Weekend Reading – Avantis Small Cap Value ETF Review & Currencies in Portfolio Context
Weekend Reading is a collection of Investment Research and Lifestyle topics from all corners of the Web. We source the highest quality insights from Wall Street and Main Street that you may apply to your investment process. Unlike the rest of Bankeronwheels.com, this series is provided without additional guidance. As usual, everything is to be used at your own risk. Below is the type of content we shortlist:
Day traders considered themselves successful if they bought a stock at $10 and sold at $11, bought it back the next week at $24 and sold at $25, and bought it a week later at $39 and sold at $40. If you can’t see the flaw in this — that the trader made $3 in a stock that appreciated by $30 — you probably shouldn’t read the rest of this book.
Featured
Avoiding the Value Trap – A Review of Avantis Global Small Cap Value UCITS ETF (Banker on Wheels)
Over the past few years, a growing community of data-driven investors has embraced factor investing. The allure is clear: a more rigorous, empirical approach underpinned by Nobel Prize–winning research. While factor strategies have long been a staple in institutional portfolios, they are now gaining traction in the individual investor space, thanks in part to better financial education and the rise of ETFs. Today, we review one of the most interesting ETFs recently launched in UCITS format – the Avantis Global Small Cap Value UCITS ETFs. Let’s dive in.
Portfolio Construction
Asset Allocation
Understand Financial Markets
Top Asset by Market Cap (Civixplorer)
Market capitalization is the total value of an asset, whether it's a company, precious metal, cryptocurrency, or ETF, calculated by multiplying its current price by the number of outstanding units. Understanding market cap helps investors gauge the size and stability of an asset, with larger companies or assets often seen as more stable investments. Smaller-cap assets can often offer high growth potential, but they come with higher risks.
Year-to-Date Equity Sources of Return (BlackRock)
Ytd equity returns are mostly driven by re-rating, with the cheapest markets rerating the most in a broadly risk-on environment. But underpinning that is a solid earnings season, 3 observations: ➡️ US q4 currently tracking the STRONGEST pace since early 22, yoy shy of 16%, and sales and earnings beats above average; ➡️ Big techs guiding $320Bn #capex this year, 40% up from the record last year, showing NO sign of slowing down. Next up, nvidia on 26th; ➡️ 25' US earnings growth revised down to 11% from 14%, not atypical, still above trend of 7%.
How To Invest
- 10 Stock and Bond Market Insights That Are Hardly ‘Dull’ (Morningstar)
- 13 Thoughts to Survive and Grow Through a Market Fall (Safal Niveshak)
- Charley Ellis on Why Most Investors Fail (And What to Do Instead) (Peter Lazaroff)
- What Worked for Fund Investors? Pinching Pennies and Letting Winners Run (Morningstar)
Active Investing
Factor Investing
- Does Trend-Following Still Work on Stocks? (SSRN)
- Value Investing: Integrating Theory and Practice (SSRN)
- The Practicalities and Psychology of Expected Value (Morgan Stanley)
- Current Constituents CAPE (Research Affiliates)
- Cross-country equity risk allocation with statistical learning (Macro synergy)
Discretionary Investing
Alternative Asset Classes
JP Morgan Overview of Alternatives (JP Morgan)
J.P. Morgan’s broad perspective and global reach across the alternatives landscape enables us to examine opportunities from every angle, synthesizing diverse perspectives into one cohesive point of view. To help investors position their portfolios for 2025’s dynamic environment, we’ve asked experienced investment leaders from across J.P. Morgan’s $325 billion1 Global Alternatives platform, in partnership with our global market strategists, to share their perspectives.
- Three Reasons to Carefully Consider Commodities (Morningstar)
- Unlocking the Commodity Risk Premium with Kurt Nelson of SummerHaven (Derivative)
- The State of U.S. Early-Stage Venture & Startups: 2024 (Angellist)
- Private equity: Resilient, but not immune (Joachim Klement)
- Wall Street Talk of Revaluing US Gold Is Drawing Attention — and Skepticism (Yahoo Finance)
Wall Street
What if the key to successful investing is about understanding how market expectations, intangible assets, and even your own biases shape the outcome? In this episode, Cameron sits down with Michael Mauboussin, a renowned expert in investment strategies and behavioural finance, to explore how the evolving dynamics of investing influence valuation, investor decision-making, and market efficiency.
ETFs
UCITS ETFs
How securities lending benefits ETF investors and ETF firms. (Morningstar)
Several exchange-traded funds pay you to invest instead of the other way around. Securities lending is the secret to how. Before offering examples, here’s a primer on what securities lending is and how works. Interested readers can also read our extended 2023 report on the subject. What Is Securities Lending? Securities lending is a seldom-discussed but important tactic in ETF and mutual fund management.
US ETFs
Wealth Management
Personal Finance
- Buying Things Is Usually Stupid” with Joel Stein (50 Fires)
- "Fuck You Money” is Useless Without the “Fuck You” (The Way of Work)
- The Misery Value Of Money (Tony Isola)
- Women and Finance: How Embracing Risk Can Unlock Greater Success (CFA Institute)
- Inherited Account Deep Dive, Barista FI and Saving When Starting a Business (ChooseFi)
Platforms
Consorsbank Review – Full-Service German Broker Backed by BNP Paribas (Banker on Wheels)
Consorsbank is a well-established German online broker owned by BNP Paribas, one of Europe’s largest banking groups. The broker offers a comprehensive trading platform with competitive fees for German investors. The platform stands out for its integration of banking and investment services, offering a complete financial ecosystem for German investors. Consorsbank scores 4.3 in its category driven by fairly advanced platform features, BNP backing and reasonable fees, especially for small and very large investors.
(Early) Retirement
A reader asks: I’m 46 and plan to retire by 55. I’ve calculated that I’ll reach my retirement number in another 6 years giving me a decent buffer for retirement. I have a $500k mortgage at 5.625% with 28 years left. I’m comfortable with debt and don’t see a big concern. I agree with your thoughts on liquidity, and inflation reducing the debt load. The only concern is retiring with the mortgage. We plan to move after retirement and not stay at this house. There are a lot of good personal finance angles to this question.
- How to retire and not run out of money (FT)
- 5 Lessons on Embracing Change, Time, and the Journey to Financial Freedom- Birthday Reflections (Journey to Launch)
- The Scarcity Trap: How to Shift to a Prosperity Mindset in Retirement with Leisa Peterson (human vs retirement podcast)
- The Search For Purpose and Meaning In Retirement with Tom Pendergast (The Human Side Of Money)
Financial Advice
Design Your Lifestyle
Personal Development
Health & Wellness
Careers & Entrepreneurship
Can Work Make You Happy? Should It? (Harvard Business Review)
True happiness from work may not come from traditional markers like money, power, or reputation. Arthur C. Brooks, an HBS Professor and coauthor (with Oprah Winfrey) of "Build the Life You Want", emphasizes the importance of feeling valued and making a meaningful impact through one’s work.
Travel
Tech & Economy
Economy
Tech & Science
And Finally
Good Luck and Keep’em* Rolling!
(* Wheels & Dividends)
Trade Wars, Real Wars, but Equities Close To All-Time Highs: Is It A Good Time To Invest?
7 Reasons Why Japan May Be Your Next Cycling Adventure
Nomads in 2026: Genki vs SafetyWing – Which Travel Insurance Wins?
How You Can Cycle The World – A Practical Guide
Weekend Reading – Vanguard Cuts Fees across 15 ETFs & IBKR launches prediction markets
🤔 Wondering why finding honest Investing Guidance is so difficult? That’s because running an independent website like ours is very hard work. If You Found Value In Our Content And Wish To Support Our Mission: