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Become a Better Investor Newsletter – 2 November 2024

Noteworthy this week

  • Gold hits another ATH
  • Central banks hold record gold reserves
  • Large US growth stocks were the best
  • It makes sense to be bullish
  • The flexible climate agenda

Gold hits another ATH: This week, gold hit US$2,800/oz t. So far, it’s been the best year for gold in decades.

Central banks hold record gold reserves: Central banks now hold 12.1% of global gold reserves, the highest level since the 1990s.

Large US growth stocks were the best: Over the last 10 years, US Large Cap Growth stocks have outperformed everything else by a wide margin, with an annualized return of 16.5%. What will the next 10 years bring?

It makes sense to be bullish: The normal state of the stock market is to go up.

The flexible climate agenda: Environmentalists want to reduce emissions and get more people to drive EVs, and we must take action now. Yet, sanctions lead to more emissions. Also, tariffs on Chinese EVs seem unlikely to lead to more EVs on European and American roads. So, what’s the climate agenda for?


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Weekly market performance

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Chart of the week


Discussed in the Become a Better Investor Community this week

“@channel please find the above performance chart of the 5 stock strategies and 1 asset allocation strategy you have access to in the community.”

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Podcasts we listened to this week

#2219 – Donald Trump – The Joe Rogan Experience

“Donald Trump is currently the 2024 Presidential Candidate of the Republican Party. He previously served as America’s 45th president, and is also a businessman and media personality.”

Listen on Apple or Spotify.


Readings this week

Democrat Original Sin

“Bill Clinton is the original sin of the modern Democratic Party. Reagan had destroyed the old Democrats, those effete intellectuals, communist sympathizers, corrupted unions, the drug counterculture and pacifists, the race-baiters, the remnants of Roosevelt’s coalition.”

Download PDF.


Book recommendation

Think like a Stoic Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World by Massimo Pigliucci

“Distilled to its essence, the ancient Greco-Roman philosophy known as Stoicism is a philosophy of personal betterment. Professor Pigliucci, who knows firsthand just how transformative a Stoic approach to life can be, has designed these 25 lessons as an enlightening introduction to the basics of Stoic philosophy and ways to incorporate its lessons into your own life.”

Get the book on Audible or Kindle.

Audible is great; have you tried it? If not, click here to get 2 books for free.


Memes of the week


New My Worst Investment Ever episodes

Enrich Your Future 18: Build a Portfolio That Can Withstand the Black Swans

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry’s new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 18: Black Swans and Fat Tails.

LEARNING: Never treat the unlikely as impossible. Diversify your portfolio to withstand black swans.

Access the episode’s show notes and resources


Published on Become a Better Investor this week

In October 2024, we published 4 new episodes of the My Worst Investment Ever podcast. Listen to all of them here.

Listen to My Worst Investment Ever October 2024

In this episode of Enrich Your Future, Andrew and Larry Swedroe discuss Larry’s new book, Enrich Your Future: The Keys to Successful Investing. In this series, they discuss Chapter 17: There is Only One Way to See Things Rightly.

Listen to Enrich Your Future 17: Take a Portfolio Approach to Your Investments

Is your financial bottom line the true story of your organization? In this episode, Jacob Stoller and Andrew Stotz take on the myth of the bottom line – maybe it doesn’t tell you what you think it does.

Listen to Myth of the Bottom Line: Boosting Lean with Deming (Part 3)

Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Company Limited (600415 SH): Profitable Growth rank of 1 was same compared to the prior period’s 1st rank. This is World Class performance compared to 200 large Real Estate companies worldwide.

Read Zhejiang China Commodities City Group – World Class Benchmarking

President Chain Store Corporation (2912 TT): Profitable Growth rank of 6 was same compared to the prior period’s 6th rank. This is below average performance compared to 540 large Cons. Staples companies worldwide.

Read President Chain Store Corp – World Class Benchmarking


DISCLAIMER: This content is for information purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Readers should not consider statements made by the author(s) as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. While the information provided is believed to be accurate, it may include errors or inaccuracies. The author(s) cannot be held liable for any actions taken as a result of reading this article.