Good day valued readers,

We hope this week's carefully curated selection of news finds you well. In this edition, we cover the latest developments across investing, finance, crypto, AI, and other topics to help you stay informed.

As always, our goal is to provide you with a professional, unbiased roundup of noteworthy news to augment your understanding of what's happening in the world. We take pride in hand-selecting articles from trustworthy sources across a diverse range of industries.

Please enjoy this week's newsletter. We're grateful for the opportunity to share these insights with you and look forward to continuing to be a valuable resource.

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Investing and Finance

This week, we analyzed diverse stories shaping the global economy, from India's potential Asian tiger emergence to warnings around impending "Boomer retirement" crises. Consumer trends revealed controversial "shrinkflation" of products like Easter eggs, even as millennial entrepreneurial couples generated over $400,000 in annual income across multiple revenue streams. Corporate headwinds persisted - Tesla disappointed with falling deliveries, Intel revealed $7 billion foundry losses, and the "Magnificent Seven" tech giants faced growth doubts. However, bright spots emerged in Micron stock surging on analyst upgrades and Shein's doubling profits ahead of an IPO.

Individuals monetized opportunities too, with a 36-year-old earning $77,000 in Etsy passive income. Major deals saw Ryan Reynolds-backed Nuvei accepting a $6.3 billion private buyout, while Google agreed to purge browsing data settling a privacy lawsuit. Regionally, the World Bank highlighted Asia's outpaced growth, even as billionaire author Robert Kiyosaki critiqued retirement planning. From content monetization to "shrinkflation," consumerism's evolution charted new frontiers. Now let's dive deeper into the economic currents, corporate maneuvers and societal forces shaping this pivotal moment for globalization.

1. How India could become an Asian tiger - Read more

2. R. Kiyosaki reveals why ‘Boomer retirements’ are going broke - Read more

3. ‘Shrinkflation’ is coming for your Easter egg - Read more

4. Millennial couple’s 6 income streams bring in $420,000 a year: ‘You only get as far as your efforts’ - Read more

5. Shein profits double to over $2bn ahead of planned listing - Read more

6. Is The Ride of The Magnificent Seven Over? - Read more

7. Micron Stock Surges to Record High After Bank of America Analysts Raise Price Target - Read more

8. 36-year-old brought in $77,000 in passive income from Etsy in 2023 - Read more

9. East Asia and Pacific Region Is Growing Faster Than Rest of World, Says World Bank - Read more

10. Ryan Reynolds-Backed Nuvei Reaches $6.3B Deal To Be Taken Private by Advent International - Read more

11. Google Says It Will Destroy Web Browsing Data to Settle ‘Incognito’ Lawsuit - Read more

12. Tesla Stock Tumbles as Q1 Deliveries Fall 8.5% From a Year Earlier - Read more

13. Forbes has released its list of the world's billionaires - Read more

14. Intel shares fall after company reveals $7 billion operating loss in foundry business - Read more

15. Spotify Stock Surges on Report It Plans Price Hikes, Subscription Plan Changes - Read more

Crypto News

This week, the crypto markets saw both milestones and setbacks amid continued price volatility. Coinbase advanced Ethereum scaling by integrating USDC with layer-2 solutions, while Bitwise filed for a spot Ether ETF listing. Solana surged but Bitcoin's rally appeared to stall, even as Mike Novogratz projected BTC tapping an $84 trillion market. However, an economist declared gold superior, underscoring crypto's polarizing narratives. Dogecoin cleared $0.20 for the first time since 2021, but hacks and scams still drained $336 million in Q1.

Institutionally, VC funding jumped over 50% in March as funds like Paradigm reportedly raised $850 million. Major ecosystem developments unfolded - Tether completed a "gold standard" audit, Telegram launched TON payments for ads, and Ripple announced a USD stablecoin rivaling Tether's dominance. Trading volumes also soared, with Bitcoin ETFs tripling to $111 billion in March. Amidst the frenzied market and regulatory backdrop, ClearBank partnered with Coinbase to post its first full-year profit. Now let's delve into this pivotal period crystallizing crypto's path toward mainstream integration or decentralization.

1. Coinbase Advances Crypto Industry by Integrating USDC Accounts with Ethereum’s Layer-2 Blockchain Base - Read more

2. Bitwise files with SEC for spot Ether ETF listing - Read more

3. Solana (SOL) Continues To Soar – How High Can It Go? - Read more

4. Bitcoin Tapping Into $84,000,000,000,000 Market, BTC Adoption Now Overwhelming: Billionaire Mike Novogratz - Read more

5. US economist declares gold superior to Bitcoin; Here’s why - Read more

6. Dogecoin Jumps 10% to Clear $0.20 for First Time Since 2021 - Read more

7. Crypto losses due to hacks and scams hit $336 million in Q1: Immunefi - Read more

8. Telegram Launches Toncoin Payments for Ads, Shares Revenue with Channel Owners - Read more

9. Tether completes ‘gold standard’ security audit - Read more

10. Crypto Venture Capital Fundraising Jumped Over 50% in March Amid Rally - Read more

11. Spot Bitcoin ETF trading volume tripled in March to $111 billion - Read more

12. Paradigm in talks of raising up to $850 million for new crypto fund - Read more

13. Coinbase partner ClearBank posts first full year of profit as revenue almost doubles - Read more

14. Stablecoin Expansion Continues as Bitcoin Rally Appears to Stall - Read more

15. Ripple to launch U.S. dollar stablecoin, taking on a $150 billion market dominated by Tether - Read more

Artificial Intelligence

This week, AI's rapid advance continued disrupting multiple sectors, from coding to creative arts as developers integrated generative models into workflows. However, the breakneck pace raised societal concerns - Congress banned staff from using Microsoft's Copilot while experts warned focusing too narrowly on an AI "apocalypse" misses more nuanced risks. Major investments flowed, with OpenAI and Microsoft reportedly planning a $100 billion AI supercomputer datacenter. Yet sustainability issues loom, as AI systems already consume as much energy as small countries.

Regulatory tensions emerged too, as Amazon offered AI startup credits but Stability AI allegedly couldn't cover cloud GPU rental bills. Nonetheless, novel AI applications proliferated, from emotion-reading persuasive models to crypto exchanges launching in South Korea. Business schools raced to incorporate AI curriculums, while wearable devices hinted at smartphone obsolescence. High-profile figures like Elon Musk touted Grok's upgraded coding and math skills amidst the AI arms race. Financially, a new class of billionaires profited, even as fears grew over human creators' future job prospects. Now let's examine this pivotal technological shift reshaping economies, education and entire industries.

1. How AI assistants are already changing the way code gets made - Read more

2. Don't Rush to Appoint a Chief AI Officer - Read more

3. Google.org launches $20M generative AI accelerator program - Read more

4. Elon Musk's updated Grok AI claims to be better at coding and math - Read more

5. OpenAI and Microsoft reportedly planning $100 billion datacenter project for an AI supercomputer - Read more

6. 5 insane AI websites you cannot miss in 2024 - Read more

7. AI already uses as much energy as a small country. It’s only the beginning. - Read more

8. Microsoft and OpenAI Reportedly Building $100 Billion Secret Supercomputer to Train Advanced AI - Read more

9. Replacement of human artists by AI systems in creative industries - Read more

10. Wearable AI: will it put our smartphones out of fashion? - Read more

11. Scoop: Congress bans staff use of Microsoft's AI Copilot - Read more

12. We’re Focusing on the Wrong Kind of AI Apocalypse - Read more

13. Start using ChatGPT instantly - Read more

14. Crypto.com to launch platform in South Korea following local exchange acquisition - Read more

15. GPT-4 is 82% more persuasive than humans, and AIs can now read emotions - Read more

16. The Billionaires Getting Rich From AI 2024 - Read more

17. Amazon offers free credits for startups to use AI models including Anthropic - Read more

18. Brave is launching its AI assistant on iPhone and iPad - Read more

19. Business Schools Are Going All In on AI - Read more

20. Stability AI reportedly ran out of cash to pay its bills for rented cloudy GPUs - Read more

Top Article Picks this week

In this edition, we delve into thought-provoking topics that touch on personal growth, societal trends, and intriguing mysteries. Wharton psychologist Adam Grant sheds light on the balance between 'hustling' and self-care. Discover 9 simple phrases from a happiness expert that can instantly brighten someone's day. The ongoing debate about kids' smartphone usage is explored, questioning if we can effectively reduce it. Bestselling authors suggest ditching long-term plans for happiness and discuss the rising debt crisis. Is starting a blog still worth it in 2024? We investigate.

Tips on finding your community and 'your people' are shared, along with a personal journey of making $2,000 in a week through eBook writing. The debate on screen time for children and when it becomes excessive is considered. Every subscription you can cancel by going to the library is detailed. Considering a doctorate instead of a tech job and its implications, we explore the impact of optimistic storytelling and 'protopias'. Why is there so much lead in American food? This question prompts further inquiry. Are we morally obligated to meditate? The discussion continues.

People feel financially worse off than their parents, despite believing their kids will fare better. Why is our brain wired for pessimism, and what can we do to fix it? The declining nutrients in vegetables raise concerns. Lastly, how can behavioral science help us find meaning in our work? Join us as we delve into these diverse topics and more, aiming to spark curiosity, inspire growth, and uncover the wonders of our world and beyond.

Can We Get Kids Off Smartphones? discusses the mental health crisis affecting Gen Z youth, likely caused by being overly sheltered offline but under-protected online. Social media and smartphones took off during a critical stage of their psychological development, exposing them to relentless social comparison that damaged self-esteem. Lack of unstructured free play, driven by parental safety fears, deprived them of chances to develop coping skills. The author, Jonathan Haidt, recommends no smartphones before high school, no social media until 16, phone bans in schools, and more unsupervised play.

However, achieving a community-wide commitment to these changes is difficult, especially in large cities where many parents are uninformed or can't coordinate. Schools enforcing no-phone policies report major benefits, but face opposition from some parents anxious to monitor their kids. Giving kids more independence to roam entails reversing decades of privatization of public spaces and road designs favoring cars over pedestrians. The article closes with the author's efforts to provide her young kids ample free play to develop self-reliance before the smartphone age. Read more in article No.3 below.

1. Wharton psychologist Adam Grant: ‘Hustling’ and taking care of yourself aren’t mutually exclusive (Reading time: 2 min) - Read it here

2. Use these 9 little phrases to ‘instantly brighten’ someone’s day, says happiness expert (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

3. Can We Get Kids Off Smartphones? (Reading time: 16 min) - Read it here

4. Want to be happier? Ditch your 10-year plan and do this instead, bestselling author says (Reading time: 3 min) - Read it here

5. We’re More in Debt than Ever. What Now? (Reading time: 6 min) - Read it here

6. Is it worth it to start a blog in 2024? (Reading time: 10 min) - Read it here

7. How to Find Your People (Reading time: 7 min) - Read it here

8. Screen Time for Kids Is Fine! Unless It's Not (Reading time: 7 min) - Read it here

9. How I Made $2,000 in 1 Week by Writing an eBook (Reading time: 12 min) - Read it here

10. Every subscription you can cancel by going to the library (Reading time: 4 min) - Read it here

11. Getting A Doctorate Degree Instead Of A Fancy Tech Job (Reading time: 7 min) - Read it here

12. The Story That’s Sold (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

13. Getting Too Good at the Wrong Thing (Reading time: 3 min) - Read it here

14. Why is there so much lead in American food? (Reading time: 13 min) - Read it here

15. Dystopias are so 2020. Meet the new protopias that show a hopeful future (Reading time: 4 min) - Read it here

16. Are We Morally Obligated to Meditate? (Reading time: 13 min) - Read it here

17. People feel financially worse off than their parents - but say their kids will be better off (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

18. Why Your Brain is Wired for Pessimism - and What You Can Do to Fix It (Reading time: 6 min) - Read it here

19. Vegetables Are Losing Their Nutrients. Can the Decline Be Reversed? (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

20. How Behavioral Science Can Help Us Find Meaning in Our Work (Reading time: 13 min) - Read it here

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Book of the week

Robert Greene's "Mastery" provides an insightful and practical roadmap for achieving mastery in any field through dedicated apprenticeship, embrace of life's challenges, and cultivation of unique creative thinking. Drawing wisdom from the lives of historical masters like Leonardo da Vinci and contemporary icons, the book illustrates universal principles for attaining mastery. The key themes revolve around finding your life's calling, immersing yourself in rigorous study, confronting psychological resistances, and seeing yourself as a lifelong student.

Greene's engaging storytelling and analysis make the abstract concept of mastery feel tangible and attainable. While comprehensive, the book can feel repetitive at times reinforcing the same core ideas through different examples. The profiles of contemporary masters provide fascinating insights into their unique paths and mindsets. Some readers may find Greene's perspectives a bit too instrumentalist, seeming to value mastery primarily for its utility over pure passion.

The book's historical scope and synthesis of ideas from multiple disciplines is impressively researched and integrated. The typesetting and book design effectively complement the content with clarity and aesthetic appeal. Overall, "Mastery" serves as an empowering, motivational guide for anyone seeking higher levels of excellence and self-actualization in their craft.

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