Thematic Reads: Week of December 4, 2019
Each week Team Tematica consumes a voracious amount of content as we look to stay on top of the latest data and mine it for tailwind and headwind signals for our 10 investment themes.
Aging of the Population
The global demographic shift towards a more senior population
- ‘I’m working until I’m 75’: Factory worker describes family’s student debt nightmare (Yahoo! Finance)
- ‘A distinctly American phenomenon’: Our workforce is dying faster than any other wealthy country (USA Today)
Cleaner Living
Growing demand for items that claim to be better for you and the planet:
- US food groups take plant-based burgers to China (FT)
- How Natural Wine Became A Symbol Of Virtuous Consumption (The New Yorker)
- A Realistic Steak Is Fake Meat’s Holy Grail (Bloomberg)
- New Amex Card Rewards Users For Physical Activity (Pymnts.com)
- Ford and McDonald’s are turning coffee waste into car parts (CNN)
Digital Infrastructure
The Buildout and upgrading of our Networks, Data Storage Facilities, and Equipment
- 5G broadband is an existential threat to the cable industry (CNBC)
- InterDigital sues Huawei over 5G SEPs (World Intellectual Property Review)
- Amazon partners with Verizon on 5G in cloud computing expansion (Reuters)
Disruptive Innovators
Business models designed to transform an entire industry and leap-frog over incumbents.
- Qualcomm’s new in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader can read two fingers at once (The Verge)
- Hyundai Commits $17 Billion to Add Electric, Driverless Cars (Bloomberg)
- InterDigital sues Huawei over 5G SEPs (World Intellectual Property Review)
Digital Lifestyle
The increasingly digital landscape that now underpins the entire consumer experience.
- Black Friday shoppers spend record $7.4 billion in second-largest online sales day ever (CNBC)
- Shoppers might not be flocking to stores on Black Friday. But they’re still spending (CNBC)
The products and services people will consume no matter the economic environment.
- America Intensifies its Snacking Habits (The Food Institute)
- Starbucks’ Newest Holiday Drink Is Called Irish Cream Cold Brew And It’s Delicious (delish)
Those things that bridge the gap between want and ability at every socioeconomic level.
- Prada and Adidas Designed the Sneakers of Your Dreams (US Weekly)
- LVMH: on a luxury shopping spree (FT)
- China’s Ultra-Wealthy Are Dominating The Global Luxury Market (Forbes)
Consumers trading down when and where possible or looking to stretch the disposable dollars they do have.
- The fastest-growing debt category in the U.S. is not student loans or credit cards (CNBC)
- Personal loans are ‘growing like a weed,’ a potential warning sign for the U.S. economy (The Washington Post)
Areas around the world where rising disposable incomes are driving demand for a host of products and services.
- US food groups take plant-based burgers to China (FT)
- China’s Ultra-Wealthy Are Dominating The Global Luxury Market (Forbes)
Reflecting the evolving needs across individual, cyber, corporate and homeland security.
- Qualcomm’s new in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader can read two fingers at once (The Verge)
- Your Health Data Isn’t as Safe as You Think (The Wall Street Journal)
- Macy’s Hit With Malware Attack, Customer Data Stolen (24/7 Wall St.)
- Utilities Targeted in Cyberattacks Identified (The Wall Street Journal)
What Else We Are Loving
Other reads, experiences, products, services and the like that we enjoyed so much this past week we just had to share
- After feasting during the Thanksgiving holiday, several at Team Tematica are looking to eat a tad healthier ahead of Christmas and other year-end holidays, which is why we’re giving the Ninja Air Fryer a test run. More to come on this, including our review on how it makes sweet potato fries. Stay tuned!
