Grow Smart Income - week 20 ver.2, 2024

What happened this week?

In partnership with

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

Learn how to become an “Intelligent Investor.”

Warren Buffett says great investors read 8 hours per day. What if you only have 5 minutes a day? Then, read Value Investor Daily.

Every week, it covers:

  • Value stock ideas - today’s biggest value opportunities 📈

  • Principles of investing - timeless lessons from top value investors 💰

  • Investing resources - investor tools and hidden gems 🔎

You’ll save time and energy and become a smarter investor in just minutes daily–free! 👇

Investing and Finance

While AI may not directly replace workers, experts warn the top skill needed to stay relevant is the ability to leverage AI tools effectively, as those who utilize AI can outperform those who don't. 54% of young Americans cite food costs as the biggest strain on their finances amid high inflation.

Student loan interest rates hit a 14-year high, exacerbating the debt burden on borrowers. After selling his startup for $3.7 billion, entrepreneur Jyoti Bansal launched a VC firm and two more high-value startups, demonstrating his relentless drive.

Google is reinventing itself as an "AI factory" to maintain its dominance in the new AI era through projects like the Transformer model. Stocks are eyeing record highs as cooler inflation data revives hopes the Fed could start cutting rates. Dell's stock surged 11% on optimism it secured major orders for AI server infrastructure.

Soft retail sales data raises concerns US consumers may be reaching their financial limits amid the economic backdrop. Jeff Bezos revealed his key to Amazon's success 25 years ago was fostering a culture of waking up "terrified" to stay motivated and competitive. Cisco jumped after reporting a revenue beat and raising guidance, signaling strong demand.

A Berkshire Hathaway filing unveiled insurer Chubb as Buffett's mysterious new $700 million investment earlier this year. The overview covers AI's impact on skills, financial pressures on consumers, student debt burdens, startup stories, tech giants repositioning, stock market dynamics, enterprise AI demand, spending patterns, leadership mindsets, earnings results, and high-profile investments.

  1. AI may not replace you, but someone who uses it can - here’s the No. 1 skill you need to stay relevant - Read more

  2. 54% of young Americans say food costs are the biggest strain on their finances - Read more

  3. Student Loan Interest Rates Hit 14-Year High - Read more

  4. After selling his startup for a life-changing $3.7 billion, Jyoti Bansal launched a VC firm and two high-value startups. Why? - Read more

  5. Google is reinventing itself for the AI age - Read more

  6. Stocks eye record highs as cooler inflation revives Fed rate cut hopes - Read more

  7. Dell surges 11% on optimism it has secured big AI server orders - Read more

  8. Do Soft Retail Sales Indicate US Consumers Are Reaching Their Limits? - Read more

  9. Jeff Bezos revealed his secret to Amazon’s success 25 years ago: ‘I asked everyone around here to wake up terrified every morning, their sheets drenched in sweat’ - Read more

  10. Cisco Stock Jumps on Revenue Beat and Raised Guidance - Read more

  11. Berkshire Filing Reveals Insurer Chubb as Buffett's Mystery Stock - Read more

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."

Maya Angelou

Crypto News

The state of Wisconsin purchased nearly $100 million worth of shares in BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF, a significant embrace of crypto by a U.S. state. El Salvador has mined nearly 474 bitcoins over the past three years, adding to the nation's state-held cryptocurrency reserves pioneered by President Bukele.

Wisconsin's holdings across the BlackRock and Grayscale Bitcoin ETF trusts now total $163 million, highlighting growing state-level crypto investment. Coinbase reported a full recovery but "degraded performance" after recently experiencing a system-wide outage that temporarily disrupted services.

Crypto payment processor CoinGate integrated Solana to enhance merchant crypto payment options and capitalize on Solana's scalability. Vanguard appointed former BlackRock executive Loren Fleckenstein, who is Bitcoin-friendly, as its new CEO amid the crypto asset management competition.

Nordic residents can now invest in a new Bitcoin fund offering and earn yield on their crypto holdings through an innovative product. Bitcoin proxy stock MicroStrategy was added to the MSCI World index, providing indirect crypto exposure to institutional investors benchmarked against it.

Billionaire Mike Novogratz predicted a "big shift" is coming for cryptocurrency, with more integration into traditional finance and banking. Morgan Stanley emerged as one of the largest holders of Grayscale's Bitcoin Trust with a $269.9 million investment as Wall Street builds crypto positions.

  1. El Salvador mined nearly 474 bitcoins, adding to state crypto holding, in last three years - Read more

  2. Wisconsin State Holds $163 Million in BlackRock, Grayscale Bitcoin ETF Shares - Read more

  3. Coinbase Reports Full Recovery, But 'Degraded Performance' After System Outage - Read more

  4. CoinGate integrates Solana (SOL) to enhance crypto payments for merchants - Read more

  5. Vanguard appoints Bitcoin-friendly former BlackRock ETF lead as CEO - Read more

  6. You Can Now Invest in a Bitcoin Fund and Earn Yield—In Nordic Countries - Read more

  7. Bitcoin-Proxy MicroStrategy Added to MSCI World Stock Index - Read more

  8. Billionaire Mike Novogratz Predicts Major Shift Ahead for Crypto - Read more

  9. Morgan Stanley Becomes One of the Top GBTC Holders with $269.9 Million Investment - Read more

"Wisdom is knowing what to do next. Skill is knowing how to do it. Virtue is doing it."

Thomas Jefferson

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, a pioneering AI researcher, departed the company amidst the current AI boom. A controversial new service allows people to create AI clones of deceased relatives for $150, raising ethical concerns.

AI startup Anthropic, co-founded by former PayPal executive David Sacks, officially launched after operating in stealth mode, entering the generative AI race. Protesters globally are demanding a pause on advanced AI development due to fears over potential risks and misuse.

With AI's rise, a glossary covering 44 key AI terms like "constitutional AI" and "AI winter" has been published to promote understanding. The private cloud computing model is experiencing a resurgence driven by enterprises' AI and data sovereignty needs.

Mathematicians predict AI will revolutionize their field by automating proofs and deriving new theorems through machine reasoning. The IMF chief warned AI's rapid progression is a "tsunami" hitting the global workforce requiring a policy rethink. Former co-founder of Anthropic, Mike Krieger, rejoined the company as Chief Product Officer after previously departing. An initiative called Med-Gemini aims to spur advances in medical AI by facilitating dataset sharing among researchers.

Despite climate pledges, Microsoft's aggressive AI pursuits reportedly rely on energy-intensive processes potentially hindering its sustainability goals. The overview covers AI talent moves, ethics debates, new AI company launches, calls for governance, terminology resources, cloud trends, AI's academic impact, economic disruption concerns, executive hires, healthcare AI efforts, and tensions with environmental aims.

  1. OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever departs - Read more

  2. People Are Selling AI Clones of Dead Relatives for Just $150 - Read more

  3. AI Startup Co-Founded by David Sacks Officially Launches - Read more

  4. Why Protesters Around the World Are Demanding a Pause on AI Development - Read more

  5. ChatGPT Glossary: 44 AI Terms That Everyone Should Know - Read more

  6. Private cloud makes its comeback, thanks to AI - Read more

  7. Why mathematics is set to be revolutionized by AI - Read more

  8. AI is like a 'tsunami' hitting the labor force, IMF chief says - Read more

  9. Mike Krieger joins Anthropic as Chief Product Officer - Read more

  10. Advancing medical AI with Med-Gemini - Read more

  11. Microsoft’s AI obsession is jeopardizing its climate ambitions - Read more

"I do not pray for success. I ask for faithfulness."

Mother Teresa

Top Article Picks this week

Successful and productive people often engage in counterintuitive habits on Sundays like skipping chores and news to recharge for the week ahead. The inspiring story of the college student who cracked the code hidden within ancient Incan khipu knot records after centuries. Showering daily may not be necessary according to experts, who explain why bathing less frequently can actually benefit your health.

Ten science-backed strategies are shared for building greater mental fortitude to navigate life's toughest challenges with resilience. Struggling to start conversations? These 11 foolproof tips can help overcome awkwardness and make memorable first impressions. For those enthralled by the recent northern lights displays, a guide highlights more fascinating celestial phenomena to watch for.

A teacher reflects on the life lessons and wisdoms gleaned from reading countless college application essays over the years. Better sleep may counterintuitively hinge more on consistent wake times than strict bedtimes, according to circadian researchers. A philosophical exploration grapples with thorny questions about consciousness and whether we can ever know if other minds truly exist.

An eye-opening report dives into the unusual "free-sperm economy" among some Facebook employees seeking alternative family planning. The overview tastefully covers a range of thought-provoking topics from productivity hacks and ancient mysteries to health advice, psychological strategies, social pointers, cosmic wonders, educational insights, sleep science, consciousness theories, and workplace subcultures.

  1. 6 Counterintuitive Things Successful and Productive People Do on Sunday (Reading time: 3 min) - Read here

  2. The College Student Who Decoded the Data Hidden in Inca Knots (Reading time: 5 min) - Read here

  3. There's no need to shower every day – here's why (Reading time: 5 min) - Read here

  4. 10 Ways to Build Mental Strength So You Can Navigate Any Challenge Life Throws at You (Reading time: 5 min) - Read here

  5. 11 Foolproof Ways to Start a Conversation (Reading time: 8 min) - Read here

  6. Loved the Northern Lights? Check out These Phenomena Next. (Reading time: 4 min) - Read here

  7. What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays (Reading time: 4 min) - Read here

  8. Plot Twist: The Key to Better Sleep Is Not a Bedtime - It’s a Wake-Up Time (Reading time: 3 min) - Read here

  9. How Do I Know I’m Not the Only Conscious Being in the Universe? (Reading time: 8 min) - Read here

  10. Inside Facebook’s Free-Sperm Economy (Reading time: 20 min) - Read here

Weekly YouTube videos

Investment Bonus

🎇 DON'T MISS OUT ON THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME !!!

❄ This is Your Golden Opportunity with a Provably Fair draw to become a winner! The lucky winner will win a Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2 with delivery to the USA. If the winner wants the car in any other country, they will need to pay the excess shipping costs and any applicable taxes or fees. The winner can also opt to receive US $200,000 in lieu of the car, paid in bitcoins using the exchange rate after the lottery drawing has been done.

FreeBitco.in - WIN FREE BITCOINS EVERY HOUR! - Join Here!

"What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens."

Ellen Glasgow

Book of the week

Adam Smith's seminal work "The Wealth of Nations" is a profound and influential exploration of political economy. Published in 1776, this masterpiece provided one of the earliest comprehensive examinations of free market economics. Smith's invisible hand theory famously described how self-interest and competition can positively guide economic forces. His labor theory of value and observations on division of labor were groundbreaking concepts.

Though some ideas are now outdated, the book's advocacy for free trade, limited government intervention, and its rebuttals of mercantilism were revolutionary for the time. Smith's moral philosophy underpinnings gave the work perspicacity beyond just dry economics. With rich historical context and cross-disciplinary insights, "The Wealth of Nations" retains remarkable relevance centuries later. It laid the foundation for classical economic thought and capitalism's ascent.

The book's depth, scope, original thinking, and elegant prose make it a timeless classic. Whether studying history, philosophy, or seeking wisdom on markets and policy, this treatise is a must-read masterwork.

"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand."

Chinese Proverb

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.

How would you rate this newsletter?

Your feedback helps us create better newsletter for you.

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Thanks for reading!

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