At home in Southern Germany, the passionate stock exchange expert has been accompanying the capital markets for about twenty years. With a soft spot for smaller companies, he is constantly on the lookout for exciting investment stories. That it depends thereby less on large names, but on the future potential and whether the market also recognizes these perspectives, was one of its first learnings at the stock exchange.
On these pages, Nico examines current events at listed companies and takes a closer look at companies that are traded under the radar of the market, in addition to well-known securities.
In order to be able to take advantage of speculative opportunities on the stock exchange, Nico not only focuses on a balanced asset allocation of defensive and opportunity-oriented securities, but also on an intact risk management. "In addition to position size and entry in several tranches, investors should also develop a sense of timing and get to know a stock better before investing," says the columnist.
Commented by Nico Popp
Commented by Nico Popp on September 8th, 2025 | 07:15 CEST
High-profile projects as a zinc turbo: Glencore, Mercedes-Benz, Pasinex Resources
Zinc is a highly sought-after industrial metal — but its price can fluctuate significantly at times. There is about a 25% difference between this spring's yearly low and the average annual price of USD 3,400 forecasted by analysts at Wood Mackenzie. Why is that? Just a few months ago, the market was concerned about an industrial downturn. Today, it is clear that inventories are low and demand from China is anything but weakening. Still, the zinc market remains challenging. We explain which companies are good investments in this environment and which are not!
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 8th, 2025 | 07:00 CEST
Trillion-dollar market for tokenized securities: Stock market newcomer Finexity, Deutsche Börse, Coinbase
Blockchain offers transparency and efficiency—it is no surprise that digital assets are considered the next evolutionary stage of capital markets. Studies predict a market volume in the double-digit trillions by 2030. Boston Consulting, for example, is talking about a market volume of USD 16 trillion by 2030. The race for market share includes the major stock exchange operators as well as savings banks and fintechs. Finexity, a pioneer in digital assets, has now gone public - a company that has significantly shaped developments in recent years and is well-positioned for the future. We shed light on the prospects for Finexity and explain how far along competitors like Deutsche Börse and Coinbase already are.
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 5th, 2025 | 07:10 CEST
"Olive-Green Economic Miracle" – Who stands to benefit? Volatus Aerospace, Hensoldt, AeroVironment
Germany's Federal Minister of Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche, sees great potential for the German economy in military rearmament. An article in Handelsblatt even refers to it as an "olive-green economic miracle." But who will benefit most from the billions in spending over the coming years? In addition to traditional defense companies, smaller niche providers and startups are also raring to go. We explain which stocks will truly benefit from this "olive-green economic miracle."
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 4th, 2025 | 07:25 CEST
AI reaches medicine – Here is where it has the greatest impact: NetraMark, Siemens Healthineers, Intuitive Surgical
AI is revolutionizing more and more industries. A recent article in Handelsblatt highlights the enormous potential in medicine and names Siemens Healthineers and Intuitive Surgical as the beneficiaries. AI would significantly increase the often-lacking efficiency in industry. According to Handelsblatt, citing analysts from Fortune Business Insights, the market for AI in healthcare could grow by 44% annually to USD 504 billion by 2032. We show where the greatest leverage exists and which companies are still small enough to benefit disproportionately from developments in the coming years.
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 4th, 2025 | 07:15 CEST
Tariff shock for Trump, Concerns about US banks, Gold hype: Globex Mining, Newmont, Bank of America
In recent months, many feared the US was on a path toward dictatorship. Fortunately, this is not yet the case, as demonstrated recently by a US federal appeals court ruling, which declared 75% of Donald Trump's tariffs to be illegal. The judges involved ruled independently of their political leanings – both supporters and opponents of the tariffs included Republicans and Democrats. While this is not such a bad thing for US political culture, it does harbour enormous risks: tariffs worth billions could now be reversed, and the US Federal Reserve may once again delay its planned interest rate cuts. One clear beneficiary of this uncertainty has been gold, with the precious metal reaching a new all-time high. We highlight the opportunities.
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 4th, 2025 | 07:05 CEST
What comes after the weight loss injection? How does BioNxt intend to outperform Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk?
The weight loss injection is all the rage. Not only are celebrities shedding significant pounds with it, but many people in our own circles are also losing weight effortlessly thanks to modern GLP-1 receptor agonists. Many patients report that they simply do not feel hungry anymore. This is already having an impact on the restaurant industry in the US – people are ordering more salads and splitting desserts. With Wegovy and similar drugs, one to two teaspoons of tiramisu is enough. But this billion-dollar market is far from reaching all patients. What groundbreaking developments in modern weight loss drugs are already in the pipeline, and how can investors benefit?
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 3rd, 2025 | 07:15 CEST
Investing in hydrogen with management on board: Air Liquide, Pure Hydrogen, Air Products & Chemicals
When management representatives hold large amounts of their own company's shares or when their compensation is linked to the performance of the share price, this is generally good news for all investors. A management team with "skin in the game" typically takes a more long-term view and aligns more closely with shareholder interests. We present three hydrogen stocks in which management holds shares – some more, some less. Where are the biggest opportunities, and which stocks come with hidden risks? Read on to find out!
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 3rd, 2025 | 07:00 CEST
Reaching out to customers – Sales success for higher returns: Shell, Cummins, dynaCERT
When companies offer multiple services from a single source, customers are pleased – they have just one point of contact and receive comprehensive support. The keyword here is "ecosystem." Especially in innovative sectors like the hydrogen economy, potential customers are often just getting started and are looking for broad-based support. Providers who combine low-threshold offerings with high-value or long-term solutions ensure stable revenue in the long term. We take a look at the sales strategies of Shell, Cummins, and dynaCERT and show that comprehensive ecosystems are the key to success.
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 2nd, 2025 | 07:00 CEST
The auto industry is at a crossroads – Who will solve the lithium problem? BYD, Mercedes-Benz, European Lithium
When the Chinese step on the gas, German premium manufacturers are left in the dust! As a recent article in Handelsblatt shows, Chinese auto suppliers are increasingly overtaking their international competitors. This is fatal – after all, suppliers are the ones driving innovation. One indicator is the battery sector: in the first half of 2025, the two largest Chinese battery manufacturers, CATL and BYD, together controlled 55.7% of the global electric vehicle battery market. The next-largest non-Chinese supplier is LG from South Korea, with a market share of just 9%. As it stands, European car manufacturers remain heavily dependent on Chinese batteries. We examine why this dependence is risky, which companies are already working to reduce it, and which stocks offer opportunities for investors.
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Commented by Nico Popp on September 1st, 2025 | 07:05 CEST
The key to higher returns: How ESG is making Newmont, Intel, and Almonty more successful
Just a few years ago, ESG was a buzzword that companies in industry and mining could use to present themselves in a favorable light. Today, standards for sustainable business practices are clearly defined and bring tangible benefits to all who adhere to them. For example, cooperation with local residents and adherence to high environmental standards at mining companies such as Newmont and Almonty ensure better financing conditions and motivated, skilled workers. Potential customers such as Intel also pay close attention to the conditions under which raw materials are extracted. In this article, we explain how ESG and returns go hand in hand.
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