Highlights that caught my eye this week.
I spent Friday hopping between Zoom calls and navigating the awkward choreography of a socially distanced furniture delivery.
Have you ever tried to hold one end of a half-assembled, five-foot bookshelf while standing six feet apart from the other holder? It’s a surprisingly delicate operation.
Anyway — on to the links and reading recommendations for the weekend.
Enjoy your weekend, whether you’re relaxing alone or with those closest to you.
From Monday there could be more than furniture delivery logistics to think about…
From Monevator
14 weeks and 12 numbers that have rewritten recent investing history — a concise look back at the figures that matter Monevator
Archive feature: a practical guide to constructing a risk-factor portfolio for long-term investors — Monevator
News
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Rishi Sunak outlines plans to rebuild the economy with a large-scale job-creation programme [Search result] — FT
Chancellor confirms coronavirus furlough scheme will end at the close of October — BBC
Self-Employed Income Support Scheme extended for a further three months — Which?
UK car production collapsed in April, with fewer than 200 vehicles made amid lockdown — ThisIsMoney
[Click to enlarge, or visit the site via the link below]
The road to recovery: an interactive overview of which economies are reopening and how they’re doing it — Visual Capitalist
Products and services
Zero-percent and balance-transfer credit-card offers have fallen sharply since the coronavirus outbreak, tightening options for borrowers — ThisIsMoney
Chargeback protection: an underused consumer safeguard that banks don’t always promote — Which?
Sign up to Freetrade via my referral and both of us may receive a free share (value varies) — Freetrade
Investors still waiting for the final payout from the Neil Woodford fund collapse [Search result] — FT
Nationwide expected to reduce interest rates paid to savers amid the pandemic’s pressure on profits — Guardian
Regulatory pressure mounts on fund managers to address funds considered poor value — Money Observer
Gallery: Arts and Crafts homes currently for sale — Guardian
Comment and opinion
Why are markets holding up despite the turmoil? A thoughtful explanation of recent market strength — Oblivious Investor
Debate: Is saving or earning the best route to building wealth? Perspectives and trade-offs — The Big Picture
Exploring the relationship between inflation and equity returns — The Economist
Further reading: Why inflation fears persist even in a deflationary environment — Topdown Charts
Could Warren Buffett’s exceptional track record have been predicted? A data-driven look — The Evidence-based Investor
The quietly steady reality of asset management: not glamorous, but largely functional — Institutional Investor
Dichotomy — a concise reflection on contrasting forces at work in markets and life — Indeedably
Green investment mini-special
A contrarian take: reasons not to invest in renewable energy today — Finumus
The counterargument: reasons renewable energy could be a strong long-term investment — DIY Investor (UK)
Naughty corner: Active antics
Every stock feels like a vaccine stock right now — a wry take on market narratives — Marginal Revolution
The one thing that frustrates market bears most — The Reformed Broker
Monks Investment Trust: management changes that could create opportunity — IT Investor
The S&P 500 has recovered back to around its 200-day moving average — but proceed with caution — Sentiment Trader
An uneven earnings backdrop for the S&P 500 helps explain why celebration is premature — Wisdom Tree
Covid-19 corner
UK antibody survey results come in lower than hoped, with implications for population immunity [PDF] — Covid-19 Surveillance Report
Study reports ~98% of a sample of previously infected hospital staff had detectable antibodies — Bloomberg Quint
Investigating why so many deaths occurred in UK care homes during the pandemic — Guardian
Colorado’s early reopening: lessons and consequences from a politically blue state’s gamble — Politico
Practical advice for staying as safe as possible this summer — The Atlantic
Reflections on the pandemic’s trajectory and the search for a new normal — The New Statesman
Learning to live with the uncertainty of Covid-19 and its long tail effects — NY Mag
An NHS consultant’s perspective: important lessons learned but huge challenges remain for UK hospitals — Guardian
ATM industry leader: it is safe to use physical cash with sensible precautions — ThisIsMoney
Kindle book bargains
Money: A User’s Guide by Laura Whateley — £0.99 on Kindle
Pig Wrestling: The Brilliantly Simple Way to Solve Any Problem by Pete Lindsay — £0.99 on Kindle
The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity by Carlo Cipolla — £0.99 on Kindle
Digital Transformation: Survive and Thrive in an Era of Mass Extinction by Thomas Siebel — £0.99 on Kindle
Off our beat
Five practical ways to build resilience and navigate adversity — Mark Manson
How the coronavirus has changed the rituals of small talk — a cultural take from the US — The New York Times
And finally…
“The single easiest way to find out how you feel about someone. Say goodbye.”
– Phil Knight, Shoe Dog: A memoir by the creator of Nike
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