Here are four videos and a podcast to incorporate into your investing lessons. The first two address specific company news with one stock becoming much more popular with investors (Nintendo) and the other (Netflix) becoming less popular. A third video explores the importance of a diversified portfolio and finally we hear from an WSJ columnist and author about the futility of trying to time the stock market and the risk in buying individual stocks (see first two videos).

• Nintendo’s stock price rose 25% due to the popularity of Pokeman Go! Would your students invest now?

• Netflix beat earnings but stock price drops 15%. Why? Click on Bloomberg link to view:
  • Teaches students about importance of expectations (aka company guidance) and the risk inherent in individual stocks.
  • What are the factors that investors care about when it comes to Netflix (subscriber growth)?
  • Talks about a product most students are familiar with.
  • What may have caused company to lose customers (aka churn)?

• From Bloomberg (hat tip to The Big Picture Blog): Millenials Can Stop Freaking Out About Retirement highlights a recent study by McKinsey titled “Why Investors May Need to Lower Their Sights” which predicted subpar stock and bond returns in the future. These lower than historical rates of return would require millenials to work longer than their parents. Watch this short 2 minute video for advice on how they might be able to garner higher returns than McKinsey predicts:

• WSJ 5 minute Podcast: Are You Bad At Being A Good Investor?
  • What are typical mistakes that most investors make?
  • Interviews author of Heads I Win, Tails I Win by Spencer Jakab?
  • What is a simple investing strategy that will enable one to do better than most investors?

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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