Weekend Reading: BlackRock Set For Bitcoin Launch in Europe & Dimensional To Launch UCITS ETFs
Weekend Reading is a collection of Investment Research and Lifestyle topics from all corners of the Web. We source the highest quality insights from Wall Street and Main Street that you may apply to your investment process. Unlike the rest of Bankeronwheels.com, this series is provided without additional guidance. As usual, everything is to be used at your own risk. Below is the type of content we shortlist:
Once you’ve truly controlled your own fate, for better or for worse, you’ll never let anyone else tell you what to do.
Featured
UK’s Tier 1 Brokers: Which One Is The Best For You? (Banker on Wheels)
This is part 3 of Bankeronwheels.com’s Definitive Guide to choosing a Stock Broker in the UK. Investors born between the 60s and 80s want cost effective, safe and user-friendly platforms to facilitate investing and managing a lifetime of pension and ISA savings. They prefer long-standing firms, with a good track record in terms of both reputation and profitability. They care about strong customer service as their needs and aims are more complex. Today, our focus is on Tier 1 Brokers – classic, long-established brokers targeting the wealthier demographic in the UK.
Portfolio Construction
Asset Allocation
Choosing an asset allocation is a crucial investment decision, as it determines expected returns and risk exposure. During this episode, we uncover what this means, exploring topics such as why risk may not always be the best assessment method. We unpack the three factors that John Grable’s risk profiling framework considers: behavioural loss tolerance, the ability to take risk (which assesses the financial capacity to withstand losses without affecting lifestyle), and the need to take risk.
Understand Financial Markets
Historical Perspective on Where We Stand With Bonds (Vanguard)
Higher income returns helped spark positive performance across
most bond market sectors in 2024, despite a modest rise in
intermediate- and long-term yields. Lower-quality credit segments
outperformed, driven by favorable macroeconomic conditions and
robust investor demand.
The overall outlook for bonds in 2025 is notably positive. We
anticipate an era where interest rates remain above inflation, helping
investors achieve success in fixed income.
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How Often Are We in a Recession or Bear Market? (A Wealth of Common Sense)
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Stock-bond correlation and term premium (mrzepczynski)
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The Dynamics of Global Liquidity and Cycles with Michael Howell (Foundation for the Study of Cycles (FSC))
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Tariffs, Bear Markets and the Hidden Knowledge Worker Recession (Excess Returns)
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An Investigation into the Causes of Stock Market Return Deviations from Real Earnings Yields (SSRN)
How To Invest
Come Along For A Hike With Francesca: How to Start Investing In 10 Steps. (Banker on Wheels)
A while back I was on a hike with friends and after talking about some exciting topics like cycling the world, the conversation ended up drifting towards investing. Francesca and Joanna were buzzing about Index Funds, fresh on their radar. But both were reluctant to deploy money in the Stock Market. Francesca’s cash stash was gathering dust, while Joanna swore by her home’s value. I vowed to scout a list of ETFs for them. But, sharing our trail talk might just be the golden nugget you need. Diving into investing? It can feel like scaling a cliff. Here’s your roadmap: 10 punchy steps to kickstart your investment journey.
Active Investing
Factor Investing
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Reduce Bonds to Reduce Volatility (Italian Leather Sofa)
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Factor exposures vary by region across time (Verdad)
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Convexity – The Trend Following Game Changer! (Top Traders Unplugged)
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Equity market concentration and technological innovation are two hot topics for active equity investors today. This paper explores both. (AQR)
Discretionary Investing
In this wide-ranging discussion, Schwager shares stories from his early career as a market analyst in the 1970s, his transition to writing the influential Market Wizards series, and his personal journey understanding that his talents lay in analyzing and writing about trading rather than trading itself. Whether you’re a veteran trader or new to markets, this conversation offers timeless wisdom about successful trading, the entrepreneurial mindset required to succeed, and the importance of understanding your own strengths and limitations.
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DeepSeek and the sincerest form of flattery (JP Morgan)
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The Huge Optimization Space of Mean Reversion (Price Action Lab)
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Growth Predictions, Growth Surprises, and Equity Returns (Alpha Architect)
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Is It Time to Ditch International Stocks? (Alpha Architect)
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The Bermuda Triangle of Valuation (Aswath Damodaran)
Alternative Asset Classes
Vanguard private equity market outlook (Vanguard)
Private equity (PE) exit markets are on the path to recovery as global PE exit activity. For 2025, we maintain our view that exit
markets hold the key to reigniting the private capital life cycle. Long-term returns for PE compare favorably to public markets, even though the recent
run-up in technology stocks has helped propel public equities over the past several years.
Vanguard believes a diversified, global PE portfolio can outperform global public
equities over the long term.
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Dynamics Between Housing and Stock Markets: International Evidence over 1870 to 2015 (Taylor and Francis)
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Is Venture Capital Entirely Based on Luck? University of Chicago and Oxford Study (10X Capital Podcast)
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Consumer Lending Unlocked: Opportunities and Risks in a $27 Trillion Market (CFA Institute)
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Coffee’s run & how other Commodities Have Performed (Visual Capitalist)
Wall Street
ETFs
UCITS ETFs
Dimensional Fund Advisors plots European ETF entry (ETF Stream)
Dimensional Fund Advisors has begun recruiting UCITS ETF specialists ahead of its European ETF debut. Dimensional currently operates 243 mutual fund share classes in Europe, however, its low fee offering of quantitative investing and actively managed funds has seen it surge to among the largest issuers of active ETFs within years of entering the market in the US.
US ETFs
The “Rebalance Drag” Myth in Leveraged ETFs (Return Stacked)
When discussing exchange-traded funds (ETFs), especially those using leverage, you’ll often hear about “rebalance drag.” The real culprit is a well-known effect called variance drain, combined with the difference between simple average returns and actual compounded returns. Let’s break down why “rebalance drag” isn’t a real effect and what really matters for leveraged ETF performance.
Wealth Management
Personal Finance
Broker Reviews – Updated Banker on Wheels Methodology (Banker on Wheels)
When choosing a broker, investors face a myriad of considerations, from safety measures to fee structures and beyond. Bankeronwheels.com takes a unique approach to broker comparison, designed with the discerning investor in mind. Here’s how we guide you through making an informed decision: we focus on Wise Investors, we categorise brokers into 5 groups and
we provide safety considerations to help users make informed decisions. But, we have no safety sub-score.
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How To Be Less Anxious And Awkward About Money (Happier)
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The Uncomfortable Truth About Money: How to Live with Uncertainty and Learn to Think for Yourself (Talking Billions)
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Ten Tips for Raising Competent Adults Amidst Wealth (Wealth Management)
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How Small Business Can Transform Your Wealth (Next Big Idea)
(Early) Retirement
Financial Advice
Design Your Lifestyle
Personal Development
Why Reading Nassim Taleb Is Life Altering (Naoufal)
Nassim Taleb is one of the most influential and misunderstood thinkers of our era. Here is how his teachings changed my life.I talk about: Antifragility, Seek external stressors, The Lindy Effect, Flâneuring, The Barbell Strategy, FU Money, Surgeon shouldn’t look like Surgeons, Not all success is positive, Bottom-up VS Top-down, The Anti Library and Building a simple life
Careers & Entrepreneurship
Europe’s Most In-Demand Jobs by Online Listings (Visual Capitalist)
Looking to move to Europe and wondering what kind of jobs one could get there? We have some insights to share.This chart shows the most in-demand jobs in the EU, as sourced from a year’s worth of online job advertisements. Data for this graphic is from Eurostat which looked through hundreds of hiring websites in 2023. They warn that ads don’t automatically mean new jobs. Multiple advertisements could be counted for the same vacancy. Meanwhile, employers don’t always advertise for their vacancies, and sometimes advertise even when they don’t have vacancies.
Travel
Sakura on Wheels: 7 Reasons Why Japan’s Blooming Trails Are Your Next Adventure (Banker on Wheels)
Are you looking for magnificent rides with the best quality of food to refuel? Hot springs to relax after the ride? Even though Taiwan, as the cycling heart of Asia, ticks some of the boxes, Japan has even more to offer! After a hard to beat New Zealand, a friend from Uni told me to travel to Japan. If you can’t beat a country, you better choose one that is totally different. His argument – find yourself immersed in a completely exotic culture while having a few weeks of ‘luxury cycling’ before leaving again for the wild. Here are the 7 things I really miss after over 4,000 km on the road in the land of the rising sun.
Tech & Economy
Economy
Tech & Science
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Why AI Is Good for Humans (Econ Talk)
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I agree with OpenAI: You shouldn’t use other peoples’ work without permission (ARS Technica)
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DeepSeek – How a Chinese AI Startup Shook Silicon Valley (Patrick Boyle)
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ASML CEO: EUV Technology, Microchips and Long-term Mindset (Norges Bank Investment Management)
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Godfather of AI’ predicts it will take over the world (LBC)
And Finally
Good Luck and Keep’em* Rolling!
(* Wheels & Dividends)
Weekend Reading: BlackRock Set For Bitcoin Launch in Europe & Dimensional To Launch UCITS ETFs
Team Bankeronwheels
February 7, 2025
UK’s Tier 1 Brokers: Which One Is The Best For You?
Seth Dunn
February 6, 2025
Broker Reviews – Banker on Wheels Methodology
Raph Antoine
February 4, 2025
MSCI, FTSE or SOLACTIVE: Which Index Should Your Equity ETF Track?
Raph Antoine
February 4, 2025
Sakura on Wheels: 7 Reasons Why Japan’s Blooming Trails Are Your Next Adventure
Raph Antoine
February 3, 2025
Come Along For A Hike With Francesca: How to Start Investing In 10 Steps.
Raph Antoine
February 3, 2025
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DISCLAIMER
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