What Well-Dressed Men Taught Me About Quality Investing
At a Sartorial Asia Marketplace in Hong Kong, the author observed that the traits prized by menswear connoisseurs—patience, independent thinking, durability, and an eye for hidden quality—mirror the attributes of successful long‑term investors. He argues that quality investing, like fine tailoring, focuses on invisible fundamentals such as corporate culture, durable moats, and disciplined capital allocation. The piece introduces the Sartorial Portfolio, a collection of publicly listed companies aligned with timeless menswear brands, designed to compound value over decades. The analogy underscores that paying a fair price for enduring excellence yields superior risk‑adjusted returns.
[ASEAN Inc.] +17.4% Annualized Since December 31, 2024 — Vietnam and Singapore Lead While Indonesia and the Philippines Lag
A hypothetical ASEAN Inc. portfolio of seven U.S.-listed ETFs delivered a 17.4% annualized return, including dividends, from Dec 31 2024 to May 1 2026. Vietnam’s Global X MSCI Vietnam ETF outperformed with a 51.3% annualized gain, while Singapore’s iShares MSCI Singapore ETF posted a...
China’s Next Market Winners: Reading the Signals From the 15th Five-Year Plan
China’s 15th Five‑Year Plan (2026‑2030) shifts focus from research to the large‑scale deployment of advanced technologies. It earmarks AI, semiconductors, robotics, 6G, green hydrogen and bio‑manufacturing as priority sectors, coupling subsidies with strict performance targets. The policy reinforces self‑reliance, offering...
Protected Profits: How the World’s Largest Condom Maker Turned a Global Crisis Into a "Covered" Investment Opportunity
Karex, a Malaysia‑listed firm, is the world’s largest condom manufacturer, producing over five billion units annually for brands such as Durex, Trojan and public‑health buyers like the NHS and UN. Amid the US‑Iran conflict, shipping delays have doubled transit times,...
ASEAN, Inc.: +19.5% Annually Since December 31, 2024 — The Quiet Outperformer in a Noisy World
ASEAN, Inc., a basket of seven U.S.-listed ETFs covering Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the region’s 40 largest firms, has delivered a total return of +25.7% (annualized +19.5%) since December 31, 2024. The portfolio’s outperformance is anchored by Vietnam’s...
ASEAN, Inc.: +17.8% Annually Since December 31, 2024 — How Southeast Asia Quietly Outperformed Amid Global Conflict
A conceptual portfolio called ASEAN, Inc., equally weighting seven US‑listed ETFs that track Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and a regional top‑40 fund, generated a total return of +22.8% (‑$1 million to $1.227 million) and an annualized +17.8% through April 10 2026....
ASEAN Inc.: Up 16% Since December 31, 2024 — A Region Outperforming Quietly, While Investors Look the Other Way
ASEAN Inc., a basket of seven U.S.-listed ETFs covering Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the region’s top 40 firms, posted a 16.1% total return (13.1% annualized) from Dec 31 2024 to March 20 2026, outpacing the S&P 500’s 15% gain. Vietnam’s ETF...
ASEAN Inc.: One Portfolio, Seven Markets — and a Clear Test of Southeast Asia’s Investment Story
The episode breaks down the ASEAN Inc. portfolio—a $1 million, equally weighted allocation across seven U.S.-listed ETFs covering Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and a regional ASEAN‑40 fund—and shows it delivered a 21.3% annualized total return through February 2026, beating...