My back-to-work morning train WFH reads:
• Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance: Our annual list honors women helping their companies, clients, and country through volatile markets and challenging times. Meet this year’s 28 new additions. (Barron’s)
• Why Private Market Funds Are Dangerous for Retail Investors. Private market practices have developed without significant regulatory oversight, and the markets themselves have long been dominated by sophisticated players, potentially leaving inexperienced investors vulnerable. The push to democratize private equity access is really about expanding the fee pool. Retail investors should understand they’re buying illiquidity and opacity at premium prices. (ProMarket) see also The AltView’s take on industry propaganda: A summary feat. A skeptical look at the narratives the alternative investment industry sells to its investors. A summary. feat. *Altie* nominees Mercer, Pru, Goldman, Georgetown University, Willis Towers Watson, Blackrock, Neuberger Berman, Franklin Templeton, State Street, Empower and more! (TheAltView)
• For the Best Long-Term Bet in the AI Economy, Look to the Past: Morningstar makes the case that the real AI winners might be boring diversified funds, not the flashy thematic plays. History suggests they’re right. AI isn’t the first game-changing technology for the economy. Here’s what investors can learn from previous waves of innovation. (Morningstar)
• Global Investment Returns Yearbook 2026: UBS’s annual compendium of long-term asset class returns across global markets. Essential reference material for any serious investor. The latest edition highlights what has driven real asset returns over time and what lessons we can draw to help navigate the future. (UBS)
• Should Hot IPOs Get Special Treatment? With offerings from SpaceX and OpenAI on the horizon, Nasdaq is considering a rules change that goes too far. The eternal debate about IPO allocation and whether retail investors deserve better access. Wall Street’s answer has always been ‘no,’ but the pressure is building. (Wall Street Journal)
• As AI Threatens Certain Jobs, How Will It Impact the Housing Market? If white-collar workers start earning less — or stop earning altogether — that has real consequences for housing demand.(Housing Notes)
• Prices for New Cars Have Soared. Here’s One Big Reason Why. Tariffs, supply chain friction, and regulatory costs keep pushing sticker prices higher.(Reuters)
• January’s EV Registrations Fell 41% As The Full Weight Of Trump’s Policy Changes Hit Home: Electric vehicle registrations fell off a cliff to begin the year, history says the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran will be disastrous for our auto industry, the Honda Prologue will soon join its newly canceled electric siblings in heaven and the Trump administration is suing California over its zero-emission vehicle and greenhouse gas rules. So much for states’ rights. Policy matters. Strip away the EV incentives and watch adoption collapse in real time. A masterclass in how government can kill a market transition. (Jalopnik)
• Marco Rubio’s Florida Bestie Is an Accused ‘Foreign Agent’ Set to Go on Trial — With Rubio on the Witness List. The Secretary of State’s close friend faces foreign agent charges, and Rubio himself may have to testify. David Rivera and Rubio bought a house in Tallahassee when they were coming up together in Florida politics. But he’s been a headache for the secretary of state ever since, and now he could be one for the Trump White House, too. (Vanity Fair)
• Britain is ejecting hereditary nobles from Parliament after 700 years: “Our parliament should always be a place where talents are recognized and merit counts,” he said. “It should never be a gallery of old boys’ networks, nor a place where titles, many of which were handed out centuries ago, hold power over the will of the people.” The House of Lords finally evicts members whose qualification for lawmaking is having the right great-great-great-grandfather. Better seven centuries late than never. (PBS)
Be sure to check out our Masters in Business interview this weekend with Matt Cherwin, co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of Marek Capital. The alternative asset management firm launched in 2024. Previously, he spent 16-years at JPMorgan Chase & Co where he held titles of Chief Investment Officer, Group Treasurer, Co-Head of Global Spread Markets, Global Head of Securitized Products, and Global Head of Asset-Backed Trading.
The real reason sunlight is increasing (it’s not daylight saving time).
Source: USA Today
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