Weekend Reading – BlackRock Launches A Regulated Money Market ETF & Constructing Robust Retirement Portfolios
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:
All the benefits in life come from compound interest - relationship, money, habits - anything of importance
Featured
How To Build A Robust Retirement Portfolio: A Data-Driven Approach (Banker on Wheels)
Retirement is a time when financial planning becomes critical—there’s less room for error once you’re no longer earning a paycheck. While mistakes during your working years can often be addressed with higher savings, wage growth, or delaying retirement, the stakes are much higher in retirement. Withdrawing money during both good and bad market years makes it harder to recover from losses. That’s where Monte Carlo simulations come in. Today, Larry dives into how Monte Carlo simulations work. We use Larry’s insights by illustrating how you may use online tools to refine your strategy.
Portfolio Construction
Asset Allocation
Barry Ritholtz speaks with Corey Hoffstein, CEO and CIO of Newfound Research. Corey pioneered the concept of 'return stacking' and is one of the masterminds behind the Return Stacked ETF Suite, which manages roughly $750 million across five ETFs. On this episode, Barry and Corey discuss the creation of Newfound Research, what it takes to launch an ETF, and how return stacking actually works.
- Correlation analysis in times of market stress (UBS)
- Goals-Based Asset Allocation (Investment&Wealth)
- The Equity Risk Premium: Nine Myths (Research Affiliates - Paywall)
- The Layman’s Guide to Volatility (CAIA Association)
- Design choices, machine learning, and the cross-section of stock returns (SSRN)
Understand Financial Markets
The rise in the S&P in 2024 has been one of the strongest since 1928 (Goldman Sachs)
The rise in the S&P in 2024 has been one of the strongest since 1928. Equities extended gains into a seventh straight session, with the S&P 500 notching its 52nd record this year. Stocks closed at all-time highs as investors looked past Donald Trump’s tariff plan, with geopolitical risks abating after Israel and Hezbollah reached a cease-fire agreement.
- When Did this Bull Market Start? (Of Dollars and Data)
- Fear in the "Fearless" Treasury Market (SSRN)
- Markets Becoming More Efficient: The Disappearing Index Effect (Alpha Architect)
- Short-Term vs. Long-Term Forecasts (Verdad)
- Compounding reveals the true value of long-term investing and minimising costs (FT)
How To Invest
Are index funds a silent disruptor? Or are the concerns overblown? In this grab-your-popcorn episode, Michael Green returns to the show after his previous appearance elicited a wave of compelling feedback from listeners. These included very smart individuals in academia and practice who were interested in hearing a counter perspective.
- Optimists Are the Best Investors, Even If the Pessimists Sound Smarter (Whitecoat Investor)
- How our memories influence our investment decisions and financial biases. (Joachim Klement)
- Assessing the Impact of Passive Investing over Time: Higher Volatility, Reduced Liquidity, and Increased Concentration (Apollo)
- Low Probability of Loss: Why It Doesn’t Equal Low Risk in Investing (CFA Institute)
Active Investing
Factor Investing
A great interview with Cliff Assness - not only about factors (The Compound)
The Poet (Downtown Josh Brown), the Quant Cliff Asness, of AQR Capital Management and the investor with relevant opinions (Michael Batnick) to discuss: the less-efficient market hypothesis, value investing, the quant world, if quants ruin value investing, private equity, things that tave made markets less efficient and much more!
Alternative Asset Classes
Bad Bets
ETFs
UCITS ETFs
BlackRock unveils first actively managed short-term money market fund regulated ETF (ETF Stream)
BlackRock has entered Europe’s active fixed income ETF market with a euro cash strategy. The iShares € Cash UCITS ETF (YCSH) is listed on the Deutsche Boerse with a total expense ratio (TER) of 0.10%. BlackRock described the strategy as Europe’s “first actively managed short-term money market fund regulated ETF”. It added YCSH enables individual investors through channels such as digital platforms to access money market level yields with no minimum holding period from just €1.
US ETFs
Wealth Management
Personal Finance
- Should You Ever Put More Than 20% Down on a Home? (Of Dollars and Data)
- Is Contentment an Underrated Goal in Life? (Greater Good Magazine)
- Global Wealth Distribution by Region (Visual Capitalist)
- A FI jouney focus on intentional savings and the joy of family life. (ChooseFi)
- Advice for the Kids (Humble Dollar)
- The Things You Can’t Buy (Of Dollars and Data)
- Love & Money: The Keys To Financial Success As A Couple with Doug and Heather Boneparth (The Human Side Of Money)
- Financial Knowledge in Europe: Women Lag Men in their financial Literacy (Alpha Architect)
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Platforms
Interactive Brokers Fixed vs Tiered Plan – Which Is The Best For ETFs? (Banker on Wheels)
Interactive Brokers offers two pricing models: Fixed and Tiered. Fixed pricing is easier to understand. Tiered pricing formula is more complex and exchange-dependent: Fixed Pricing: Simple and straightforward. Involves a fixed charge. Similar to some pricing models across many brokers. Tiered Pricing: Comprises various sub-fees including regulatory, exchange, trading, and clearing fees. Fees vary, being per share (U.S. ETFs), or based on trade value (UCITS ETFs). Complexity and costs differ significantly across exchanges.
(Early) Retirement
- Stop a Late-in-Life Divorce From Ruining Your Retirement (New York Times - Paywall)
- Beyond Your Career (humanvsretirement)
- Rent To Retirement: Building Wealth Through Rental Properties (Sparkrental)
- Your Retirement Math Might Be Wrong If You Follow the 4% Rule (Afford Anything)
- Early Retirement + Group Travel: What Works, What Doesn’t (Two Sides of FI)
Financial Advice
- A 3-Part Approach To Establish A “Statement Of Financial Purpose” And Unlock Deeper, More Meaningful Planning Conversations With Clients (Kitces)
- Many Advisors Say They Do Comprehensive Planning. The Facts Suggest Otherwise. (Think Advisor)
- Advisors Should Adapt to Evolving Client Expectations (Advisor Perspectives)
- Adviser YouTube Mastery with James Shack (TRAP)
- Highlights From The Advise AI Conference 2024 (Kitces)
Design Your Lifestyle
Travel
Ride Morocco – The California of the Muslim World (Banker on Wheels)
Just as I completed my Asia cycling tour and starting riding Africa, COVID-19 hit. Miraculously, I breezed through Morocco before everything halted. This would lead to an 18-month Moroccan adventure, a permanent residency card, and an inside-out exploration of my new home. Voilà, the birthplace of Bankeronwheels.com! By June ’21, thanks to its commendable pandemic response (Europe, take notes), Morocco reopened, granting me temporary freedom. Once I left, I was hit by a nostalgia wave for six things I grew fond of and will sorely miss.
Tech & Economy
Economy
- Top 10 Countries by Value of All Their Natural Resources (Visual Capitalist)
- How Chile's Economy Was Sold to The Highest Bidder (Economics Explained)
- Why Serbia’s Economy is Doing Surprisingly Well (TLDR)
- How demographics can distort economic narratives (FT)
- How Wage Indexing Saved Belgium's Economy (TLDR)
Tech & Science
The WIRED Guide to Protecting Yourself From Government Surveillance (Wired)
Donald Trump has promised to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. He’s vowed to jail his political foes and journalists. A Republican-controlled government could further restrict abortion and transgender rights. ITo carry out all of those spoken and unspoken threats, the incoming Trump administration and Republicans in Congress will tap into—and may very well expand—the American government’s vast surveillance machinery.
And Finally
The Physics That Doomed Amelia Earhart (Veritasium)
The mistakes of Amelia Earhart’s final flight, and the physics that could have saved her. In the episode: How Earhart prepared for her final mission, Who was Amelia Earhart?, The flight plan, How celestial navigation works, Invention of radio technology, Earhart makes her critical decision, Communication failures, Her desperate final message, The small detail that could have saved her
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
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