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.

Read time: 7 minutes

Sign Up to this newsletter.

Image of the week

Investing and Finance

In this weekly newsletter, we bring you a curated selection of the most captivating financial and business stories from around the globe. Delve into the future of interest rates through the lens of recent Fed official comments. Witness the tech industry's Q1 job cuts, including layoffs by Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Celebrate IBM's centennial anniversary and Lockheed Martin's $4.1B missile defense contract win. Explore the implications of China's reported directive to telecom firms to phase out foreign chips, impacting Intel and AMD stocks.

Gain insights into the housing market as renters lose hope of buying homes amidst rising prices and mortgage rates. Discover BlackRock's record $10.47 trillion in assets, fueled by the stock rally's impact on Q1 earnings. Unravel the rush for gold bars at Costco, with experts warning of 'mob mentality' over sound investment. Unveil the exclusive Google contract with Israel's Defense Ministry and Serena Williams' net worth, businesses, and investments.

Brace for Tesla's plans to lay off over 10% of its global workforce, as revealed in Elon Musk's memo. Analyze consumers' heavy spending in March, fueling an already hot economy. Finally, celebrate Samsung's overtaking of Apple as the world's top smartphone provider.

1. What Recent Fed Official Comments Tell Us About the Future of Interest Rates - Read more

2. Tech Industry Leads Q1 Job Cuts After Layoffs by Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Others - Read more

3. 100 Years Ago, IBM Was Born - Read more

4. Lockheed Martin on Radar After Winning $4.1B Missile Defense Agency Contract - Read more

5. Intel, AMD Stocks Fall as China Reportedly Tells Telecom Firms to Phase Out Foreign Chips - Read more

6. Renters Lose Hope Of Buying Homes As Prices And Mortgage Rates Rise - Read more

7. BlackRock Assets Hit Record $10.47 Trillion as Stock Rally Fuels Q1 Earnings - Read more

8. Costco keeps selling out of gold bars. Experts warn rush is more ‘mob mentality’ than sound investment decision - Read more

9. Exclusive: Google Contract Shows Deal With Israel Defense Ministry - Read more

10. Serena Williams' Net Worth, Businesses, and Investments - Read more

11. Tesla will lay off more than 10% of global workforce: Read the Elon Musk memo - Read more

12. Consumers Spent Heavily In March, Fueling An Already Hot Economy - Read more

13. Samsung Overtakes Apple as World's Top Smartphone Provider - Read more

Crypto News

In this weekly newsletter, we delve into the exciting world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Explore the BIS and seven central banks' collaborative Project Agora, which aims to explore asset tokenization. Discover Galaxy Digital's plans to launch a $100 million fund for early-stage crypto companies, fostering innovation in the industry.

Unravel the motivations behind Ripple's launch of a stablecoin and gain insights into the highly anticipated Bitcoin halving event, with just one week remaining in the countdown. Witness Anza's proposed congestion fixes for the Solana devnet and their call for validators to upgrade on the testnet.

Hong Kong takes a significant step towards becoming a crypto hub by approving the first batch of spot bitcoin and ether ETFs. Coinbase's request for an interlocutory appeal over the SEC's 'controlling question' highlights the ongoing regulatory challenges in the industry.

Explore the potential of Bitcoin as the best savings tool after the upcoming halving event. Hong Kong's approval of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs marks a milestone in its drive to become a crypto hub. Finally, delve into the epic 28,372% inflow surge witnessed by Cardano (ADA) and speculate on where this momentum might lead.

1. BIS and 7 central banks to explore asset tokenization through Project Agora - Read more

2. Galaxy Digital to launch $100 million fund for early-stage crypto companies - Read more

3. Why Ripple Is Launching a Stablecoin - Read more

4. Bitcoin’s halving countdown continues with one week to go - Read more

5. Anza releases proposed congestion fixes on Solana devnet, asks validators to upgrade on testnet - Read more

6. Hong Kong approves first batch of spot bitcoin, ether ETFs in drive to become crypto hub - Read more

7. Coinbase requests interlocutory appeal over SEC’s ‘controlling question’ - Read more

8. Bitcoin Will Become the Best Savings Tool After the Upcoming Halving - Read more

9. Breaking: Spot Bitcoin And Ethereum ETFs Approved In Hong Kong - Read more

10. Cardano (ADA) Sees Epic 28,372% Inflow Surge; Where Will This Lead? - Read more

Artificial Intelligence

In this weekly newsletter, we navigate the intersection of cutting-edge technology and its real-world implications. Discover why new nuclear plants may not be the solution to the energy demands of artificial intelligence (AI). Gain valuable insights into capitalizing on AI within your business through a six-step strategic approach.

Explore ten accessible ways to venture into the world of AI without requiring extensive technical expertise. Witness OpenAI's Sora taking a creative twist by releasing a captivating music video, further fueling the AI hype.

Unravel the limitations of AI through the lens of Amazon's no-checkout flop, shedding light on the technology's boundaries. Empower yourself with practical tips on safeguarding your data from being used to train AI models without your consent. Dive into these thought-provoking articles and stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

1. New Nuclear Plants Won’t Solve A.I.’s Energy Problem - Read more

2. 6 Steps To Capitalize On AI In Your Business - Read more

3. 10 Ways To Get Started In AI - Without Being Technical - Read more

4. OpenAI's Sora just dropped a trippy music video to fan the AI hype flames - Read more

5. Amazon's no-checkout flop shows AI's limits - Read more

6. How to Stop Your Data From Being Used to Train AI - Read more

Top Article Picks this week

In this thought-provoking weekly newsletter, we explore a diverse array of topics that shape our lives and perspectives. Dive into the allure of "the soft life" as millennials quit the rat race, and delve into our collective sentiments about money in 2024. Marvel at the engineering marvels that enable Taiwan's tallest skyscraper to withstand earthquakes, and uncover the intriguing link between circadian rhythms and workout effectiveness.

Enhance your productivity with the "Eisenhower matrix" hack, and confront the sobering reality of factory farming's massive scale through compelling charts. Ponder the profound question of life's origins and the myth of second chances, while examining the societal shift of women delaying motherhood.

Brace for the inevitable flooding crisis and the surprising dumbphone boom. Combat loneliness with expert-recommended activities, and question the prioritization of quantity over quality in the publishing industry. Unravel the puzzling phenomenon of affluent individuals' diminishing appetites, and celebrate the resourcefulness of stranded individuals who spelled "help" with palm leaves.

Discover age-appropriate exercise guidance and the unexpected financial benefits of wearing glasses. Explore the nutritional wonders of spinach, and gain insights into simple financial changes that can significantly reduce spending. Finally, equip yourself with expert tips on effective communication skills, empowering you to engage with anyone confidently.

1. The soft life: why millennials are quitting the rat race (Reading time: 10 min) - Read it here

2. How Are We Feeling About Money in 2024? (Reading time: 6 min) - Read it here

3. How Taiwan’s tallest skyscraper withstands earthquakes (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

4. Your muscles keep time too. How circadian rhythms affect your workout and your health (Reading time: 8 min) - Read it here

5. Why the “Eisenhower matrix” is a fantastic productivity hack (Reading time: 8 min) - Read it here

6. 9 charts that show US factory farming is even bigger than you realize (Reading time: 9 min) - Read it here

7. How Did Life Begin? (Reading time: 4 min) - Read it here

8. The myth of the second chance (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

9. Why So Many Women Are Waiting Longer to Have Kids (Reading time: 6 min) - Read it here

10. The Flooding Will Come “No Matter What” (Reading time: 20 min) - Read it here

11. The Dumbphone Boom Is Real (Reading time: 6 min) - Read it here

12. 16 Things to Do When You’re Feeling Lonely, According to Experts (Reading time: 12 min) - Read it here

13. There Are Too Many Books; Or, Publishing Shouldn’t Be All About Quantity (Reading time: 3 min) - Read it here

14. Why don’t rich people eat anymore? (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

15. 3 men stranded on a Pacific island were rescued by spelling 'help' with palm leaves (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

16. Keeping Fit: How to Do the Right Exercise for Your Age (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

17. Glasses aren't just good for your eyes. They can be a boon to income, too (Reading time: 5 min) - Read it here

18. Benefits of Spinach: 3 Reasons Why You Should Be Eating More of This Superfood (Reading time: 3 min) - Read it here

19. I Made One Simple Financial Change and It Lowered My Spending (Reading time: 7 min) - Read it here

20. How to Talk to Anyone: The Experts’ Guide (Reading time: 10 min) - Read it here

Weekly YouTube videos

Investment Bonus

🎇 Make money. From anywhere, anytime with ClickWorker.

❄ People are happier if they are more financially independent. We can help you achieve this. Join our strong community and earn money easily and safely from wherever you want.

ClickWorker - Make money. From anywhere, anytime! - Join Here!

Book of the week

This short book presents a simple but powerful "magic formula" for beating the market by investing in good companies at bargain prices. Greenblatt, a highly successful investor himself, explains the formula in plain English using just 6th grade math. The core idea is to invest in companies with high returns on capital and high earnings yields, indicating good businesses available at cheap valuations. Greenblatt backs up the formula's effectiveness with extensive historical testing showing it can double market returns over the long run.

Despite its apparent simplicity, the formula succeeds by finding an elusive sweet spot that most professional investors miss. The book argues that individual investors have a key advantage over professionals in being able to patiently use time-tested formulas. Greenblatt does an excellent job making complex investing concepts accessible through an engaging, conversational writing style laced with humor. In addition to the core formula, he provides valuable advice on viewing the market, managing psychology, and thinking about risk.

While democratizing a powerful approach, the book also highlights the difficulties of successful investing requiring discipline and contrarian thinking. Some critiques note the magic formula may face headwinds from increased popularity eroding its advantages over time. Overall, this book delivers on its promise of a simple, quantitative stock-picking strategy that has beaten the market historically with relatively low risk. For individual investors seeking to outperform, it provides an actionable, easy-to-understand blueprint for value investing success.

And finally, let’s have some fun!

Do you want to get free shares worth up to €100?

Join Trading 212 Invest with this link, and we will both get FREE shares.

Thanks for reading!

If you like what you read, forward it to your friends, so they can sign up here.