Skip to content
Learning that drives better investment decisions

Become a Better Investor Newsletter – 23 August 2025

|

Noteworthy this week

  • AI takes over office workers
  • AI gets facts from Reddit and YouTube
  • AI capex might be at a peak
  • Taxed to death
  • Taxed to death twice

AI takes over office workers: Maybe not exactly what this chart shows. However, it indicates that investments are currently focused on AI rather than expanding office space.

AI gets facts from Reddit and YouTube: I don’t say there isn’t good and reliable information at Reddit and YouTube, but this chart should at least convince you that you shouldn’t blindly trust AI answers.

AI capex might be at a peak: Capex by Telecoms peaked at the height of the dot-com bubble. Are AI investments by Tech giants peaking now?

Taxed to death: “Nothing is certain except death and taxes,” as Benjamin Franklin said. Governments can also tax you to death. Europeans are particularly good at that.

Taxed to death twice: Europe is also leading in marginal personal income tax. Smart move, since politicians are such great capital allocators (note: sarcasm).

Join the world’s toughest valuation training

Become a Valuation Expert. Valuation Master Class Boot Camp graduates can confidently value any company in the world and possess in-demand industry skills.

Click here to learn more.

Weekly market performance

Click here to see more markets and periods.

Chart of the week

Try 1 month of the Become a Better Investor Community for FREE today!

You can cancel at any time. Click here to learn more.

Podcasts we listened to this week

#398 Steve Jobs In His Own Words (Make Something Wonderful) – Founders Podcast

“A curated collection of Steve’s speeches, interviews, and correspondence, Make Something Wonderful offers a window into how one of the world’s most creative entrepreneurs approached his life and work.”

Listen on Apple or Spotify.

Readings this week

Fed Considers Gold Reserve Revaluation

“For the first time in modern history, the Federal Reserve is openly examining the possibility of revaluating its gold reserves — a decision whose implications go far beyond accounting. Gold is quietly reclaiming a central place in the global monetary debate.”

Read the article.

Book recommendation

The Moral Animal: Why We Are, the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology by Robert Wright

“Are men literally born to cheat? Does monogamy actually serve women’s interests? These are among the questions that have made The Moral Animal one of the most provocative science books in recent years. Wright unveils the genetic strategies behind everything from our sexual preferences to our office politics—as well as their implications for our moral codes and public policies.”

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 Conclusion: Larry’s Timeless Guide to Smarter Investing

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 conclude the lessons from the book.

LEARNING: Investing isn’t about chasing the next hot stock—it’s about building a resilient, well-diversified portfolio you can live with in good times and bad.

Access the episode’s show notes and resources

Published on Become a Better Investor this week

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 41: A Tale of Two Strategies and Chapter 42: How to Identify an Advisor You Can Trust.

Listen to Enrich Your Future 41 & 42: DIY Investing or Hire an Advisor? How to Avoid the Costliest Mistakes

Pop Mart International Group Limited (9992 HK): Profitable Growth rank of 1 was up compared to the prior period’s 2nd rank. This is World Class performance compared to 970 large Cons. Disc. companies worldwide.

Read Pop Mart International Group Ltd – World Class Benchmarking

PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk (INDF IJ): Profitable Growth rank of 5 was same compared to the prior period’s 5th rank. This is average performance compared to 560 large Cons. Staples companies worldwide.

Read Indofood Sukses Makmur – World Class Benchmarking

Regional Container Lines Public Company Limited (RCL TB): Profitable Growth rank of 1 was same compared to the prior period’s 1st rank. This is World Class performance compared to 1,430 large Industrials companies worldwide.

Read Regional Container Lines – World Class Benchmarking

ANA Holdings Incorporated (9202 JP): Profitable Growth rank of 5 was down compared to the prior period’s 4th rank. This is average performance compared to 1,430 large Industrials companies worldwide.

Read ANA Holdings – 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.

Posted in Newsletter