Author: Matt Thalman

This Sector Has The "HIGH-est" Performing ETFs

Posted on by Matt Thalman

We have seen a lot of wild things occur in 2021, but hey, shouldn’t we have expected that considering it’s the encore act to a truly unforgettable 2020?

With the way big technology stocks such as Apple (APPL), Roku (ROKU), Amazon (AMZN), and Alphabet (GOOG) performed in 2020, one may think these stocks would continue to be big winners during the early part of 2021. Therefore the technology-heavy Exchange Traded Funds would also be the best performers thus far. But that is not the case. Perhaps the Tesla (TSLA) effect on the electric vehicle market would continue to move forward with the Democrats, who are seen as a more environmentally friendly political party in the White and controlling the House and Senate. But that also hasn’t been the case.

The industry that has been on a tear since the start of 2021 is one that a few years ago was coined as “the next great industry,” but that fire quickly smoked out when valuations and expectations grew far too high, way too fast. However, now that the industry is a little more mature developed. Investors have more realistic expectations, combined with the prospects of the industry being able to “legally” operate in more states and countries around the world, and investors really do need to start looking at what it has to offer them and perhaps make an investment in it, before this weed grows high.

If you haven’t guessed yet or scrolled ahead, I am referring to the marijuana industry. I mentioned this industry just a few months ago as one you may want to start watching, and I am reiterating that idea today. While some investors may want to go into this newer industry cherry-picking stocks, I believe the Exchange Traded Funds that focus on this industry are the best way to invest in this growth industry.

Oh, and have I mentioned these marijuana ETFs are the best performing non-leveraged ETFs year-to-date? Let’s take a look at some of them and which ones I personally prefer as an investment option. Continue reading "This Sector Has The "HIGH-est" Performing ETFs" →

Coinbase IPO Raises Concern About Bitcoin Long-Term

Posted on by Matt Thalman

While the price of Bitcoin has been nothing more than incredible over the past year and completely blown me away, (and certainly proven me wrong a number of times when I have in the past stated that I did not think Bitcoin or any cryptocurrency was a "wise" investment), a new warning sign has made waves in the cryptocurrency industry and markets.

The warning comes from Coinbase prior to its upcoming initial direct listing, a different version of an initial public offering. In the report released by Coinbase for potential investors, the company listed several potential risks to its business. This is very common with public companies, even well past the time they have gone public. However, this is the first time we have seen these warnings from Coinbase, which generates the vast majority of its revenue from the trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum.

These risk factors include "disruptions, hacks, splits in the underlying network also known as 'forks,'" as well as developments in quantum computing and regulation that affect cryptocurrencies.

"The future development and growth of crypto is subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to predict and evaluate," the filing read.

Furthermore, the filing also mentioned "the identification of Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous person or persons who developed bitcoin," as a potential risk factor. It mentioned the transfer of Nakamoto's bitcoins, which some believe is worth around $30 billion. Bitcoin bulls fear that if Nakamoto is identified, it could harm bitcoin's decentralized nature, reputation, and overall security. Continue reading "Coinbase IPO Raises Concern About Bitcoin Long-Term" →

Interesting Start To 2021 For Cathie Wood And ARK Invest Funds

Posted on by Matt Thalman

In 2018 an unknown woman came out and proclaimed Tesla (TSLA) was wildly undervalued when the stock was already trading for many multiples, and at levels, most investors considered grossly overvalued. Flash forward to 2020, and most of what this woman name Cathie Wood had proclaimed years prior about Tesla's stock came true.

Back then, Wood's said Tesla would be worth $4,000 per share or a market value of $672 billion; this is when the company was worth $56 billion. Cathie has been proven right about her call on Tesla and has gained massive notoriety because of this bold prediction in 2018. However, her Ark Invest funds have been performing incredibly well even before her Tesla prediction came true as three of her funds, the ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW), the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), and the ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG) are all in the top ten best performing Exchange Traded Funds over the last five years.

The Tesla prediction coming true, combined with easy access to average investors through Exchange Traded Funds and incredible overall fund performance, has now made Cathie Wood one of, if not the hottest investors to follow, both from a media standpoint and an investment standpoint.

ARK Invests fund inflows have been nothing more than spectacular in 2021, with two of the company's seven funds making the top ten list of most cash inflows. The ARKK fund saw $5.75 billion flow into the fund, making it the ETF with the fourth-highest fund inflows since the start of 2021. ARKG had a $3.68 billion flow into the fund, making it the ninth highest ETF in terms of fund inflows. This is another clear signal that Cathie Wood and her ARK Invest family of ETFs is very popular with investors at this time. Continue reading "Interesting Start To 2021 For Cathie Wood And ARK Invest Funds" →

Your ETFs Are At Risk If US Delist Chinese Stocks

Posted on by Matt Thalman

At the beginning of January, the drama of delisting certain Chinese stocks controlled the headlines for a few days. Then, as we all know, other more newsworthy stories occurred, and we all forgot about the delisting of Chinese stocks due to 'national security' concerns.

Several different stocks were being thrown around as possibly being delisted in the future, which could affect you even if you don't own any individual Chinese stocks or Chinese-focused ETFs.

The delisting occurred as a way to 'protect' the national security of the United States against China. So, the main focus of the delisted stocks were those of military importance to the Chinese government. Most of the stocks on this list the average investors would have never heard of before. But, there were three telecommunications companies thrown on the list that some investors may have heard of. However, still very unlikely you would be holding them individually or through a non-Chinese-focused ETF.

However, two Chinese stocks, in particular, are a part of a vast number of popular ETFs in the US. The companies are JD.com (JD) and Alibaba Group Holding (BABA). For whatever reason, these two stocks were and still to an extent being considered as possible additions to the delisting list. Continue reading "Your ETFs Are At Risk If US Delist Chinese Stocks" →

General Motors Announcement Changes Everything

Posted on by Matt Thalman

We all know Tesla (TSLA) is a run-away train, but what if I told you General Motors (GM) could soon be not only chasing down Elon Musk but maybe passing him?

OK, all of the Tesla fanatics need to take a deep breath and calm down. The thinking that another “car” company could pass Tesla is not a negative comment against Tesla; it’s the reality that we are now living in a world where electric and other alternative energy vehicles are not “pipe” dreams but reality.

The late January announcement from General Motors that they will no longer sell internal combustion engine vehicles in the United States by 2035 is the writing on the wall that gasoline is ending and EV’s will dominate the road. In 2020 Tesla delivered 499,550 vehicles, which shows that we have demand for EVs even now. Perhaps not like the demand that GM still has for gasoline-powered vehicles. GM sold 7.7 million in 2019, down from the 8.3 million it had sold in 2018 and way off its high of just over 10 million in 2016. These are worldwide sales figures, but regardless GM sold 2.5 million vehicles in the US in 2020.

What’s the point of these figures? Continue reading "General Motors Announcement Changes Everything" →