Podcast – Beyond the Hype: Identifying Fundamental Trends and Passing Fads

October 12, 2023

There is an emerging movement within the stock market known as “fad investing,” which you may want to avoid incorporating into your portfolio. Fad investing involves purchasing stocks solely based on the current trend or activity, without considering the genuine outlook of the company issuing the stock or the substantial factors driving the trend. Although investing in trends is not a novel concept, the meme stocks that surfaced during the pandemic triggered a surge in this style of investing that persists to this day.

For this installment of The Wealth Enterprise Briefing, WE Family Offices’ Managing Partner Michael Zeuner and Senior Investment Manager Matt Farrell, CAIA, enter the realm of trendy investing to equip you with the information necessary to distinguish between fleeting market excitement and enduring trends that can bring about significant changes in the market’s fundamentals.

Some of the specific topics addressed during this episode include:

• What differentiates an investing fad from a trend that is sustainable enough to have concrete implications for investors.
• How cryptocurrency and blockchain demonstrate the differences between short-term froth and long-term shifts.
• How artificial intelligence seemingly evolved from a fad investment to a monumental player in the market.
• How venture capitalists can help determine whether a private company is involved in a temporary fad or an arena with staying power.

Throughout their conversation, Zeuner and Farrell emphasize that, when it comes to market crazes, some are not just short-term fads. Rather, some may emerge as longer-term market shifts. As a result, it is crucial to remain open-minded and aware of the innovation curve. If you have any questions about fad investing or how to take advantage of emerging market trends, please do not hesitate to contact us.