pplpod

pplpod

pplpod is a podcast about people, places and lots of other stuff. Each episode takes a deep dive into the lives, choices, and legacies of fascinating figures from history, culture, music, and beyond. From icons who shaped entire generations to hidden stories that deserve the spotlight, pplpod brings you closer to the people behind the headlines and the legends. Thoughtful, engaging, and story-driven, pplpod explores what makes these lives extraordinary—and what we can learn from them today.

  1. HACE 8 MIN

    The ETF Revolution: From Spiders to Spot Bitcoin

    In this deep dive, we explore the explosive growth of Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), an investment vehicle that has transformed global markets since the launch of the "Spider" (SPY) in 1993. We break down exactly what an ETF is—a fund traded on stock exchanges that holds assets ranging from stocks and bonds to gold bars—and explain the unique "creation unit" arbitrage mechanism designed to keep share prices aligned with net asset value. Listeners will learn how ETFs differ from traditional mutual funds, specifically regarding their ability to be traded throughout the day, their lower expense ratios, and their superior tax efficiency for United States investors. We also examine the vast diversity of modern ETFs, moving beyond simple index tracking to include actively managed funds, thematic investments like AI, and the recent regulatory approval of spot cryptocurrency ETFs for Bitcoin and Ethereum. Finally, we discuss the risks and criticisms facing the industry, including the "volatility drag" associated with leveraged ETFs and concerns regarding how these funds influence market stability during flash crashes. Join us to understand how an instrument that began in Canada has grown to control trillions of dollars in assets worldwide.

    48 min

  2. HACE 9 MIN

    The Glidepath to Retirement: How Target Date Funds Became the Default Choice

    In this episode, we unpack the mechanics and history of Target Date Funds (TDFs), the "set it and forget it" investment solution now dominating retirement accounts. We explain the core concept of the "glidepath"—an automated strategy that shifts your portfolio from growth-focused equities to conservative bonds as you approach retirement age. Join us as we discuss: • The Origins: How TDFs were invented in the early 1990s and why their popularity skyrocketed after the Pension Protection Act of 2006 made them a standard default for 401(k) plans. • The Psychology: How these funds leverage behavioral economics and "nudge theory" to help savers overcome the risk of making poor investment choices. • The Risks & Trends: A look at the 2008 controversy regarding unexpected volatility in near-dated funds and the rising demand among millennials for socially responsible investment options within these portfolios.

    31 min

  3. HACE 9 MIN

    The Global IOU: Understanding the Mechanics, Risks, and Types of Bonds

    Dive into the fundamental machinery of the debt market in this comprehensive guide to bonds. We explain how a bond functions as a formal security where an issuer—whether a government, municipality, or corporation—borrows funds from an investor in exchange for cash flow, typically involving regular interest payments known as coupons and the repayment of the principal at a specified maturity date. In this episode, we cover: Bonds vs. Stocks: We clarify the distinction between holding an equity stake as a stockholder versus holding a creditor stake as a bondholder, noting that bondholders generally have priority over shareholders in the event of bankruptcy.The Mechanics of Debt: Learn the definitions of key features such as yield (the rate of return), maturity (the term of the bond), and the difference between "clean" and "dirty" market prices.Market Dynamics: We discuss the inverse relationship between bond prices and interest rates—when rates rise, bond prices generally fall—and how bonds are traded on secondary markets.A Spectrum of Issuers: From "risk-free" sovereign Treasury bonds to high-yield corporate "junk bonds," we explore how credit quality and the nature of the issuer dictate the security's risk profile.Specialized Instruments: Discover various bond structures, including zero-coupon bonds, inflation-indexed bonds, and even "Methuselahs"—bonds with maturity terms of 50 years or longer.Join us to decode the instrument that governments and companies use to finance long-term investments and current expenditures. Analogy for Understanding To help solidify the concept of the inverse relationship between bond prices and interest rates, imagine a bond is like a see-saw in a playground. On one end, you have the price of the bond.On the other end, you have the current market interest rate (yield).If a new weight (higher interest rates) is placed on one side, that side goes up. Immediately, the other side (the value of your existing bond, which pays a lower, older rate) must go down to balance the market. Investors won't pay full price for your "old" bond paying 2% if a "new" bond is paying 5%, so the price of your bond drops until the math equals out.

    46 min

  4. HACE 14 MIN

    Equity Explained: From Ancient Rome to Modern Markets

    Have you ever wondered what it actually means to own a "share" of a company? In this episode, we strip away the financial jargon to explore the fundamental building block of the corporate world: the stock. We trace the evolution of equity from its surprising historical roots to the complex theories that drive today's exchanges. In this episode, we cover: Defining Ownership: How stocks represent fractional ownership in a corporation and the specific rights granted to shareholders, such as voting power and claims to assets during liquidation,.Classes of Stock: The key differences between "common stock" (voting rights) and "preferred stock" (priority dividends), as well as complex instruments like convertible shares,.A History of Shares: The lineage of the stock market, ranging from the publicani contractors of the Roman Republic to the Dutch East India Company, which issued the first tradeable shares in 1602,.Market Mechanics: How share prices are determined by the equilibrium of supply (the float) and demand, and the high-risk mechanics of short selling and buying on margin,,.Rational vs. Irrational: The clash between the "Efficient Market Hypothesis"—which claims prices reflect all known information—and behavioral finance, which argues that human irrationality and the "greater fool theory" often drive values,.Whether you are interested in the mechanics of an IPO or the legal protections of limited liability, this episode provides a comprehensive overview of how equity financing powers the global economy,.

    43 min

  5. HACE 15 MIN

    Cash or Compound? The Dividend Deep Dive

    In this episode, we unpack the financial mechanics of dividends—the distribution of corporate profits to shareholders. We explore the origins of regular payouts, dating back to the Dutch East India Company, and break down the crucial timeline every investor needs to know: the declaration, ex-dividend, record, and payment dates [15–19]. Tune in to learn why a stock’s price typically drops on the ex-dividend date and examine the ongoing debate over whether companies should pay out cash or retain earnings for growth. We also discuss the complex world of taxes, including the "double taxation" faced by shareholders in the U.S. and how countries like Australia utilize imputation credits to mitigate this. Finally, we explore the power of Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs). Discover how DRIPs allow investors to bypass cash payments to automatically acquire more equity, leveraging the benefits of compounding and dollar-cost averaging. We’ll also cover the pros and cons of these plans, from avoiding brokerage fees to the administrative burden of tracking cost basis for future taxes.

    43 min

  6. HACE 15 MIN

    Dollar Cost Averaging: The "Autopilot" Strategy vs. The Lump Sum Myth

    In this episode, we break down Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA), a foundational investment strategy coined by Benjamin Graham in his 1949 book, The Intelligent Investor. We explain how investing a fixed amount of money at regular intervals—regardless of share price—allows investors to purchase more shares when the market is low and fewer when it is high. You will learn how this approach aims to lower the average cost per share over time compared to purchasing a fixed number of shares, effectively smoothing out market volatility,. We also tackle the widespread confusion between standard DCA and "systematic investment plans" used for windfalls, such as inheritances or insurance payouts. While Vanguard’s historical modeling suggests that investing a lump sum immediately is often mathematically superior to delaying it, we discuss why spreading investments out may still be psychologically beneficial for minimizing regret and emotional stress,. Finally, we cover essential logistics, including how to automate your investing and why you must balance your investment frequency against transaction costs to avoid eroding your returns,.

    27 min

  7. HACE 15 MIN

    The Efficient Frontier: Decoding Modern Portfolio Theory and the Science of Risk

    In this episode, we unpack the mathematical framework that revolutionized investment management: Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). Introduced by Nobel laureate Harry Markowitz in 1952, MPT shifted the focus from analyzing individual stocks to constructing diversified portfolios that maximize expected returns for a given level of risk. We explore how this theory attempts to turn the "art" of stock picking into a science of variance and covariance. Key Topics Covered: The Markowitz Bullet: We visualize the "Efficient Frontier," a hyperbolic boundary of optimal portfolios where investors get the best possible return for their risk tolerance.The "Free Lunch" of Diversification: Learn how combining assets with imperfect correlations can mathematically reduce overall portfolio volatility without necessarily sacrificing expected returns.Systematic vs. Specific Risk: We break down the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and the "Security Market Line," explaining why the market only compensates investors for systematic (market-wide) risk, assuming idiosyncratic (company-specific) risk can be diversified away.The Two Mutual Fund Theorem: Why, theoretically, an investor only needs to mix two efficient portfolios to achieve any desired risk profile.Critics and Limitations: From Nassim Taleb’s critique of "Gaussian" assumptions to the behavioral psychology of loss aversion, we discuss why the map doesn't always match the territory and how MPT struggles with real-world market crashes.Join us to understand why MPT remains the bedrock of financial economics, despite the heated debates over its reliance on historical data and rational choice theory.

    39 min

  8. HACE 18 MIN

    The Price of Risk: Mastering the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)

    How do investors determine if a potential return is worth the risk? In this episode, we deconstruct the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), a cornerstone of modern finance used to calculate the theoretically appropriate required rate of return for an asset. We explore how the model separates risk into two categories: "systematic risk" (market risk), which cannot be avoided, and "unsystematic risk," which can be eliminated through diversification. Key topics covered in this episode: The Power of Beta: Understanding how "beta" ($\beta$) measures an asset’s sensitivity to market movements and why high-beta stocks require higher discount rates.The Security Market Line (SML): How to visualize risk versus return. We explain why assets plotted above the SML are considered "undervalued" and generate positive "alpha," while those below are seen as overvalued.Founding Fathers: The Nobel Prize-winning origins of the model, developed independently by Treynor, Sharpe, Lintner, and Mossin.Theory vs. Reality: Why the model remains popular for its simplicity despite failing numerous empirical tests. We discuss major critiques by economists Fama and French, the "low-volatility anomaly," and the unrealistic assumptions of a frictionless market.Beyond the Basics: A look at the "Black CAPM" (Zero-beta CAPM), a robust alternative that removes the assumption of risk-free borrowing.Join us to learn why rational investors should only expect to be rewarded for the risks they cannot diversify away.

    39 min
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Información

pplpod is a podcast about people, places and lots of other stuff. Each episode takes a deep dive into the lives, choices, and legacies of fascinating figures from history, culture, music, and beyond. From icons who shaped entire generations to hidden stories that deserve the spotlight, pplpod brings you closer to the people behind the headlines and the legends. Thoughtful, engaging, and story-driven, pplpod explores what makes these lives extraordinary—and what we can learn from them today.

Ficha técnica

  • Creado por
    pplpod
  • Años en activo
    2 mil
  • Episodios
    1,3 mil
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Derechos de autor
    © pplpod
  • Sitio web del podcast
    pplpod

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