Spencer Jakab

#420: Harvard professor Arthur Brooks described two types of intelligence – and explained, in scientific terms, the wisdom that comes with age.Dr. Ellen Vora, M.D., shared insight into the roots of procrastination, offering evidence-based tips for how to overcome our own inner demons of anxiety, fear and laziness.Psychology professor Bill von Hippel described why too much happiness is just as detrimental to our long-term health and wellbeing as too little happiness.Wall St. Journal columnist Spencer Jakab observed the perfect storm of conditions that gave rise to meme stonks and other oddities of our era.Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy argued for “strategic under-diversification” and explained the Sharpe Ratio.Data scientist Nick Maggiulli explains the save-invest continuum.And financial planner Bill Bengen, the creator of the 4 percent retirement withdrawal rule, talks about what most people misunderstand about the safe withdrawal rate.These are just some of the highlights from the Afford Anything podcast in this 2022 year-in-review episode.Enjoy!For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode420 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Mackintosh, a Senior markets columnist at The Wall Street Journal, and Spencer Jakab, an Investing columnist, dive into the Trump family's latest venture—a crypto treasury with the WLFI token. They discuss the 'infinite money glitch' and its potential risks for investors. The conversation explores how this strategy mirrors the success of other digital-asset models and compares it to the volatile behavior seen with meme stocks. The duo also debates the thin line between investing and mere speculation in today's market landscape.

Spencer Jakab, a markets reporter at The Wall Street Journal, sheds light on the cyclically adjusted P/E measure, warning of potential market struggles ahead. Meanwhile, Katy Stech Ferek, Congress reporter for the Journal, discusses the latest developments in government shutdown negotiations, highlighting signs of optimism amidst bipartisan talks. They explore the pressures facing Speaker Johnson and the influence of Trump's strategies on Republican lawmakers, all while the clock ticks on a historic shutdown.

Financial journalist Spencer Jakab and activist short-seller Andrew Left discuss the GameStop meme stock craze and its characters. They delve into narrative investing, financial nihilism, and the societal factors influencing investing attitudes. The conversation also touches on the dark design of trading platforms and the contradictions within populist investment movements.

Spencer Jakab of WSJ debunks the GameStop and Reddit saga as a revolution, discussing varying outcomes for investors and legality of the situation. The podcast explores the swarm of day traders impacting Melvin Capital, Batesian mimicry in harmless species, and the importance of consistency in capital structure.

Wall Street Journal columnist Spencer Jakab discusses how randomly selecting individual stocks can outperform expert investing strategies in a dart-throwing experiment. The podcast explores the benefits of low-cost index funds over expensive investment managers and offers insights on portfolio diversification, economic well-being, and the pitfalls of frequent market adjustments.

Spencer Jakab, a Wall Street Journal editor and author of "The Revolution That Wasn’t," discusses the rise and fall of meme stocks, particularly the GameStop saga. He highlights how social media reshaped investment strategies and the chaotic nature of modern trading. Jakab explains the crucial role of short sellers in market integrity and how technology democratized investing, while warning of the risks. He also reflects on the fading allure of meme stocks and the psychological factors driving speculative trading behavior among retail investors.

This podcast discusses the potential impact of the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates and how it may affect the stock market. They also delve into FedEx's shift towards adopting technology in their business strategies and the implications for investors. Additionally, the podcast explores the emerging trend of music royalties becoming asset-backed securities and the opportunities it presents for investors.

Financial journalist and author Spencer Jakab discusses the fleecing of small investors, problems at the clearinghouse, gamma squeezes via out-of-the-money short-dated call options, the r/wsb strategy becoming a movement, the influencers Dave Portnoy, Chamath Palihapitiya, and Jack Farley, the theories of conspiracy, and how to beat Wall Street actually.

In a modern-day battle of David and Goliath on Wall Street, thousands of amateur retail investors banded together to bid up stocks in a handful of failing companies, most notably the nostalgic video game hub known as GameStop. Within days, the renegade traders sent stocks soaring and dealt heavy blows to hedge funds and other traditional professional investors who had bet against the companies. The "meme stock" phenomenon was born. But where does "revolution" stand a year later? Did the amateurs—trading mostly on the Robinhood platform—change the world of finance? Should more "ordinary" investors get into the game? Or will that benefit Wall Street at the little guy's expense?   In this "Agree to Disagree," the Wall Street Journal's Spencer Jakab and Tastytrade co-founder Tom Sosnoff take on the meme stock debate head-to-head.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices