Listen instead of read
Do you listen to podcasts? On the topic of finance? Or are you at least tempted by the idea? Podcasts are a great way to make better use of your time on the way to work, while ironing, or while jogging. Getting fit and clever at the same time – now that would be something. With podcasts, you can. And unlike traditional print media, they offer the chance to learn something firsthand from interesting interview partners.
Finance podcasts
Germany has a small – and certainly fine – podcast scene, but as the saying goes, everything is bigger in the US than it is here. And that definitely applies to finance podcasts too: the selection in English is many times larger than in German. Given the sheer number of offerings in the English-speaking world, you're spoiled for choice. So here's a tip: we like the podcast by asset manager AQR. Why? The podcast is very professionally produced technically, but it stands out above all for the quality of its content. The hosts do an excellent job of condensing complex topics into just over 20 minutes each, and the interview partners' viewpoints are summarized in an understandable way. Another big plus: thanks to AQR's almost legendary reputation, the organizers manage to get the „who's who“ of the finance industry in front of their microphones. For example, the recently deceased John Bogle – inventor of the index fund and founder of Vanguard, the world's second-largest asset manager – was interviewed. And financial researcher and Nobel laureate Richard Thaler also delivered interesting insights as a conversation partner.
The search for the truth
Another thing that distinguishes the podcast is that its creators take great care to always present both sides of the coin. Precisely with finance topics – where bull and bear, return and risk, inevitably stand irreconcilably opposed – it's important to understand the other party's arguments too. On the financial markets, the winning portfolio is always just a change of sign away from the losing one. So it's refreshing that all findings are always prepared with an accompanying „but.“ This applies in particular to the investment strategies that AQR pursues itself.
Something else that pleases us: anyone who listens through the episodes will rediscover many topics and answers that we at quirion have always communicated. Pleasingly often, the recommendations that crystallize out of the topic series can be ticked off at quirion. After all, it is our aspiration to invest our clients' assets according to proven scientific insights. This includes avoiding typical investor mistakes (Episode 1), investing in proven return factors (Episode 2), aligning your portfolio passively – we call it forecast-free – (Episode 3), highlighting the often underestimated role of chance in investing (Episode 4), not doing without bonds even in low-interest phases (Episode 7) or betting on broad diversification instead of individual securities (Episode 10).
After the podcast is before the podcast
The advantage of the series – short pieces on the most important capital market topics – turns out to be a disadvantage at the latest when, after just a few jogging laps, you've made it through all of them. Good thing AQR is now continuing its podcast series and going live with a second run of episodes. We wish you lots of fun listening, learning and investing wisely – just give it a try.
The Curious Investor
Available on all common podcast platforms.
