The Plain Bagel

Investing and personal finance educational videos with a hint of economics, posted regularly.

I'm a CFA charterholder and CFP professional working as an analyst for an investment management company in Ottawa. I'm a huge finance nerd and am passionate about the field - I think people lack the resources they need to make educated financial decisions, and hopefully this channel helps with that!

For collaboration/other inquiries: richard@theplainbagel.com

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DISCLAIMER:
The videos on this channel are for education purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Richard Coffin does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers and his content should not be used as a basis for investment trades.

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57 episodes
Updated Today

Episodes57

Newest first

Today · 16 min
Before You Buy a Weed Stock - The Problems With Marijuana Companies
Before you buy a weed stock, or tell someone else to do so, make sure you understand these fundamental risks... Richard is NOT a financial adviser, and the points expressed in this video are Richard's opinion. Richard does not have any position in marijuana stocks. Other concerns: -Some marijuana companies have been issuing shares at a rapid pace, increasing the risk of dilution for current shareholders. -Companies acquiring their competitors face a lot of execution risk as they integrate their targets. Plants may need to shut down, employees may need to retrain, and systems may need to be updated. Any problems along the way could impact the benefit these acquisitions provide the firm. -If provinces adopt a government-backed outlet system for selling marijuana similar to alcohol, marijuana companies could face price pressure. The outlets would have significant buying power, allowing them to demand discounts on bulk orders. -As many of these companies are only a few years old, their accounting statements and disclosures are not of the same level of quality as more established firms. This means less information for investors looking to own the company. - The barriers to producing marijuana are likely to fall over time. This will open the door to competitors, including large pharma companies. If a international pharmaceutical company were to open a medical marijuana operation, startups would have a hard time matching their capital commitments. DISCLAIMER: Richard does not have a personal holding in any of the referenced companies. The videos on this channel are for education purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Richard does not have a personal position in any of the companies mentioned. Richard Coffin is not registered to provide investment advice and as such does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers and his content should not be used as a basis for investment trades.
Yesterday · 12 min
Managed Solutions | ETFs and Robo Advisors
The Plain Bagel Episode VI Managed solutions can come with pretty high fees, which has led to the development of low cost investment vehicle alternatives. In this video, we discuss the popular Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) as well as the topical Robo-Advisor. Intro/Outro Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Episode Music (Licensed): http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/ Sources: https://www.ific.ca/en/info/stats-and-facts/ https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/roboadvisor-roboadviser.asp
Yesterday · 23 min
The Dangers of Bitcoin - My Thoughts
Before you buy bitcoin, or tell someone else to do so, make sure you understand these fundamental risks... Richard is NOT a financial adviser, and the points expressed in this video are Richard's opinion. Richard does not have any position in Bitcoin. Sources: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-04/israeli-firm-strikes-digital-gold-with-canadian-miner-purchase https://www.thestar.com/business/2018/01/08/struggling-iced-tea-company-that-added-blockchain-to-name-seeks-funding-for-venture-into-bitcoin-mining.html http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/story/GAM/20180113/RBMBITCOINBOP https://socialmediaweek.org/blog/2017/09/58-insane-facts-bitcoin-infographic/ https://cointelegraph.com/explained/bitcoin-scaling-problem-explained https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2017-12-12/bitcoin-is-like-gold-2-0-says-tyler-winklevoss-video http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1996/04/15/211503/index.htm DISCLAIMER: The videos on this channel are for education purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Richard Coffin is not registered to provide investment advice and as such does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers and his content should not be used as a basis for investment trades.
Yesterday · 27 min
Private Credit Panic - Why Investors Are Rushing For the Exits
Why People Hate Private Equity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWFi2OfbWWc Private credit has been capturing headlines lately, with companies going bankrupt, funds gating investor withdrawals, and claims that we're headed towards another 2008 financial crisis. Today we cover what we know about the situation. DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and does not constitute financial advice - Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers. Please seek out a registered advisor if you require assistance (while Richard is a registered portfolio manager at WDS Investment Management, he does not provide advice through The Plain Bagel, which is not affiliated with his employer). Richard makes no warranties regarding the accuracy of data included in this video.
Yesterday · 24 min
The Canada-China Trade Deal
👉 To learn for free on Brilliant, go to https://brilliant.org/theplainbagel, scan the QR code onscreen. Brilliant’s also given our viewers 20% off an annual Premium subscription, which gives you unlimited daily access to everything on Brilliant. 00:00 - Intro 03:15 - Canada and China Background 06:48 - The Trade Deal 08:58 - Other Agreements 10:24 - Why China? 13:15 - Controversy 14:50 - Final Thoughts 17:38 - Conclusion Last week, we saw Canada and China enter a new trade deal, thawing what's been a icy relationship between the two countries. Today we'll cover what's in the deal, and what it means for Canada and its relationship with the US for trade. DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and does not constitute financial advice - Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers. Please seek out a registered advisor if you require assistance (while Richard is a registered portfolio manager at WDS Investment Management, he does not provide advice through The Plain Bagel, which is not affiliated with his employer). Richard makes no warranties regarding the accuracy of data included in this video.
Yesterday · 25 min
The Cost of Alberta Separatism
00:00 - Intro 03:11 - Primer on Alberta 04:35 - Albertan Separatism 05:51 - Transfer Payments 07:15 - Canada Pension Plan 08:30 - The Fiscal Upside 09:35 - What's Missing 12:19 - The Issues With Independence 16:59 - Concluding Thoughts There's been a growing movement calling for Alberta to separate from the rest of Canada. Today, we debunk some of the misinformation driving the call for secession, and some of the valid gripes the province has. DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and does not constitute financial advice - Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers. Please seek out a registered advisor if you require assistance (while Richard is a registered portfolio manager at WDS Investment Management, he does not provide advice through The Plain Bagel, which is not affiliated with his employer). Richard makes no warranties regarding the accuracy of data included in this video.
Yesterday · 20 min
Tariffs and Treasuries - The China-US Trade War
The US is in a trade war with China, and after a rapid escalation, has seemingly pivoted with a recent exemption. Let's dive into what it all means for the US economy. 00:00 – Overview 02:43 – Timeline 04:01 – Why China? 05:57 – The Impact of a Trade War on the US 07:23 – Treasury Yields 09:30 - Is China Causing This? 11:13 – Other Possible Causes If you'd like to support the channel, you can do so at https://www.patreon.com/c/ThePlainBagel :) DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution, although Richard does work as an employee for an investment manager. Richard Coffin does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers
Yesterday · 10 min
Plain Bagel QandA 3 | Greek Debt and Robinhood App
The Plain Bagel Q&A 3 Question topics: Arbitrage, EA loot boxes, Greek debt, my background education, and the Robinhood trading app *Richard has no affiliation or business relationship with the Robinhood.
Yesterday · 4 min
Huge Announcement
Some huge news for the channel "Election Music" by MUSIC4VIDEO (https://youtu.be/xOc9U6nMtn8?si=sFPqblwqM0MSEjdo)
Yesterday · 26 min
AI Is Giving Financial Advice Now
00:00 - Introduction 02:23 - ChatGPT Announcement 05:44 - The Pros 07:54 - Advice Concerns 10:09 - Regulatory Ambiguity 14:22 - Considerations for Using AI Advisors 16:56 - Will AI Replace Advisors? Dead on the Money Podcast Episode: https://youtu.be/po9zpbVQOYE?si=1B2Ff87jzRakyMdr ChatGPT announced this week that it would allow users to connect their bank/investment accounts to the platform to receive AI advice for their finances - today we dive into the implications. DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and does not constitute financial advice - Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers. Please seek out a registered advisor if you require assistance (while Richard is a registered portfolio manager at WDS Investment Management, he does not provide advice through The Plain Bagel, which is not affiliated with his employer). Richard makes no warranties regarding the accuracy of data included in this video.
Yesterday · 27 min
Why People Are Freaking Out Over Bonds
00:00 - Introduction 02:45 - Primer 05:11 - Why are yields rising 05:58 - Credit Rating Downgrade 07:57 - One Big Beautiful Bill 09:33 - The Weak 20-year Auction 10:55 - Japan’s Role? 11:26 - Why High Yields Matter 13:30 - Why it’s not a financial crisis Link to video comparing US banks to Silicon Valley Bank: https://youtu.be/ZPlrkr1qaE0?si=mwyYceZiSl-B0qsn If you'd like to support the channel, you can do so at https://www.patreon.com/c/ThePlainBagel :) DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution, although Richard does work as an employee for an investment manager. Richard Coffin does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers
Yesterday · 20 min
America's Crypto Regulation - What the Genius and Clarity Act Means For Markets
With Crypto Week having drawn to a close, let's take some time to go through the laws that have passed, and what's trying to be passed - we'll go over the Genius Act, Clarity Act, and Anti-CBDC Act. If you'd like to support the channel, you can do so at https://www.patreon.com/c/ThePlainBagel :) DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution, although Richard does work as an employee for an investment manager. Richard Coffin does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers
Yesterday · 8 min
The Great Depression - 5 Minute History Lesson
To clarify, Hitler was NOT the founder of the Nazi party, sorry for any confusion! The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn of the industrialized world, crippling the wealth of Americans throughout the 1930's. How did it happen? Let's find out with a 5 Minute History Lesson. Intro/Outro Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Episode Music: Faster Does It by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100794 Artist: http://incompetech.com/
Yesterday · 5 min
Exciting Announcement
Some exciting news for the channel!
Yesterday · 40 min
Investment Analyst Reacts to Finance TikToks - Bonus Edition
Welcome to the 10th TikTok Review video! My name is Richard Coffin, I'm an investment analyst with my Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner designations, registered with the Ontario Securities Commission as a portfolio manager. Cover call video: https://youtu.be/R0JeJdiJc1A?si=WN-kRgKH0heQg3WE DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution, although Richard does work as an employee for an investment manager. Richard Coffin does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers
Yesterday · 21 min
The Bitcoin Treasury "Infinite Money Glitch"
Richard does not hold a position in MSTR or any other bitcoin treasury companies. Bitcoin treasuries have become a popular strategy for companies thanks to Michael Saylor and his firm Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy). Let's dive into how this idea has taken off, and what it means for bitcoin. If you'd like to support the channel, you can do so at https://www.patreon.com/c/ThePlainBagel :) DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution, although Richard does work as an employee for an investment manager. Richard Coffin does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers
Yesterday · 12 min
Fees | How Investments Cost You
The Plain Bagel Episode VIII Investments are a great way to expand one's wealth, but don't be fooled - there are still fees to pay for the services provided to you. In this video, we'll go over the types of costs you'll pay as an investor, as well as how you can learn more about the specific fees you face. MUTUAL FUND SERIES INFORMATION: - https://www.getsmarteraboutmoney.ca/invest/investment-products/mutual-funds-segregated-funds/mutual-fund-series/ Intro/Outro Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Episode Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Podington_Bear/ Sources: https://s3.amazonaws.com/nw-public-images/marketing/downloads/cost-of-investments-supporting-doc.pdf
Yesterday · 24 min
The 2025 Gold Rush - "Debasement Trade" or FOMO?
To learn for free on Brilliant (today's sponsor), go to https://brilliant.org/theplainbagel. Brilliant’s also giving viewers 20% off an annual Premium subscription, which gives you unlimited daily access to everything on Brilliant! 00:00 - Introduction 02:14 - Why Investors Buy Gold 04:10 - Why Gold's Rallying 08:34 - The Debasement Trade 09:47 - Considerations 13:27 - Gold's Questionable Price Stability 16:11 - Sponsor Gold's price has been skyrocketing, with murmurings of a great "debasement trade" driving returns. Today we'll dive into what's driving performance, and the overall trends around gold. If you'd like to support the channel, you can do so at https://www.patreon.com/c/ThePlainBagel :) DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution, although Richard does work as an employee for an investment manager. Richard Coffin does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers
Yesterday · 32 min
Investment Analyst Reacts to Finance TikToks - Prediction Markets and More
Get your free trial with Blinkist (today's sponsor) and save an additional 30%. Go to http://blinkist.com/bagel. My name is Richard Coffin, I'm an investment analyst with my Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planner designations, registered with the Ontario Securities Commission as a portfolio manager. DISCLAIMER: This channel is for education purposes only and is not affiliated with any financial institution, although Richard does work as an employee for an investment manager. Richard Coffin does not provide recommendations on The Plain Bagel - those looking for investment advice should seek out a registered professional. Richard is not responsible for investment actions taken by viewers
Yesterday · 9 min
Plain Bagel QandA 4 | P/E, QE, and Short-Term Needs
The Plain Bagel Q&A 4 More Details on QE: QE is a concerted effort to provide additional monetary stimulus to the economy in order to light a fire under it and get growth increasing again. If we look back at recent history, during and for a long period after the financial crisis of 08/09, the central banks dropped their key interest rates to zero or virtually zero. They did this in order to incentivize the commercial banking system to borrow free money and then easily lend that same money out into the financial system for an easy profit for themselves. However, this didn’t work so well because, although the banks did borrow the free money, they then horded this free money in low to moderate risk investments without really investing and lending the funds into the real economy. At this point, this is where QE came into a necessary realization and effect. As mentioned, central banks (in effect) increase their own bank account balances and then buy various financial securities from commercial banks and other institutional investors. This effectively lowers longer-term interest rates (not short-term rates which are again already virtually zero) by artificially inflating the prices of the securities being bought by the QE operations. This in effect makes most government backed or guaranteed securities prevail at artificially and abnormally low yields (same interest payment, but higher prices). As a corollary, these same securities by default become much less attractive to any private market investor. In connecting the dots, as a final result, this will encourage both institutional and retail investors to put their money into more risky investments like stocks and corporate bonds, and this will eventually boost the stock market. Episode Music: Marty Gots a Plan by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100671 Artist: http://incompetech.com/