Many yearn for a degree of pre-COVID norms. Nevertheless, as we gradually adapt to the stubborn social standards spawned by the pandemic's reaction, we cannot forget the opportunities it has created and behavioral expectations that will likely remain.
As thematic investors who assess global consumer spending trends, we have so many exciting secular trends to explore. One of the largest and most prominent consumption trends is the dramatic rise in Fintech innovation and the slow but steady death of cash as the primary method of transactions. Cash used as a percent of total global purchase transactions is estimated to be roughly 70% so it’s still very large.
As thematic investors who assess global consumer spending trends, we have so many exciting secular trends to explore. One of the largest and most prominent consumption trends is the dramatic rise in Fintech innovation and the slow but steady death of cash as the primary method of transactions. Cash used as a percent of total global purchase transactions is estimated to be roughly 70% so it’s still very large.
We are now, approximately one year from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic’s onset in the United States. In short, we remain in the midst of a stock market rotation away from “momentum” stocks fueled by COVID-related shutdowns and societal adaptations towards “value” stocks that remain historically cheap and consist of cyclical laggards.
Looking at the long arch of history it is clear that human knowledge in fields like mathematics and science are cumulative, but the emotional arts struggles to pass effectively between generations. It would appear that the most important things can’t be taught, they must be learned.
In a recent Nasdaq Markets publication, HANDLS Indexes Co-founder Matt Patterson provided a fourth quarter and year-end 2020 income investing recap. Matt also provided an outlook for 2021: well diversified portfolios with exposure to multiple asset classes continues to be the best protection against market dislocations.
The recent shift in tariff policies has added a layer of complexity to the economic landscape, potentially influencing market sentiment and investment decisions.
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