Chinese retailers cozied up to US tech companies | British house prices headed toward record highs |
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Hi John, here's what you need to know for March 8th in 3:13 minutes.

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Today's big stories

  1. US tech giants became even more dependent on budget Chinese retailers, and that’s not exactly a sustainable relationship
  2. Here’s a little advice from Warren Buffett, Ray Dalio, and four other investing greats – Read Now
  3. UK house prices rose for a fifth month in a row, landing within touching distance of their all-time highs

Luck Of The Draw

Luck Of The Draw

What’s going on here?

Chinese retailers made expensive bets on US-focused advertising, but Google and Meta should be wary about trusting their newfound hands.

What does this mean?

The head honchos in the US and China might be keeping their distance from each other, but Chinese retailers seem as keen as ever on stateside shoppers. Digital marketplace Temu, fast-fashion empire Shein, and video streaming and gaming platforms have been funneling cash into ads on Facebook, Youtube, and X (formerly Twitter). No wonder: China’s economic problems have convinced local shoppers to keep their money firmly in their wallets. So Temu alone spent nearly $2 billion on ads, determined to bring in customers from the land of the Red, White, and Blue – enough to become one of Google and Meta’s biggest advertisers. In fact, Meta said that 10% of its ad revenue comes from Chinese brands now, up from 6% just two years ago.

Why should I care?

Zooming out: It’s tough to run a small business.

Meta and Google have been struggling to bring in their usual buckets of ad money, with Apple’s tightening policies making it harder for them to target folk with MI5-level algorithms. This recent rush of Chinese business is just what they need, then. Plus, now that Meta and Google can afford to up their prices, smaller players like Etsy have to cough up more for the same coverage.

The bigger picture: Temu’s far from reliable.

Big Tech can’t relax yet, mind you, because Temu’s spending habit might not stick. They’ve seen that before: Wish – an American ecommerce company that sells cheap products made in China – used to line social media companies’ pockets, but then it suddenly cut back. Temu could do the same. The platform reportedly loses $7 on each order, compromising profit to make a name for itself, so it could feasibly switch into money-saving mode without a moment’s notice.

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Analyst Take

Six Practical Lessons You Can Take From Six Investing Legends

Six Practical Lessons You Can Take From Six Investing Legends
Photo of Stéphane Renevier, CFA

Stéphane Renevier, CFA, Analyst

One of the smartest ways to learn anything is to study the very best in the field.

And in investing, you could do worse than starting with people like Warren Buffett, Ray Dalio, and Seth Klarman.

Lucky for you, then, I’ve put together six lessons from six investment legends that you can start using today.

That’s today’s Insight: six investing greats and the lesson you can take from each one.

Read or listen to the Insight here

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It’s nearly time to ring out the current tax year

In the lead-up, you can swap the champagne and disco balls for evenings spent filling up ISAs.

The savings accounts let you invest up to £20,000 in a number of different opportunities, most commonly stocks, and any profit or dividends you make are free of capital gains tax.

But you’ll want to set yours up a little earlier this year: IG's ISA expert has highlighted a few key updates – not least that you can now open up multiple stocks and shares ISAs in the same year.

You can also make flexible transfers, so you can move a part of your ISA balance instead of the whole amount, giving you more control over your money.

Make sure you maximize your tax-saving opportunities this year, and brush up on the fresh ISA rules (way) before the deadline.

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Pause For Celebration

Pause For Celebration

What’s going on here?

British home prices picked up for the fifth month in a row, news that could bring the house down among UK homeowners.

What does this mean?

UK house prices were 1.7% higher last month than the same time last year, with the average British home landing just £1,800 shy of the peak from June 2022. There’s reason to believe that the market can keep it up, too. The Bank of England is expected to take the head off interest rates this year, making mortgages more affordable. And in January, the number of mortgage approvals inched up for the fourth month in a row, reaching their highest point in over a year. Of course, though, an economic downturn or another spike in inflation could wipe the slate clean. That’s why the UK’s Office For Budget Responsibility still expects house prices to fall this year, albeit at a slower pace than it expected four months ago.

Why should I care?

For you: Brits need a step ladder to reach the property ladder.

Higher house prices would give existing homeowners a leg up, but it won’t do much for would-be ones. Even though mortgage rates are lower than their peak from last summer, the average two-year fixed mortgage still sits at a lofty 5.7%. That, plus the challenge of pulling together a deposit while the cost of living bites, means many hopeful homeowners are priced out of the market, especially first-time buyers and low-income families.

For markets: This is big – literally.

Residential real estate is the biggest asset class in the world, partly dictating the success of sectors like construction, furniture and interior stores, and banks that issue mortgages. Plus, the way homeowners feel about the value of their home influences their spending habits. In other words, when the housing market picks up, the economy does too – so it bodes well that house prices are moving in the right direction all around the globe.

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