Karl Montevirgen
Karl Montevirgen is Financial Writer at Encyclopædia Britannica.
Karl Montevirgen is a professional freelance writer who specializes in the fields of finance, cryptomarkets, content strategy, and the arts. Karl works with several organizations in the equities, futures, physical metals, and blockchain industries. He holds FINRA Series 3 and Series 34 licenses in addition to a dual MFA in critical studies/writing and music composition from the California Institute of the Arts.
Recent Articles
Investing
Direct peer-to-peer lending: An alternative investment?
Know the risks if you want to lend like a bank.
Investing
How you can use SWOT analysis when choosing investments
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats.
Investing
The stock investor’s guide to Blue Ocean Strategy
Dive into innovation without getting bitten.
Investing
Using Porter’s five forces to analyze stocks and identify market leaders
Decode the strategy behind the shares.
Investing
From the Nifty Fifty to the Magnificent Seven: How all-star stocks are picked
Growth, glitz, and guts.
Investing
Municipal bonds: Build a brighter future for your community and your savings
Where your money meets Main Street.
Investing
Jobless claims and JOLTS: Piecing together the job market jigsaw
The puzzling job of analyzing jobs.
Investing
Private economic reports: Looking beyond Uncle Sam’s data
Second opinions aren’t just for medical info.
Investing
Should I try to time the market? Tops, bottoms, and trends
Timing your trades? Don’t get clocked.
Investing
What is stagflation? A double whammy of headwinds
When the economy slows, but prices don’t get the memo.
Investing
Dots and dollars: The Fed dot plot, explained
For interest rate projections, read between the dots.
Household Finance
How money moves in the era of digital payment systems
From tapping (Morse) code to an encoded tap.
Investing
Crypto forks: What they are and how they work
When a blockchain needs to forge its own path.
Investing
Market makers: Keeping markets efficient, liquid, and robust
They bridge the gap between buyer and seller.
Investing
Retail forex trading: An introduction for active investors
The global currency market at your doorstep.
Investing
Following the money flow: How the global currency market works
Money: It sorta makes the world go round.
Household Finance
What is due diligence? A professional and personal standard
Be sure to do your homework.
Investing
Fractional shares: Slicing stock into bite-size pieces
No long-division calculations necessary.
Investing
Slicing the market pie: How stock splits work and why they matter
If you cut it in half, will it grow back?
Investing
Entrepreneurs vs. small business owners and corporate executives: What’s the difference?
Building a business from the ground up—and assuming the risk.
Household Finance
Filing for personal bankruptcy: What it is, how to do it, and when to consider it
It could solve some problems but create others.
Investing
Angel investor vs. venture capitalist: What’s the difference?
Do angels lead the way where VCs fear to tread?
Investing
Rare earth metals: What are they, and are they a solid investment?
It’s amazing how much they impact modern life.
Investing
What is reshoring, and why are American companies shifting toward it?
Globalization in reverse? Deglobalization?
Investing
Equity crowdfunding: A bold new frontier for investors and entrepreneurs?
Crowdfunding just got leveled up.
Investing
The greater fool theory: The root cause of market bubbles?
Bubbles blow, bubbles grow, bubbles pop.
Investing
Navigating the markets with moving average convergence/divergence (MACD)
A technical indicator that tracks momentum.
Investing
Using the stochastic oscillator to anticipate market turning points
Looking for a price reversal?
Investing
What’s the difference between day trading and swing trading?
A quick move or a longer setup.
Household Finance
Understanding consumer confidence and consumer sentiment data
Wallets open or closed?
Investing
Price floors and ceilings: Areas of support and resistance in the markets
Know where price might bounce.
Investing
What is the industrial production and capacity utilization report?
A way to mine for economic clues.
Investing
What does the monthly jobs report tell us and why is it so important?
The big kahuna of government economic reports.
Investing
Proof-of-work vs. proof-of-stake: Comparing two blockchain verification types
Two validation methods, one goal.
Investing
Beyond banks and brokers: All about decentralized finance (DeFi)
Can it be trusted with your assets?
Investing
What is the metaverse? Understanding investment opportunities and risks
Investing in virtually anything.
Investing
What are cryptocurrencies and why is the world paying attention?
A crypto FAQ for beginners.
Investing
Are central bank digital currencies the future of global money?
The theoretical vs. the reality.
Investing
Technical analysis: Is there predictive power in chart data?
Discover why the trend is your friend.
Investing
What investment types can I use to build a diversified portfolio?
The usual, but there are alternatives.