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The Best Stocks to Battle Inflation
Dalio is quick to remind everyone to avoid holding cash as inflation eats away at holdings, but he also recently provided stocks for investors looking to hedge. The first on the list is Global Payments which has sound fundamentals and sequential quarterly revenue gains and is a bright spot in a growing industry. The next was Levi Strauss and Company which shrugged off naysayers who believed supply constraints and bottlenecks would keep them from meeting demand. Finally, was Lithia Motors which is a large automotive group. Supply constraints have boosted used car prices and the industry’s bottom lines.
FINSUM: These are all unique picks that have their built in inflation benefits, particularly the automotive industry.
Morgan Stanley Gets a Boost from Direct Indexing
Morgan Stanley acquired custom indexing provider Parametric Portfolio associates in March and are benefiting greatly from the acquisition. Parametric has developed their existing client base by allowing them to pitch a new set of custom-built portfolios and increased AUM by 50% year over year. These custom indexing tools allow investors at Morgan Stanley to build tailored portfolios to meet ESG or tax objectives. On top of this, it furthers client relationships by allowing a more connected investment strategy and personal experience. Parametric is leading the industry in direct indexing by asset size.
FINSUM: Direct indexing will be an incredibly important tool in order to mitigate all of the tax changes in the new administration.
Are International Leaders Toppling Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most polarizing alternative investment by a wide margin and some say the slowing is natural, and the bull run is far from over. However, world leaders are singing a different tune. Swiss Bank Chair Alex Webber was the latest figure to speak out against the digital currency. While he showed appreciation for the underlying tech he said there was no chance that they would survive to upend the global payments structure. This was unwelcome commentary from bitcoin investors who saw prices fall severely in the last week. Additionally, China has targeted bitcoin again with shadow regulation and is the key driver in the price movements.
FINSUM: The biggest threat to bitcoin will always be regulation, particularly because its largest value as an asset class is currency conversion, particularly from developing nations.
A Big New Asset Class Just Arrived to the US
The new age gold rush had investors and hedge funds sprinting to the euro area investing in the carbon market where prices doubled last year, but hedge funds are betting California is the big break. If the U.S. is serious about its climate aspirations then the price of carbon will have to increase and California is already a leading collector in the tax of carbon. There has already been an 85% increase in the price of carbon per ton this year stateside and those tax dollars are funding municipality-related climate initiatives such as wildfire prevention. However, the carbon taxes come at a cost. The higher built-in tax drives up consumer goods prices when inflation is already on the minds of every American. Overall investors like Blackstone see gains coming.
FINSUM: In the long-term, this could be another major global financial market that is centered in the US.