crypto | The Leading Business Education Network for Doctors, Financial Advisors and Health Industry Consultants

SPEAKING: Dr. Marcinko will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit an RFP for speaking engagements: CONTACT: Ann Miller RN MHA at MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com -OR- http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", economics, finance, Information Technology, Touring with Marcinko | Tagged: binance, Bitcoin, blockchain, Buterin, cardano, CBDCs, Changpeng Zhao, crypto, crypto-currency, cryptocurrency, David Chaum, DeFi, DigiCash, Ethereum, Laszlo Hanyecz, Litecoin, Marcinko, Mt. Gox, Nakamoto, NFTs, ripple | Leave a comment »

NFT: Non-Fungible Tokens Defined

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd

***

***

NFTs, or Non-Fungible Tokens, are unique digital assets stored on a blockchain that represent ownership of a specific item or piece of content. Unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum, which are fungible and interchangeable, NFTs are one-of-a-kind and cannot be exchanged on a one-to-one basis.

In recent years, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have emerged as a groundbreaking innovation in the digital world, revolutionizing how we perceive ownership, art, and value online. At their core, NFTs are cryptographic tokens that represent a unique digital item or asset. These tokens are stored on a blockchain—a decentralized digital ledger—which ensures that each NFT is verifiable, traceable, and immutable.

***

NFTs 101: Taxes, Risks, and More

***

The term “non-fungible” means that each token is distinct and cannot be replaced with another token of equal value. This contrasts with fungible assets like dollars or cryptocurrencies, where each unit is identical and interchangeable. For example, one Bitcoin is always equal to another Bitcoin. However, each NFT has its own metadata, ownership history, and attributes, making it unique and often valuable.

NFTs can represent a wide range of digital content, including artwork, music, videos, virtual real estate, gaming items, and even tweets. Artists and creators have embraced NFTs as a new way to monetize their work, bypassing traditional gatekeepers like galleries and record labels. By minting their creations as NFTs, they can sell them directly to collectors and fans, often earning royalties from future resales thanks to smart contracts embedded in the blockchain.

***

IRS: Tax Treatment of NFTs and Crypto-Currency

***

One of the most popular blockchains for NFTs is Ethereum, which supports smart contracts and has a robust ecosystem for digital assets. Platforms like OpenSea, Rarible, and Foundation have become marketplaces where users can buy, sell, and trade NFTs. These platforms often require users to have a digital wallet and use cryptocurrency to complete transactions.

The rise of NFTs has sparked debates about their environmental impact, speculative nature, and long-term value. Critics argue that the energy consumption of blockchain networks can be significant, especially those using proof-of-work mechanisms. Others worry that the NFT market is driven by hype and may not sustain its current levels of interest and investment. Nonetheless, proponents believe that NFTs offer a new paradigm for digital ownership and creativity, empowering artists and reshaping industries from gaming to fashion.

In conclusion, NFTs represent a fusion of technology, art, and commerce, offering a novel way to own and trade digital assets. As the technology matures and adoption grows, NFTs may become a standard part of our digital lives, influencing how we interact with content, creators, and each other in the virtual world.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Accounting, economics, Investing, Taxation | Tagged: Bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, david marcinko, digital asset, Etherium, foundation, metadata, NFT, NFTs, non-fungible tokens, OpenSea, Rarible | Leave a comment »

Stock Markets, Commodities and Crypto-Currency

Posted on October 16, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters and A.I.

***

***

Stocks: Stock Market Indexes recovered yesterday from their losses, though the Dow remained in the red.
Commodities: Gold is rising above $4,200 to another new all-time high. Meanwhile, oil dropped to nearly a five-month low as trade tensions raised the specter of slowing economic growth.
Crypto: Bitcoin, ethereum, and altcoins of all shapes and sizes remain repressed after a massive selloff last weekend erased billions in crypto positions.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", economics, finance, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Investing, Portfolio Management | Tagged: altcoins, Bitcoin, commoditires, crypto, crypto-currency, DJIA, DOW, Ethereum, gold, oil, stock markets | Leave a comment »

CRYPTO-CURRENCY: Crisis Risks

Posted on October 14, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters and A.I.

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedialPlanner.org

***

The Looming Cryptocurrency Crisis: Risks on the Horizon

Cryptocurrency has revolutionized the financial landscape, offering decentralized alternatives to traditional banking and investment systems. However, as digital assets become more integrated into global markets, concerns about a potential future cryptocurrency crisis are mounting. From regulatory uncertainty to systemic vulnerabilities, the risks associated with crypto are increasingly being scrutinized by economists, governments, and investors.

One of the most pressing concerns is regulatory instability. Cryptocurrencies operate in a fragmented legal environment, with different countries adopting varying stances—from full embrace to outright bans. The lack of unified global regulation creates loopholes that can be exploited for money laundering, tax evasion, and fraud. If major economies suddenly impose strict regulations or sanctions, it could trigger a rapid devaluation of crypto assets and erode investor confidence.

Another risk stems from market volatility and speculative behavior. Unlike traditional assets backed by tangible value or government guarantees, cryptocurrencies are often driven by hype, social media trends, and speculative trading. This creates a fragile ecosystem where prices can swing wildly. A sudden crash—similar to the 2022 Terra/Luna collapse—could wipe out billions in investor wealth and destabilize related financial institutions.

***

Technological vulnerabilities also pose a threat. While blockchain is considered secure, the platforms built on it are not immune to hacks, bugs, or exploitation. High-profile breaches of exchanges and wallets have already resulted in massive losses. As crypto adoption grows, so does the incentive for cybercriminals to target these systems. A coordinated attack on a major exchange or blockchain network could have cascading effects across the entire crypto economy. Geopolitical tensions may also catalyze a crisis. For instance, recent reports suggest that aggressive trade policies—such as the U.S. imposing 100% tariffs on Chinese imports—can indirectly impact crypto markets by shaking investor sentiment and triggering sell-offs.

The interconnection with traditional finance is another area of concern. As banks and hedge funds increasingly invest in crypto, the line between decentralized finance and conventional markets blurs. This integration means that a crypto collapse could spill over into broader financial systems, potentially triggering a global crisis. The 2023 banking collapses, which were partially linked to crypto exposure, serve as a warning of how intertwined these systems have become.

Geopolitical tensions may also catalyze a crisis. For instance, recent reports suggest that aggressive trade policies—such as the U.S. imposing 100% tariffs on Chinese imports—can indirectly impact crypto markets by shaking investor sentiment and triggering sell-offs. In such scenarios, cryptocurrencies may not serve as the safe haven they were once believed to be.

Lastly, overreliance on stablecoins and algorithmic assets introduces systemic risk. Many investors use stablecoins to hedge volatility, but these assets are only as stable as their underlying reserves and governance. If a major stablecoin fails, it could lead to a liquidity crunch and panic across exchanges and DeFi platforms.

In conclusion, while cryptocurrency offers transformative potential, it also carries significant risks that could culminate in a future crisis. To mitigate these dangers, stakeholders must push for clearer regulations, stronger technological safeguards, and more transparent financial practices. Without proactive measures, the next financial meltdown may not come from Wall Street—but from the blockchain.

NOTE: A crypto mogul has been found dead inside his luxury car in Ukraine after the digital currency market nosedived. Konstantin Galich, 32, also known as Kostya Kudo, has died after one of the worst turmoils shook the cryptocurrency market. The entrepreneur, who became a well-known figure in the crypto industry, was reportedly found with a gunshot wound to his head in his black Lamborghini parked up in Kyiv’s Obolonskyi neighbourhood. His death was later confirmed on his Telegram channel in a post saying ‘Konstantin Kudo tragically passed away. The causes are being investigated. We will keep you posted on any further news.’

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, finance, Glossary Terms, Portfolio Management | Tagged: AI, Bitcoin, block chain, blockchain, crypto, crypto-currency, cryptocurrency, DeFi, digital assets, finance, konstantin galich, kostya kudo, terra/lina collapse, Wall Street | Leave a comment »

Stocks, Commodities, Japan & France

Posted on October 7, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I.

***

***

Stocks: The S&P 500 hit its seventh record close in a row today, its longest win streak since May. The NASDAQ was buoyed by big tech, while the DJIA fell.
Commodities: Oil climbed thanks to a decision by OPEC+ to boost crude production at a more modest rate than experts expected. Gold continued its record run, rising above $3,900 for the first time ever, while bitcoin hovered just below a new all-time high.
Japan and France: Japanese stocks rose after the country elected its first female prime minister, and French stocks dropped after its prime minister quit less than a month into the job.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, finance, Glossary Terms, Investing | Tagged: Bitcoin, commodities, crypto, DJIA, DOW, france, japan, NASDAQ, OPEC, S&P, stocks | Leave a comment »

Stocks, Bonds and Crypto-Currrency

Posted on September 26, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I. and Staff Reporters

***

***

Bonds: The 10-year Treasury yield popped on solid economic data yesterday, including weekly jobless claims falling to their lowest since mid-July and Q2 GDP rising unexpectedly.
Stocks: But good news for the labor market and economy is bad news for anyone hoping the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates next month, and the major indexes sank for a third day in a row yesterday. All eyes now turn to today’s key PCE reading.
Crypto: Digital assets continued to tumble yesterday with ether falling below $4,000 for the first time in months. There may be more pain ahead: $22 billion in crypto options expire today.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Accounting, economics, finance, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Investing, Portfolio Management | Tagged: bonds, crypto, crypto-currency, digital assets, Federal Reserve, FOMC, joblesds claims, PCE, stocks | Leave a comment »

Stocks, Crypto-Currency and Commodities

Posted on September 5, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I. and Staff Reporters

***

***

Stocks: Equities climbed slowly but steadily yesterday as investors braced themselves for today’s all-important jobs report.
Crypto: Bitcoin fell as a selloff in cryptocurrencies associated with the Trump family pulled the entire crypto market lower.
Commodities: Gold remains in the spotlight as traders bulk up on bullion to protect their portfolios in case the FOMC loses its independence. If that does happen, Goldman Sachs analysts think gold could climb to $5,000.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: Alternative Investments, finance, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Investing, Portfolio Management | Tagged: Bitcoin, crypto, cryptocurrency, FOMC, gold, Goldman Sachs, jobs report, stocks, Trump | Leave a comment »

INVESTMENT TYPES: Young Physicians and Medical Practitioners

Posted on August 26, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd

***

***

Types of investments

Once a physician [MD, DO, DPM or DDS] has a brokerage account, the young doctior will need to decide what to invest in. There are lots of options, and each comes with different benefits and drawbacks. Here are some of the most common options for new physician investors.

BROKE DOCTORS: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/08/02/doctors-going-broke-and-living-paycheck-to-paycheck/

Individual stocks.

Stocks are the first thing most people think about when they are considering investing, but they are not the only option. The prices of stocks change daily, sometimes by large amounts, as the market adjusts to news and various cycles. For that reason, it’s important to do your research. If you’re just beginning with a retirement account, you could also consider the longer-term products listed below.

Index funds and mutual funds.

Index funds attempt to replicate the performance of an un-managed market index. The performance of mutual funds [open and closed] varies. You can often get involved for a lower initial investment, and they can provide good diversification,which makes your portfolio better equipped to handle market fluctuations [active and passive].

For that reason, many financial experts say they should form the core of your retirement portfolio. While they have many similar characteristics, there are important differences. Read more about some of the differences in index funds and mutual funds.

Why Some Career Doctors Still DO NOT Get Rich?

Annuities.

These technically aren’t investment products; they are a contract between you and an insurance company. However, they work to accomplish a similar goal. There are immediate annuities that convert some of your existing savings into lifetime payments, but if we’re talking about saving for retirement, a deferred income annuity is the closest comparison. You make premium payments into the deferred annuity on a regular or irregular basis depending on the contract terms, and when you reach retirement age, you annuitize those savings and receive payments for the rest of your life. They can make a valuable addition to a retirement savings strategy.

Other investments.

There are many other types of investments and financial vehicles: bonds [local, state or US], money market funds, certificates of deposit through a brokerage account or investment apps. Even the cash value of life insurance can play a part. They are all designed to address different needs and have benefits and drawbacks and may be important to your overall strategy.

***

ALTERNATE INVESTMENTS: 401[k] Accounts

***

Crypto-Currency.

Crypto.com is a cryptocurrency company based in Singapore that offers various financial services, including an app, exchange, and noncustodial DeFi wallet, NFT marketplace, and direct payment service in cryptocurrency. As of 2024, the company reportedly had more than 100 million customers and more than 4,000 employees.

CRYPTO CURRENCY: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/03/27/cryptocurrency-real-money-or-not/

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", finance, Glossary Terms, Investing, Portfolio Management | Tagged: Alternative Investments, bonds, crypto, crypto-currency, DDS, DeFi, DO, DPM, ETFs, finance, Index Funds, Investing, Marcinko, MD, Mutual Funds, NFT, personal-finance, retirement, stocks | Leave a comment »

The GENIUS Act

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I.

***

***

The GENIUS Act is the law of the Land

President Trump signed the bill into law Friday, setting up a framework for regulating stablecoins—digital currency pegged to traditional assets—that are linked to the US dollar. It’s a big win for the crypto industry, and Trump said it was a “giant step to cement American dominance of global finance and crypto technology.”

The law could help push stablecoins into the mainstream, and major companies like Walmart and Amazon have been said to be considering launching their own, according to Morning Brew.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", CMP Program, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Health Insurance, Information Technology, Investing | Tagged: Amazon, CMP, crypto, finance, GENIUS ACT, HIT, Information Technology, IT, Morning Brew, Stablecoins, Trump, Walmart | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: “Crypto-Week” as Stock Markets End Mixed

Posted on July 19, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

***

“Crypto Week” got back on track after House GOP lawmakers convinced the holdouts in their party to help advance a series of crypto-friendly bills.

Crypto: Although bitcoin fell after the president signed the GENIUS Act into law, ether rose to its highest price in six months today, while enthusiasm for the new legislation pushed total crypto assets above $4 trillion.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

What’s up stocks

Talen Energy soared 24.48% on the news that the independent energy producer is acquiring two new power plants.
Interactive Brokers surged 7.77% after the broker increased the number of customer accounts by 32% last quarter as traders played market volatility.
Speaking of trading, Charles Schwab gained 2.87% after opening more than 1 million new brokerage accounts last quarter gave it a 23% boost in trading revenue.
Burberry popped 4.42% thanks to a turnaround in the luxury goods maker’s business, including a 4% increase in American sales last quarter.
Quantumscape continued to climb yet again, rising another 7.65% as investors pour money into the battery maker.
Invesco jumped 15.28% on reports that the asset manager is asking shareholders of its popular QQQ fund to let it revamp its fund structure to increase fee revenue.
Crypto companies continued to have a great week as key legislation passed its final barrier in Congress. Coinbase climbed 2.2%, Robinhood Markets rose 4.07%, and Galaxy Digital gained 4.19%.

What’s down stocks

Netflix fell 5.1% after the streaming giant reported a strong quarter but warned that its operating margin will take a hit in the second half of the year.
Sarepta Therapeutics plunged 35.94% after the biotech reported a third patient death during its Phase 1 study of its new gene therapy.
American Express sank 2.35% despite a strong quarter of spending among cardholders that helped the credit card company notch record quarterly revenue.
3M also fell 3.65% in spite of beating Wall Street’s forecasts and raising its earnings guidance.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bitcoin, crypto, crypto-week, DJIA, DOW, GENIUS ACT, GOP, Marcinko, NASDAQ, S&P 500, textbooks, VIX | Leave a comment »

Crypto-Currency and the Stock Markets

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I.

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

***

***

Markets: Stocks slid lower today even as a preliminary survey revealed that consumer sentiment hit its highest point since February, while inflation expectations fell to pre-tariff levels. The selloff deepened on reports that President Trump wants 15% to 20% tariffs against the EU, though the NASDAQ managed to eke out a win.
Crypto: Although bitcoin fell after the president signed the GENIUS Act into law, ether rose to its highest price in six months today, while enthusiasm for the new legislation pushed total crypto assets above $4 trillion.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", CMP Program, finance, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Investing, Portfolio Management | Tagged: Bitcoin, CMP, crypto, EU, genius, markets, NASDAQ, stocks, tariffs, Trump | Leave a comment »

Stocks, Crypto & Stock Markets

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

By A.I.

***

***

The Fed Drama: A White House official said President Trump will likely fire Jerome Powell soon. Stocks sank at the thought of the Fed head being shown the door, offsetting the pleasant surprise of a flat wholesale inflation reading.
Markets: Stocks managed to recoup their losses after Trump said it’s “highly unlikely” that he will fire Powell, but bonds remained shaken.
Crypto: Bitcoin bounced higher after the crypto bills currently under consideration in the House of Representatives cleared a key hurdle.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, CMP Program, economics, finance, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Portfolio Management, Risk Management | Tagged: Bitcoin, blockchain, bonds, crypto, fed, Federal Reserve, FOMC, NFT, Powell, stocks, Trump, White House | Leave a comment »

Bitcoin, Stocks, Oil, Gold and Silver

Posted on July 12, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I.

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

***

***

Stocks: The major Wall Street stock indexes languished. The S&P pulled back from its record high to close the week just a bit lower, but the NASDAQ managed to post a gain across the week.
Crypto: Bitcoin hit a new high-water mark above $118,000. Next week, July 14th, Congress hosts “Crypto Week” to discuss regulating the industry in a growth-oriented manner.
Commodities: Silver rose to its highest level since 2011, and it’s been even hotter than gold. The metal is up ~27% this year. Oil, meanwhile, ticked higher on speculation that President Trump will place more sanctions on Russia early next week.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", CMP Program, finance, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Portfolio Management | Tagged: Bitcoin, CMP, commodities, crypto, gold, NASDAQ, oil, portfolio, S&P 500, silver, stocks, tarriffs, Trump | Leave a comment »

Goldman Sachs and Bitcoin

Posted on July 11, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

By A.I.

***

***

Bitcoin notched another all-time record yesterday, beating the previous record that was set two days ago.

Goldman Sachs plans to ask junior bankers to certify their loyalty every three months in order to prevent poaching by private equity firms, Bloomberg reported.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

Like and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", business, Career Development, CMP Program, Ethics, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, iMBA, Inc., Investing, Research & Development | Tagged: Bitcoin, Bloomberg, CMP, crypto, Goldman Sachs | Leave a comment »

Stocks, Commodities and Crypto-Currency

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By A.I.

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

***

***

Stocks: Jobless claims came in lower than expected, the 30-year US bond auction met with strong demand, and Delta Airlines unofficially kicking off earnings season with a solid report. The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ hit record highs.
Crypto: Bitcoin reached a record high for the second day in a row, hitting $113,863.31 today. The crypto’s price has stayed above $100k for 60 consecutive days.
Commodities: Coffee futures in New York climbed as much as 3.5% in response to President Trump’s threat to slap 50% tariffs on Brazil, which is the top producer of higher-end arabica coffee.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", CMP Program, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Investing, Portfolio Management | Tagged: arabica, Bitcoin, bonds, CMP, coffee, commodities, crypto, stocks, tariffs, Trump | Leave a comment »

Stocks, US Dollar, Gold and Crypto

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By AI

***

***

Stocks: Markets rose tentatively to start the week after the US bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran over the weekend. The rally gained steam in the afternoon after Iran launched a missile strike against a US airbase in Qatar, leaving no US casualties and keeping a path to de-escalation intact.
Safe havens: The US dollar rose to its highest level in nearly a month this morning, up from a three-year low last week, as investors sought safety. Meanwhile, gold inched higher despite pressure from a stronger dollar, a sure sign of investor tension.
Crypto: Bitcoin fell dangerously close to the key support level of $100,000 before recovering later in the day as traders took a risk-on stance.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like, Subscribe and Refer

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Funding Basics, Investing, Portfolio Management | Tagged: Bitcoin, crypto, dollar, gold, stocks | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Stablecoins & 23andMe

Posted on June 15, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

The world’s two biggest retailers, Amazon and Walmart, are looking into issuing their own stablecoins for US customers to use at checkout instead of credit or debit cards, the Wall Street Journal reportedy. Other big companies, including Expedia and some airlines, are also considering the move.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

23andMe founder Anne Wojcicki is poised to regain control of the company because a nonprofit she controls outbid Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for its assets in a bankruptcy auction, offering $305 million. Wojcicki’s return to power over the company—and its DNA data—comes as a surprise after 23andMe announced last month that Regeneron had won the bidding (it got reopened because the nonprofit made an unsolicited bid).

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books | Tagged: 23andMe, Anne Wojcicki, crypto, DNA, Marcinko, news, Regeneron, Stablecoins, Technology, textbooks, WSJ | Leave a comment »

Stocks, Commodities and Crypto-Currency

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By AI

BREAKING NEWS

***

***

Stocks: Markets tumbled at the open yesterday after Israel launched a wave of attacks by air and drone against Iran. The selloff deepened yesterday afternoon after Iran retaliated with missile strikes. STOCKS: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/04/18/stocks-basic-definitions/
Commodities: Oil prices soared 14% overnight on fears of disrupted supply in the Middle East thanks to escalating conflict there. Meanwhile, gold climbed as investors sought safety. ALTERNATIVES: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/05/12/stocks-and-alternative-investments/
Crypto: Risk-averse investors sold bitcoin and bought the dollar, a reversal of recent trends. CRYPTO: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2023/01/16/crypto-currency-trades-24-7-365/

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Breaking News, finance, Funding Basics, Investing | Tagged: Bitcoin, commodities, crypto, Iran, Israel, Middle East, oil, stocks | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Stocks, Commodities & Crypto-Currency

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

🟢 What’s up

Tesla climbed another 5.67% on signs that Elon Musk and President Trump are mending fences and on hype around the robotaxi reveal this week.
TSMC rose 2.63% after the semiconductor company reported that its revenue in the month of May rose 39.6% year over year.
Disney rose 2.65% higher a day after agreeing to purchase Comcast’s stake in streaming service Hulu for $438.7 million. Comcast climbed 2.95%.
Solar stocks got a bit of hope after the Wall Street Journal reported that tech companies are lobbying Congress to keep clean energy subsidies in the tax and spending bill. SolarEdge rose 11.81%, and Sunrun gained 7.13%.
Insmed exploded 28.65% thanks to strong results for the biopharma company’s new treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Casey’s General Store rose 11.59% after the retailer crushed Wall Street’s profit expectations last quarter and raised its dividend.

What’s down

J.M. Smucker tumbled 15.59% on mixed earnings results and a weaker-than-expected fiscal forecast for the snack foods company.
McDonald’s lost 1.43% thanks to a double downgrade from Redburn Atlantic analysts, who think the fast food titan’s slowing foot traffic and headwinds from obesity drugs will hurt its growth. That’s the company’s third downgrade in three days.
Snap fell just 0.12% after the social media company unveiled its new augmented reality glasses.
Calavo Growers plunged 16.26% after the avocado distributor reported much worse quarterly results than Wall Street was expecting.
Biopharma stocks Liquidia and United Therapeutics lost 16.87% and 14.32%, respectively, on competitor Insmed’s good news.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Stocks: Markets meandered higher as investors awaited news from ongoing US & China trade negotiations in London. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said talks were going well and could continue into tomorrow.
Commodities: Oil soared to its highest price since April on hopes that a trade deal between the world’s largest economies could spur demand, but plunged back to earth after the US said oil output will fall next year.
Crypto: After just barely holding on last week, Bitcoin has now stayed above $100,000 for 30 days straight for the first time ever—a signal to traders that there’s a new level of support for the crypto king.

https://www.amazon.sa/-/en/Risk-Management-Liability-Insurance-Asset/dp/1032917636

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, finance, Financial Planning, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Portfolio Management, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bitcoin, commodities, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, finance, Investing, Marcinko, NASA, NASDAQ, S&P 500, stocks, Technology, textbooks | Leave a comment »

MARKETS: Wall Street

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By AI

***

***

Wall Street is stable right now as the technology trade has come roaring back.

The S&P 500 climbed above 6,000 points for the first time since February, while all three indexes posted their fifth winning week in the last seven. The S&P is now just over 2% from its all-time high.

Meanwhile, recent IPOs are party rocking, especially the stablecoin issuer Circle that went public last Thursday.

IPO: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/03/02/ipo-road-show-with-pros-and-cons/

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Refer

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, economics, finance, Financial Planning, Funding Basics | Tagged: Cirle, crypto, IPO, IPOs, S&P 500, stablecoin, stock markets, technology stocks, Wall Street | Leave a comment »

INVESTING: Wrap-Up

Posted on June 5, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters and Brew Markets

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

***

The European Central Bank cut its interest rate by 25 basis points.
The US trade deficit plunged over 55% in April, its biggest drop ever, as imports dried up.
Robinhood may join the S&P 500, according to Bank of America.
24-hour trading is coming, whether you like it or not.
Uber is getting into the stablecoin game.
Mortgage rates fell for the first time in five weeks.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Refer

***

RISK MANAGEMENT FOR PHYSICIANS

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", CMP Program, curated experts,, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Health Economics, Investing, Risk Management | Tagged: Bank America, Brew Markets, CMP, crypto, European Central Bank, financial planing MDs, imports, mortgage rates, risk management for physicians and advisors, Robinhood, S&P 500, stablecoin, Uber | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: UnitedHealth Group and Crypto Up as Stock Markets Spike

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

UnitedHealth Group improperly uses workers’ funds to reduce its own 401(k) contributions, according to a lawsuit against the nation’s largest health insurer that is seeking class-action status. The company denies the claims. It’s just one in a string of lawsuits facing the beleaguered company.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

🟢 What’s up

Boeing climbed 3.32% after CEO Kelly Ortberg laid out his turnaround plan for the struggling aircraft manufacturer, including ramping up production of its 737 Max.
C3.ai exploded 20.76% higher thanks to a smaller-than-expected loss last quarter and strong revenue growth for the enterprise AI company.
Veeva Systems soared 18.74% after the cloud computing company beat Wall Street estimates on both the top and bottom lines.
E.l.f. Beauty popped 23.58% thanks to better-than-expected earnings, as well as the news that it will acquire Haley Bieber’s beauty brand Rhode for up to $1 billion.
Moderna rose 3.38% despite the Trump administration pulling $766 million in funding for a new bird flu vaccine.
Li Auto climbed 2.11% after beating first-quarter forecasts, though the Chinese EV company issued disappointing guidance.

What’s down

Salesforce posted a beat-and-raise earnings report, but it wasn’t good enough for shareholders, and the software giant sank 3.30%.
HP reported solid revenue last quarter, but missed on profits and issued worse-than-expected guidance for the coming year, pushing shares down 8.27%
Kohl’s fell 0.74% after posting solid sales and a smaller-than-anticipated earnings loss.
Best Buy tumbled 7.27% after beating earnings estimates but missing on revenue and warning that it’s cutting its fiscal forecast and likely raising prices.
SentinelOne fell 11.59% after the cybersecurity company missed revenue estimates and issued a lower sales forecast than Wall Street wanted to see.

There are now 114 publicly listed companies that own bitcoin, up from 89 at the beginning of April, according to BitcoinTreasuries.net.
Bitcoin’s price jumped nearly 50% from a low of ~$75,000 to an all-time high of nearly $112,000 over roughly the same period.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bitcoin, crypto, DJIA, DOW, gold, Marcinko, NASDAQ, PBMs, S&P 500, textbooks, UnitedHealth Group | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Stocks End Day Mixed

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

Stocks wavered throughout the day as the 10-year Treasury yield rose back above 4.5%, making a convincing argument for investors to buy risk-free bonds with big yields rather than equities.
Yields on both 20-year and 30-year Treasuries traded above 5% after the Republican tax and spending bill passed the House, raising fears of a bigger US deficit and lower creditworthiness in the years ahead.
Bitcoin continued to climb last night, hitting a new record high of $111,886.41 in the wee hours of the morning before losing some ground throughout the trading session today.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

What’s up

Nike gained 2.30% on the news that it will begin selling its shoes on Amazon for the first time since 2019.
Fannie Mae popped 46.73% and Freddie Mac jumped 42.50% on President Trump’s comments that he’s seriously considering bringing the mortgage giants public.
Advance Auto Parts exploded 57.14% higher after better-than-feared earnings made it clear that its turnaround plan is working.
Urban Outfitters soared 22.84% after reporting EPS of $1.16 last quarter, far better than the $0.84 per share analysts had forecast.
Snowflake gained 13.47% thanks to a strong first quarter and management’s expectation that revenue will rise about 25% this quarter.

What’s down

Walmart lost 0.48% on the news that it will cut 1,500 jobs in a corporate restructuring.
Analog Devices fell 4.63% even though the semiconductor maker beat Wall Street estimates on both sales and profits last quarter.
Health insurance stocks took a hit on reports that the US government will conduct “aggressive” Medicare Advantage audits. Humana sank 7.58%, UnitedHealth Group fell 2.08%, and CVS Health dropped 3.06%.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Financial Planning, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books | Tagged: Bitcoin, bonds, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, finance, Investing, Marcinko, money, NASA, NASDAQ, S&P 500, textbooks, VIX, WSJ | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Stock Markets Collapse!

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

While stocks usually steal headlines, all eyes were on the bond market today. The 10-year bond yield popped back above 4.5% first thing this morning while the 30-year rose above 5% as fears of larger deficits due to the Republican tax and spending bill gave investors pause. A poorly received auction of $16 billion in 20-year bonds this afternoon only pushed yields higher.
Bitcoin climbed to a new all-time high early in the trading session, touching $109,500 at one point today as investors continue to search for alternatives to bonds and the US dollar.
Crude oil climbed to its highest price in a month on reports of flaring tensions between Israel and Iran, then tumbled lower after the US announced surprisingly high oil inventories.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

What’s up

Silly goose: Outdoor apparel maker Canada Goose soared 19.35% after reporting a stellar first quarter.
Alphabet rose 2.79% following a slew of big announcements at its developer conference, including a revamped AI Search.
Xpeng popped 13.06% thanks to a smaller-than-expected loss last quarter for the Chinese EV maker.
WeRide soared 21.42% on the announcement that the robotaxi will buy back $100 million of its stock.

What’s down

UnitedHealth Group secretly paid nursing homes to transfer fewer people to hospitals so it could cut costs, according to The Guardian. Shares understandably tumbled 5.79%.
Target missed the mark last quarter, with fewer transactions thanks to DEI boycotts leading to lower sales and profits, pushing shares down 5.21%.
Lowe’s sank 1.77% despite sticking to its full-year guidance, noting that sales to professionals will pad its bottom line.
Palo Alto Network may have beaten analysts’ estimates for sales and profits, but the cybersecurity company still fell 6.80% due to thinner margins.
Take-Two Interactive sank 4.52% after the video game maker put $1 billion in common stock on the market.
Fair Isaac caught strays today from a Trump Administration official who was displeased by the credit analytics company’s decision to raise royalty fees.
Carter’s crashed 15.74% on the announcement that the children’s clothing retailer will slash its dividend due to higher costs from tariffs.
Airline stocks tumbled after the FAA limited flights in and out of Newark Airport. United Airlines fell 3.93%, Southwest Airlines lost 2.35%, and American Airlines sank 3.52%.
Wolfspeed, easily the best-named stock on the market, may go bankrupt. Shares of the semiconductor supplier dropped 59.11%.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bitcoin, crude oil, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, FTC, Investing, Marcinko, NASA, NASDAQ, oil, passive income, S&P 500, Technology, textbooks, VIX, WSJ | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Stock Markets Down Slightly

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

The S&P 500 snapped a 6-day winning streak as the rally following the US & China tariff ceasefire faded and investors looked elsewhere for buying signals.
Federal Reserve speeches abound this week, with several central bankers warning of an economy under duress.
Both gold and bitcoin consolidated their recent gains, offering investors alternatives to suddenly not-so-safe bonds and a sagging US dollar.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

What’s up

Tesla climbed 0.51% after CEO Elon Musk committed to spending the next five years running the EV manufacturer.
Moderna popped 6.06% after the FDA announced new limits on Covid-19 vaccine approvals that were more lenient than expected.
Warby Parker soared 15.57% on news of a partnership with Google to create smart glasses.
Pony AI rose 5.74% after the Chinese auto maker posted impressive earnings and cited high demand for autonomous taxi rides.
Amer Sports surged 19.05% after the athletic equipment maker posted a strong beat-and-raise earnings announcement.
D-Wave Quantum soared 25.93% after the quantum computing company unveiled its newest computing system.
Levi Strauss & Co. rose 1.42% on the news that the jeans company is selling Dockers to Authentic Brands Group for $311 million.

What’s down

Home Depot fell just 0.61% after the home renovation retailer missed earnings estimates, beat revenue forecasts, kept its fiscal guidance intact, and said it won’t raise prices.
Airbnb tumbled 3.27% after Spain ordered the company to take down over 65,000 listings.
Uber sagged 0.66% despite an upgrade from JPMorgan analysts and the news that it’s partnering with Waymo to offer robotaxis in Atlanta.
Viking Holdings sank 4.99% despite earnings and sales beating estimates, but investors didn’t like hearing that the the cruise line operator transported fewer passengers last quarter than expected.
AES lost 4.05% after the solar stock was downgraded by Jefferies analysts, who are worried about lower demand for renewable energy.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Alternative Investments, Financial Planning, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books | Tagged: Bitcoin, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, Ethereum, FTC, gold, Marcinko, markets down, NASA, NASDAQ, PBMs, S&P 500, stocks dow, Technology, textbooks, TNX, VIX, WSJ | Leave a comment »

COINBASE: Investigated

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Coinbase under investigation – Hit with ransom attack

Coinbase’s wild week got much wilder when the New York Times reported that the SEC has been looking into whether the crypto exchange misstated the size of its user base in securities filings. Per the New York Times, the investigation started under President Biden and has continued under President Trump.

The subject of the investigation appears to be Coinbase’s claim in past disclosures and marketing materials that it has 100 million “verified users.” A company spokesperson said it no longer reports that metric and the investigation should not continue.

The report came days after Coinbase joined the S&P 500, and just hours after it said it could lose $400 million following a recent hack by “rogue overseas” agents looking to steal customer data.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Refer

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Information Technology, Investing | Tagged: Biden, coinbase, coinbase investigation, crypto, HIT, IT, NYT, ransom attack, S&P 500, SEC, Trump | Leave a comment »

AI “Demolition Man” ID

Posted on May 4, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

***

If getting answers from ChatGPT makes you feel dystopian, you may not want to hear about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s other co-founded venture, now rolling out stateside. It scans your eyeballs in exchange for cryptocurrency.

What in the Demolition Man? The device, which creates a unique user ID for your scan, is meant to address a problem that Altman had a hand in creating: how to verify identities and confirm humanity in a world full of artificial intelligence.

The project, called World (formerly Worldcoin), went live in other countries in 2023. Its US expansion, announced this week, featured retail outlets in five cities where you can get your eyes scanned:

Tools for Humanity, the company behind the orbs, says 12+ million people around the world have participated so far.
It claims to keep your data private, but authorities in more than a dozen places have suspended World’s operations or investigated its data practices, per the WSJ.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Like and Refer

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Ethics, Glossary Terms, Health Law & Policy, Information Technology, LifeStyle, mental health, Risk Management | Tagged: AI, Bitcoin, ChatGPT, crypto, demolition man, eye scan, ID, iris scan, IT, mental health, openAI, orb, Risk Management, ryrs, Sam Altman, scn, Tools for Humanity, ubi, world, worldcoin, WSJ | Leave a comment »

NEWS IN BRIEF: Financial, Investing, Economics and IT

Posted on April 26, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

BREAKING NEWS

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Spot bitcoin ETFs saw their highest inflows since January over the last few days, sparking a crypto rally.
The Federal Reserve withdrew its guidance for banks about engaging in crypto-related business.
California is now the fourth-largest economy in the world.
OpenAI expects its revenue to reach $125 billion in 2029, up from $3.7 billion last year.
The median pay for CEOs rose to a record $16.8 million in 2024.
Meta Platforms is laying off staff working in its virtual reality division.
Apple announced it’s shifting its iPhone production from China to India.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Refer and Like

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Accounting, Breaking News, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Media Mentions and PR | Tagged: Apple, Bitcoin, brief news, crypto, economics, finance, FOMC, inesting, IT, Marcinko, Meta, openAI | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Merck and the Surging Stock Markets

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

Merck rose 1.40% today after beating earnings expectations. The problem is that the pharma giant expects a $200 million hit to its bottom line due to tariffs. And that doesn’t count the potential additional pharmaceutical levies Trump has indicated he’s planning.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

🟢 What’s up

Alphabet warned some remote employees that they must return to the office three days a week or lose their jobs. Shareholders clearly approve: The stock gained 2.53%.
Amazon and Nvidia executives made it clear that contrary to popular belief, demand for AI data centers isn’t slowing down. Amazon rose 3.29%, while Nvidia climbed 3.62%.
Newmont gained 4.80% after the gold miner reported strong earnings thanks to gold’s incredible run.
ServiceNow soared 15.49% after the enterprise tech company posted a beat-and-raise earnings report.
Texas Instruments popped 6.56% thanks to a strong first quarter and healthy fiscal guidance from the domestic semiconductor company.
Chipotle eked out a 1.60% gain despite a mixed quarter that saw same-store sales fall for the first time since 2020.

What’s down

IBM topped analyst expectations on sales and profits, but the tech stock fell 6.58% thanks to a poor performance from its consulting and its mainframe businesses.
Nokia tumbled 8.65% following a big earnings miss last quarter, and warned that tariffs will take a serious toll on its business this quarter.
Fiserv plunged 18.52% after the software provider beat expectations for profits but missed on revenue.
Procter & Gamble outpaced Wall Street’s forecast for earnings but fell short on revenue and cut its fiscal guidance, pushing shares of the consumer goods giant down 3.74%.
Comcast also beat analyst estimates on both the top and bottom lines, but sank 3.71% after reporting it lost 199,000 broadband customers last quarter.

Warren Buffett owns 5% of all Treasury bills—more than the Federal Reserve
A list of every company that’s announced it’s moving manufacturing to the US
Home sales fell 5.9% in March, their biggest drop since 2022
The $TRUMP crypto surged over 50% after President Trump invited the coin’s top 220 holders to a private dinner
Durable goods orders, AKA purchases of big-ticket items like autos and aircraft, popped 9.2% as people rushed to buy ahead of tariffs
Speaking of, US liquor exports surged 10% to a record $2.4 billion

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Buffett, credit card, credit report, crypto, DJIA, DOW, Drugs, free-credit-report, FTC, identity theft, identity-theft-protection, Marcinko, Merck, NASDAQ, P&G, pharma, S&P 500, textbooks | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: OpenAI, FDA, Roche & Rite Aid as Stocks Soar

Posted on April 24, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

OpenAI would be open to buying Chrome if Google is forced by a federal court to sell the web browser, the company’s ChatGPT head said yesterday.
The FDA suspended milk quality tests in some dairy products due to reduced capacity stemming from federal workforce cuts, Reuters reported.
Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, is investing $50 billion in US manufacturing to circumvent President Trump’s tariffs, the company said yesterday.
Rite Aid is preparing to sell itself in pieces ahead of a possible second bankruptcy, Bloomberg reported.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

What’s up

Intel surged 5.54% on reports that the chipmaker plans to cut 20% of its workforce.
Oklo gained 8.60% after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced he’s stepping down as chairman of the board of the nuclear power startup.
Duolingo popped 10.01% after Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of the language learning company, calling it a “best-in-class consumer internet asset.”
Cava climbed 6.29% due to an upgrade from analysts at Bernstein, who think the bowl slop stock will not only survive but thrive in an economic downturn.
Amphenol rose 8.21% thanks to impressive earnings for the high-speed cable company, coupled with a solid fiscal outlook.
Vertiv Holdings jumped 8.60% after the data center company posted an impressive quarterly profit and raised its fiscal forecast.
SAP rose 7.47% following the software stock’s strong profit performance last quarter.
Novavax soared 19.52% on the news that the FDA has asked for more clinical data about its Covid vaccine.

What’s down

Enphase Energy plunged 15.65% thanks to a big miss on both the top and bottom lines for the solar tech stock.
Going down: Elevator manufacturer Otis Worldwide fell 6.64% on an earnings miss thanks to fewer orders from Chinese customers.
Online learning platform Chubb fell 2.17% after announcing a 38% decline in net income last quarter.
Baker Hughes may have beaten profit forecasts last quarter, but the oilfield operator’s revenue miss sent shares tumbling 6.44%.
Bristol Myers Squibb lost 2.59% after the pharma giant announced its schizophrenia drug Cobenfy performed poorly in Phase 3 trials.

Stocks surged first thing this morning after President Trump said the media blew things out of proportion and that he has “no intention” of firing Jerome Powell. He also said he would be “very nice” to China in tariff negotiations.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also did some damage control, touting the opportunity for a “big deal” between the US and China.
The combination sent a relief rally sweeping through markets, and while the euphoria faded by mid-afternoon, all three indexes ended the day in the green.
Gold fell and bitcoin rose as investors took on more risk (see below), while oil dropped on reports that OPEC+ may hike its crude output after its meeting next month.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Glossary Terms, Health Economics, Health Insurance, Information Technology, Investing, Managed Care, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: AI, Bessent, Bitcoin, Bloomberg, ChatGPT, chrome, crypto, DJIA, DOW, Drugs, FDA, FTC, gold, google, itcin, Marcinko, NASA, NASDAQ, OPEC, openAI, PBMs, politics, Rite Aid, S&P 500, textbooks, TNX, Trump, VIX | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Bitcoin and Stock Markets Soar

Posted on April 23, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

Bitcoin climbed above $90,000 for the first time since March as investors search for alternatives anywhere they can find them.

Stocks came off of their highs yesterday afternoon trading after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly said in a private speech for JPMorgan Chase that talks between the United States and China had yet to formally start and that negotiations will likely be a “slog.”

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Still, US stocks soared on Tuesday following a bruising day on Wall Street, as investors built hope for deescalation on several fronts of President Trump’s trade battles.

Still, markets delivered solid gains with Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) adding over 1,000 points as the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) and tech-heavy NASDAQ (^IXIC) each rose around 2.5% and 2.7%, respectively.

The Reputational Bankruptcy of the American Dollar

Prior to Bessent’s reported comments, stocks hit earlier session highs as Bloomberg reported the treasury secretary told a closed-door investor summit Tuesday that “the tariff standoff with China is unsustainable and that he expects the situation to de-escalate.”

🟢 What’s up

Amazon rose 3.5% a day after Wells Fargo analysts revealed that the tech giant has paused some of its data center leases, the latest sign of an AI trade slowdown.
The DOJ has called for a breakup of Alphabet’s business. Investors don’t seem to mind: Shares of the search giant rose 2.57%.
Boeing gained 2% after announcing it will sell portions of its digital aviation solutions business to Thoma Bravo for $10.55 billion.
Ford is up 1.90% a day after reports emerged that it has stopped shipping cars to China.
3M gained 8.12% after the industrial manufacturing giant beat Wall Street’s expectations in the first quarter.
Coreweave rose 8.74% after several Wall Street analysts initiated coverage of the newly public cloud computing company. While the pros lean toward bullish, the stock’s reception has been largely mixed.
Equifax soared 13.84% following strong results for the credit rating company, as well as its announcement of a $3 billion buyback program.
BP managed to gain 2.81% after regulatory filings revealed that Elliott Investment Management has accrued a 5% stake in the oil giant.
Verizon eked out a 0.61% gain after it beat Wall Street forecasts for the first quarter but lost more postpaid net phone subscribers than expected.

What’s down

Halliburton disappointed shareholders with a decline in both revenue and profits last quarter, sending the oil service company’s shares 5.57% lower.
Defense contractors tumbled after reporting mixed earnings. RTX lost 9.81%, and Northrop Grumman sank 12.66%.
Medpace Holdings crumbled 2.32% after the clinical research company revealed a 19% decline in net new business awards last quarter.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Alternative Investments, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, Ethereum, FTC, Marcinko, money, NASA, NASDAQ, PBMs, S&P 500, textbooks, TNX, VIX, WSJ | Leave a comment »

REPUTATIONAL BANKRUPTCY: Of the American Dollar

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Vitaliy Katsenelson CFA

***

***

I am in an unenviable position. The policy coming out of the White House has a significant impact on economics, more than ever before in my career. If I say anything positive about that policy, I’ll be put in the MAGA camp. If I criticize it, I’ll be accused of suffering from Trump derangement syndrome. I am hired by you to make the best investment decisions possible. Rather than see me as engaged in political commentary, I’d ask that you view my remarks as purely analytical.

Let me give you this analogy. I live in Denver. Let’s imagine I am a huge Broncos fan, and the Broncos are playing the Chicago Bears. If I am betting a significant amount of money on this game, I should put my affinity for the Broncos and hatred of the Chicago Bears aside and analyze data and facts. The Broncos are either going to win or lose; my wanting them to win has zero impact on the outcome. The same applies to my analysis here. My motto in life is Seneca’s saying, “Time discovers truth.” I just try to discover it before time does.

When it comes to politics, I also have a significant advantage. I was not born in this country. From a young age, I was brainwashed about communism, not about team Republican versus team Democrat. The failure of the Soviet Union de-brainwashed me fast concerning the virtues of communism and converted me into a believer in free markets.

As a result, I never bought into either party’s ideology, and thus in the last four presidential elections I voted for a Republican, an independent, a Democrat, and wrote in my youngest daughter, Mia Sarah (not in that order). In my articles I have criticized the policies of both Biden (student loan forgiveness, unions) and Trump (Bitcoin reserve).

I remind myself that in times like these you have to be a nuanced thinker. Some of Trump’s policies are terrific, others … not so much (I am being diplomatic here).

Scott Fitzgerald once said “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” In 2025 we are taking this “first-rate intelligence” test daily.

What will happen to the US dollar? The US dollar will likely continue to get weaker, which is inflationary for the US. Let me start with some easily identifiable reasons:

We have too much debt. We ran 6-7% budget deficits while our economy was growing and unemployment was at record lows. Now we have $36 trillion in debt. Our interest expenses exceed our defense spending, and these costs will continue to climb. If/when we go into recession, we may see something we have not seen in a long time – higher interest rates. Our budget deficits will balloon to between 9–12%, and the debt market, realizing that inflation (i.e., money printing) is inevitable, will say, “Pay up!”

New competition from Bitcoin. President Trump’s approval of Bitcoin as a potential reserve currency is one of the most self-serving and anti-American things I’ve seen any president do. The US dollar is the world’s reserve currency. We still have little competition for that title. China could be a contender, but it is not a democracy and has capital controls. This policy has no upside for America, only downside.

A stronger Europe. Ironically, we may inadvertently create a stronger Europe by threatening to abandon NATO. I don’t want to insult European clients (or my European friends), but the following analogy describes the US-Europe relationship on some level: Europe gradually evolved into a trust fund kid (when it came to security) and the US turned into its sugar daddy. The trust fund kid was incredibly dependent on the sugar daddy. It criticized its parent for being a barbarian and money-driven, but it relied heavily on that parent to protect it from bullies.

President Trump cut off Europe’s allowance by threatening that the US might not protect Europe from Russia. This has forced Europe to spend more money on defense. Outside of Germany (which has little debt), few European economies can afford that. This may force Europe (or at least some European countries) to become more pragmatic – to cut social programs and bureaucracy. If this leads to a stronger Europe both economically and militarily, the euro will be competing with the US dollar. This is a big if.

Our new foreign policy.

When people describe President Trump’s foreign policy as “transactional,” they’re highlighting a fundamental shift in how America engages with the world – one with profound implications for our global standing, national interests, and the US dollar. The shift affects both types of capital – financial and reputational.

Reputational capital isn’t at risk in ‘one-shot’ transactions like house selling. Imagine you’re selling your primary residence and moving elsewhere. Do you disclose every flaw, or let the buyer figure things out? Your incentive is to maximize short-term profits. You’ll likely never meet this buyer again, and therefore there are incentives not to care what they’ll think of you afterward. You’ll be transactional, seeking the highest price possible for your biggest asset. This exemplifies a ‘one-shot’ system where future interactions aren’t expected.

Contrast this with a relationship- and trust-based system. Now imagine you are a homebuilder in a small town. Your suppliers only extend credit if you have a reputation for paying on time. Your employees do quality work only if you treat them fairly. Your buyers tell friends about their experience with you. The incentives naturally create a relational approach. In this trust-based system, incentives skew toward maximizing long-term profits, where reputational capital becomes the glue creating continuity.

Reputational capital radiates predictability – you know how someone will behave based on their history – but operating with low or negative reputational capital is difficult and expensive. People won’t enter long-term contracts with you or will demand external guarantees. Many potential partners will simply refuse to deal with you.

Building reputational capital works like adding pennies to a jar – each good deed incrementally adds to your standing. Yet reputational capital can collapse instantly by removing the jar’s bottom. A single breach of trust doesn’t just remove one penny; it can wipe out your entire balance and plunge you into reputational bankruptcy. The math is brutally asymmetric: good deeds might add a point or two, while bad deeds subtract by factors of 50 or 100.

This doesn’t mean transactions shouldn’t be profitable. If you’re accumulating reputational capital while consistently losing money, you’re probably in the wrong business. Each deal should be evaluated considering both long-term financial and reputational capital.

Individual transactions can sacrifice some profit but cannot afford to lose reputational capital. A “one-shot” transactional approach used in a trust-system environment may provide greater short-term profitability, but if this success comes at the expense of reputational capital, the long-term consequences for America’s global position could be devastating.

This brings us to our current foreign policy.

Relationships between nations are a trust-based system. I’d argue it’s a super-relational system because it’s multigenerational, lasting beyond the life of any one human. Reputational capital is paramount here.

Part of the US’s strength has been the soft power – the reputational capital – it exerted. We had a lot of friends, which helped us to be more effective in dealing with our foes. We keep telling ourselves that America is an “exceptional” nation. This exceptionalism didn’t just come from our financial and military might – it accumulated based on our reputational capital.

Though we don’t always succeed, we are a people who try to do the right thing. Our exceptionalism has been earned through our actions. We are the country that helped rebuild Europe and gave it six decades to repay lend-lease. We toppled communism.

I don’t know the nuances of the Ukraine mineral deal, but initially it had the optics of extortion. Though I think the renegotiated and signed version appears to be fair to both sides, forcing repayment while Ukraine is dodging Russian missiles made the US look transactional.

Actions by President Trump over the last month have undermined our reputation. We are quickly becoming a “one-shot” transactional player in a trust-based environment. Imposing tariffs on Canada on a whim to try to get it to become the 51st state erodes American reputational capital. So does not ruling out America invading Greenland. This puts us on the same moral plane as Russia invading Ukraine.

The conversation about tariffs has many nuances. For instance, I don’t know anyone who opposes reciprocal tariffs – they seem fair and don’t consume any reputational capital. But tariffs that are used as weapons in a trade war in order to annex another country erode reputational capital. Threatening to leave NATO and not protect countries that don’t spend enough on their defense diminishes reputational capital. Maybe the only way to get European countries to spend on defense was to threaten not to defend them – you can agree or disagree with the rationale behind each of Trump’s decisions, but what can’t be argued is that they undermined our reputational capital.

As we lose soft power, our influence will diminish, and thus so will perceptions of our power. The world will start looking at us not from the perspective of the continuity of generations but of presidential cycles. The word of the American president will have an expiration date of the next presidential or mid-term election.

There are two negotiation styles – Warren Buffett’s and Donald Trump’s. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Buffett will give you one offer and one offer only. Once the deal is agreed to, even just verbally, that is the deal. Critics would say that there is downside to that predictability, as foes know how you are going to respond. Donald Trump’s style is to be unpredictable, which has its own advantages when you deal with foes – it keeps opponents guessing. But it destroys trust with your allies.

In a world of fiat currencies, all currency is a financial and reputational promise. President Trump, with the help of DOGE (and maybe even tariffs) may increase our financial strength. I hope he does, but it will likely come at a very high cost to our reputational capital, and therefore US global influence and the US dollar will continue its decline.

How are we positioned for this?

About half of our portfolio is foreign companies whose sales are not in dollars. They will benefit from a weaker dollar. We also have exposure to oil, which is priced in the US dollar and usually appreciates when the dollar weakens.

A weaker dollar means our imports will become more expensive, which is inflationary. We own many companies with pricing power and also companies that have claims on someone else’s revenues. Take Uber for example: they get about 20% of each ride. If the cost of the ride goes up, so does their dollar take.

Why does President Trump keep pushing crypto?

In July 2019, Trump said the following: “I am not a fan of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which are not money, and whose value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” Five years later he promised to establish the US Crypto Reserve, and in 2025 he did.

What changed? There is no logical reason for an American president to endorse crypto. None. Here is the honest answer: Crypto bros made mega-contributions to his campaign.

To top it off, three days before he took office he issued $TRUMP – a shitcoin. Believe it or not, “shitcoin” is a technical term in the crypto community (any coin other than Bitcoin is called a shitcoin by Bitcoin “maximalists”, folks who believe Bitcoin is the one and only digital currency). The future sitting president literally issued – I don’t want to call it a currency, so I guess shitcoin is the right name – that will at some point decline to zero in value. In other words, he’ll fleece his loyal followers who purchase $TRUMP of billions of dollars.

I previously referenced both reputational capital and soft power. These types of acts by a sitting president subtract from both.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Alternative Investments, Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Investing, LifeStyle, Op-Editorials, Portfolio Management | Tagged: american dollar, bankruptcy american dollar, Bitcoin, blockchain, Buffett, consumers, CPI, crypto, cryptocurrency, debt, DOGE, dollar, Europe, Europe NATO, finance, NATO, reputational bankruptcy, Trump, US Crypto Reserve, US Dollar, Vitaliy Katsenelson | Leave a comment »

CRYPTOCURRENCY: Real Money-or Not?

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Rick Kahler CFP®

http://www.KahlerFinancial.com

***

Is cryptocurrency really money?

For years, I thought of cryptocurrency as a digital replacement for traditional money. After all, Bitcoin has “coin” right in the name. But let’s be honest: if Bitcoin is a currency, then my mother’s old Beanie Baby collection is a retirement fund.

A real currency needs to be stable. It should allow you to buy a coffee today without wondering whether, by tomorrow, that same amount could buy a car—or be worth nothing at all. Bitcoin and its kin like Ethereum and Dogecoin fail this test spectacularly.

Recently I have realized that cryptocurrency might be something even bigger and stranger than currency. It is not just digital money; it’s a bet on the huge global demand for financial autonomy.

In an age where every dollar is tracked, crypto offers an escape from traditional financial oversight. That makes it attractive not just to cybercriminals and tax evaders, but also to privacy advocates, speculators, and people living under restrictive financial policies. It doesn’t replace traditional money, it sidesteps it. It allows people to move, store, create, and destroy wealth outside of conventional banking systems. Some use it for transactions. Others see it as a hedge against inflation or a bet on the future of decentralized finance. Governments and banks don’t quite know what to do with it.

Crypto exists in a financial gray zone. It’s not widely accepted for everyday purchases, yet it can hold immense value. Unlike cash, which is limited by geography, or gold, which requires secure storage, crypto can be transferred globally in seconds. That’s part of its appeal, especially in countries with strict capital controls or volatile economies.

At the heart of cryptocurrency’s identity is the way it is produced. Crypto isn’t just a speculative asset—it’s an industrialized wealth-creation system. Imagine a massive warehouse filled with powerful computers “manufacturing” cryptocurrency. These mining operations exist solely to create new “coins” and process transactions, consuming enormous amounts of electricity in the process. The larger the operation, the more crypto it produces.

This is not how traditional currencies work. Fiat currencies are managed by central banks aiming for economic stability. Crypto, by contrast, is controlled by a decentralized network of miners and participants [block-chain]. Its supply is fixed, immune to government intervention. Some see this as a weakness. Others argue it is crypto’s greatest strength.

As Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies become more integrated into mainstream finance, the risks evolve. Even as regulators warn about crypto’s role in illicit activity, major corporations and investment firms are offering crypto-backed products. Some politicians, including President Trump, are discussing national Bitcoin reserves. This growing legitimacy makes crypto harder to ignore. But if crypto-backed funds become widespread, a crash could ripple far beyond crypto traders. That said, crypto remains a small fraction of global finance. Unless institutional adoption grows significantly, even a major downturn likely wouldn’t trigger systemic collapse.

Crypto’s increasing presence in finance does not make it a sound retirement investment. It is still a speculation. And speculations—whether in Bitcoin, meme stocks, or dot-com startups—are high-risk and not suitable for long-term financial security. Retirement portfolios should be built on diversification, stability, and predictable returns. Crypto offers none of these.

For years, I saw crypto as a failed currency. What I now think it to be is a decentralized speculative asset, driven by a growing demand to bypass traditional financial systems. Its future remains uncertain. As regulation increases and mainstream adoption expands, its role will continue to shift. But crypto is no longer just a niche experiment. It has become a financial force that governments, institutions, and individuals must reckon with—whether they embrace it or try to control it.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Read, Like, Refer and Subscribe

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Investing, Op-Editorials | Tagged: bit coin, Bitcoin, block-chain, blockchain, CFP, coin, crypto, cryptocurrency, currency, dodgecoin, economics, fiat, finance, financial, Kahler CFP, kahler financial, money, op-ed, speculation | 1 Comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Stablecoin [USD1] as US Stock Markets Gain Again

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

Donald Trump has officially dropped a stablecoin. It’s called USD1, and it’s pegged 1:1 with the US dollar, according to a statement from his family company World Liberty Financial Inc, (WLFI) today. The company says the token is fully backed by short-term US government treasuries, USD deposits, and other cash equivalents. Every token equals one dollar, no exceptions. WLFI says it built the whole thing to give people a stablecoin they don’t have to second guess.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

US stocks rose for a third day in a row despite souring consumer confidence — and as investors weighed whether President Trump would temper his plans for upcoming tariffs.

The benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose more than 0.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) ticked just above the flatline. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) rose nearly 0.5%, bolstered by a more than 3% jump from Tesla (TSLA).

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Ethics, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: crypto, DJIA, DOW, Financial Times, FTC, Investing, Marcinko, NASDAQ, politics, Private Equity, S&P 500, sports, stablecoin, Technology, Tesla, textbooks, Trump, US Dollar, WLFI | Leave a comment »

STUPID COMMENTS: Financial Advisors Say to Physician Clients

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

BY DR. DAVID EDWARD MARCINKO; MBA MEd CMP®

***

***

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

Some Stupid Things Financial Advisors Say to Physician Clients

A few years ago and just for giggles, colleague Lon Jefferies MBA CFP® and I collected a list of dumb-stupid things said by some Financial Advisors to their doctor, dentist, nurse and and other medical professional clients, along with some recommended under-breath rejoinders:

“They don’t have any debt except for a mortgage and student loans.” OK. And I’m vegan except for bacon-wrapped steak.

“Earnings were positive before one-time charges.” This is Wall Street’s equivalent of, “Other than that Mrs. Lincoln; how was the play?”

“Earnings missed estimates.” No. Earnings don’t miss estimates; estimates miss earnings. No one ever says “the weather missed estimates.” They blame the weatherman for getting it wrong. Finance is the only industry where people blame their poor forecasting skills on reality.

“Earnings met expectations, but analysts were looking for a beat.” If you’re expecting earnings to beat expectations, you don’t know what the word “expectations” means.

“It’s a Ponzi scheme.” The number of things called Ponzi schemes that are actually Ponzi schemes rounds to zero. It’s become a synonym for “thing I disagree with.”

“The [thing not going perfectly] crisis.” Boy who cried wolf, meet analyst who called crisis.

“He predicted the market crash in 2008.” He also predicted a crash in 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001, 1998, 1997, 1995, 1992, 1989, 1984, 1971…

“More buyers than sellers.” This is the equivalent of saying someone has more mothers than fathers. There’s one buyer and one seller for every trade. Every single one.

“Stocks suffer their biggest drop since September.” You know September was only six weeks ago, right?

“We’re cautiously optimistic.” You’re also an oxymoron.

[Guy on TV]: “It’s time to [buy/sell] stocks.” Who is this advice for? A 20-year-old with 60 years of investing in front of him, or a 82-year-old widow who needs money for a nursing home? Doesn’t that make a difference?

“We’re neutral on this stock.” Stop it. You don’t deserve a paycheck for that.

“There’s minimal downside on this stock.” Some lessons have to be learned the hard way.

“We’re trying to maximize returns and minimize risks.” Unlike everyone else, who are just dying to set their money ablaze!

“Shares fell after the company lowered guidance.” Guys, they just proved their guidance can be wrong. Why are you taking this new one seriously?

“Our bullish case is conservative.” Then it’s not a bullish case. It’s a conservative case. Those words mean opposite things.

“We look where others don’t.” This is said by so many investors that it has to be untrue most of the time.

“Is [X] the next black swan?” Nassim Taleb’s blood pressure rises every time someone says this. You can’t predict black swans. That’s what makes them dangerous.

“We’re waiting for more certainty.” Good call. Like in 1929, 1999 and 2007, when everyone knew exactly what the future looked like. Can’t wait!

“The Dow is down 50 points as investors react to news of [X].” Stop it – you’re just making stuff up. “Stocks are down and no one knows why” is the only honest headline in this category.

“Investment guru [insert name] says stocks are [insert forecast].” Go to Morningstar.com. Look up that guru’s track record against their benchmark. More often than not, their career performance lags an index fund. Stop calling them gurus.

“We’re constructive on the market.” I have no idea what that means. I don’t think you do, either.

“[Noun] [verb] bubble.” (That’s a sarcastic observation from investor Eddy Elfenbein.)

“Investors are fleeing the market.” Every stock is owned by someone all the time.

“We expect more volatility.” There has never been a time when this was not the case. Let me guess, you also expect more winters?

“This is a strong buy.” What do I do with this? Click the mouse harder when placing the order in my brokerage account?

“He was tired of throwing his money away renting, so he bought a house.” He knows a mortgage is renting money from a bank, right?

“This is a cyclical bull market in a secular bear.” Vapid nonsense.

“Will Obamacare ruin the economy?” No. And get a grip.

So, don’t let these aphorisms blind you to the critical thinking skills you learned in college, honed in medical school and apply every day in life.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Refer, Like and Subscribe

***

SPEAKING: Dr. Marcinko will be speaking and lecturing, signing and opining, teaching and preaching, storming and performing at many locations throughout the USA this year! His tour of witty and serious pontifications may be scheduled on a planned or ad-hoc basis; for public or private meetings and gatherings; formally, informally, or over lunch or dinner. All medical societies, financial advisory firms or Broker-Dealers are encouraged to submit a RFP for speaking engagements: CONTACT: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

***

Filed under: "Advisors Only", "Doctors Only", Ethics, Jokes and Puns, LifeStyle | Tagged: bears, bulls, crypto, DO, doctor clients, DPM, dumb comments, finance, financial advisors, financial planners, Investing, Lon Jefferies, Marcinko, MD, personal-finance, Physician Clients, physicians, Ponzi, stocks, stupid comments, Wall Street | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Pfizer’s Conflict as NASDAQ and Bitcoin Sink along with Consumer Confidence

Posted on February 27, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

Health experts have expressed conflict of interest concerns after the FDA‘s drug chief quit for a top job in Big Pharma. Pfizer announced this week that Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, former director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), will join the company as its chief medical officer.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) finished the volatile trading day down around 1.3%, dragged down by shares of Magnificent Seven players like Nvidia (NVDA) and Tesla (TSLA). The benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) dropped roughly 0.4%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) reversed earlier session declines to end the day in the green, up about 0.4%.

Some of the biggest market moves also came from the cryptocurrency space, where the price of bitcoin (BTC-USD) tumbled below $90,000 for the first time since November. Bitcoin touched a low closer to $86,000 in the early morning hours, its lowest level since early November. Prices stabilized to just around $88,000 at the market close.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Big Pharma, Bitcoin, books, CDER, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Consumer Confidence, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, Dr Patrizia Cavazzoni, FDA, FTC, Marcinko, NASA, NASDAQ, Nvidia, PBMs, Pfizer, S&P 500, Science, Tesla, textbooks, TNX, VIX, WSJ | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Bill Gates on Crypto as Stock Markets Rise

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

***

‘There are people with high I.Q.s who have fooled themselves on that one,’ Bill Gates the billionaire Microsoft co-founder told The New York Times. Gates’ comments come as Bitcoin has hit record highs in recent weeks, and the cryptocurrency industry as a whole has hailed the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House as a positive moment.

The President has said he will introduce policies supportive of digital currencies, and both him and his wife Melania launched their own meme coins last month. Cryptocurrency prices took a hit on Monday from the prospect of a trade war between the US and its trading partners, with some well-known digital assets seeing values fall more than 10 percent, AP News reported. However the notoriously volatile investment recovered later on Monday, with Bitcoin rebounding back above $100,000. Gates, who has a net worth of around $165 billion, has previously shared his skepticism around Bitcoin, and its volatility in particular.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

US stocks closed higher on Tuesday, led by Big Tech, as investors assessed China’s instant retaliation to US President Donald Trump’s additional tariffs and the potential risks of a trade war.

Traders also took in fresh jobs data, with job openings declining more than expected in December. Investors are continuing to watch any signs of cooling in the labor market as the Federal Reserve debates future interest rate cuts in the face of sticky inflation.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained around 0.3%, while the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose roughly 0.7%. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) jumped nearly 1.4% to recoup some of Monday’s losses.

Beijing reacted swiftly on Tuesday to Trump’s additional 10% levies on Chinese imports going into effect at midnight. China slapped tariffs of 15% on US coal and liquified natural gas, starting Feb. 10, alongside 10% duties on imports of crude oil, farm equipment, and some autos.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@outlook.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bill Gates, Bitcoin, blockchain, China, crypto, cryptocurrency, digital currency, DJIA, DOW, finance, FTC, Gates, Marcinko, NASA, NASDAQ, New York Times, NYT, PBMs, S&P 500, textbooks, TNX, Trump, VIX, WSJ | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Bitcoin and Big Technology Stocks Soar as DJIA Slips

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

In crypto, bitcoin (BTC-USD) prices soared to trade above $101,300 a token in afternoon trade.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Big Tech stocks led the market higher on Wednesday, as investors digested another month of sticky inflation data that met economists’ expectations and likely pointed to a Federal Reserve interest rate cut next week. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite (^IXIC) jumped about 1.7% amid a feverish rally in the “Magnificent Seven” tech stocks. Google parent Alphabet’s (GOOG, GOOGL) shares extended gains to hit a record high, rising more than 5%.

Meanwhile Tesla (TSLA), Meta (META) and Amazon (AMZN) all also surged to record highs, with Tesla notching its first record close in more than three years. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose around 0.8%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) slipped about 0.2%.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: big tech, Bitcoin, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, finance, Investing, Marcinko, NASA, NASDAQ, S&P 500, stocks soar, textbooks, TNX, VIX, WSJ | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: UnitedHealthcare CEO Shot but Stocks Rise as Paul Atkins Nominated for SEC Chairman

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was fatally shot in the chest on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown, the New York Post reported, citing police sources. WPIX reported Thompson, 50, was shot just before 7 a.m. near a hotel on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield (TNX) climbed four basis points to nearly 4.27%.
The U.S. Dollar Index ($DXY) rose slightly to 106.58.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX) was steady near 13.18, still close to four-month lows.
WTI Crude Oil (/CL) added 0.2% to $70.09 per barrel.
Bitcoin (BTC) rose 0.1% to $95,702.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

President-elect Donald Trump officially announced the nomination of Paul Atkins as the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday. Atkins, currently the CEO at Patomak Global Partners, served as SEC chair under the George W. Bush administration from 2002 to 2008. Unlike his potential predecessor Gary Gensler, who is set to leave office in January 2025, Atkins is seen as a pro-cryptocurrency official and currently serves on the advisory board for digital securities issuance platform Securitize.

https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-Advisors/dp/1482240289/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8u0026amp;qid=1418580820u0026amp;sr=8-1u0026amp;keywords=david+marcinko

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Thank You

***

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Drugs and Pharma, Ethics, Health Insurance, Information Technology, Investing, Managed Care, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bitcoin, Brain Thompson, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, Marcinko, NASA, NASDAQ, Paul Atkins, S&P 500, SEC, SEC chair, textbooks, TNX, UHC, UHC CEO shot, UnitedHealthcare, VIX, WPIX, WSJ, WTI bitcoin | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: S&P 500, Gold, Treasury Yields and Bitcoin

Posted on December 2, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

BREAKING NEWS: President Joe Biden just pardoned his son,Hunter Biden, sparing the younger Biden a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions and reversing his past promises not to use the extraordinary powers of the presidency for the benefit of his family members.

***

***

The short trading session didn’t stop the S&P 500 from hitting another new record today, and the S&P 500 and the Dow each wrapped up their best month of 2024 on a high note.
Meanwhile, November was the worst month for gold in over a year. Safe-haven investors sold the commodity while the US dollar soared following the election.
10-year Treasury yields dropped to their lowest level in a month today as bond buyers bought in bulk.
Finally, bitcoin had one heck of a month. The crypto rose yet again today, and has climbed nearly 40% in November—though it has yet to break above $100,000.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Subscribe Today!

***

Filed under: Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Investing | Tagged: biden pardons hunter, biden pardons son, Bitcoin, crypto, daily update, DJIA, DOW, hunter biden, Joe Biden, oil, S&P 500, Treasury yields, US bonds | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Intel, Tether as Technology Markets Lead Downturn

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY 2024

Intel and the US government finalized a $7.9 billion grant from the CHIPS and Science Act that will help fund factory construction.

The cryptocurrency Tether is being used by organizations linked to Mexican drug cartels to launder tens of millions of dollars, 404 Media reported.

STOCKS UP

Unusual Machines got an unusually strong boost today, soaring 84.51% after Donald Trump Jr. announced he’s joining the drone maker’s advisory board.
Ambarella continued to climb another 5.89% today after the semiconductor company announced a strong beat-and-raise quarter.
Urban Outfitters isn’t just where you go to buy overpriced beanies—it’s also where you go for strong holiday revenue expectations. Shares rose 18.31% after the retailer’s best third quarter ever.
SolarEdge Technologies will close its energy storage division and lay off hundreds of employees to cut costs. Shares popped 8.55% on the announcement.
Iris Energy jumped 29.71% after the bitcoin miner announced it’s growing so quickly that it may be able to distribute funds to shareholders sooner than previously thought.

STOCKS DOWN

Symbotic plummeted 35.86% after the robotics company announced it won’t meet its financial filing deadline thanks to some accounting errors.
Dell may have impressed with its AI offerings, but earnings came up short last quarter. That, plus management’s “meh” forecast for the coming quarter, sent shares tumbling 12.25%.
HP sank 11.36% after it, too, projected worse-than-expected profits next quarter.
Keeping the trend alive, cybersecurity company CrowdStrike also anticipates lower earnings next quarter—a sign that it still hasn’t fully recovered from this summer’s massive IT outage. Shares dropped 4.59%.
Nordstrom actually beat earnings expectations and announced a solid sales forecast—but apparently, it wasn’t good enough. The retailer still lost 8.09% today.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The SPX fell 22.89 points (–0.38%) to 5,998.74; the Dow Jones Industrial Average^® ($DJI) lost 138.25 points (–0.31%) to 44,722.06; and the NASDAQ Composite^® ($COMP) dropped 115.10 points (–0.60%) to 19,060.48.
The 10-year Treasury note yield dropped six basis points to 4.24%, a one-month low close.
The CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX)was close to flat at 14.14.

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Glossary Terms, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: business, crypto, DJIA, DOW, Intel, Investing, Marcinko, NASA, NASDAQ, S&P 500, textbooks, thanksgiving day, TNX, VIX, WSJ | Leave a comment »

The NASDAQ, S&P 500, Dow and Treasury Yields Rise as Oil & Bitcoin Fall

Posted on November 27, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

***

The S&P 500 and NASDAQ stayed in the green all day, with the S&P 500 hitting yet another new all-time high, while the Dow clawed its way out of negative territory to reach a new high as well.
The minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting revealed that central bankers feel rate cuts are still warranted, though they’ll need to be gradual. Treasury yields rose on the news.
Oil fell after Israel and Lebanon agreed on a ceasefire deal.
Bitcoin continues to fall further away from the promised land of $100,000 as traders begin logging off ahead of the holiday—though bulls believe this is just a pullback to gather momentum ahead of the final push.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Subscribe Today

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Breaking News, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, Investing | Tagged: Bitcoin, crypto, cryptocurrency, DJIA, DOW, NASDAQ, oil, S&P 500, stock market, Technology, Treasury yields | Leave a comment »

SECURITY ORDERS: Stop-Loss and Stop-Limit

Posted on November 19, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

***

A Stop order, also known as a “stop-loss order,” a stop order is an order placed with a bank or brokerage firm to either buy or sell a security after it reaches a specified price. Once the price is reached, the stop order becomes a market order, meaning there is no guarantee that an order will be completely filled at the specified stop price.

MORE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2024/08/30/stock-orders-positions-doctors-should-know/

A Stop-limit order is order placed with a bank or brokerage firm to buy or sell a fixed amount of an investment after it reaches a specified or better price, combining the features of a stop order and a limit order.

MORE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2024/08/07/about-securities-order-and-position-types/

A stop-limit order requires investors to set two price points: the first initiates the stop (the order to buy or sell) and the second sets the limit, or price beyond which the investor would not like to buy or sell. The investor also sets a time frame for which the order is valid before being cancelled. If the investor’s price cannot be met during the specified time frame, the order will be cancelled.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Subscribe Today!

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Experts Invited, Financial Planning, Funding Basics, Glossary Terms, iMBA, Inc., Investing, Marcinko Associates | Tagged: crypto, cryptocurrency, finance, iMBA, Investing, Marcinko, securities, stock market, stocks, stop limit order, stop loss order, stop order | Leave a comment »

PODCAST: Suicide Financial Crisis Risk?

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Rick Kahler MS CFP

***

***

I lost over $450,000, I cannot pay the bank, I’ll become homeless. Suicide is the only way out.”

This desperate plea summarizes one of the top posts a few months ago on a Reddit forum for the cryptocurrency Terra Luna. Like other cryptocurrencies, it has recently lost more than 99% of its value.

Over the past five years I have written several columns and given a number of media interviews on the risks of speculating in cryptocurrencies. My most recent one generated a conversation with several of my financial planning peers about the recent crypto meltdown. One of them called my attention to the discussions about suicide on cryptocurrency forums, where some members were posting suicide prevention phone numbers.

READ HERE: https://kahlerfinancial.com/financial-awakenings/money-psychology/financial-crisis-and-the-risk-of-suicide

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

****

Filed under: Career Development, Ethics, Events-Planner, Investing, LifeStyle, Videos | Tagged: crypto, cryptocurrency, kahler, Rick Kahler MS CFP®, suicide, SUICIDE: Financial Crisis Risk? | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Physician Burnout

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

Healthcare comes with its share of mental challenges, especially considering that clinicians often care for patients when they’re in difficult and sometimes tragic situations. New research shows that even the path to getting into the workforce can be a challenge, with some physicians burning out before they make it to graduation.

The national debt is growing to an unwieldy size ($35.5 trillion) and now we’re beginning to feel its effects: The interest payment on the US debt topped $1 trillion for the first time ever.
Consumer sentiment hit a five-month high as Americans look ahead to lower inflation and interest rates, but sentiment remains well below its 2021 peak.
The yield curve un-inverted, but there’s always another recession indicator out there warning of a downturn ahead.
The cryptocurrency Wild West is still alive and well: Americans lost $5.6 billion in crypto scams last year, according to the FBI.
Credit card debt hit 10.9%, its highest level in 12 years, according to Deloitte.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Most doctors report feeling overworked and are considering a change in career, according to a new poll.

Doximity, a virtual network for physicians, found that 81% doctors surveyed last fall said they felt overworked—a slight decline from 86% who reported burnout in 2022 but still up from 73% in 2021. Meanwhile, about three in five doctors said they were considering early retirement (30%), looking for another employer (15%), or leaving the profession altogether (14%), the poll found.

The findings, released last year, come amid reports of rising rates of physician burnout and dissatisfaction since after the Covid-19 pandemic.

LEARN MORE: https://tinyurl.com/y3j2t3ab

ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Health-Information-Technology-Security/dp/0826149952/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254413315&sr=1-5

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bitcoin, consumer sentiment, credit card debt, crypto, DJIA, DOW, Marcinko, mental health, NASA, NASDAQ, national debt, Physician burnout, physician coaching, S&P 500, textbooks, TNX, VIX, WSJ, yield curve | Leave a comment »

IRS: Tax Treatment of NFTs and Crypto-Currency

Posted on August 30, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

Remember NFTs? This is an excellent history of OpenSea, the largest NFT marketplace, and all the chaos within its walls.

***

***

You have to report your crypto and NFT transactions to the IRS

While not technically new, for 2024. the IRS is making a more concerted effort to track cryptocurrency sales and trades. Whenever you sell or trade your crypto or purchase an item with crypto, you trigger a taxable event. Currently, crypto is taxed like property, making it subject to short- or long-term capital gains taxes. This also means you can report any crypto losses to help offset any gains. Since 2022 saw a drastic drop and rise in the value of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum, if you sold or traded your crypto at a loss, you may be able to reduce your tax bill by reporting your capital loss. The same goes for NFTs.

And though the IRS will flag any unreported crypto gains, if you don’t report a loss that can lower your tax burden, the IRS won’t adjust your return on your behalf. “If you leave it off, it stays off. “Tax deductible losses from your virtual currency activity do have real consequences on your tax return, and can save you real dollars.

So we always tell people, if you’ve got something that you don’t fully understand, you certainly should seek out guidance from a trained experienced tax professional.”

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

***

***

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: Accounting, Alternative Investments, Information Technology, Investing, Taxation | Tagged: crypto, crypto-currency, IRS, NFTs, NFTs and Crypto-Currency, taxes | Leave a comment »

TRANSACTIONAL STOCK ANALYSIS: What Is It?

Posted on August 23, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Versus Technical Analysis

By Staff Reporters

***

***

In traditional finance transaction data is guarded by exchanges, brokers, banks and regulators. It’s not accessible to everyone and big players pay a fortune for it.

But, in crypto, Transaction Data is public and on-chain – but it’s not usable by everyone. So, manually making sense of raw blockchain data is practically impossible. The data needs to be processed and analyzed to be made useful. That’s what sophisticated blockchain analytics tools are doing.

The combination of on-chain data and transaction analysis is something that hasn’t been before – in crypto or traditional finance. Getting access to transaction data and tools for searching and analyzing it will unlock a goldmine of potential insight.

People who have been on the inside of projects and see how the sausage is made know that the explanations for price movements are often simple and based on key players buying and selling. When the biggest holders are dumping the price is likely to go down. When a major new buyer takes a position prices are likely to go up.

That’s insight traditional Technical Analysis cannot provide, because it’s limited to looking at price movements. Transaction data, instead, is the underlying activity that generates prices in crypto.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

Technical Analysis: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/06/23/the-technicians/

***

ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Health-Information-Technology-Security/dp/0826149952/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254413315&sr=1-5

ORDER MORE: : https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Management-Strategies-Healthcare-Organizations/dp/1466558733/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1380743521&sr=8-3&keywords=david+marcinko

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

****

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Health Economics, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates | Tagged: block chain, crypto, Marcinko, transactional analysis, TRANSACTIONAL STOCK ANALYSIS: What it is? | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Technology Stocks

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***

Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
How May We Serve You?

REFER A COLLEAGUE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/sponsors/

ADVERTISE ON THE ME-P: https://tinyurl.com/ytb5955z

Your Referral Count -0-

***

A magnificent earnings week is on tap: Four of the Magnificent Seven—Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Apple—will drop their reports throughout this week.

Technology stocks were down last week but investors are encouraged by signs that 2024’s rally—which had been underpinned by a handful of Big Tech companies—is spreading to a broader swath of the market. For instance, the industrial focused Dow Jones Industrial Average has gained for four straight weeks, and the small-cap Russell 3000 is now up 14% this year. All eyes will be on the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting and the busiest earnings week of the season.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Donald Trump pledges to make the US “the crypto capital of the planet.” The former president pitched himself as the pro-crypto candidate in a keynote speech at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville. He told the audience that, if elected, he’d fire SEC Chair Gary Gensler (whom the crypto community accuses of waging a war on crypto) and install regulators friendly to digital tokens. He also said he’d create a strategic national crypto stockpile as part of a plan to make the US the “bitcoin superpower of the world.”

http://www.MedicalBusinessAdvisors.com

Consider two numbers: $568.34 and $60.09. The first is Zoom’s highest closing stock price, from October 2020; the second is its stock price today. That’s an 89% decline, caused by more workers heading back into the office (even Zoom employees) and competition from rival products by Microsoft and Google.

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Thank You

***

EDUCATIONAL TEXTBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/4zdxuuwf

***

Filed under: Financial Planning, Information Technology, Investing, Marcinko Associates, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: Bitcoin, crypto, DJIA, DOW, Financial Times, FOMC, magnificent seven, Marcinko, NASDAQ, Private Equity, S&P 500, SEC, technology stocks, textbooks, Trump, zoom | Leave a comment »

Basel AML Index: Money Laundering

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

***

***

The Basel AML Index, an annual survey published by the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) at the Basel Institute of Governance, found that countries are not keeping up with “the evolving financial crimes risk of new technologies,” especially crypto and other digital assets.

Citing Financial Action Task Force (FATF) data covering six years from 2017 to 2023, the report found that only 43% of global jurisdictions surveyed are in technical compliance with international standards for crypto anti-money laundering (AML) measures.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: Health Economics, Information Technology, Investing | Tagged: AML, anti money laundering, Basel AML Index, Basel Institute Governance, crypto, FATC, Financial Action Task Force, ICAR, International Centre Asset Recovery | Leave a comment »

DAILY UPDATE: Ark Invest, Dell and “Buy Now-Pay Later”

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

***

Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

***