🇷🇺 The Russian threat is growing

Russia edges closer | India needs a quick fix | [TOGETHER WITH]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for February 15th in 3:05 minutes. 😌 You’ve worked hard on finessing your investing strategy, so now’s the time to squeeze every last cent out of it. And when you join Lightyear’s Martin Sokk for [Getting The Most Out Of Your Investing Strategy]( on Thursday, you’ll find out how to rinse it for all it’s worth. [Get your free ticket]( Today's big stories - Energy prices soared amid rising geopolitical tensions - Goldman Sachs has handpicked a bunch of small-cap stocks that could outperform their bigger rivals – [Read Now]( - Life Insurance Corporation of India filed for an initial public offering Antisocial Distancing [Antisocial Distancing] What’s Going On Here? The US government [warned]( over the weekend that Russia could invade Ukraine as soon as this week. What Does This Mean? Russia has spent weeks assuring wary onlookers that it has no intentions of invading Ukraine, but this isn’t the US’s first rodeo: its government just declared that the move might only be a matter of days away. That made investors nervous – not least because Russia is the biggest supplier of natural gas to Europe, with about a third of its exports flowing through Ukrainian pipelines. It’s the world’s third-biggest oil producer too, meaning any conflict could threaten supplies of the slippery elixir. All that to say, this might be why European natural gas and electricity prices rose more than 10% on Monday, and why the price of oil hit a seven-year high. Why Should I Care? For markets: Dinner’s on you. Oil’s price now sits at $93 a barrel, with some analysts expecting it to hit as much as $100 by the end of February. And if that happens, Bloomberg has calculated that European and US inflation will be around half a percentage point higher in the second half of this year than it would’ve been otherwise. Consider too that Russia and Ukraine account for nearly a third of wheat and barley exports between them, which would mean any conflict could limit their supply and push overall inflation up even higher. The bigger picture: The economy cannae take it. Consumer spending is bound to be hit by these higher energy and food bills, which would have major consequences for economic growth. Higher inflation could likewise force central banks to raise interest rates faster than planned, which would discourage borrowing and spending even more. So Morgan Stanley might have a point: the investment bank said on Monday that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could end up pushing the global economy into recession ([tweet this](). You might also like: [How to profit from these rising energy prices.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Antisocial Distancing&utm_campaign=daily-global-15-02-2022&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Can Small Stocks Outmuscle Their Bigger Rivals? [Can Small Stocks Outmuscle Their Bigger Rivals?]( [Photo of Carl Hazeley] Carl Hazeley, Analyst What’s Going On Here? US small-cap stocks haven’t exactly [covered themselves in glory]( lately. Just look at the Russell 2000: the key US small cap index is down 7% compared to the large cap S&P 500’s 19% rise in the last twelve months – its [worst relative performance since 1999](. And frankly, the next twelve months don’t look much better, with [the slowdown in economic growth]( set to continue and central banks set to withdraw their support. But here’s the thing: when inflation is above 5%, it’s small stocks – not large caps or corporate bonds – that provide investors with [the best chance of delivering inflation-beating returns](. So that’s today’s Insight: [Goldman Sachs’ handpicked small caps that could be about to buck the trend](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY BLACK SHEEP COFFEE Your morning NFT fix There’s one thing guaranteed to get you out of bed in the morning. That’s right: the rich, intoxicating smell of freshly made… NFTs. Good job [Black Sheep Coffee]( just minted a brand new collection of NFTs that are sure to give you a pep in your step. After all, this [latest drop]( is a way to get your hands on one-of-a-kind digital art in Black Sheep’s signature style, and to buy into [one of the fastest-growing digital assets]( out there today. Start your day off right: [check out Black Sheep Coffee’s NFTs.]( [Explore The NFTs]( Ind-surance Claim [Ind-surance Claim] What’s Going On Here? Reports emerged on Monday that Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is [listing]( on the stock market, as the country agrees to pay whatever it costs to fix its broken economy. What Does This Mean? Like most countries, India has been put through the wringer during the pandemic, and its government has been trying to plug the hole in its budget ever since. So now, it’s looking to raise some money by selling off some of its assets. Enter LIC: you might never have heard of the insurance giant, but it’s a household name in India that – with over 280 million policies under its belt – controls nearly two-thirds of the country’s market. It’s also entirely owned by the government, which said it’s planning to sell 5% of the company on the stock market in hopes of raising around $8 billion. That would make it India’s biggest-ever IPO, and the fourth-biggest insurance IPO ever. Why Should I Care? Zooming in: Why now? This is a bold move considering the timing. First, global stocks have had a terrible start to the year, battered and bruised as central banks threaten to withdraw their support. Second, foreign investors have been pulling their money out of India’s stocks for the last four-straight months. And third, India’s IPOs haven’t exactly been panning out: a third of new listings on the Indian stock market last year are now trading below the prices they listed at. For markets: No pressure, LIC. India’s stock market did manage to raise a record $18 billion last year, as it tried to position itself as an alternative to China for emerging market investors. But it’ll be relying on LIC to break the mold if it wants to keep that dream alive. After all, the current holder of the “biggest-ever IPO” title is [Paytm](, whose share price has fallen over 50% since its debut. You might also like: [How to profit from India’s big growth ambitions.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Ind-surance Claim&utm_campaign=daily-global-15-02-2022&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day “I am always busy, which is perhaps the chief reason why I am always well.” – Elizabeth Cady Stanton (an American writer and activist) [Tweet this]( CRYPTO PULSE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FABRIIK NFT smart contracts, explained Smart contracts are used to [validate NFTs](. So, uh, what exactly is a smart contract? A smart contact is like any contract: it specifies the details of an agreement between two parties. Difference is, it’s executed through code that gets written to a particular blockchain. The first major blockchain associated with smart contracts was Ethereum, but Bitcoin SV is particularly well-positioned to manage these contracts too. The benefit of Ethereum is its established ecosystem, but it also comes with high gas fees. Bitcoin SV’s are lower, and it’s faster too. It just isn’t on as many exchanges as Ethereum. [FabriikX]( is a new kind of NFT marketplace built on the Bitcoin SV blockchain, offering expertly curated, exclusive NFTs from top creators across art, sports, music, and more. And Finimizers who buy from FabriikX’s [Inaugural Community Collection]( will qualify for pre-sale access to its first-ever celebrity exclusive NFT drop. Look out for the [next community drop]( on February 17th at 1.25pm EST. [Find Out More]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🎯 On Our Radar - Sorry, LA Rams. The real Superbowl winner was [this Coinbase advert](. - There is such a thing as a free lunch. [Discover the ins and outs of crypto]( at Daxci Learn’s CPD™ certified – and free – events for financial professionals.* - Could Friends be any more censored? Just don’t mention [orgasms](. - Life imitates art. How this artist became a [living sculpture](. - Do you know what you really want? What science still can’t explain about [love](. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌎 Finimize Live 🏈 Touchdown! After a long few weeks spent drafting your final Superbowl predictions, today might feel a little bit… empty. Here’s a way to fill the gap: our [How To Pick A Stock Market Winner]( event will give you tips on picking the stocks that look set for success this year, so you can spot the LA Rams of the investing world. 👊 [How To Beat Inflation (Without Getting Risky)](: 5pm UK time, February 16th 🔥 [Getting The Most Out Of Your Investing Strategy](: 5pm UK time, February 17th 🎉 [How To Pick A Stock Market Winner](: 6pm UK time, February 22nd 🎉 [Getting Started With NFTs](: 5pm UK time, February 23rd 🌿 [Getting To Grips With ESG Investing](: 6pm UK time, February 24th 🏡 [Your Guide To Opportunity Zones](: 5pm UK time, February 25th 🙌 [Setting Your Crypto Strategy Up For Wealth Creation](: 6pm UK time, 28th February 🎨 [How NFTs Are Resculpting The Art Industry](: 5pm UK time, March 1st 📈 [How Regulation Could Impact Your Crypto](: 6pm UK time, March 3rd 🌟 [How To Pick A Metaverse Winner](: 7pm UK time, March 4th 🚀 [Everything You Need To Know About The Metaverse](: 6pm UK time, March 8th 🥊 [The Art Of Beating The Market](: 6pm UK time, March 14th ❤️ Share with a friend Your Referrals: 0 Thanks for reading {NAME}. 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