Free Republic

Anson Frericks is a co-founder of Strive Asset Management and a former Anheuser-Busch executive Every day it seems that another iconic American brand has marched head-on into the furious buzzsaw of public controversy. Last month, Bud Light's sponsorship of transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney sparked massive customer backlash. Now, Target is the subject of boycotts after releasing a line of women's clothing intended to be worn by biological men with 'tuck-friendly construction' and 'extra crotch' room. The companies saw their stock prices plummet and billions of dollars of value erased – almost overnight. They're not alone. Nike, Calvin Klein, North Face...

FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), a flourishing lifestyle movement, has crept its way into mainstream culture throughout the past decade. As we've seen the pandemic spark a renewed push for people to create more autonomy in their lives, there is continued debate about the most sensible way to invest if FIRE is your goal. Real estate proponents advocate for potentially robust monthly cash flow, price appreciation, and tax advantages, whereas index fund adherents cite minimal expenses, a lack of constant oversight, and efficient trading as reasons to invest. In reality, there are benefits to both strategies, which might lead you...

Hedge fund managers don’t have much to be thankful for these holidays, as failure to beat low-fee index funds will likely infuriate investors shelling out hefty fees for their services. Just 13 percent of the so-called smartest money on the Street are outperforming the S&P 500, and a fifth of all hedge funds are actually in the red during 2012, according to Goldman Sachs data. To make matters worse, hedge fund managers have crowded into the same trades, with turnover at a record low, according to Goldman. Translation: Hedge fund investors are paying 2 percent fees up front and 20...

Bursting the Speculative Bubble - May 30, 2008 The Bubble may be ready to burst. The CFTC pushed by Congress may be sharpening the point on the pin that bursts the price balloon. Futures, Institutional Investors and Oil Prices. The volume of email commenting on the Michael Masters testimony before the Senate was surprising to say the least. While we disagree with some of his comments comparing the number of futures contracts to physical barrels, we do agree with the basic analysis and believe it helps explain some of the oil price increase over the last few ears. Since all...