🛒 Instacart (CART): The EPS Miss That Didn’t Matter
In this episode Edward Corona examines Instacart’s (CART) recent earnings report, highlighting that while the company missed GAAP EPS expectations, its stock surged over 9%. He explains that the market focused on underlying growth metrics—especially rising customer spend—and ignored the headline miss. Corona argues that the EPS miss was a technicality, and the real story is the company’s expanding revenue base and improving unit economics, suggesting potential upside for investors.
Engineered Income: The Hidden Mechanics Behind DNP’s Monthly Payout
The episode dissects DNP Select Income Fund Inc., a closed‑end fund that targets utilities and promises a steady monthly payout via a managed distribution plan that can draw from income, gains, or return of capital. It explains how the fund’s...
Bonds, Consumers Doubt BLS Jobs Narrative With GDP Due
The U.S. will release its Q4 2025 GDP figures this week, a data point that could reshape expectations for the nation’s growth trajectory. Meanwhile, bond markets are reacting to growing skepticism about the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ jobs narrative, with...
A Short Duration Income Trade with a Built-In Exit
The episode examines a ten‑year preferred security that now trades just above par, offering a high current yield and a short time to a likely call. The host highlights the bond’s attractive spread over Treasuries, its qualified‑dividend tax treatment, and...
Unpacking the Latest Finance News From China: Key Trends and Market Insights
China’s latest five‑year plan emphasizes a shift from property‑driven growth to technology, targeting near‑5 % GDP expansion in 2026 and projecting tech to account for 18.3 % of output by 2026. The renminbi has appreciated past the 7.0 per dollar mark, indicating reduced central‑bank...
Silver Paper's Problem
The episode examines the severe liquidity crunch in both physical and paper silver, highlighted by a sharp drop in COMEX open interest and widening spreads that deter speculators. It explains how banks and traders are constrained by the high value...
35 Ways To Get $1000 Fast In 2026
The article lists 35 practical methods to earn $1,000 quickly in 2026, ranging from selling unused goods to offering freelance digital services and renting assets. It emphasizes low‑entry barriers, leveraging online platforms, and combining multiple streams for faster results. The...
Update: Casio (6952 JP)
Casio (6952 JP) is entering a turnaround phase, now trading at a 1.0× enterprise‑value‑to‑sales multiple. The valuation suggests the market sees modest growth potential after recent operational improvements. Management has outlined cost‑cutting measures, new product launches in the G‑Shock line, and...
WATCH YOUR BIDS (S2026 E03)
In this episode, Goldman Sachs discusses the growing pains in the quantitative investing space, while Carlyle warns that AI exposure has become oversized across many portfolios. Scott Bessent revisits his earlier stance on Warsh’s balance sheet reduction, indicating a potential...
The True Value of Gold Beyond Price - Podcast
In this episode, The Macro Butler breaks down why gold’s worth extends far beyond its market price, emphasizing its role as a historical store of value, a hedge against systemic risk, and a cultural symbol of wealth. He explains how...
Recommended Weekend Reads
This weekend’s reads dissect the shifting geopolitics of NATO under Trump’s “quiet‑quit” strategy, the erosion of U.S. reliability among European allies, and Germany’s push to become Europe’s new defense hegemon. They also examine the economic fallout of Trump’s expansive tariff...
Keep It Simpler
A retiree shifted assets to an independent RIA seeking broader alternative investments, accumulating numerous illiquid limited partnerships that generate K‑1 tax forms. Over time, several of these alternatives underperformed, exposing the investor to locked‑up capital and heightened tax complexity. The...
MAG7 FREE CASH FLOW COLLAPSE
The episode examines the recent collapse in free cash flow among the MAG7—Microsoft, Apple, Google (Alphabet), Amazon, and Meta—highlighting how their once robust cash generation has sharply deteriorated. It explores the drivers behind this decline, including macroeconomic headwinds, higher capital...
China Financials: The Great Rotation’s Overlooked Engine
The episode examines China’s financial sector—banks, brokers, and emerging digital intermediaries—as the engine behind the anticipated “great rotation” in the 2026 equity outlook. It explains how tightening yields and improving credit conditions are creating nuanced opportunities beyond a simple "buy...
The Cocoa Crash: Is the Bottom Finally In?
The episode dissects the recent turbulence in the cocoa market, highlighting a modest 0.77% price bounce despite a projected 287,000 MT surplus and a 22% sales drop from major players. It explores the concept of "supply ghosts"—beans stranded at Ivorian...
How To Make Money During School
Students can earn supplemental income by selecting flexible, low‑commitment gigs that fit around class schedules. Options range from tutoring peers and freelance online tasks to reselling items, babysitting, and micro‑surveys. Each opportunity leverages existing skills or assets, turning spare time...
Week Signals: The European Unicorn
This episode of Week Signals examines why Europe, often dismissed as stagnant, is actually a strong investment "unicorn" despite its self‑deprecating narrative. It contrasts the bleak rhetoric from Munich Security Conference speakers with data showing European equities outperforming US markets,...
Elliott Wave Analysis of USDJPY – February 16th, 2026
USDJPY fell 450 pips last week after Japan’s finance minister Sanae Takaichi signaled stricter fiscal discipline. The drop reflects bearish momentum in the pair, prompting Elliott Wave analysts to pinpoint a critical support level that must be broken for bears...
January’s Mild Inflation Report Comes with ‘Qualifications’
January’s consumer‑price index showed modest headline inflation, rising 0.3% month‑over‑month and 3.2% year‑over‑year, but the report included several qualifiers. Core CPI eased to 4.8% annual, driven by lower energy costs, while shelter and services remained sticky. Analysts highlighted the mixed...
Asian Marco Initial Thoughts: Data Impacting Asia 16 - 20 February & Markets Closed for Lunar New Year. Plus Things...
The episode outlines the upcoming market closures across Asia for the Lunar New Year and the U.S. President’s Day, detailing each country's holiday schedule and the impact on trading calendars. It highlights a surge in U.S. customs bond insufficiencies, reaching...
A Precious Metals & Miners Update
The episode reviews the recent market turbulence, highlighting how precious metals and mining stocks held up better than tech and crypto sectors during Thursday's massive sell‑off. A surprisingly mild U.S. CPI report on Friday helped the metals complex rebound, erasing...
Retirement Tax Planning Is About Managing Tradeoffs, Not Following Rules
Retirement tax planning is less about rigid rules and more about managing timing trade‑offs over a lifetime. The article stresses that focusing on minimizing taxes in a single year can increase total tax burden due to higher effective marginal rates,...
Friday Footnotes: What Are The Cash Markets Trying To Say
In this episode, host examines the disconnect between grain futures narratives of abundant supply and weak demand and the reality observed in cash markets, emphasizing that U.S. farmers are still selling despite thin margins. The discussion highlights how rising cash...
QQQ Is Hedging Hard, But Not Panicking
The episode dissects the current QQQ options market, highlighting that skew and risk reversals are at historic highs, indicating expensive downside protection and a defensive bias among investors. Despite heavy put activity, call participation remains steady and speculative far‑out‑of‑the‑money buying...
Consus Ag Consulting Afternoon Wrap Up
The episode reviews the day's agricultural market activity, noting a shift toward consolidation and profit‑taking ahead of the President’s Day holiday, which typically boosts contract positioning. It highlights mixed South American weather impacts, with particular focus on Argentina’s continued crop...
Trade Tips From Washington DC
Ashraf Laidi notes recent Trump administration comments that imply a deliberately weaker US dollar ahead of today’s non‑farm payroll (NFP) release. He suggests the labor data could fall far short of the 68,000 consensus, echoing a pattern of "benign neglect"...
The Signal Is Finally Here
Forex analyst Ashraf Laidi unveiled a long‑awaited EUR/GBP chart, showing the pair’s daily price breaking out of a three‑month descending channel while the weekly chart preserved an 11‑month trendline support and is now bouncing higher. He suggests the breakout could...
Typical Trading Errors
Retail traders often sacrifice profits by exiting positions too early, driven by a desire for constant action rather than market fundamentals. Ashraf Laidi illustrates this with the USDJPY reaction to the February NFP surprise, where the pair swung more than...
Prospects for Swine Feed Costs in 2026
Indiana corn prices averaged $4.45 per bushel in 2025 and futures suggest 2026 prices will cluster between $4.11 and $4.73 per bushel. Based on these projections, feed‑cost indices for farrow‑to‑finish and swine‑finishing operations are expected to dip slightly below 2025...
Gold & Silver Rebound, And A Look Inside The Indian Silver Market
The episode reviews the recent rebound in gold and silver prices, with gold back above $5,000 per ounce and silver futures climbing to $77.89. It delves into the Indian silver market, highlighting rapid price spikes, profit‑taking, and a sharp correction...
Friday Reading List - 13 February 2026
This episode surveys a whirlwind of political and security developments across Latin America, focusing on Mexico’s fraught reforms under President Sheinbaum, the looming electoral shake‑ups in the region, and the resurgence of U.S. influence via Trump‑aligned policies. It highlights Mexico’s...
Bonds Rally, Ignoring Surge in SuperCore CPI
Bonds rallied as the latest CPI data showed headline inflation just below forecasts and core inflation on target, pushing 10‑year Treasury yields down to 4.07%. Shelter costs continued to ease, with owners' equivalent rent hitting a cycle low. Meanwhile, the...
Bulgarian Central Bank Deputy Governor Appointed Prime Minister
President Iliana Iotova appointed suspended Bulgarian National Bank deputy governor Andrey Gurov as interim prime minister, invoking a constitutional rule that limits caretaker‑PM candidates to ten senior officials. Gurov’s selection follows an anti‑corruption finding that barred him from his central‑bank...
Central Bank Rate Cuts of 100 Basis Points in Egypt and 50 BPS in Russia
The Central Bank of Egypt cut its policy rate by 100 basis points, bringing it down to 19.0% as inflation eases to 11.9% after a peak of 38% in 2023. The Bank of Russia trimmed its key rate by another...
US Inflation Benign With One Glaring Caveat
The latest U.S. inflation report appears modest, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ decision to assign a zero year‑over‑year change to housing components that were not surveyed during the recent government shutdown artificially depresses the CPI reading. This methodological adjustment...
TMTB Morning Wrap
The episode reviews a flat QQQ market after CPI data and a broad Asian sell‑off, then dives into earnings from Arista Networks (ANET), Applied Materials (AMAT), Roku, CarT, and Airbnb. Arista beat expectations, raised its FY26 growth outlook to ~25%...
Weekly Summary
This week’s Value Investing World roundup highlighted several investment themes. Ian Cassel’s “From Disaster to Triumph” case studies underscored resilient micro‑cap turnaround strategies, while Ben Thompson’s conversation with John Collison explored AI‑driven advertising and its implications for SaaS. Multiple analysts—including...
Westside Los Angeles Office Space Trends in 2026: What Tenants Are Doing Differently
The Westside Los Angeles office market has softened but become more rational, giving tenants greater flexibility and control over space and lease length. Companies across Santa Monica, Culver City, Playa Vista and Marina del Rey are prioritizing smaller footprints, hybrid‑work...
The EU’s Digital Euro Is Just a Whisker Away From Becoming a Legal Reality
The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to endorse two amendments to the ECB’s annual report, labeling the digital euro “essential” for monetary sovereignty, payment‑system resilience and universal acceptance. The first amendment passed with 438 votes, the second with 420, signalling political...
Frugal Living Tips For Beginners
The article outlines practical frugal‑living habits for beginners, emphasizing mindset, budgeting, and purposeful spending. It walks readers through steps such as creating a strong money mindset, giving every dollar a job, and planning purchases before buying. The guide also highlights...
Quick Updates: Frosta, Alimanetation Couche-Tard, Bombardier, Bouvet & Robertet
Frosta released a preliminary earnings update showing a 12% drop in net income for 2025, but its core brands delivered robust growth—16% for the Frosta brand and 18% for ready‑made meals, outpacing market averages. The company kept its dividend at...
Iran’s Future Hinges on IRGC-Artesh Power-Sharing
Iran’s strategic trajectory now depends on how the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular armed forces (Artesh) negotiate power. The IRGC’s performance in the 2024‑25 conflict with Israel exposed operational weaknesses, eroding its dominance. This vacuum has allowed...
Chinese Loan Data Out After Market - Lighter than Expected
The episode reviews China’s latest loan data released after market close, noting new yuan loans of CNY 4.71 trillion in January—significantly below the CNY 4.8 trillion forecast and far under expectations of around CNY 5 trillion. While total social financing surged to CNY...
State-Dependent Correlation Between the S&P 500 and the VIX
The episode examines how the correlation between the S&P 500 and the VIX is not static but varies across four distinct market regimes defined by levels of volatility (VOL) and volatility‑of‑volatility (VOV) risk. The authors propose a regime‑switching model that shows...
Sissener’s Best Year in Over a Decade, Momentum Extends Into 2026
Sissener Canopus delivered a 22.8% gain in 2025, its strongest performance in over a decade and the second‑best year since inception, and added 3.6% in January 2026. The fund’s flexible long/short equity mandate and thematic focus on AI and “Power...
2026-02-13: India-US Interim Trade Deal Sparks Opposition Protests and Political Criticism
The episode examines the India‑US interim trade agreement, which has moved from a tariff announcement to a flashpoint in India’s February 2026 budget session. Opposition parties are framing the pact as a “trap deal,” launching parliamentary attacks and street protests...
Asian Initial Thoughts: US Inflation, Markets Closed on Monday, Chinese House Prices & Loans
The episode outlines the upcoming Lunar New Year market closures across major Asian economies and the U.S. President’s Day holiday, forecasting lighter trading volumes. It highlights the imminent release of the Fed’s Miran speech and the China House Price Index,...
Trump Signals Interest in Iran Deal
In this episode, the host discusses President Trump's recent statements indicating a willingness to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran, including a timeline of about a month for talks. The conversation highlights the contrasting positions of Israeli Prime Minister...
China Mulls Blowing Aussie Property Into Space
Prominent Chinese economists Miao Yanliang and Ju Jiandong have called for easing capital controls, arguing that the current weakening U.S. dollar and a strengthening yuan present a rare opportunity to increase the currency’s value abroad. They describe 2023 and 2024...
TMTB EOD Wrap
The episode discusses the recent market downturn, highlighted by a 2% drop in QQQs, as AI disruption spreads beyond software and internet sectors into areas like property management and freight logistics. It examines how AI is turning into a net...