How much a stock's price changes over time is important for most investors, since price performance can both impact your investment portfolio and help you compare investment results across sectors and industries.

Another factor that can influence investors is FOMO, or the fear of missing out, especially with tech giants and popular consumer-facing stocks.

What if you'd invested in Apple (AAPL) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to AAPL for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?

Apple's Business In-Depth

With that in mind, let's take a look at Apple's main business drivers.

Apples business primarily runs around its flagship iPhone. However, the Services portfolio that includes revenues from cloud services, App store, Apple Music, AppleCare, Apple Pay, and licensing and other services now became the cash cow.

Moreover, non-iPhone devices like Apple Watch and AirPod gained significant traction. In fact, Apple dominates the Wearables and Hearables markets due to the growing adoption of Watch and AirPods. Solid uptake of Apple Watch also helped Apple strengthen its presence in the personal health monitoring space.

Apple is expanding non-iPhone portfolio with the launch of Apple Vision Pro a spatial computer that blends digital content with the physical world.

Headquartered in Cupertino, CA, Apple also designs, manufactures and sells iPad, MacBookand HomePod. These devices are powered by software applications including iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS operating systems.

Apples other services include subscription-based Apple News+, Apple Card, Apple Arcade, new Apple TV app, Apple TV channels and Apple TV+, a new subscription service.

In fiscal 2023, Apple generated $383.29 billion in total revenues. The companys flagship device iPhone accounted for 52.3% of total revenues. Services, Mac and iPad category contributed 22.2%, 7.7% and 7.4%, respectively. Wearables, Home and Accessories products category contributed 10.4%.

Apple primarily reports revenues on a geographic basis, namely the Americas (North & South America), Europe (European countries, India, Middle East and Africa), Greater China (China, Hong Kong & Taiwan), Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific (Australia & other Asian Countries).

In fiscal 2023, Americas, Europe, Greater China, Japan and Rest of Asia-Pacific accounted for 42.4%, 24.6%, 18.9%, 6.3% and 7.7% of total revenues, respectively.

Apple faces stiff competition from the likes of Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Google, Huawei and Motorola in the smartphone market. Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer and Asus are its primary competitors in the PC market. Other notable competitors are Google & Amazon (smart speakers) and Fitbit & Xiaomi (wearables).

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Bottom Line

While anyone can invest, building a lucrative investment portfolio takes research, patience, and a little bit of risk. If you had invested in Apple ten years ago, you're probably feeling pretty good about your investment today.

According to our calculations, a $1000 investment made in July 2014 would be worth $9,495.93, or an 849.59% gain, as of July 19, 2024. Investors should keep in mind that this return excludes dividends but includes price appreciation.

Compare this to the S&P 500's rally of 180.28% and gold's return of 79.01% over the same time frame.

Going forward, analysts are expecting more upside for AAPL.

Apples near-term prospects remain foggy due to sluggish China sales amid stiff competition. It expects the June quarters (third-quarter fiscal 2024) revenues to grow low-single-digit year over year. Unfavorable forex is expected to hurt revenues by 2.5%. Apple has been playing catch-up in the AI space compared with Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon, its peers in the magnificent seven group. Following the launch of Apple Intelligence, its competitive position is expected to improve. Moreover, Apple is benefiting from increasing customer engagement in the services segment. The expanding content portfolio of Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade helped drive subscriber growth. Apples top-line benefits from strong growth in emerging markets and growing adoption of its devices among enterprises.

Over the past four weeks, shares have rallied 6.92%, and there have been 3 higher earnings estimate revisions in the past two months for fiscal 2024 compared to none lower. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.

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Here's How Much a $1000 Investment in Apple Made 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today - Yahoo Finance

This translates into families in these counties receiving on average an additional $1,350 per household per year after Amazon opens a facility in their communities. In Arapahoe County, Colorado, for example, the median household income for families went up by $1,825 after Amazon opened a local fulfillment center. And the impacts go beyond family income. In the counties where Amazon invests, thousands of newly hired workers start contributing to the tax base and spending their money in local restaurants, movie theaters, grocery stores, and elsewhere. Local businesses see the downstream effects of the companys investments.

Excerpt from:
Household income and job numbers go up when Amazon invests in local communities, a new study says - About Amazon

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?

Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about ASML (ASML) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.

ASML currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.32, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 19 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.32 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.

Of the 19 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 16 are Strong Buy, representing 84.2% of all recommendations.

Brokerage Recommendation Trends for ASML

Check price target & stock forecast for ASML here>>>

While the ABR calls for buying ASML, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential.

Do you wonder why? As a result of the vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover, their analysts tend to rate it with a strong positive bias. According to our research, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations for every "Strong Sell" recommendation.

In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.

Zacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.

Zacks Rank Should Not Be Confused With ABR

In spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.

The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.

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Analysts employed by brokerage firms have been and continue to be overly optimistic with their recommendations. Since the ratings issued by these analysts are more favorable than their research would support because of the vested interest of their employers, they mislead investors far more often than they guide.

On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.

Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.

Is ASML Worth Investing In?

Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for ASML, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 0.9% over the past month to $20.30.

Analysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to soar in the near term.

The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for ASML. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Therefore, the Buy-equivalent ABR for ASML may serve as a useful guide for investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Think ASML (ASML) Is a Good Investment: Is It? - Yahoo Finance

This is a rare case where average-net worth individuals can make a better investing decision than the billionaires.

Stanley Druckenmiller is one of the richest people in the world, with a net worth of $6.2 billion as of this writing, according to the "Real-Time Billionaires List" from Forbes. And he was able to pad his numbers with an extremely timely investment in Nvidia (NVDA -2.61%).

In the fourth quarter of 2022, Druckenmiller bought over 580,000 shares of Nvidia for his investment firm Duquesne Family Office. As of the first quarter of 2024, he's reduced his stake in Nvidia down to about 176,000 shares. But that's after riding his position to enormous gains.

NVDA data by YCharts

Druckenmiller swapped out shares of one of the most valuable companies on earth -- Nvidia -- with shares in something that's on the other end of the spectrum entirely. A May filing revealed that Duquesne Family Office had purchased a position in the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM -0.51%), roughly valued at $700 million right now.

Most investors are aware of the S&P 500 -- an index of 500 of some of the largest companies on the stock market. But fewer are aware of the Russell 2000 index, which is for small-cap stocks. In short, Druckenmiller expects shares of smaller companies to generally perform well from here.

There's good reason to believe this. According to Yardeni Research, valuations for large-cap stocks and small-cap stocks were comparable before the pandemic. But right now, the average forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for the S&P 500 is about 22, whereas the forward P/E for the S&P SmallCap 600 is about 15 -- more than 30% cheaper.

Smart investors see this valuation gap between the big companies and the small ones. The small ones are being overlooked and are consequently cheap, which creates an opportunity that Druckenmiller apparently wants to exploit.

It may have been a timely bet. As the chart shows, performance for the Russell 2000 is quickly perking up, with the corresponding exchange-traded fund (ETF) jumping 13% in just the past month.

IWM data by YCharts

For investors looking to follow Druckenmiller's moves, they could buy shares of the iShares Russell 2000 ETF like he did. But remember that this is a bet on small-cap stocks in general. He likely made a generalized bet because he has too much money to invest. He can't pick individual small-cap stocks because he would acquire too big of a stake, running into regulatory issues and potentially moving the market.

By contrast, most regular investors can buy top small-cap stocks without worrying about controlling too much of the company. Identifying the best ideas in the small-cap space might be a better way to imitate Druckenmiller in this case. And I have three ideas for investors to consider: Xometry (XMTR -0.91%), Driven Brands (DRVN 1.14%), and PubMatic (PUBM 1.77%).

Xometry operates an online marketplace for the manufacturing industry and powers it with its artificial intelligence (AI) software. Without getting into the weeds, I believe that the numbers suggest that its AI-powered platform offers players in this space something special.

At the end of 2019, Xometry only had 11,500 active buyers total, and less than 300 of these spent more than $50,000 annually. But as of the first quarter of 2024, the company had 58,500 active buyers, with nearly 1,400 spending more than $50,000 annually. That's a lot of traction in a short time for a small platform. And it suggests that the platform is good enough to attract users.

Xometry has less than $500 million in annual revenue in a space valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars -- upside potential is likely if it's true that its platform offers users something better than what they're used to.

The company isn't profitable yet. But it's getting closer to positive cash flow with scale, which is why this is an interesting idea now. Once it's profitable, more investors will likely take notice, giving an advantage to investors today who noticed the improvement beforehand.

XMTR Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts

Driven Brands is a company that uses a roll-up strategy in the automotive space. It operates several different chains, including car washes, mechanic shops, and windshield repair. The idea is that by rolling up a bunch of companies under one parent company, it can benefit from brand recognition and economies of scale.

There are admittedly headwinds for Driven Brands right now. For example, in the first quarter of 2024, its car wash division accounted for 25% of revenue, but revenue in this segment was down about 8% year over year. And management only expects about 4% top-line growth for its business as a whole this year, which isn't very exciting.

Driven Brands has an enterprise value of $5 billion (for the record, this is technically a mid-cap stock, not a small-cap stock). And in 2024, management expects adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of at least $535 million. That means the company is valued at just 9 times its profits.

I mentioned enterprise value and EBITDA because these are metrics commonly used for companies with high levels of debt. Driven Brands has $2.9 billion in long-term debt, mostly because of its roll-up strategy. That's a heavy load, but it explains why it's cheap right now: Interest rates are up, lowering investor appetite for companies with debt.

I like Driven Brands because it operates boring businesses that are always in demand. And its strong adjusted profits make me comfortable with its debt. But if interest rates drop, I believe the market will give it more credit than it's giving it now. Economists believe it's increasingly likely that interest rates will drop before the end of 2024, which is why this is an idea to consider right now.

Finally, PubMatic is a programmatic advertising-technology (adtech) company that's as financially secure as any small-cap stock around. For investors worried about the economy, this is a small player that can press on through hard times.

Regarding its financial fortitude, PubMatic has $174 million in cash, equivalents, and short-term investments. The company doesn't have long-term debt and doesn't plan to. Moreover, it generates positive cash flow.

PubMatic is in a good place competitively as well. The company partners with publishers to get ad space sold. There are a lot of small players here. But with PubMatic's supply optimization product, it helps its customers go from many software providers to just two or three, leaving itself in the mix, of course.

Digital advertising is facing a slowdown as consumer spending cools. But this is routine from a macroeconomic perspective. Whether it's next week or next year, spending will rebound, and digital advertising will perk up, to PubMatic's benefit. And thanks to its financial fortitude, it can afford to calmly wait things out until then.

PubMatic's growth rate has accelerated recently, so I think this business will bounce back sooner rather than later. And that's why PubMatic joins Xometry and Driven Brands as smaller, undervalued companies I believe investors should consider buying now, following Druckenmiller's current conviction for small-cap stocks.

Link:
This Billionaire Predicted the Nvidia Stock Rally. Now He's Making a Prediction Elsewhere With an Investment That's Already Jumped 13% in the Last...

WASHINGTON (AP) Democrats are trying to offer political counterprograming to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, announcing $15 million to fund campaign operations in seven key swing states even as some in the party have urged President Joe Biden to bow out of Novembers election.

The Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday that it is investing $15 million in state parties, meant to help them open more field offices and bolster staffing. The funding will let them add to the 217 existing coordinated campaign offices working jointly for Bidens reelection bid and state parties that already employ 1,100-plus staffers in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the DNC said.

The investments will pump nearly $3 million into Wisconsin; nearly $2 million each into Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada; almost $1.5 million in Arizona; more than $1.2 million in North Carolina; and more than $1 million in Georgia.

The outlay was planned prior to former President Donald Trump being injured in an attempted assassination during his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, which prompted Biden and his campaign to temporarily shift its reelection strategy. Trump nonetheless is attending his partys convention and will accept his partys nomination on Thursday.

Trumps campaign has spent recent weeks opening field offices, including those targeting key constituencies, in conjunction with the Republican National Committee.

We have paid staffers and volunteer-powered field programs in every battleground state, and they are expanding daily, Trump campaign spokesman Karoline Leavitt said. Our aggressive and experienced operation is focused on turning out votes and highlighting the contrast between Trump and Biden.

The DNC for months has argued that its and the Biden campaigns growing on-the-ground operation could help swing an election expected to be close. Still, top Democrats are trying to move past questions from within their own party that have persisted about whether Biden is up to continuing to seek reelection in the weeks since his debate debacle and despite the races shifting dynamics after Trump was injured last weekend.

Biden and his team have furiously attempted to reassure jittery lawmakers and donors, as well as skeptical voters, that, at age 81, the Democratic president can still win in November and handle a second four-year term. Nearly 20 Democratic lawmakers have nonetheless publicly called on Biden to step aside.

What to know about the 2024 Election

The DNC said the investments will fund new field offices and help state parties get more accurate data and better coordinate party efforts for down-ballot races.

Democrats are leaving nothing to chance and investing heavily on the ground to ensure Joe Biden and Kamala Harris win this election, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement. This election was always going to be close, and regardless of beltway media narratives, the entire election is going to come down to operation and turnout in the battleground states.

Arizona Democratic Party chair Yolanda Bejarano said state officials and the Biden campaign opened a 15th coordinated campaign office in Arizona over the weekend, adding that, This election is going to be won at the doors, talking to people about the issues that they care about.

This is perfect timing from my vantage point, Bejarano said of the DNC investment. We need the resources to do the work, to hire organizers, to have town halls across the state, to get the message out through media buys.

Follow the APs coverage of the 2024 election at https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

Original post:
The Democratic National Committee says its investing $15 million in 7 swing state parties - The Associated Press

Cathie Wood continues to misjudge opportunities in innovation, prompting investors to look at these stocks

Cathie Wood is the founder and CEO of Ark Invest. Her firm has risen to prominence for its actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that focus on disruptive innovation. Despite the success of some of her ETFs, especially in the early years, its hard to assert that Wood has been correct about innovation stocks. Ark Invest hasdestroyed more than $14 billion in wealthover the past decade.

Woods Ark Invest portfolio has providednegative 16% returns over the past 12 months.Thats especially concerning given theperformance of theS&P 500over the same period, up nearly 25%.

The performance of Ark Invest is less a condemnation of innovation and more so a condemnation of Cathie Woods investment prowess. Innovation has produced AI that is responsible for so much of the strength throughout markets today. Nevertheless, Woods style of innovation investing should prompt investors to consider safer choices that are less dependent on innovation overall.

Source: IgorGolovniov / Shutterstock.com

Coca-Cola(NYSE:KO) continues to be an all-weather stock that performs well almost regardless of market dynamics. It is one of the least volatile mega-cap stocks with a beta of 0.59. Its also a known consumer staple and a defensive stalwart that provides safety when the broader market enters periodic turmoil.

Coca-Cola, though,isnt simplya boring brand pumping out the same cash cow products year after year.There is innovation occurringwithin the company. Step foot into a convenience store anywhere globally and you will instantly recognize the investment Coca-Cola makes in R&D. The company is constantly experimenting with new flavors and packaging while expanding into new emerging markets.

All of thatcontinued tweaking of the product mix is made possible by highmarginson core products. Coca-Colas invaluable brand drives premium prices that make everything possible.That includes astrongdividend for shareholderswhich is oneof the primary reasons to consider investing.

Source: IgorGolovniov / Shutterstock.com

Alphabet(NASDAQ:GOOG,GOOGL) iscertainlyan innovative company.And certainlythe poor performance of Cathie Woodshouldnt deter investors from investing in innovation. Yet,Google is really a simple company at its core and not the most innovative firm overall.That makes it a good choicein relation tothis discussion.

Google isessentiallyan advertising company.Most of the innovation associated with Google isgoing onthrough the other bets segmentof the firm. Itsa minor contribution to thesuccess of the company.Google, essentially a search platform, lives and dies byadvertising revenues.

Those ad revenues are primarily driven through the search bar and to a lesser degree through YouTube and the Google Network. Yes, Google does continue to grow its Cloud offering which falls under the umbrella of innovation but its simple ad revenue that drives results.

And thats fine. Its what makes Google so strong when macroeconomic trends become favorable.With rate cuts expected late this yeartheres a reason to believeGoogles ad revenues will continue to strengthen, likely rapidly at the end of the year.

Source: Michael Gordon / Shutterstock.com

Exxon Mobil(NYSE:XOM) stock is heavily influenced bythe price of oil.If oil prices rise, Exxon Mobil could see increased profitability andpotentiallya higher stock price. Investors who believe oil prices will rebound could benefit from this.

While thats an obvious statement there is a general sense that peak oil consumption has already occurred and prices will fall.Many bearscontinue to believe that yetING sees pricescontinuing upwardthrough the third quarter.

Its logical to assume that Exxon Mobils share price will rise as a consequence although the correlation is not so simple.

Overall it suggests that ExxonMobil will perform well in the second half of 2024. Investors should also consider that ExxonMobil will continue to perform well as it invests in the newfuture of energy. The company has a history ofstronginvestment performance and tends tocreate value from invested capital.

I hopethat meansthe company can successfully navigate the clean energy transition and produce shareholder returns in the process.

On thedate of publication, Alex Sirois did not have (eitherdirectly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

On thedate of publication, the responsible editor held a long position in GOOG.

Alex Sirois is a freelance contributor to InvestorPlace whose personal stock investing style is focused on long-term, buy-and-hold, wealth-building stock picks. Having worked in several industries from e-commerce to translation to education and utilizing his MBA from George Washington University, he brings a diverse set of skills through which he filters his writing.

The rest is here:
Cathie Wood Was Wrong About Innovation: 3 Stocks to Invest In Instead - InvestorPlace

If you're going to invest in gold right now, make sure you understand which gold assets make the most sense. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Gold investing has been top of mind for many investors over the last few years. After all, when inflation and other economic issues are looming, investors tend to turn to safe-haven assetslike gold to protect their wealth and mitigate losses from more volatile assets. But the unique benefits that gold offers in uncertain economic climates haven't been the only draw recently.

Gold prices have soared since the start of 2024. The first milestone occurred in March when prices touched $2,160 per troy ounce up by about 8% compared to the previous high. The price of gold then climbed to nearly $2,260 per ounce on April 1 before notching yet another record in late May. And earlier this week, gold reached a new pinnacle when the price climbed to over $2,472 per ounce.

Prices have ebbed since then, but gold remains elevated today. In turn, you may be thinking about investing to capitalize on any future price growth. But given the recent price run, is gold and1-ounce gold bars, in particular still a prudent investment option? Here's what to know.

Start comparing the gold investing options available to you here.

There are a few compelling reasons to add 1-ounce gold bars to your investment strategy right now:

While gold's price is high overall, 1-ounce gold bars are a viable entry point for many investors. These compact units offer a more manageable way to add precious metals to your portfolio, bridging the gap between prohibitively expensive larger bullion and less substantial smaller denominations. And their standardized size allows for incremental portfolio diversification, enabling you to gradually build your gold holdings in line with your financial capacity and risk tolerance.

Learn more about the many benefits that gold investing can offer you today.

Gold is typically considered a longer-term investment. However, there is still room for short-term growth, as the recent price trajectory indicates. All it takes is the right economic environment for that to happen. And many experts think there's still room for more price growth. So while there are no guarantees, if you buy into 1-ounce bars now, you may be able to capitalize on any future appreciation.

Inflation is cooling, but it hasn't hit the Federal Reserve's 2% target rate yet. And like all gold investments, 1-ounce bars can serve as a hedge against inflation. That means buying in now, while inflation remains high, could deliver big benefits. After all, the value of 1-ounce gold bars (and other gold investments) tends to rise alongside increases in the cost of living, helping to preserve your purchasing power.

Gold is considered a liquid asset, but certain types of gold investments, like 1-ounce gold bars, are more liquid than others and are easily tradable. That's because the standard size and weight of these gold bars make themeasy to sell when needed. With 1-ounce bars, you also have the flexibility to sell a portion of your gold holdings without liquidating your entire investment. This can be advantageous for managing cash flow or rebalancing your portfolio.

Proper storage and insurance for physical gold can incur ongoing costs, even when you purchase gold in smaller denominations. However, the compact size of 1-ounce bars makes it easier to store your gold securely at home or in a safe deposit box. They're also more portable than larger bars if you need to transport them.

The gold market isn't immune to scams, and counterfeit gold bars can be an issue. While you should still ensure you're purchasing from reputable dealers to avoid potential counterfeits, the standard size and weight of 1-ounce bars can make them easier to authenticate compared to larger bars. That, in turn, can potentially reduce the risk of buying counterfeit gold bars.

As gold prices continue to sit near historic highs, 1-ounce gold bars present an intriguing option for investors. These bars offer a combination of accessibility, liquidity and potential for appreciation, which can make them an attractive choice for those looking to diversify their portfolios or hedge against economic uncertainties.

As with any investment decision, though, it's crucial to align your choice with your financial goals and risk tolerance. After all, the recent gold price trajectory may offer the potential for further gains, but it also increases the importance of careful timing and consideration for your investment.

Angelica Leicht is senior editor for Managing Your Money, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing roles at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications.

Read this article:
Gold prices remain elevated. Should you invest in 1-ounce gold bars now? - CBS News

No country has achieved high income without manufacturing. Resource-rich countries can rely on exporting commodities, such as oil and gas, but if they lack manufacturing, they risk falling behind once the resources run out or demand dries up in the transition to clean energy.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Malaysia employed import substitution to promote manufacturing. From the 1980s, it switched to an export-driven growth model, pursuing foreign direct investment, namely the import of capital and technology from foreign firms, notably in electronics. While this enjoyed some success, the investments did not always lead to stronger manufacturing and supply chains.

09:13

Malaysias transport minister eyes partnerships with China to drive infrastructure goals

Malaysias transport minister eyes partnerships with China to drive infrastructure goals

Malaysias industrialisation push took place as China was opening up, offering cheaper land, labour and a vast domestic market. China, too, relied on foreign direct investment to build its manufacturing. As they learned by doing, Chinese manufacturers supported by a well-educated workforce, an enormous pool of engineers and efficient logistics became increasingly competitive.

Malaysia, however, continues to be held back by an affirmative action programme privileging majority Malays over minority Chinese and Indians.

The latest audit report has unearthed such diversions from good governance involving billions of ringgits, and it is all public funds. Such leakages, diversions, and pilferings must be seriously tackled, she said. There are those among whom we entrust with looking after key areas of national interests who have betrayed that trust. They have been found to be negligent, remiss, incompetent and downright corrupt, with blatant abuses of authority.

11:20

The legacy of Malaysias 1MDB scandal on politics and corruption-fighting

The legacy of Malaysias 1MDB scandal on politics and corruption-fighting

Malaysia seeks to capture a share of the supply chain assumed to be leaving China because of the trade war. But that hope may be in vain. Even as China has moved up the value chain, it remains competitive in low-value sectors. It enjoys many advantages in size, productivity, infrastructure quality and industrial ecosystems.

It is extremely difficult to compete against Chinese factories on speed, cost or quality, and it makes no sense for them to outsource or relocate to a country lacking skilled manpower. Chinese entrepreneurs go where they can make a reasonable profit. Malaysias nation-building woes stem from weak governance outsiders are not in a position to remedy this.

Dr Michael Tai is research associate at the Institute of China Studies at the University of Malaya and a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society

Read more from the original source:
Chinese investment wont cure the cancer plaguing Malaysias economy - South China Morning Post

To the Editor:

Re Why Medical Students Are Shunning Pediatrics, by Aaron E. Carroll (Opinion guest essay, July 7):

The dwindling number of physicians choosing to pursue pediatrics is a grave concern to me as a pediatric resident physician, particularly given the increasing number of children with complex medical needs and chronic conditions.

Soaring rates of pediatric mental health challenges have also strained the general pediatricians who navigate providing care in busy clinic schedules while our patients wait months to see psychiatrists or developmental pediatricians.

Dr. Carroll notes that low reimbursement for pediatric care is a key reason for lack of interest in the specialty, with about half of American children insured by Medicaid or CHIP. The evidence is clear that health in childhood predicts health later in life.

Pediatricians have the opportunity to address issues that can lead to lifelong health challenges early, from diabetes to substance use, ultimately saving the health care system money.

If our lawmakers desire a healthier population, pediatric health care is a worthwhile investment.

Natalie LaBossier Philadelphia

To the Editor:

Thank you to Dr. Aaron Carroll for sounding the alarm about the impending shortage of pediatricians in this country. In his essay, Dr. Carroll rightly points to low compensation, compared with other specialties, to explain this phenomenon and cites inadequate Medicaid reimbursement as a main driver.

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Opinion | Investing in Pediatric Care - The New York Times

A reader asks:

As someone that spends too much time thinking about buying a lake house, I would love to hear your thoughts. The argument that you will feel tied down and obligated to go to the lake house at the expense of other travel worries me.

A few weeks ago I wrote about my all-time high in savings and why it was a mistake. Heres something I shared:

But I no longer feel its necessary to go over and above when it comes to saving. I want to enjoy some of my money now while I can.

Thats the biggest reason our savings fell off a little in 2022 and 2023. We took a bunch of trips. We did some minor renovations to the house that added hangout spaces. We bought a boat. We own a lake house.

A few people asked if I would share my experience of owning a vacation house.

Were in a fortunate position to own a house on the lake but there was also some fortuitous timing involved along with some risk.

Our oldest daughter was 3 years old when our twins were born in 2017. We quickly realized travel was going to be nearly impossible what with all the car seats, strollers, pack-n-plays and such.

That same year our good friends were building a house on a lake so we got to spend some time in a new area. We loved it. And it just so happened that a brand new development was getting underway right on the water.

We had always discussed buying a lake house someday but never explored it too seriously until we saw this place. There were plans for a community pool, a marina, and a restaurant (that never happened), but the development was still in its infancy, so lots werent selling all that quickly. It was a risk, and prices reflected that.

We got a really good deal in 2018 and built a wonderful place right by the water. As they slowly but surely added more homes we decided we would eventually trade up when the second phase got underway and lots with better views opened up. Those conversations with the builder took place starting in 2019.

Then the pandemic hit. Plans to build more houses were shelved because of the supply chain issues. Our house skyrocketed in value. By the time we sold it in 2022, it was up ~75% in less than four years.

We used that equity to buy a new house in a better location with better lake views. The timing of that purchase will be the best investment well ever make.

The builder allowed us to lock in the price in late-2021, which was still reasonable at the time. The lender allowed us to lock in a rate before the construction even started when mortgage rates were still 3%. The house took 18 months to build as the construction industry slowly thawed. By the time it was done in the spring of 2023 mortgage rates were approaching 7% while the price of houses exactly like ours were going for 50% more than we paid.1

If you just base it on the down payments we made, were talking Nvidia-like returns here. Sure, we took some risk by buying one of the first homes in a new development but we got very lucky with how the timing of everything worked out.

Id call it 20% the risk we took2 and 80% luck.

Thats our story. Now lets discuss some pros and cons of owning a vacation home.

Lets start with the cons:

Two mortgages.Obviously, its more expensive.

Higher property taxes.The property taxes on a second home are much higher than a primary residence. The property taxes on our vacation house are roughly double what we pay on our primary home.

The upkeep. Taking care of another property when you dont live there full-time an be challenging.

Luckily, were part of an association that handles landscaping, snow removal and upkeep. Thats another monthly cost (even though its worth it).

Its also a pain to take deliveries and get things serviced since youre not there all the time.

Usage. I saw a statistic estimating that people spend an average of about six weeks a year in their vacation homes.

Were higher than that (it helps that our place is only an hour away from home base) butsome people might not use it enough to justify the cost.

I love going to the lake most weekends but some people might prefer more variety.

Concentration risk.Owning multiple homes makes you concentrated in the housing market. We have a big chunk of our net worth invested in Michigan real estate.

Im OK with this risk but its a risk nonetheless.

Now for the benefits:

It feels like a vacation every time. The anticipation of a vacation often gives you the biggest psychological boost. I get that feeling on a weekly basis in the summer.

I still get excited every time we head north.

More time spent outdoors.We spend far less time indoors looking at our phones, social media or television.

Our kids are outside all the time swimming, boating, fishing, going for walks, playing on the beach, going for bike rides, etc.

We could do more of this at home, but having a lake house forces you to be outside more.

You could rent it out.Our association doesnt allow Airbnbs and the like but I know some people who own a second home who rent it out to help cover the costs.

Remote semi-retirement. My job affords me the flexibility to work from anywhere.

We often extend our weekends in the summer to spend Friday-Monday at the lake. We were there for ten days around the 4th of July.

The ability to combine work with relaxation and fun is one of my favorite parts of having another place.

The water.Being around water puts me in a better mood.

[my happy place]

Its also a valuable selling point as an investment. A friend told me a house on the water will never go down in value.

This is an exaggeration but probably right 90% of the time.

The memories. Buying a second home was the best/luckiest financial decision weve ever made.

But even if we lost money on our second house experiment, the investment would have been worth it.

Were creating memories that will last a lifetime and its hard to put a price on that.

The best thing about having a vacation home is that it provides an excuse to spend more time with friends and family.

I discussed this question on Ask the Compound:

Bill Sweet joined me on the show to discuss questions about executing a die with zero retirement strategy, changing tax status on your tax return, tax-optimizing your retirement distributions and muni bond funds.

Further Reading: My All-Time High in Savings

1Prices caught up in a hurry. The first-mover advantage helped here too.

2We had a few friends, family members and unnamed financial advisors try to talk us out of it. Im glad they didnt.

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The Best Investment I Ever Made (the Pros & Cons of Owning a Vacation Home) - A Wealth of Common Sense