up. Whether AI leads to great progress or poses risks, people behave similarly by wanting to consume now.
Shivansh β€’ 19 implied HN points β€’ 26 Apr 24
  1. P/E ratio compares a company's stock price with its earnings per share, providing insight into investor perception and market sentiment.
  2. Calculating P/E ratio involves dividing the current stock price by the company's earnings per share (EPS).
  3. Different types of P/E ratios like trailing and forward help in assessing past performance and future earnings, aiding investors in comparing valuations and identifying trends across industries.
Chartbook β€’ 286 implied HN points β€’ 21 Feb 24
  1. Top Links 373 include the Ordeal by Roses photos, US bank concerns, Gazprom's losses, misfiring missiles, and Bismarck's legacy.
  2. US banks like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America have seen a decrease in reserves for commercial real estate debt.
  3. This post is available for paid subscribers and includes insights on various topics related to finance and geopolitics.
Net Interest β€’ 41 implied HN points β€’ 05 Jul 25
  1. The story of finance in America is tied to its roots in railroads. Railroads brought massive investments, which led to innovative financial practices and the rise of stock markets.
  2. American optimism is a big part of its business culture. Investors in the U.S. often look at the best potential outcomes and are willing to take risks, which helps create new companies and technologies.
  3. The U.S. has one of the largest and most dynamic financial systems in the world, making it easier for entrepreneurs to get funding. This strong market encourages growth and renewal in the economy.
Concepts of Finance 🧠 β€’ 99 implied HN points β€’ 09 Aug 23
  1. Investing in farmland can be done in many ways, not just by owning a farm. There are various options available for those who want to invest in this stable asset.
  2. Farmland offers a unique opportunity because it has the potential for solid returns and can be less volatile compared to other investments.
  3. While investing in farmland has its benefits, there are also risks involved that investors should be aware of before getting started.
Gray Mirror β€’ 35 implied HN points β€’ 03 Aug 25
  1. Complex financial systems often hide the reality of the economy. When things are complicated, it can be hard to see the true state of finances.
  2. Merging the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve could simplify how the government manages money. This change would make it clearer that they are part of the same system.
  3. The money supply is being diluted to support the economy, not just through jobs. This means our financial stability relies on printing more money, impacting everyone differently.
Daily Chartbook β€’ 288 implied HN points β€’ 22 Feb 24
  1. Daily Chartbook #386 provides 30 charts to summarize the day's events.
  2. The post is for paid subscribers only, offering exclusive content.
  3. Readers can subscribe to access the daily chartbook and sign in if they are already paid subscribers.
Fintech Business Weekly β€’ 44 implied HN points β€’ 22 Jun 25
  1. The CFPB is involved in a bankruptcy case for Synapse, which could lead to financial relief for depositors who lost money. They may use a fund designed to help consumers if they win a judgment against Synapse.
  2. Paddle had to pay a $5 million fine for its role in enabling tech support scams that tricked consumers, especially the elderly. Now, Paddle is banned from processing payments for such deceptive businesses.
  3. MoneyGram settled for $250,000 after allegations of mishandling customer money transfers. They must now follow consumer protection laws better to ensure timely transactions and accurate information.
QTR’s Fringe Finance β€’ 36 implied HN points β€’ 27 Jul 25
  1. Many new investors are entering the market without a solid understanding, treating investing more like gambling. This can lead to risky behaviors and poor decision-making in challenging market situations.
  2. The current market dynamics, including leverage and speculative investing, may cause rapid and intense sell-offs. When these investors panic, it could lead to larger market declines than we've seen in the past.
  3. Investing today is very different from before, as many people use apps that make trading easier but also encourage risky behavior. This shift means that past lessons on market crashes might not apply today.
Musings on Markets β€’ 379 implied HN points β€’ 28 Mar 22
  1. ESG might not be as helpful as it claims. Many companies that invested based on ESG ratings still lost money when Russia invaded Ukraine.
  2. There are three groups within the ESG movement: revisionists who think ESG can fix everything, expansionists who want to add more criteria, and utopians who still believe in its potential despite issues.
  3. The way ESG is measured and its goals can be unclear. This confusion can lead to companies just pretending to be good instead of actually improving their practices.
CalculatedRisk Newsletter β€’ 28 implied HN points β€’ 26 Aug 25
  1. The national house price index has increased by 1.9% over the past year as of June. This is a sign of slow growth compared to previous months.
  2. Some cities like San Francisco and Phoenix have seen a decline in house prices from their recent peaks. This indicates a shift in the housing market dynamics.
  3. Despite a general increase in house prices year-over-year, the data shows significant volatility. Some areas are performing much better than others, with traditional markets gaining ground.
Daily Chartbook β€’ 288 implied HN points β€’ 17 Feb 24
  1. The Daily Chartbook #384 is available for paid subscribers only.
  2. The chartbook covers the day using 30 charts for analysis.
  3. Readers can subscribe to access the content at dailychartbook.com.
Concoda β€’ 264 implied HN points β€’ 11 Mar 24
  1. The Repo Market is undergoing significant changes, with a shift to a secured monetary standard and challenges in the system prompting new adaptations.
  2. The Repo Market has become more systemic and fragmented, with different regions defined by various participants, securities, and settlement methods.
  3. The presence of triparty and interdealer markets within the Repo Market highlights the importance of central clearing in reducing risks and enhancing liquidity among major financial players.