Another excellent tool to leverage would be model portfolios. These are pre-built collections of stocks focused around particular investment strategies, goals, or risk levels. It's a great way to get insight into real world applications of these kinds of strategies as well as getting specific stock level ideas.It can help you understand the techniques associated with different strategies as well as getting a time-tested view of the outcomes. Two of Guru Focus's most popular model portfolios include the most ...

Economic Overview - The US economy is currently growing at approximately 2%, with GDP for the first half of the year reported at 1.5% and GDI at about 2% [4][5][6] - Recent earnings reporting season provided insights into market dispersion, highlighting the differences in performance between US and non-US stocks [9][11] Earnings Growth Expectations - Analysts initially expected a 12% year-over-year growth rate for US equity earnings in 2025, which has been downgraded to 9% [11] - For developed non-US stocks, the expected growth rate has shifted from 9% to a negative 3% for 2025, indicating a worsening outlook [12][13] Investment Strategies - High dispersion in returns across stocks and sectors suggests that active investment strategies may yield better results than passive approaches [8][10] - Model portfolios are increasingly being adopted by financial advisors to provide a scalable and consistent investment experience [25][29] Gold Market Insights - Central banks purchased 1,045 tons of gold in 2024, marking the third consecutive year of purchases exceeding 1,000 tons, which has contributed to gold's appreciation [32][33] - Gold's supply is inelastic, making it responsive to changes in demand, particularly from central bank purchases [34][35] AI Investment Landscape - The AI sector is characterized by volatility, with companies like Nvidia leading the charge, but there are opportunities across various industries including utilities and software [20][30] - Active exposure to AI through ETFs is recommended due to the fast-moving nature of the sector [21][50] Crypto and Digital Assets - Bitcoin is viewed favorably as a digital gold, serving as a store of value, although it remains volatile [41][43] - The correlation between Bitcoin and gold ETFs indicates a potential interchange in investor preferences between these assets [46]

Core Insights - BlackRock Inc. has launched a bitcoin exchange-traded product (ETP), iShares Bitcoin, in Europe following the success of its $48 billion U.S. fund tracking cryptocurrency [1] Group 1: Product Details - The iShares Bitcoin ETP was listed on Xetra and Euronext Paris under the ticker IB1T, and on Euronext Amsterdam under the ticker BTCN, with a temporary fee waiver of 10 basis points, reducing its expense ratio to 0.15% until the end of 2025 [2] - The fee waiver positions IB1T as one of the cheapest options at launch, compared to CoinShares International Ltd.'s $1.3 billion physical Bitcoin product, which charges a 0.25% fee [3] - IB1T is accessible to both institutional and informed retail investors and was issued by a special-purpose vehicle registered in Switzerland [3] Group 2: Strategic Rationale - The launch aims to leverage the increasing demand for cryptocurrency exposure in markets outside the United States, aligning with BlackRock's strategy to enhance offerings and grow assets under management [4] - Manuela Sperandeo, head of Europe & Middle East iShares product at BlackRock, indicated that this launch reflects a significant shift in the industry, driven by established retail demand and increasing professional interest [5] Group 3: Market Performance - BlackRock's shares have increased by 2% over the past six months, compared to the industry's growth of 2.4% [6]