The hottest Investments Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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The Dying Banks and the Singularity

The Dollar Endgame • 339 implied HN points • 12 May 23
💰 Finance Banking Investments Market Regulations Risk management
  1. There is a financial crisis brewing with banks collapsing and facing liquidity issues, leading to a rapid withdrawal of funds from the system.
  2. Banks like Silicon Valley Bank have made risky investments with high-end clients, creating vulnerabilities in the financial sector.
  3. The Federal Reserve's policies have inadvertently caused a drain on traditional banks, pushing money into shadow banks and triggering a potential chain of bank failures.

Longs For Shy Bears

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 11 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
💰 Finance Investments Market Analysis Economic Trends Short selling Behavioral Finance
  1. It's important to focus on short-term survival in investing, even if you have long-term goals. You need to manage risks carefully in the volatile market.
  2. There are signs of extreme behavior in trends like crypto and AI, but not acting rashly is key. Timing and proper planning are crucial to avoid losses.
  3. The investor expresses a desire to bet against market crazes but acknowledges that it requires careful strategy to be successful.

UnitedHealth Group's Q2 2023 earnings report shows billion dollar gains in pharmacy benefit business, tax-funded programs

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 459 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
💰 Finance Healthcare Investments Earnings Reports Insurance Market Trends
  1. UnitedHealth Group reported a big increase in revenue and profits, mainly from its pharmacy benefit business and taxpayer-funded programs. They made over $12 billion more than last year.
  2. The company saw significant growth in its Medicare and Medicaid programs, with enrollment in these government programs increasing faster than in traditional commercial plans.
  3. UnitedHealth's Optum division, which provides healthcare services, is growing rapidly, allowing the company to manage costs better and avoid paying out more in claims.

Peru's natural resources: CIA-linked US ambassador meets with mining and energy ministers to talk 'investments'

Geopolitical Economy Report • 398 implied HN points • 19 Jan 23
🌍 World Politics Natural resources Investments Mining Energy Coup
  1. Peru is rich in natural resources like copper, gold, zinc, silver, and natural gas, making it a hub for transnational corporations who heavily invest in the mining sector.
  2. President Pedro Castillo aimed to ensure that 70% of mining proceeds went to the state for social programs, but after a coup, the focus shifted back to foreign corporate investments, reversing progressive economic plans.
  3. Natural gas, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG), plays a significant role in Peru's exports, with a notable shift towards Europe as a top importer following a boycott of Russian energy.
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Making Bonds in DeFi

DeFi Education • 439 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
🔮 Crypto DeFi Blockchain Investments Regulation Assets
  1. DeFi often feels disconnected from the real world because it primarily uses digital tokens within its own systems. To bridge this gap, there's a push to connect real-world assets to DeFi, called RWAs.
  2. New funds like SuperState aim to provide stable, low-risk investments linked to U.S. government securities, making it easier for crypto users to access traditional financial products.
  3. Regulatory issues and market trust are key challenges for DeFi and RWAs. For DeFi to grow, there needs to be better cooperation with existing legal systems and traditional finance to foster a true merge of both worlds.

Satellite Internet: The Next $100B Market Investors Have Been Waiting For?

Space Ambition • 279 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Internet Satellites Investments Innovation Telecommunications
  1. Satellite internet uses space satellites to provide internet access instead of cables. This technology has been around for over 70 years and is trying to help connect underserved areas.
  2. While satellite internet is growing, it currently has limited speed and higher costs compared to fiber internet. Most people still rely on fiber for quicker and cheaper connections.
  3. The satellite internet market is expected to expand a lot in the coming years, with many startups getting involved. Investors see potential in this area to bridge the digital divide.

What We're Doing in Crypto Right Now

DeFi Education • 1438 implied HN points • 16 Apr 22
🔮 Crypto Blockchain Investments Market Trends Technology Decentralization
  1. The crypto market is very volatile, with prices going up and down a lot. Many people get emotional and make quick buying or selling decisions.
  2. Taking a longer-term view on crypto investments can be more beneficial. Staying calm and not reacting to daily price changes helps maintain strategy.
  3. It's important not to panic during market drops. Keeping a steady approach can lead to better outcomes in the long run.

DeFi Education Q&A (September 2023)

DeFi Education • 299 implied HN points • 17 Sep 23
🔮 Crypto DeFi Finance Education Investments Technology
  1. The Q&A sessions provide expert insights from experienced professionals in finance and technology. It's a good way to learn from people who really know their stuff.
  2. These sessions are designed to help both new and existing subscribers understand complex ideas in DeFi easier. They make learning accessible and engaging.
  3. As a paid subscriber, you can access these valuable discussions and ask your own questions. It's a way to connect with knowledgeable folks and get direct answers.

The lies we tell ourselves

Known Unknowns • 275 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
💰 Finance Economy Policy Banking Investments Regulations
  1. Interest rates may not return to normal, so be cautious. Collective DC plans might not be as ideal as they seem.
  2. Don't expect a recession to automatically solve inflation issues; it may not work as expected.
  3. Inflation brings uncertainty, making high real yields essential, and planning for Social Security reforms could involve risky collective DC plans.

The Big Bond Week

Ironsides Macroeconomics 'It's Never Different This Time' • 137 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
💰 Finance Economy Monetary Policy Investments Bonds Market Analysis
  1. The FOMC meeting and the Treasury's Quarterly Refunding Announcement are key events affecting policy and market reactions.
  2. Investors are closely watching for details on rate cuts, balance sheet reduction, and labor conditions.
  3. The upcoming employment report could impact policy decisions, especially in relation to labor demand and supply.

NBA Valuations Reach $4.4 Billion As The Focus On Real Estate Development Intensifies

Huddle Up • 34 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
💼 Business Finance Real Estate Valuations Investments Sports
  1. NBA teams are now worth an average of $4.4 billion. This shows how valuable basketball franchises have become.
  2. The Golden State Warriors are the most valuable team at $8.8 billion, followed by the Knicks and Lakers. These teams are leading the pack in terms of worth.
  3. Real estate development is becoming more important for NBA teams. It seems teams are trying to boost their value through property investments.

Part 2: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-November 2024

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 28 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
💰 Finance Housing Market Real Estate Economics Investments Mortgage Rates
  1. House prices are gradually increasing, with a 4.2% rise year-over-year noted in the Case-Shiller National Index. This suggests the housing market is still active but may slow down soon.
  2. The monthly increase in house prices has been steady, showing growth for 19 consecutive months. This indicates a long-term positive trend in the housing market.
  3. Future outlooks for house prices in 2024 are being discussed, hinting at ongoing changes and developments that could impact buyers and sellers alike.

U.S. Banking Fears, USDC post-mortem + March Q&A

DeFi Education • 539 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
💰 Finance Banking Investments Cryptocurrency Economics Market Trends
  1. There are concerns about the stability of U.S. banking, and this has created a sense of fear in the market. Many people are worried about what might happen next.
  2. The USDC cryptocurrency faced serious issues recently, raising questions about its reliability. Some are analyzing what went wrong and what it means for the future.
  3. In a time of crisis, quick actions and communication from venture capitalists helped to calm the situation. It shows how important leadership and support can be during financial troubles.

Value to Mine

The Last Bear Standing • 34 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
💰 Finance Investments Market Analysis
  1. Gold prices are rising sharply due to global monetary easing, reaching new highs. This boost has also lifted the prices of large-cap gold mining stocks.
  2. While higher gold prices can lead to greater revenue for miners, increased operating costs can eat into profits. It's essential to consider both sides to understand the miners' performance.
  3. Different gold mining companies have unique challenges and potential for profit. Understanding these differences is crucial if you're looking to invest in gold mining stocks.

Tesla/Tornetta: Something's Happening Here...

The Chancery Daily • 379 implied HN points • 19 Jul 23
💰 Finance Investments Legal Business Ethics Corporate Governance Executive Compensation
  1. A settlement involving Elon Musk and Tesla is pending approval in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
  2. There are cases related to director and Elon Musk compensation known as 'Tornetta' that are interrelated.
  3. There is something unusual about the settlement which the author feels the need to address further.

Something Up At Oxford Nanopore?

ASeq Newsletter • 29 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🔬 Science Biotechnology Research Innovation Investments Corporate News
  1. There are rumors that Clive Brown might have left Oxford Nanopore, but it's not confirmed. It's important to check and verify such news before spreading it.
  2. Investment opportunities for Oxford Nanopore were discussed earlier, suggesting potential growth for the company. Keeping an eye on funding can indicate how the company might progress.
  3. The information shared is meant for paid subscribers, highlighting the value of the insights provided. Paid content often offers deeper analysis and exclusive news.

The Distribution Layer

Lewis Enterprises • 235 implied HN points • 06 Jul 23
💰 Finance Investments Asset management Market structure Financial Services Retail Investors
  1. The future of alternative investments is undergoing significant changes in the market structure with emphasis on investment managers, allocators, and capital owners.
  2. Traditional asset managers are seeking growth by entering alternative investments but are facing challenges due to massive capital deployment impacting returns.
  3. There's a trend towards greater intermediation of capital allocation in the alternative investment landscape, leading to a more specialized distribution approach.

Lemons Ripen Early: Playing the Long Game

The Hard Fork by Marvin Liao • 235 implied HN points • 05 Aug 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Investments Entrepreneurship Startup Growth
  1. In venture capital, bad investments tend to fail early, making way for successful ones later on.
  2. It's important to play the long game, especially in the early stages of investing, to allow winners to emerge.
  3. Success usually takes time and persistence, with at least 2 years needed to see a project through and achieve product-market fit.

Thinking about Writing Down your Investment?

SaaS Engineering • 137 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
💰 Finance Investments Venture Capital Startups Valuation Capital Markets
  1. Understanding the difference between preferred and common stock is crucial for calculating holding values.
  2. Writing down investments only makes sense if a company's value decreases below the size of its liquidation preference relative to the investment.
  3. High valuations may not always benefit investors due to misaligned incentives, especially in scenarios where the company's valuation is higher than its true worth.

The Game-Changing Clause For Entrepreneur , VC Funds Are Mostly Just Wasting Their Time and Your Money, VC Jobs & More

Venture Curator • 219 implied HN points • 19 Aug 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Venture Capital Investments Startups Jobs
  1. In negotiating convertible notes, entrepreneurs should include a clause to prevent early investors from taking advantage of rising valuations.
  2. A study by Morgan Stanley calls into question the superior returns claimed by VC funds, highlighting challenges and inconsistencies in the industry.
  3. Investors often face struggles in accurately valuing equity in VC investments due to complex structures, contributing to potential overvaluation.

The collapse of Alibaba’s New Retail? - Part 1: Shopping Malls & Home Furnishing

Tech Buzz China Insider • 79 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💼 Business Retail Investments E-commerce Management
  1. Alibaba's New Retail initiatives, including offline investments, are facing challenges and potential failures.
  2. The focus on consumption upgrade led Alibaba to miss the shifting consumer trends towards practical and inexpensive purchases, affecting their strategies.
  3. There is a shift within Alibaba towards returning to prioritizing online business, user experience, and supporting small and medium businesses once again.

Google, Reddit, Snap earnings, and do we need an economic crisis?

Alex's Personal Blog • 32 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
💼 Business Earnings Tech Companies Market Trends Advertising Investments
  1. Alphabet had strong earnings in Q3 2024, with big revenue growth driven by its AI tools. Their cloud services and YouTube also saw significant increases.
  2. Reddit's user engagement is increasing with higher revenue, especially from advertising and data licensing. They had great year-on-year growth and are becoming more popular.
  3. Snap also improved its financials with more users and less net loss, showing signs of becoming more profitable. They're reaching out to more smaller advertisers and expanding in Europe.

ICE Mortgage Monitor: "Annual home price growth cooled for the seventh consecutive month"

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 28 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
💰 Finance Real Estate Investments Market Trends Mortgage Rates
  1. Home price growth has slowed down for seven months in a row. This suggests that the housing market is cooling off.
  2. Mortgage holders currently have a lot of equity, totaling $17.2 trillion in the U.S. This equity can sometimes be tapped for additional borrowing.
  3. Recent cuts to Fed rates might encourage more homeowners to use their home equity. This could lead to an increase in home equity withdrawals by homeowners.

World’s First Approval for Cultivated Beef, Chocolate Made From Air, and Jackfruit-Based Meat

Better Bioeconomy • 117 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🍲 Food & Drink Investments
  1. First approval for cultivated beef given in Israel, using a unique hybrid meat approach.
  2. Multus opens facility for affordable serum-free growth media for cultivated meat industry, easing industry progress.
  3. Imagindairy enhances dairy production with AI-led fermentation, aiming for cost-competitive animal-free products.

Biomemory - Enzymatic Data Storage

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Data Storage Startups Investments Biotechnology
  1. A French startup called Biomemory has raised $18 million for its new enzymatic data storage technology. This is surprising because other companies in the same field are struggling.
  2. Biomemory's first product includes a card that can encode data into DNA, specifically a message of 'Hello World!' using a unique encoding method. This method has some inefficiencies, as it uses more bases than necessary.
  3. The startup faces challenges with encoding data, particularly with homopolymers, which might complicate their technology. Future developments could look into improving these encoding issues.

Will all this AI investment pay off?

How the Hell • 98 implied HN points • 30 Jun 24
💰 Finance Investments AI Economics Market Trends Technology
  1. There's a big debate about whether the money being spent on AI will actually lead to good returns. Some think it's like the dotcom bubble, where lots of investments were made without solid profits.
  2. For AI investments to really pay off, AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) needs to be created, and it must come from the companies that investors are backing today. If it comes from new, unseen companies, current investors might not benefit.
  3. Many things need to align for investors to make money from AGI, like avoiding human extinction and ensuring that money still means something in a future shaped by AGI. The odds of everything working out perfectly are pretty low.

Data Update 5 for 2023: Pathways to Profitability

Musings on Markets • 439 implied HN points • 16 Feb 23
💰 Finance Profitability Investments Market Trends Economic Analysis Capital Structure
  1. A company's main goal is to make money, not just grow. Even businesses that do good need to be profitable to survive.
  2. Profit margins differ across industries and countries. Some sectors, like tech or energy, often show higher profits, while retail and airlines typically struggle.
  3. It's important for companies to earn more than their costs of capital. Many businesses are failing to meet this goal, meaning they need to rethink their financial strategies.

Understand All About SAFE | AI’s $200B Question: Long Term’s Good, Short Team Messy! | VC Remote Jobs and More

Venture Curator • 199 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
💼 Business Startups Venture Capital Investments Entrepreneurship Job Opportunities
  1. Understanding SAFE Agreement - No Debt and No Equity. A different funding option for startups that doesn't fit traditional categories.
  2. 5 Types of SAFE Notes explained with examples. Different scenarios of how a SAFE investment can convert and affect valuation.
  3. Considerations about AI and GPU investments. Long-term benefits versus short-term challenges in the AI industry, highlighting the need for innovative startups to create real value.

Letter #86: Jensen Huang (2004)

A Letter a Day • 196 implied HN points • 27 May 23
💼 Business Technology Investments Innovation Financial results
  1. Jensen Huang founded Nvidia in 1993 and helped revolutionize computer graphics with GPU technology.
  2. In 2004, Nvidia reached milestones like being first to market with programmable shaders and significant revenue growth in media and communication processors.
  3. Nvidia positioned itself as a leader in the Networked Digital Media Era, emphasizing on growth opportunities in GPU technology, media centers, mobile computing, and wireless handsets.

How to Find Founder-Market Fit

Startup Pirate by Alex Alexakis • 196 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Acquisitions Investments Jobs
  1. Founder-Market Fit is crucial for startup success - ensure you are well-suited for the market you are targeting.
  2. Assess market dynamics, business model, key activities, and industry culture to determine your fit in a specific market.
  3. If you face Founder-Market (un)Fit, consider solutions like finding a co-founder, getting social proof, building a strong executive team, or exploring new opportunities.

Letters #82/83: Evan Spiegel and Mitch Lasky (2014)

A Letter a Day • 196 implied HN points • 16 May 23
💼 Business Finance Technology Investments Companies Market Analysis
  1. Email exchange between Evan Spiegel and Mitch Lasky focused on financing, hiring, and communicating with Facebook
  2. Discussion on the importance of sustainable monetization before seeking high valuations and the need for strategic hiring for growth
  3. Insight into the market conditions, the importance of revenue generation, and Snapchat's focus on innovation and growth

Nvidia surpasses Apple to become the world’s most valuable company

philsiarri • 22 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
💼 Business Investments Market Trends Company Valuation Economic Impact
  1. Nvidia has become the world's most valuable company, surpassing Apple with a market cap of $3.43 trillion. This is a big deal in the tech world.
  2. Nvidia's technology in artificial intelligence, which helps train models like ChatGPT, is attracting huge investments. This investment push has helped Nvidia's value skyrocket past major competitors.
  3. Since late 2022, Nvidia’s stock price has increased by over 850%, and it's about to join the Dow Jones Industrial Average. That's a huge jump in a short amount of time!