1.) E-Z Money - The BIG Story
For the first time in more than 80 years a full-fledged land war is happening in Europe with Russia battling Ukraine on multiple fronts. Ukrainian resistance is fierce and has inflicted mass casualties on the Russian armed forces. Peace talks are planned between the two nations as Russia escalates tensions by putting its nuclear forces on high alert. But it seems the markets don’t know how to react to the conflict. The Dow finished up 834 points on Friday but is now down over 400 points in overnight futures trading.
2.) “To the Moon” — Retail Investing
Is the retail trading phenomenon coming to an end? If you watched Robinhood ($HOOD) stock recently the answer may be yes. The millennial tech darling is down significantly since it’s all-time high of $55/share back in August 2021. The stock now trades slightly above $11 and some are saying it could fall even further. The continued weakness is from lack of meme stock trading, declining value of cryptocurrencies, and a looming SEC decision on payment for order-flow. (Ape Translation = Robinhood makes money selling your data to hedge funds)
3.) “The Cypher” — Crypto Investing
The cryptocurrency market swung wildly this past week due to the war in Ukraine. Bitcoin ($BTC), Ethereum ($ETH), and other cryptocurrencies all fell dramatically with Bitcoin going below $35K before rebounding. BTC’s extreme price volatility comes at a time when the price of gold has risen, undercutting the popular “store of value” narrative. The good news is that the Ukrainian government raised $10 million in cryptocurrency donations, a feat which was impossible during the Crimean crisis in 2014.
4.) “Straight Cash” — Sports Betting
L was half-right with his English Premier League picks last week. He correctly predicted the Arsenal win (even if it took a goal in the 95th minute) but wrongly picked Tottenham (who somehow lost to Burnley after beating league leaders Man City a few days earlier). This week L is focused on College Basketball as we get closer to March Madness. He’s taking Syracuse (+7.5) vs. North Carolina on Monday. Upsets are everywhere and he’d rather have the points. Full odds and predictions here.
5.) “The Alternatives” — NFTs, ESGs, & More!
Speaking of peace, one of the most iconic leaders of the 20th century will soon be featured in NFTs. Former South African president Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail for his work trying to undermine the apartheid government. During his time in prison on Robbins Island he painted watercolors as a hobby. Those watercolor paintings will now be sold as NFTs by the former president’s daughter. Makaziwe Mandela said that her “dad was all about creating an accessible society. This is a way of democratizing his art.”
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