Thursday, February 27, 2025

加拿大股票2025年2月28日

今天是 2025 年 2 月 27 日周四,明天是 2 月 28 日周五,是二月份的最后一天,也是本周和本月股市的最后一个交易日。

今天美国宣布 3 月 4 日对加拿大和墨西哥实施关税,加拿大将进行对等报复。

今天标普 500 指数和纳斯达克指数均跌破了 2024 年 11 月 6 日川普当选这天以来的点数。

股市目前在振荡,可能会持续下跌。如果是这样,那么过去三个多月的峰值就是历史高点。如果持续振荡,或者又恢复上涨,很多人也认为今年股市会发生一次大跌,甚至会出现黑天鹅。

关税对加拿大的经济有打击。历史告诉我们,经济不好,并不一定代表股市不好,它们之间并不一定正相关,但是关税肯定会打击不少上市公司。

现在十分有必要来将加拿大股市扫一遍。在这里,我把我看到的想到的一些东西写下来,想到什么写什么,不讲究什么章法,之后想到什么还会随时补充。

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我将 2019 年 6 月 30 日设为起点,将 2025 年 2 月 28 日为终点,看看多伦多证交所综合指数在此期间是什么情况。先看长期周线走势图:

几个关键点:

  • 2020 年 2 月份疫情爆发,股市在一个月内快速下跌。疫情前的记录是 2020 年 2 月 20 日的 17,970.50 点。
  • 2020 年 3 月 23 日疫情谷底 11,172.70 点。跌幅 37.83%。
  • 2022 年 3 月 31 日疫情泡沫峰值 22,181.80 点。两年几乎 100% 的涨幅。
  • 然后经历一年半的振荡期,此期间,最低点是 17,873.20,发生在 2022 年 10 月 13 日。最高跌幅 19.42%,没有超过 20%,也就是市场定义的熊市分界线。
  • 然后从 2022 年 10 月开始上涨,一直涨到了 2025 年 1 月 30 日的最高 25,875.60 点。此次涨幅 44.77%。

对大盘指数,跌幅超过 10% 就是进入的机会,跌幅在 20% 上下,可以大资金进入。

将其与 RY、标普 500 指数进行涨幅对比,看下图:

走势曲线形状类似,但是强弱有分明。RY 比多伦多证交所综合指数稍微强一些,但是标普 500 指数的涨幅几乎是多伦多证交所综合指数的两倍。

在五年半的时间内,多伦多股市给了我们两次绝佳的机会。第一次发生在短短的一个月时间内,发生得太快,没有抓住情有可原。第二次给了我们一年多的时间,出现了多次相比前期峰值跌幅在 15% 的点位,这些都是绝佳的加仓机会。

出现黑天鹅就会再次出现 2020 年那样的机会,但是大概率在不久的将来,会再次出现 2022 到 2023 年那样的振荡。

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多伦多证券交易所(The Toronto Stock Exchange,简称 TSX)是一家位于加拿大安大略省多伦多的证券交易所。按市值计算,它是全球第十大交易所、北美第三大交易所。TSX 总部位于多伦多金融区的安永大厦(EY Tower),是 TMX 集团的全资子公司,从事成熟公司的股票交易。

截至 2024 年 1 月,多伦多证券交易所拥有 1,811 家上市发行人(包括 ETF 和其他结构性金融产品),总市值达 4.16 万亿加元。 截至 2023 年 3 月,上市发行人数量为 1,798 家,总市值为 4 万亿加元。

TSX 创业交易所(The TSX Venture Exchange,简称 TSXV)是加拿大的一个证券交易所,总部位于阿尔伯塔省的卡尔加里,并在多伦多、温哥华和蒙特利尔设有办事处。该交易所所有交易均通过电子方式进行,因此并没有实体的 “交易大厅”。它曾经被称为加拿大创业交易所(CDNX),但在 2001 年由 TSX 集团(现称 TMX 集团)收购后更名为 TSX 创业交易所。

截至 2010 年 11 月,TSX 创业交易所共有 2,364 家上市公司,总市值达到 60,811,203,235 美元(约 608.11 亿美元)。

截至 2024 年 1 月,在 TSX 和 TSXV 上市的公司总市值达到 4.23 万亿加元。

对应中国大陆的股市称谓,TSX 就是主板市场,TSXV 就是创业板市场。

我们在这里只讨论 TSX,不讨论 TSXV。

纳入多伦多证交所综合指数资格,一家公司的股票必须满足以下条件:

  • 市值要求:每只证券在指数中的最低权重须达到 0.05%。此外,该证券在过去三个月以及交易所审查前月末最后三个交易日内的加权平均价格不得低于 1 加元。
  • 流动性要求:证券的成交金额和交易笔数必须分别超过所有符合条件证券总成交量的 0.025%。为避免单一公司交易量过于集中,其在成交金额、交易量及交易笔数上均设有 15% 的上限。
  • 注册地要求:股票必须在多伦多证券交易所上市,并依照加拿大法律注册成立。

多伦多证交所综合指数的成分股在 230 上下。总市值大约占 TSX 的 70%。

根据 TMX 官方提供的信息,目前,TSX 综合指数有 220 只股票 / 公司。从这 220 只挑选了 60 只出来单独组成了一个指数,叫做 TSX 60 指数,这 60 加公司的市值占了 TSX 综合指数总市值的 80%。所以投资 TSX 综合指数与投资 TSX 60 指数的长期回报往往差别不是很大。

这些公司分为以下几个板块:

英文 中文 公司数量 走势图链接
Consumer Discretionary 非必需消费品 11 点击查看
Consumer Staples 必需消费品 10 点击查看
Energy 能源 31 点击查看
Financial 金融 24 点击查看
Health Care 医疗保健 4 点击查看
Industrials 工业 28 点击查看
Information Technology 信息科技 20 点击查看
Materials 材料 49 点击查看
Real Estate 房地产 20 点击查看
Communication Services 通信服务 5 点击查看
Utilities 公用事业 15 点击查看
REIT 房地产投资信托基金 16 点击查看

说明一下:上面的数据来自 TMX 的网站,各板块公司数量的总和与 TSX 综合指数的数量有少量出入,出入主要在能源板块,可能这个板块的数据没有及时更新。

根据标普网站的数据,成分股现在的确是 220 家。板块分布的概貌十分重要,点击 这里 查看。在这里也提供一个截图,以便直观了解:

金融板块长期以来一直是一个大头,且十分稳定。以前有人将多伦多股市称为哑铃形状,金融板块是哑铃的一端。能源和材料加起来是另外一端。明显,能源和材料现在弱了不少。

iShares 加拿大公司为上面的一些板块提供的相应的 ETF,一些太小的板块就没有必要开设了。这些板块 ETF 分别是:

  • XFN - iShares S&P/TSX Capped Financials Index ETF
  • XEG - iShares S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index ETF
  • XMA - iShares S&P/TSX Capped Materials Index ETF
  • XST - iShares S&P/TSX Capped Consumer Staples Index ETF
  • XUT - iShares S&P/TSX Capped Utilities Index ETF
  • XIT - iShares S&P/TSX Capped Information Technology Index ETF

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机会来了,如何投资大盘指数,对广大小白散户来说,当然是投资大盘指数 ETF。短期波段,可以投资博能源和材料这两个振荡大的板块。长期投资,信息科技值得拥有。

加拿大发行 ETF 的公司排名可以参考 这个 链接。按照管理资产排名,iShares Canada、BMO 和 Vanguard Canada 遥遥领先其它公司。按照发行数量排名,BMO、iShares Canada、Global X、CI 和
Invesco 都发行了超过 100 种 ETF。

Global X 是以前的 Horizon ETFs 改名而来。其为了给公司客户避税提供了 Tri ETF,被加拿大税务局盯上。目前找不到这些 ETF 了。但是很多人都因为这个噱头投资它们的产品。

几乎各种资产类型的 ETF 都可以在 iShares Canada 或者 BMO 上找到。而 Vanguard Canada 少而精。

其它一些公司提供了一些独特的 ETF。比如非 CAD-hedged 的纳指 100 ETF,就我所知只有 Invesco 的 QQC。TD 银行提供了一些十分独特的 ETF,表现优异,但是主要是它的银行客户购买。

下面列出这些指数 ETF 代码:

VCE,Vanguard FTSE Canada Index ETF,是 FTSE 出的指数,只有 52 只股票,类似 S&P 出的 TSX 60,MER 0.06%,资产 8B。

VCN,Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF,只有 164 只股票,类似 S&P 出的 TSX 综合指数,MER 0.05%,资产 2B。

VCN 的资产几乎是 VCE 的 4 倍,很明显买 VCN,而不是买 VCE。而且 VCN 的长期表现比 VCE 好。而且 Vanguard 的资产增长是最快的。

查看 Vanguard Canada 的 ETF,点击 这里

XIU,iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF,MER 是 0.18%,资产是 16.275B。

XIC iShares Core S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF 的 MER 是 0.06%,资产是 15.276B。

尽管 XIU 的 MER 比 XIC 高,XIU 的长期表现比 XIC 好。

查看 iShares Canada 的 ETF,点击 这里

五年表现,这四只里 VCN 的表现最好。这就是为什么说 FTSE 的指数有一定的优势。

BMO 的 ZCN BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF,MER 是 0.05%,资产是 10B。这个与 XIC 没什么区别。

BMO 的 ZIU BMO S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF 资产量很少,几乎没人买。

查看 BMO 的 ETF,点击 这里

至此,我们基本分析完了多伦多股市的大盘。根据多年的周线,这三个多月大盘在高位振荡。接下来出现下行趋势的可能大于上行趋势。未来出现一个大跌的可能性增大。因此,我们需要为这张情况做准备。一个十分稳定的方法就是在大跌之后通过买入大盘指数 ETF 来投资大盘。

还有一个方法就是买入某些遭受严重打击的板块龙头股。这个更需要经验。下面就对一些板块捋一遍。

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先来看看银行。正好这几天加拿大银行发布季报。

我们来看看过去几年银行股票的几个大的转折点。

2020 年 2 月中期,疫情爆发到北美,股市大跌一个月,2020 年 3 月,股市突然反转,因为经济刺激政策,一直涨到 2022 年 1 月份。这是有名的疫情泡沫。接着泡沫缓慢破裂,一直跌到 2023 年 10 月份。再次反转,一直涨到 2024 年 12 月份。现在又开始反转。这个时候十分值得我们关注。

看图比较清楚。先看 RY 的图形。它代表了加拿大几家大银行的股票典型走势(典型,不代表一样,下面会分析)。

几个转折点的股价:

  • 2020 年 2 月份(疫情爆发前) - 110
  • 2020 年 3 月份(疫情爆发) - 78
  • 2022 年 1 月份(经济刺激,疫情泡沫) - 148
  • 2023 年 10 月份(泡沫破) - 108
  • 2024 年 12 月份(通胀被控制) - 180

可以得出两个结论:

  • 可以看出每次谷底都是买进的好机会。
  • 仅仅以五年为期,长远来看,买得早比抓谷底更划算。

虽然所有银行的走势类似,但是走势强弱有差别。

另外,TD 因为丑闻,它的图片有一些特别。需要单独拿出来。看图:

TD 在 2022 年 2 月初到达疫情泡沫的最高点就一蹶不振,一直到最近换了 CEO,别的银行都在跌,它却涨了两个月。

这几年,CM 表现类似 RY,也不错,市值快追上了 BNS。看图:

它的几个转折点股价如下:

  • 疫情爆发前最高 - 57.5
  • 疫情爆发谷底 - 35
  • 疫情泡沫高峰 - 82.5
  • 疫情泡沫之后的谷底 - 47.5
  • 2024 年 12 月份 - 95

长期来说,走势图形类似,尽管最终也达到了与 RY 差不多的涨幅,但是股价的稳定性比 RY 差多了。

NA 也与 RY、CM 类似。但是六大银行里最小的一家银行,有一些不一样的地方。疫情泡沫对它的影响不是很大,基本是横向盘整,虽然 2023 年 10 月份也有一个谷底。这一次它的反转从 2024 年 11 月份就开始了。看图如下:

我们看到,RY、CM、NA 每次反涨之后都会突破以前的高峰。BMO 不是如此。2023 年 10 月的谷底之后,它并没有很强反转。自 2024 年 8 月底,BMO 却与其它银行逆行反涨,一直涨到现在,而别的银行已经跌了两个多月了。BMO 虽然远远超越了 BNS,称为加拿大第三大以后,现在的股价仍然还没超过疫情泡沫时的峰值。我们看图:

最后就是 BNS,它是过去十多年加拿大表现最差的银行。它本来是加拿大基本接近第二的第三大银行,现在远远落后第三的 BMO 成为第四大银行。CM 都快超过它了。去年底的峰值还没超过疫情泡沫时的峰值就开始反转了。我们看图:

然后我们将他们放在一张图上对比一下:

不计算股息,仅从股价上来看,NA 第一梯队。CM 和 RY 第二梯队。BMO 第三梯队。BNS 第四梯队。TD 第五梯队。

第二,从这个图形也看出,五到六年间,经济出现各种问题,还有通货膨胀,投资银行股票,股息都基本与定期存款利率接近,税务上更有优势,还有不错的增值。

最优质最稳定的银行当然是 RY。NA 最小的银行,发展潜力巨大。TD 在换 CEO 之前的最低点,是最理想的投资机会,现在也不迟,是新 CEO 纠正过去一些年错误的时候,潜力巨大。为什么说潜力巨大?BNS 都换了两次 CEO 了,都起不来,换 CEO 不一定就能更新换代。不过,大家普遍看高 TD,毕竟以前一直也是优质银行。

BMO 近期逆涨应该不能持续。TD 的逆涨倒可能会持续一段时间,完全看新 CEO 的表现了,即使新 CEO 的表现一般,股价也得把以前落后的补上来一些,它与历史峰值还差老远了。

这次的下行不知道要进行多久。相比很多其它板块,银行板块的下行还很小,需要观察一段时间。

几大银行属于TSX里的金融板块,这个板块还有人寿保险公司,比如MFC和SLF,车险、财险等的IFC。还有基金和财富管理公司,比如CIX、IGM。资产管理公司,比如BAM、BN等。多伦多股市的母公司TMX也在其列,代码是X,长期以来十分稳定,回报十分高。IFC这些年疯狂扩张,股价表现很好。最近,不少美国政客买入BN。

在金融板块,如果长期持有某只股票,尽量不要碰市值太小的公司。TSX板块只有24只股票,有12家公司的市值低于20B,这12只里面只有TMX是值得长期投资的。第二,投资保险公司要慎重选择。投资整个板块,比如买入XFN这只ETF,大多数时候并不是最佳选择,不如选择一到两家优质银行,和其它个别优质公司。

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多伦多股市上市值第二大的公司是 Shopify。它一度超过 RY 成为加拿大第一大市值的公司。加拿大股市上有一个魔咒,任何超过银行成为第一大市值的公司以后就会很惨,比如以前的北电。还有一个规律,做得很好的科技公司,最终会被美国打败。比如黑莓。我对 Shopify 的业务模式也不是很懂。它的股价振荡很大,经常一天的涨跌都是好几个百分点,难以掌控。不过,我们开始可以看看它的图。

  • 疫情泡沫高峰股价 169
  • 疫情泡沫破裂后股价 24
  • 现在股价 110

疫情泡沫涨了 5 倍;破裂之后的谷底 2023 年 10 月到现在涨得不错,又翻了五倍。这些股票有没有发财的机会? 肯定有啊。什么时候进入呢?

  • 千万不要在全民疯狂的时候的高点进入,可能永远翻不了身。
  • 在长期振荡开始反突破上涨后进入。
  • 在一个大斜坡的底部开始发转后进入。

以上规律都适合美国的科技股。

过去一些年,类似 SHOP 这样的股票很多。疫情泡沫套死了一批人。最近川普股疯大概率又要套一批人。还有一类就是群和社媒上的强势(热门)股票,类似前面泡沫和股疯,很多人一跟风就被套死。群和社媒不就是喜欢吸引眼球吗?不讨论势头股票,难道还讨论那些无聊的慢牛?

加拿大股市上市值与 TD 基本相当的一家软件公司是 CSU,位于多伦多。它是过去十几年,或者说过去二十年最牛的一家公司。这家公司就通过不断收购世界各地的中小软件公司,股价一直稳定上涨。我十几年前碰过它,后来就没碰它了。因为我实在看不懂它。它这种通过不断收购的发展模式家我喜欢的。现在的 Bausch Health,丑闻之前叫 Valeant Pharmaceuticals,就这样做过,现在股价 11 元,以前最高股价 300 多元,曾经超越 RY 成为加拿大第一大市值公司。

CSU 的股价图形就不给出来了,过去十几年就是涨,稳定地涨,一直涨。

最近加拿大还有一家十分火的科技公司,Celestica Inc.,位于多伦多,过去两年涨了 10 倍以上。算是 AI 风头股,做云数据中心的。它的市值进入了加拿大前 60 了。看它这三年的股价图形:

多伦多股市综合指数 IT 板块的公司有(市值从高到低)有:SHOP、CSU、GIB.A、CLS、DSG、OTEX、KXS、BB、LSPD、DCBO、ENGH、CTS、DND、BITF、TCS、CMG、CVO、STC、SYZ、QTRH

GIB 振荡了很久,最近突然爆发。黑莓 BB 过去两个月突然咸鱼翻身,股票翻倍。OTEX 不断收购也无法改变公司没落命运。LSPD 一度很火,也无法打破传统的市场,取得突围。

正因为 S&P/TSX Capped Information Technology Index 经常调整,整个板块的表现从来都是不错的。这正如如果从十年或者二十年来看,纳斯达克指数从来都远远好过标普 500 指数的表现一样。

iShares S&P/TSX Capped Information Technology Index ETF 代码是 XIT。我们来看看它的表现:

它的表现远远超过了同期表现最好的银行 NA。所以,在自己的加元投资组合里,应该有一些 XIT。

目前来看,IT 板块并没有收到关税的影响,反转下行的趋势并不明显,但是也有了一些苗头。

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能源板块自2008年经纪危机以来经历了长达十几年的下行,2020年疫情刚爆发的谷底是它十几年的谷底。全球气候变暖、ESG、页岩油、电动车等对这个板块造成了巨大的冲击。无论是世界石油巨头还是加拿大本地石油公司,都遭受了巨大的冲击。疫情爆发的谷底之后,这几年能源板块基本上处于上涨趋势。很多小的石油公司的股价都有五倍甚至十几倍的涨幅。在此期间,CNQ远远超越SU称为加拿大第一大石油公司。不过CNQ也从去年4月10日的最高点56.49跌到2月28日的 39.92。不过,还是众多市场分析师都推荐CNQ。能源板块分以下几个:

  1. Integrated Oil & Gas
  2. Oil & Gas Exploration and Production
  3. Oil & Gas Equipment & Services
  4. Oil & Gas Drilling
  5. Oil & Gas Storage/Transport
  6. Other Energy Sources
  7. Renewable Energy Producers

第一种综合石油公司同时具有开采到提炼的能力,只有三家:SU、IMO、CVE。IMO大约70%的股份属于美国的ExxonMobil。CVE是Encana的油砂业务拆分出来的。Encana臭名昭著的管理差,不得不改名Ovintiv。CVE和OVV都是长期的烂公司。SU买下Canadian Oil Sand后在过去一些年因为设施故障造成成本控制出现问题不受投资者青睐。现在美国队加拿大能源征收关税,SU自己开采、自己提炼、自己销售(Petro-Canada),最近稍微被人看好。提炼不是被人看好的业务。Petro-Canada这只低增长低利润空间的业务几次想卖最后都没有卖出去。

超过10B的石油公司还有TOU和ARX。其余都是5B左右或者更小的石油公司,除非真的对这个行业有深入了解,否则根本不能碰那些小公司。

比如臭名昭著的BTE,历史股价接近60,2015年以来大部分时间股价5元以下。

比如曾经广受分析师推荐和缺现金流的散户喜欢的VET,因为它的股息很高。大股东通过持有高比例的股份,通过股息把钱拿到手,给市场描述出一幅美好的前景,但是最终会露馅的,只有砍掉股息。即使砍了股息,现在不赚钱,还维持不错的股息,只能骗骗小白。

这个板块大部分的公司都是第二类——石油开采公司。

第五类里有几个大公司,主要是石油管线公司,分别是ENB、TRP、PPL、KEY和TRP分拆出去的SOBO。SOBO是石油管线。TRP保留能源储存和处理。这类公司的股息一般都不低,缺少现金流,这类公司可以买。

其它几类都是提供服务的小公司。

第七类新能源都可能不应该被归纳在能源板块,倒与公用事业更相关。这一类火了一些年,现在都处于低谷。投入大,效益低,没人喜欢。

2024年十分火的一家公司TVK,归在Oil & Gas Equipment & Services,但是它火在HVAC设备,服务各种行业。

加拿大能源板块已经振荡了三年,过去一年十分缓慢地下行。10%的关税对其影响有多大?应该会继续下行。不过能源板块并没有2010到2020那个期间那么脆弱。

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未完待续


 


Tuesday, February 25, 2025

匹克球(Pickleball)小心得

这段视频对匹克球(Pickleball)的一些基本规则讲解得十分清楚,强烈推荐观看。新手实战一次,有不懂的地方再回来看一遍。

匹克球的球拍英文称为 paddle,而羽毛球和网球的球拍则叫 racquet。尽管在匹克球中误称其为 racquet 也不影响交流,就像羽毛球的球正式名称是 shuttlecock 或 birdie 或 bird,但很多人直接称之为 ball,依然能被理解。

匹克球的兴起,与羽毛球的室内场地密切相关。羽毛球的双打场地最大,长 44 英尺,宽 20 英尺,因此匹克球沿用了相同的尺寸(44' x 20')。不过,匹克球的单打和双打使用相同的场地大小,而羽毛球的双打场地比单打场地略宽。

匹克球的球分室内球和室外球。室外球 40 孔,孔小。室内球 26 孔左右,孔大。无论是 paddle 还是 ball,最好买 USAPA(美国匹克球协会)获批过的,产品列表请点击这里去查询。

在上述视频中,详细介绍了发球方的规则。那么接发球方是否有固定规则呢?答案是否定的,规则并未强制要求接发球员站在底线外。然而,在实际比赛中,接发球员通常站在底线外或底线附近,主要是为了遵守双弹跳规则(Two-Bounce Rule)并更好地应对深发球。如视频所述,接发球员的队友 应站在场地中间,尽快前移至非截击区(厨房区),占据有利位置,为进攻做准备。而发球队伍的非发球球员则应尽量站在靠近底线的位置,以应对球在己方场地的第一次弹跳(双弹跳规则)。从选手的发球站位往往能看出他们是否熟悉匹克球的基本战术。

匹克球和羽毛球的发球方式相似,均为对角发球,无论是否触网,球都必须落入对角的发球区。不过,匹克球的发球区始终固定,而羽毛球的发球区规则有所不同——单打时发球区深且窄,双打时发球区浅但更宽。

对于匹克球和羽毛球的发球规则:如果发球落在对角发球区的边线(包括两侧边线和后端线),则发球有效。只要球的任何部分触及界线,均视为界内。但若球落在靠近球网的非截击区线(匹克球)或短发球线(羽毛球),则视为界外。知道这个规则的业余选手不多,索性以重新发球来应对。

匹克球的得分规则:只有发球方才能得分。而羽毛球则采用每球得分制(Rally Scoring),即无论谁赢得该回合,均可得分。

在匹克球双打中,每当一方获得发球权,总是从右侧发球区(Right Box)开始发球。而在匹克球单打和羽毛球中,发球方的站位则取决于得分的奇偶性(奇数左侧,偶数右侧)。匹克球双打中,每位发球员都拥有一次发球权。

尽管上述视频已经详细讲解了匹克球双打的得分规则,但从评论来看,许多观众仍然觉得这个规太复杂。正如前文所述,当发球权转移给另一支队伍时,新队伍的第一名发球员必须从右侧发球区(Right Box)开始发球。每次得分后,发球员与队友交换位置,使发球员轮流从左右发球区发球。如果发球失误:

  • 若第一名发球员失误,发球权转给队友(第二名发球员)。
  • 若第二名发球员失误,发球权转移至对方队伍,对方从右侧发球区重新开始发球。

如视频所述,计分从 0-0-2 开始。即,开局时的首发球方仅有一次发球权,以抵消先发的优势。

知道了这样的发球和站位,理解匹克球双打的得分和计分就十分容易了。

正因匹克球的计分方式不同,其比赛总分通常为 11 分制,而羽毛球则采用 21 分制。

匹克球的核心技术其实是“丁克”(Dink)。在微信视频的高级匹克球比赛中,可以看到长时间的 Dinking Rally。那么,什么是“丁克”?它是一种短球战术,通常是在非截击区(厨房区) 附近打出软击球,目的是减缓比赛节奏、迫使对手犯错,并创造进攻机会。在众多丁克战术中,对角丁克(Cross-court Dink) 是最常见的,因为它能让球路更长,增加对手回球的难度。

此外,匹克球的第三拍(Third Shot)至关重要。理想情况下,这一球应该落入对方的厨房区,然后迅速上网,占据有利位置。

理解匹克球的规则并不难,看看几个视频、打上几场实战,不懂就请教老手,很快就能掌握。但真正的挑战在于提升球技。业余选手主要依靠实战积累经验,而专业选手则需要有针对性的训练,精进技术和战术。

在健身房、社区中心等公共场地打球时,首先要仔细阅读场地规则,确保遵守规定。其次,这类场地的搭档通常是随机匹配的,水平参差不齐,大家彼此不熟悉,因此需要注意基本礼仪和安全:

  • 如果其他场地的球滚进了本场地,应暂停比赛,把球安全地传回去,避免踩到球导致受伤。
  • 如果自己的球误入他人场地,不要贸然冲进去,而是先喊一声提醒对方,让他们把球传回来。
  • 对于水平较低的队友或对手,要保持耐心和尊重,友好交流,而不是急躁或轻视。

在公共场地打球,除了提高球技,良好的球品和礼仪同样重要,这不仅能让自己打得更开心,也能为整个球场营造更好的氛围。

Monday, February 24, 2025

没有了 Microsoft 365 subscription 怎么办?

Subscription(订阅服务)对公司来说无疑是一门赚钱的好生意,是一种极具吸引力的商业模式,能源源不断地捞进经常性收入。对公司有利,对客户就不利。曾几何时,花一百元——促销的时候只要半价——买一套 Microsoft Office 就能用好多年;而现在,一年订阅费就要百元有余。Adobe 因为订阅难以取消的丑闻,不仅让股票大跌、公司声誉扫地,还引来了联邦贸易委员会的调查。实际上,大部分人也就偶尔用用 Photoshop 而已。在如今图形处理软件泛滥的时代,对于非专业用户来说,Photoshop 的许多普通功能完全可以用其他开源或者免费软件替代。为了套住用户,Adobe 就在订阅取消上耍流氓。

扯远了。进入 Subscription 时代后,我一直用孩子在以前学校的账户来使用 Office,现在 Microsoft 对继续使用旧账户发出了警告:

订阅截止日是 2025 年 3 月 8 日。如今孩子上大学了,继续用他们大学的账户,我就可以看到他们的 OneDrive 内容的权限,他们有点不乐意,我也觉得他们的理由充分。

没有了 subscription,我怎么继续使用 Microsoft Office?上面的警告提供了三个选项。第三个选项是 Use the free apps at Microsoft365.com,意思是免费使用网络版的 Microsoft 365。真的吗?我登录进去,打开 Word,看了一下界面,网络版与下载版基本一样,Word 的 Dictate 功能运行起来十分顺畅,毫无延迟。对我来说,网络版足够使用了,这点让我倒是挺满意的。

注:Microsoft 365 subscription 如以前卖 Office 套装一样,也经常做 50% 的促销。

res-downloader 是一个好工具

GitHub 上的 res-downloader 是一个好工具,能下载微信视频号、微信小程序、抖音、快手、小红书、直播流、m3u8、酷狗、QQ音乐等地方的常见网络资源下载。这些网络资源包括图片、视频、音频等。点击这里去它的 GitHub 页面。

因为 res-downloader,我想起来多年前我用来嗅探视频流链接的一个工具 URL Snooper,它的最新版还停留在 May 5, 2017,看来已经停止开发很久了。也是,有各种各样的浏览器插件可以完成这些任务,使用 URL Snooper 已经没有必要了。世界在变化,内需变化不大,外在形式和实现的方式发生了变化而已。

Sunday, February 23, 2025

巴菲特 2024 年度信

2025 年 2 月 22 日(周六),沃伦·巴菲特(Warren Buffett)发布了伯克希尔·哈撒韦公司(BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.) 2024 财年的股东信。过去十余年,我每年都会认真阅读他的年度信件,今年也不例外。

在这封信中,巴菲特与股东分享了公司的成功与失误。他直言自己在投资和人才聘用上曾犯下错误,并强调企业在面对问题时必须及时纠正。他还批评了一些公司不敢承认错误的企业文化。但是,他坚信这样的表扬和批评的管理理念——“Praise by name,criticize by category”(表扬要点名道姓,批评则要笼统)。正因如此,他在信中特别表扬了 Pete Liegl,并将此作为对他的纪念。Pete 曾凭借简单的握手交易,将 Forest River 休闲房车公司卖给伯克希尔,并成功将其发展为市值数十亿美元的企业。此外,他还特别提及 Todd Combs 出任 GEICO CEO 几年以来的卓越贡献,推动了公司经营的显著改善。

巴菲特已年届九旬,他在信中透露,格雷格·阿贝尔将接任伯克希尔的 CEO,确保公司的稳定传承。

尽管伯克希尔旗下 53% 的子公司业绩有所下滑,但受益于国债收益率上升及保险业务(特别是 GEICO)的强劲表现,公司 2024 年营业利润达到 474 亿美元。巴菲特重申,公司始终注重长期投资,不会被短期股价波动左右。

他坦言,60 年前买入伯克希尔本是个错误,因当时公司的纺织业务已注定失败——这一点他过去提到过很多次。然而,伯克希尔最终逆势成长,成为今日的商业巨擘。在这 60 年间,公司仅派发过一次股息,而是将利润持续再投资,既全资持有众多企业,也长期持有苹果、可口可乐等大型公司股票,始终坚信美国企业和资本主义的长期价值——这一点也几乎年年老调重弹。

巴菲特认为,美国经济的繁荣基于储蓄、明智的资本配置以及坚韧不拔的精神。

截至目前,伯克希尔持有高达 3342 亿美元的现金储备,并在 2024 年缴纳 268 亿美元企业税,占全美企业税收的 5%。巴菲特感谢政府为经济稳定所做的努力,并表示希望未来伯克希尔能缴纳更多税款,前提是这些资金能被合理、高效地使用。

财产保险业务的特性决定了保费收入通常在前,而真正的成本可能几十年后才显现,因此风险难以预测。伯克希尔长期利用这笔 “浮存金” 进行投资,并保持严格的风控策略。随着汽车保有量增长及极端气候频发,保险需求持续上升,公司在这一领域的竞争优势愈加稳固。

此外,伯克希尔将进一步加码对五家日本商贸公司的投资,目前投资增值接近 100 亿美元,增值幅度70%,采取日元平衡策略(即从日本借款投资日本公司)是成功的,预计 2025 年将获得约 8.12 亿美元股息收入,而利息成本约 1.35 亿美元。

Saturday, February 22, 2025

My Fundamental Way of Understanding Reality

We Actually Live in a Four Dimensional Space

Today I want to share with you a fundamental way of understanding the world: seeing time as the 4th dimension of our reality. When you read today's title, “We actually live in a four dimensional space,” you might think I'm just trying to grab attention. After all, we clearly live in a three-dimensional world. Some sci-fi fans might imagine that there's an unseen dimension allowing aliens to appear instantly in our world from the 4th dimension, but that's just baseless speculation. However, if we change our perspective and consider time as a dimensional space, then our world is actually four dimensional, also known as space-time. This is a scientific concept first proposed by Albert Einstein in physics. Space-time has an entire theoretical framework, including how to calculate distances while factoring in time. But that's not my main focus today; what I really want to talk about is the impact of time.

My inspiration comes from a message left by a reader named Lemon. She wrote six years ago: "A longtime friend of mine asked to borrow money. She said she really needed it and, since we had a great relationship, I didn't think twice. I sent her the money without even asking for an IOU. But later, her husband came to me and asked, 'How much money did you borrow from us?' I was completely stunned—his wife was the one who borrowed money from me. It turned out she had been investing in stocks with millions involved, and I couldn't understand why she would do something like that. Was this really the same friend I had known for years? Two years ago, she paid me back completely, even though I never asked for it, showing that she still valued our friendship. But in the end, I lost a good friend. I wanted to reconnect with her, but she always seemed distant, which in a way was good for me. There was an irreversible crack in our relationship, something that could never be undone, and I had no choice but to move on. So, should we avoid lending money to close friends to prevent losing them? What do you think, Mr. Wu?"

How time transforms space

Before answering her question, let me share two stories about my friends.

First story: Chasing a dream from the past.

My friend Xiao Mei wasn't a top student in high school and didn't get into a prestigious university; however, she worked hard and eventually became successful in her career. Yet she always had a deep admiration for elite schools. Some prestigious universities, particularly those that are business minded, take advantage of people like her—Stanford University being one of them. Stanford offers two programs tailored for this kind of audience: one is a special short term MBA program lasting only two months but costing as much as a full year MBA program; the other is the visiting scholar program. While most visiting scholars at Stanford are there for academic research, a small number gain entry by making significant financial donations. A university official once told me about this, explaining that donating the equivalent of free postdoctoral research grants could secure someone a visiting scholar position complete with an office desk and an official ID. My friend was eager to attend Stanford's Business School or become a visiting scholar. I asked her, "At this stage in your life, with your career already established, why chase this status?" She insisted that it wasn't just about prestige; it was about fulfilling a long lost dream. In the end, she chose to be a visiting scholar. At first, she proudly posted photos of her ID and office on social media, but over time even she began to resent this behavior. While she continued to tell people she had been a visiting scholar at Stanford, privately she admitted that the experience didn't match the intellectual romance she had envisioned. She couldn't quite explain why. I told her, "The 40-year-old you and the 20-year-old you are two completely different people. The same campus experienced 20 years apart is an entirely different place. What you didn't get at 20 won't feel the same at 40, even if you were treated as a 20-year-old again."

Second story: A relationship that couldn't be recreated.

My friend Xiao Chang had a college girlfriend who was considered the campus beauty. They had a good relationship, but she was the dominant one in the dynamic. After graduation, as they started working, they spent less time together; with many suitors at her workplace, their relationship naturally faded. Xiao Chang, understanding the situation, let go without drama and focused on his career. He later went abroad for his PhD. Ten years later, after earning his doctorate, Xiao Chang landed a job at a multinational company and was sent back to China to expand their business; he became the second highest executive in the country. Meanwhile, his ex-girlfriend had married and divorced, ending up single again. When she heard about Xiao Chang's success, she reached out to see if he could help her find a job. Xiao Chang happily agreed—not just out of kindness, but because he still had feelings for her. To avoid workplace conflicts, he helped her secure a job at another company. They got back together, and everything seemed perfect at first, but within a year they broke up. Friends speculated that now being wealthy and powerful, Xiao Chang must have abandoned her for someone else. At first he tried to explain, but eventually he stopped bothering. In private, however, he confided in me, "She's not the same person I once knew." I told him, "That's true, but you're not the same person either. At 20 you loved the 20-year-old version of her, but if today were your first time meeting her at 30, you probably wouldn't fall for her. You're clinging to a past that no longer exists."

The power of time

Over a century ago, Einstein pondered a philosophical question: What are the fundamental conditions for existence? His conclusion was space and time. If either ceases to exist, the world itself would lose meaning—essentially, it would not exist. Since space and time are inseparable, changes in time naturally alter space. Imagine a ruler fixed at one end while the other end rotates; even though its length remains unchanged, its position shifts over time. Human relationships work the same way. Some things once missed can never be recovered. If you were once a struggling student with barely enough money for tuition and a thief stole your last bit of cash, preventing you from completing your studies, no amount of money later in life could fix that. In the first story, my friend missed the experience of studying alongside talented young peers at ages 18 to 22; no degree could ever bring back that youthful camaraderie. When the time for something has passed, it's best to let go. In the second story, people change. Two friends drift apart and stop communicating for a long time; even if they reconnect, they may find themselves strangers, as time has transformed them. Einstein's space-time equation shows that time influences space more than space influences time. If we apply this to society, we see that in a rapidly changing world, time's effects are even stronger, and we live in an era of rapid change.

Seizing the present to avoid regret

Understanding this reality means keeping three things in mind.

First, do things at the right time: study when you're in school, love when it's time to love, and settle down when the time is right. Delaying these milestones can make them feel unnatural later.

Second, let go of nostalgic memories: if past experiences conflict with your present, prioritize the present—you are no longer who you used to be.

Third, don't overthink the future; the future rarely turns out exactly as imagined as long as you avoid making decisions that will harm your future. Don't stress over uncertainties, and most importantly, never forget that time is the 4th dimension of our world.

That is my fundamental way of understanding reality.

Why Most People Can't Achieve Financial Freedom

Why Most People Can't Achieve Financial Freedom

Yesterday, we discussed how businesses generate free cash flow, which primarily depends on two factors: high profit margins in their core business and the ability to generate profits without continuous reinvestment. To achieve this, a company needs to do two things well: choose the right industry and build a strong competitive advantage. The same logic applies to individuals. Before we dive into how people can achieve financial freedom, let's examine three real-life examples that highlight why most people struggle to attain it—three types of people who can't achieve financial freedom.

Case 1: The Startup Dreamer

This first case is a common scenario among many professionals. Let's imagine a character—a technical expert or a skilled salesperson—who sees people around him making a fortune when their companies go public. So, he joins a promising startup and receives a generous amount of stock options. As the company raises multiple rounds of funding, its valuation soars and his paper wealth increases. However, statistics show that only 2–3% of venture-backed startups go public or get acquired at a high price, and less than 5% of those public companies experience significant stock price growth. More often than not, the startup quietly shuts down after a few funding rounds or lingers in a stagnant state, and as a result, his stock options become worthless. Even in cases where a startup gets acquired by a larger company, early employees typically receive limited financial returns—perhaps the equivalent of one or two years’ salary, considering that he likely accepted a pay cut to join the startup. His total earnings may only match what he would have made in a stable corporate job. At this point, he faces two choices: stay with the acquiring company and settle into a corporate career (which leads to our second case) or jump into another startup and try his luck again. In places like Silicon Valley, many opt for the latter, repeating the cycle of rising and falling wealth.

Case 2: The High-Earning Corporate Executive

The second case is based on numerous interviews, reports, and personal observations. The protagonist comes from a modest background but excels academically, earning a degree from a top university before landing a job in a major city. After a decade of hard work, he rises to a senior executive position in a large corporation, earning a $1,000,000 salary. He has finally made it—this is the ultimate dream for many ambitious students and young professionals: climbing the corporate ladder to financial success. However, with his new status comes frequent business travel, luxury vacations, and five-star hotels to maintain his professional image. He entertains clients regularly, indulging in lavish dining and networking events. Then one day, he gets laid off or the company shuts down. When he checks his savings, he's shocked to find very little. His largest asset is real estate, which is difficult to sell, and he doesn't want to sell it because that would jeopardize his future lifestyle. His second-largest asset is company stock options, which have lost all value due to the company's downturn. Luxury goods, such as designer clothing and jewelry, are practically worthless in resale. When his mortgage payment comes due, he realizes that his house and car are liabilities, not assets. If his children attend private school, he may struggle to pay tuition. Even if he wants to cut back on spending, it's nearly impossible because many of his expenses were investments in maintaining his income level; if he stops, he risks losing future earning opportunities.

Case 3: The Business Owner Trapped in His Own Success

The third case features a successful business owner who is intelligent, hardworking, and deeply committed to his company, which he built from the ground up. He knows every aspect of his business but struggles to trust his employees, leading to a management style that relies more on personal oversight than structured processes. As his company grows, he gets busier with daily operations and doesn't have the time to study macroeconomic trends. His business is part of a competitive industry—there's always demand—but he can only charge low prices because any price increase would drive customers to competitors. Over time, his company fails to develop brand influence or meaningful innovation. Although he appears to earn substantial daily profits, his company has high operating costs. If he stops working, the income stops while the expenses continue. Since his business success is tied to his personal efforts, he can't easily pass it down to his children or employees. He's like a dancer trapped in red shoes—constantly moving but unable to stop. Although he seems financially stable, he has little true free cash flow. Many business owners fall into this trap, spending heavily on maintaining industry connections and status, and assuming that reinvesting money into their business will always yield higher profits. However, when economic conditions shift, profits can turn into losses and cash flow dries up overnight.

Why Do These People Struggle?

These three cases reflect common misconceptions about financial freedom:

  • Confusing paper wealth with real wealth. Money professionals mistake stock options and paper gains for true financial security, but without liquidity, these assets can become worthless.
  • Failing to account for the impact of reinvestment on cash flow. High-income earners and business owners often spend heavily to sustain their income, not recognizing how reinvestment eats into their free cash flow.
  • Mistaking luck for a reliable income source. People often overestimate the stability of their income, assuming past earnings will continue indefinitely.

The Experience Trap and Survival Strategies

We've all heard the story of the farmer who found a rabbit trapped in a tree stump and assumed he could rely on it as a steady food source. From an outside perspective, it was pure luck, but if he catches another rabbit the next day and again the day after, he might start believing it's guaranteed. As philosopher Francis Bacon warned, "Beware the bondage of your own thoughts." Many people, especially high earners, base their future plans on past experiences that may not hold true for salaried employees. Wages might seem like reliable cash flow, with promotions promising even higher income, but this assumption is based on limited experience. It doesn't account for company failures or economic downturns. In agricultural societies, people knew to expect seven good years followed by seven bad years; in modern economies, recessions occur roughly every eight to ten years. The key to long-term financial success is surviving each downturn and taking advantage of the opportunities that follow. History shows that every so-called golden era of an industry ends with only a few survivors—those who adapt and persist. The same applies to individuals. For example, investment banking professionals face a major financial crisis roughly every 7–8 years. About half of them get wiped out, but those who survive two cycles usually achieve financial freedom.

Key Takeaways

Most people misunderstand personal free cash flow. Common pitfalls include:

  • Treating paper wealth as real wealth.
  • Failing to account for the impact of reinvestment on cash flow.
  • Assuming past luck or income stability will continue indefinitely.

Now, here's a question for you: Have you ever mistaken past income for good fortune as a reliable long-term source of financial security? Share your thoughts in the comments.