Table of Contents

• St Pauli: Bundesliga promotion and leftist princip …

• Navigating the resurgence in gold investments: Opp …

• Top Tickers

• What the NFT boom (and bust) says about the dark s …

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St Pauli: Bundesliga promotion and leftist principles combine (with ‘death head’ flag)

Celebrating St. Pauli's promotion: A triumph of values over victory

These are not normal characters, nor is this a normal story — but then St Pauli are not a normal club. Owned entirely by their members and probably more famous for their left-wing values than their football, they have styled themselves as the sport’s conscience. The cost of which is to be seen as a place where causes and inclusivity are more important than the score.

St. Pauli's return to the Bundesliga after thirteen years is not just a sports story; it's a testament to the club's unwavering commitment to its values and community. Situated in Hamburg, known for its iconic Reeperbahn and the rebellious spirit of Hafenstrasse, St. Pauli is more than just a football club. It's a symbol of activism, with a storied history intertwined with the city’s counterculture movements.

Oke Gottlich, who has been St Pauli’s president since November 2014, says: “Most people from conservative football believe participation, democracy, membership-driven models can‘t be successful. I want to run against this wall as long as I can. Even if it leaves me with a bloody head, I don’t care. I want something with the labels of participation and transparency to succeed, not just this old model where there is one captain — one guy with a lot of money or a lot of power.”

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Navigating the resurgence in gold investments: Opportunities and risks in today’s market

The golden opportunity: Strategic investment insights for high profile athletes

Recent trends indicate a marked increase in gold prices, driven by a complex interplay of factors including geopolitical turmoil, economic uncertainties, and shifts in monetary policy​​​​​​. The appeal of gold has been further magnified by its performance relative to other asset classes during periods of market volatility. However, this renewed interest in gold brings with it a set of risks and requires a nuanced understanding for informed investment decisions.

Analysts like Aakash Doshi from Citigroup predict that if current trends persist, gold could reach as high as $3,000 per troy ounce in the next six to 18 months. Such forecasts underscore a growing consensus that despite high interest rates, the intrinsic value of gold — enhanced by geopolitical and economic uncertainties — will likely sustain its price trajectory.

While gold can be a compelling component of a diversified investment portfolio, it is not without its risks. It does not yield dividends or interest, which means it should be balanced with other income-generating assets​​. Moreover, the price of gold can be volatile in the short term, influenced by monetary policies, currency fluctuations, and global economic conditions​​.

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What the NFT boom (and bust) says about the dark side of the art market

Token Supremacy: The Art of Finance, the Finance of Art, and the Great Crypto Crash of 2022

Remember NFTs? Briefly during the pandemic, the nonfungible tokens generated countless headlines and billions in sales. Beyond NFTs, the boom illuminated dark corners of the art market and economy, the New York Times reporter Zachary Small writes in “Token Supremacy: The Art of Finance, the Finance of Art, and the Great Crypto Crash of 2022.”

Despite the high-profile transactions often associated with billionaires and shell companies, the art market remains one of the largest unregulated markets globally. This lack of oversight not only permits dubious financial activities but also poses significant challenges to federal regulators, who often underestimate the seriousness of art as an asset class.

The NFT boom illuminated speculative practices and potential money laundering within the art market. These digital assets, while recorded transparently on the blockchain, exhibited alarming trends such as wash trading. This manipulation involved inflating art prices through artificial trades before duping the less informed. Such activities underscore the urgent need for regulatory frameworks akin to those governing traditional financial markets.

Check the book

And then another book recommendation that I would like to pass on. At an event yesterday, the co-founder and CEO of Carbon Equity, Jacqueline van den Ende, spoke about her wake-up moment that led her to dedicate the rest of her career to the mission of empowering and enable individuals to use their capital to fight climate change and become co-owners of the thriving net zero economy. Jacqueline’s wake-up moment was the book „The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History“. A book book about the future of the world, blending intellectual and natural history and field reporting into a powerful account of the mass extinction unfolding before our eyes.

As I learned, over the last half-billion years, there have been five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the sixth extinction, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. This time around, the cataclysm is us.

We all know climate change is threatening our planet and its people. Not taking action doesn’t cut it anymore. Most of us feel this urgency and are looking for meaningful ways to contribute.

Certainly not a book to get you in a good mood, but certainly a book that can be an impetus for change...

Irg

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