Advertise with us | Our Newsletters | Your Rewards

Good Morning! 

Oil prices jumped as the US and UK initiated airstrikes in Yemen, escalating the already intense conflict in the Middle East. Meanwhile, spot Bitcoin ETF volume surpassed $4.5 billion in its first day, crushing previous records.

Grab your Moka Frappuccino with extra Chocolate and let's get into it! ☕️👇️
Coffee submitted by Oscar- Send us your favourite order to win free Investing Journal Premium!

Markets

Oil jumps as US, UK strike on Houthis sparks safe-haven push (3 minute read)
The United States and Britain initiated airstrikes, both from the air and sea, targeting Houthi military installations in Yemen as a response to the group's attacks on ships in the Red Sea. This development marks an escalation in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The military actions prompted a 2% increase in oil prices, driven by concerns about potential disruptions to oil supplies in the Middle East, particularly those passing through the crucial Strait of Hormuz. In this article, investors and analysts provide their insights and comments on the recent escalation and its potential impact.

China’s Boeing alternative starts to look enticing (4 minute read)
For over a decade, China's state-owned aircraft manufacturer has diligently worked on the development of commercial jets, facing challenges in convincing international customers to consider an alternative to the longstanding Boeing and Airbus dominance.

However, recent setbacks for the American giant, notably the side panel blowout on a 737 Max operated by Alaska Airlines, have brought Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd. (Comac) into sharper focus as a viable option. Airlines traditionally split orders between Airbus and Boeing for diversification and negotiation leverage.

Given the recent issues, the prospect of a third choice gains credibility. Known as Comac, the Shanghai-based company has already secured over 1,000 orders, predominantly from domestic customers like China Eastern Airlines Corp. Check out the video below if you would like to learn more on the Chinese airliner and how it compares with its US counterparts.

Spot bitcoin ETF volumes eclipse $4.5B on first day of trading (2 minute read)
The inaugural spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States recorded approximately $4.5 billion in trading volumes on their first day. The Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), recently granted approval to convert into an ETF, contributed to nearly half of the total volumes, with a newly introduced BlackRock fund accounting for about a quarter. The day commenced with a rapid start, witnessing over $1 billion in trade volume within the first 30 minutes of trading for 10 such funds on Thursday. These listings transpired shortly after the landmark regulatory approval by the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a range of spot bitcoin ETFs. Described as "easily the biggest Day One splash in ETF history" by Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Balchunas, the debut of these ETFs marked a significant milestone in the evolution of Bitcoin.

Time to Add AI to Your Portfolio

RAD AI award-winning tech is transforming digital communications. The AI is trained to tell brands who their customer is and how to best message them.  3X revenue growth.  Trusted by Hasbro, MGM, Sweetgreen and 6000+ investors. Secure your shares.

83% Subscribed, Invest Before Feb. 16th, Closing Soon.

Disclosure: This is a paid advertisement for RAD AI’s Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.radintel.ai 

From our partners

Investing

Microsoft briefly overtakes Apple as world's most valuable company (2 minute read)
On Thursday, Microsoft (MSFT) briefly surpassed Apple (AAPL) in market capitalization, momentarily claiming the title of the most valuable publicly traded company globally. Microsoft achieved a market cap exceeding $2.8 trillion at the beginning of trading, a position also held by Apple. The companies engaged in a swift exchange of rankings, with Apple ultimately regaining the top spot as they alternated throughout the morning.

Apple's shares faced challenges in the first two weeks of the year, with three banks downgrading the stock due to concerns about diminishing iPhone demand. Analysts expressed particular apprehension about the iPhone 15's performance in China amid increased competition from domestic rival Huawei and the country's broader economic slowdown. Apple's revenue from Greater China, its third-largest region, amounted to $72.6 billion in 2023 out of the company's total revenue of $383.3 billion, following North America and Europe in contribution.

Should Your Portfolio Be 100% U.S. Stocks? (10 minute read)
Last week, Austen Allred sparked a substantial Twitter debate with a tweet questioning the viability of a 100% U.S. stock portfolio as the key to wealth, a sentiment echoed by financial figures like the late Jack Bogle, Warren Buffett, and JL Collins in his bestselling book "The Simple Path to Wealth."

Despite these endorsements, the blog post by Nick delves into whether relying solely on a U.S. stock portfolio is genuinely that straightforward or if there are noteworthy drawbacks that demand closer scrutiny.

Airbnb or hotel? Overmoon’s vacation rental model aims to combine the best of both (3 minute read)
Historically, vacation rental companies have operated on a model where they manage homes on behalf of homeowners, but this approach comes with inherent challenges. Overmoon, a three-year-old vacation rental startup, adopts a different strategy by owning the homes it offers instead of acting as a middleman between travelers and property owners.

This unique model allows Overmoon to exercise greater control over the quality and maintenance of its properties, addressing common customer complaints associated with consistency in guest experiences. The company goes beyond by providing concierge services, including prestocking refrigerators.

CEO and founder Joe Fraiman highlighted the frustration of uncertain travel experiences in the traditional vacation rental model, and Overmoon seeks to address this by offering reliability and consistency. In 2023, Overmoon expanded significantly, hosting 4,000 guests after increasing its portfolio from five to 22 homes.

Money

Being Overly Frugal Can Be Terrible For Your Health And Happiness (10 minute read)
Navigating the challenges of frugality is a shared experience, and it's essential to discern moments when excessive thriftiness might prove counterproductive. Identifying these situations becomes pivotal as they represent the times when scrimping could be detrimental, and instead, it might be wiser to loosen the purse strings.

🐥 Best of Twitter

Thanks for reading, if you enjoyed, tell your friends!

P.S: If you're interested in crypto and web3 - check out our new newsletter, The Crypto Journal!

Share The Investing Journal with your friends to receive rewards!