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 October 14th, 2025 | 07:10 CEST
Raw materials war sends industry into panic – New buyers enter the resource sector: SAP, Barrick Mining, Globex Mining
Industry and the commodities sector are in turmoil. China's latest trade restrictions on critical raw materials are causing widespread uncertainty. Last week, China announced its intention to severely restrict exports of rare earths. In addition, raw materials that can serve military purposes will no longer be allowed to leave the country. Also on the list: Chinese expertise related to the extraction and processing of these raw materials. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) has already quoted a China expert who sees a new dimension of extraterritoriality in these measures. Here is what investors should keep in mind now.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 13th, 2025 | 07:25 CEST
Drone stocks: Opportunities with Volatus Aerospace, DroneShield, and Rheinmetall
When drones appeared over several European airports in September and brought flight operations to a standstill, it came as a shock. The incidents revealed that Germany and many other Western countries are largely powerless against drones, as there are no defense mechanisms in place. Instead, representatives of the German Armed Forces and police are arguing over who is responsible for countering such threats – in Germany, there are even regulations governing who may defend against enemy threats and where. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continues – and with it, the drone war is evolving. It has long been clear that drones are essential as a deterrent and have become a core element of every modern army. We explain why Volatus Aerospace is well-positioned to benefit from the ongoing drone hype.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 13th, 2025 | 07:00 CEST
Hydrogen as an explosive mixture: First Hydrogen, Plug Power, Amazon
Hydrogen continues to shine as a beacon of opportunity for industry and logistics. Experts remain optimistic despite the challenges of scaling up hydrogen production in Germany. Market observers, such as McKinsey, anticipate that the cost of green hydrogen will fall rapidly in the coming years, potentially turning many projects, still debated by experts today, into profitable ventures. Companies already established in the sector stand to benefit the most. We present three hydrogen visionaries and examine whether the associated stocks can benefit from the hydrogen boom.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 10th, 2025 | 07:05 CEST
War increasingly likely? This supplier is improving drones: AeroVironment, NEO Battery Materials and Kratos Defense
"Is war against Putin inevitable?" This was the headline in BILD yesterday in response to statements by military historian Sönke Neitzel on the ARD talk show Maischberger. According to Neitzel, Putin has already paved the way for war with his recent escalations. The historian asks: "If Putin is determined – many in NATO say so, and I would agree – will he wait until we can say that even the German Armed Forces now have enough drones? No, probably not." Neitzel believes that, due to the current poor equipment of many NATO countries, a military conflict between NATO and Russia could occur within the next three years. Investments in drones are therefore urgently needed. We present a battery supplier that offers tailor-made technology for drones, capable of drastically reducing the dependence of Western militaries on batteries from China.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 9th, 2025 | 07:30 CEST
Digital business models for explosive growth: MiMedia, Peloton, Delivery Hero
Digital business models offer one key advantage: they can be scaled almost indefinitely. It is therefore no surprise that large parts of the global economy have now been digitized, or at least complemented by digital alternatives. Restaurants, for example, face competition from delivery platforms, while gyms compete with online fitness programs. Below, we highlight three digital business models - MiMedia, Peloton, and Delivery Hero - and explore where new opportunities for investors may be emerging today.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 9th, 2025 | 07:10 CEST
Dividends and growth? It is possible! With RE Royalties, Royalty Pharma or Evonik
The stock market is not just about price increases; dividends are also highly attractive. There are even professional investor groups that focus almost exclusively on continuous returns. Examples include pension funds and insurers. But why do companies in some sectors distribute more profits than others? We take a closer look at three exciting stocks that are also income generators and explain which business models offer the greatest potential from an investor's perspective.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 8th, 2025 | 07:00 CEST
US industrial policy at a turning point – how shareholders stand to benefit: MP Materials, Intel, Almonty
The administration of US President Donald Trump has shaken things up considerably in its first few months in office. Some changes unsettle observers, while others could serve as a blueprint for other economic regions such as the EU. A good example of the latter scenario is the US's direct investments in companies that are essential to critical supply chains. Examples include rare earths producer MP Materials, chip developer Intel, and lithium company Lithium Americas – the US now holds shares in all three companies. We analyze the strategy behind this policy and what it could mean for other suppliers of critical metals, such as tungsten producer Almonty Industries.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 7th, 2025 | 07:30 CEST
Hydrogen – hope or hype? BMW, BASF and dynaCERT
Hydrogen was long hailed as the next big thing for the stock market. But now, disillusionment is setting in. The latest example: energy company RWE has withdrawn from a USD 10 billion green hydrogen project in Namibia. RWE cited sluggish demand in Europe as the reason for its decision. This development illustrates that while the hydrogen era is on the horizon, practical hurdles remain. For investors, the focus is shifting to transitional technologies that are already helping to reduce emissions. In this article, we examine three very different companies, BMW, BASF and dynaCERT, and explore how they are positioned between vision and reality.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 7th, 2025 | 07:15 CEST
Indonesia shock for car manufacturers – NISK offers hope: Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Power Metallic Mines
Indonesia is the global hotspot for nickel. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, around 50% of the global supply comes from this Asian country. But recently, the media and NGOs have put the country's "dirty" nickel in the spotlight. Environmental organizations are sounding the alarm: in the mining regions of Sulawesi and the Moluccas, the soil and coastal waters are reportedly contaminated, and in some places the sea is turning red due to mining residues. As reported by German broadcaster ZDF a few weeks ago, Mercedes-Benz also indirectly sources nickel from Indonesia. We take a look at what the consequences of these allegations are and why a promising nickel location may now return to the focus of industry.
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Commented by Nico Popp on October 6th, 2025 | 07:20 CEST
Biotech: Small innovations, big impact with Teva Pharmaceutical, BioNxt and Lonza Group
Anyone investing in biotech hopes to have the next big breakthrough in their portfolio: active ingredients that revolutionize everything, technologies that make a difference. In reality, however, biotechnology is characterized by many small but meaningful improvements. From an investor's perspective, it is also worth keeping an eye on these incremental advances. The reason: while the search for new, groundbreaking active ingredients is often a hit-or-miss business, small advances make it possible to generate consistent returns with relatively low capital expenditure. We present three promising business models that demonstrate the value-creation potential of incremental innovation.
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