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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Baron Durable Advantage Fund, managed by Alex Umansky, is up 136% in five years.</li><li>The fund focuses on high-quality companies with competitive advantages and reasonable valuations.</li></ul>Baron Capital is synonymous with growth investing. Its founder, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ron-baron-portfolio-stocks-to-buy-where-to-invest-funds-2023-11">Ron Baron</a>, is well-known for successfully betting on high-flying stocks like Tesla and Spotify. As of 2023, the firm has had 31 stocks return at least 1,000% throughout its four-decade history.But believe it or not, amid its myriad of high-growth strategies, the blue-chip investment management firm has a more cautious product. It's the Baron Durable Advantage Fund (<a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=7454ceebc60f0af3e0173f53c429b883000835f5773cb3085c56160bc1b5b58a&amp;postID=66f485ab0c43543ec7981b8e&amp;postSlug=top-stocks-to-buy-ai-competitive-advantage-baron-capital-umansky-2024-10&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morningstar.com%2Ffunds%2Fxnas%2Fbdaix%2Fquote">BDAIX</a>), overseen by one of the firm's star managers, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stocks-to-buy-500-percent-upside-where-invest-baron-funds-2023-12">Alex Umansky</a>. The strategy is focused less on stocks with huge upside and more on safer, mature companies. It's "the closest thing we have to an all-weather fund," Umansky told Business Insider."Baron Capital is a growth shop," he continued. "This is probably one of the lowest-growth strategies we have."Don't let that description fool you, however. Despite its more careful, lower-volatility approach, the Durable Advantage Fund is up 136% in the last half-decade, dwarfing the S&amp;P 500's 93% gain over that time. Year-to-date, the fund is also beating the S&amp;P 500, returning 24.7%.Umansky has a couple of parameters for which stocks get included in the fund. First, they have to be high-quality. For Umansky, that means the firms regularly generate returns on the capital they invest, their management teams are proven, they are industry leaders, and — as the name of the fund implies — they are well-positioned for the future thanks to their competitive advantages.The second main component is valuation. Valuations need to be reasonable enough to expect solid returns going forward. Many of the stocks in the fund, like Nvidia, for example, weren't added until they had pullbacks large enough to make them compelling, Umansky said.When putting a stock in the fund, Umansky said he has so much confidence in the quality and advantages of the business that he intends to hold it forever.Business Insider asked Umansky about some of the holdings he's particularly excited about — including some recent additions, and some that have resided in the fund for a few years now.<h2 id="61220cb3-3a46-4a1d-b58a-a05562417b81">8 stocks Umansky is betting on</h2>Umansky, who also manages the Baron Fifth Avenue Growth Fund (BFTHX), which is up 47% over the last 12 months, said that artificial intelligence is a pervading theme in many of his picks these days."Our research suggests that this is going to dramatically change the way people do business," he said.While Umansky said it's too early to pick some of the winners in areas like software and services, there are clear winners emerging in hardware.Broadcom (<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/avgo-stock">AVGO</a>) and Taiwan Semiconductor (<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsmc-stock">TSMC</a>) are two examples, Umansky said. The semiconductor producers make up 4.1% and 4.3%, respectively, of the Baron Durable Advantage Fund."They do the plumbing, basically," he said. "They sell the ammunition."Both of the firms have very strong balance sheets with free cash flow yields above 5%. Umansky said the two stocks were recent additions to the portfolio.But there are some software-oriented firms whose revenues are already seeing a boost from AI, Umansky said.Meta (<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/meta-stock">META</a>), Microsoft (<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/msft-stock">MSFT</a>), and Amazon (<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/amzn-stock">AMZN</a>) are three included in his fund."Meta is already generating billions of dollars from artificial intelligence by being able to target better, by improving engagement, and by getting better click-through rates," Umansky said."Amazon is one of the leaders in AI, and this will accelerate growth for their cloud computing," he continued. "Microsoft has a partnership with OpenAI, and so they already have billions of dollars coming in from their copilot."The firms also have relatively low valuations, Umansky said. Meta's 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio is 23.5, while Microsoft's is 32.6 and Amazon's is 32.5. The three stocks are the largest holdings in the portfolio, with Microsoft taking the top billing at an 8.6% weighting.Microsoft has long been a constituent of the fund, while Meta and Amazon were added during the bear-market pullback of 2022.But the fund isn't only AI-adjacent stocks. Umansky highlighted three financial services companies he likes, one being insurance firm Arch Capital (<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/acgl-stock">ACGL</a>)."Best-in-class management team, the best execution that we have seen in that space for probably 10 years," he said. "That's been a home run for us."The two others are Blackstone (<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/bx-stock">BX</a>) and Apollo Global Management (<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/apo-stock">APO</a>), both investment management companies.Lower interest rates should benefit Blackstone because of its real-estate investments, Umansky said, and the bearish sentiment around the commercial real-estate space has the stock trading at an attractive valuation.Growing interest in alternative investments like real-estate and private equity should boost Apollo, meanwhile. And Umansky is bullish on its leadership team."We think it's an exceptionally well-managed business," he said.Apollo was recently added to the fund, while Blackstone and Arch have been in the fund for at least a couple of years.

Alex Umansky is obliterating the S&P 500 over the last 5 years. His 8 high-quality stock picks for strong returns.

Picture this. You are in the middle of an intense boss fight. Arrows flying from all directions. Beastly creatures are after you and in the midst of it all you spot a large dragon who lands right in the middle of action. You quickly change your weapon choice and instruct your companions to fight the dragon with you. However, just before you could attack, you run into a system error and have to restart the game all over again. Trust me, we have all been there. But this wasn’t the case with the newly-launched Dragon Age: The Veilguard. <div type="image" title="3" msid="116133701" hostid="261" sizebytes="1807404"></div> This is a game that pushes both graphical fidelity and hardware performance, delivering a breathtaking journey through a richly detailed fantasy world. With my PC armed with an AMD Ryzen 7 9800 X3D processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super GPU, 32 GB DDR5 RAM, I was able to get a great experience with this game. Let us take a look at how the game performed with different settings. <h2>The sweet spot </h2> Starting with DLSS set to Balanced mode, I tested the game at a resolution of 2560x1440 with ultra graphics and selective <keyword id="20976394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ray-tracing" source="keywords">ray tracing</keyword>. Without frame generation, the gameplay clocked in at 90 FPS, offering smooth visuals. Enabling frame generation and turning off V-Sync cranked the frame rate up to 140 FPS, significantly enhancing responsiveness during combat and exploration. <div type="image" title="6" msid="116133722" hostid="261" sizebytes="1410873"></div> Lowering the resolution to 1080p further pushed the performance to 180-190 FPS with frame generation, and 120-110 FPS without it, making the gameplay exceptionally fluid. <h2>Prioritising visual fidelity </h2> Switching to Nvidia <keyword id="24385578" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="DLSS-Quality-mode" source="keywords">DLSS Quality mode</keyword>, which focuses on visual excellence over raw performance, I saw fantastic results. At 1080p resolution with ultra graphics and frame generation off, the game maintained an average of 118 FPS. Returning to 2K resolution with Quality DLSS, Nvidia Reflex set to “On + Boost,” and frame generation enabled, the frame rates ranged between 130-150 FPS. The experience was smooth and visually stunning, with every texture rendered in incredible detail. In some scenarios, frame rates even spiked to 180-200 FPS, peaking at 220 FPS in less graphically intense areas. I spent hours exploring the vast world with this setting, marvelling at various scenes it had to offer. The environment artists have really done a fabulous job and the game looks breathtaking. <div type="image" title="4" msid="116133742" hostid="261" sizebytes="1234786"></div> When I switched DLSS to Performance mode at 2K resolution, the game delivered around 160 FPS, offering a good balance of visuals and performance. <h2>Prioritising performance </h2> To test the game’s performance, I tweaked around the settings a bit and here is how it went. At 1080p resolution, with Ultra Performance DLSS, frame rates soared to 230-250 FPS, with only a slight reduction in visual quality—barely noticeable unless scrutinised. To explore maximum performance potential, I switched from ultra to high graphics settings with ray tracing off, DLSS set to Ultra Performance, and frame generation enabled. This unleashed astonishing frame rates of 300-350 FPS, showing that at lower graphical presets, the game resulted in almost unbelievable frame rates without a drop. The visual quality was noticeably reduced but the game wasn’t unplayable. You still will get to see some gorgeous scenarios, even with these graphic settings. <div type="image" title="7" msid="116133766" hostid="261" sizebytes="991975"></div> Reverting DLSS to Quality mode under these settings still delivered an average of 260 FPS, proving the rig’s capability to handle demanding titles like Dragon Age: The Veilguard with ease. <h2>Ray Tracing: A visual feast</h2>The pinnacle of visual fidelity in the game came with DLSS Quality mode with ultra graphics, ray-traced reflections, and ambient occlusion at 2K. With these settings enabled, I got an average of 110-120. Even during intense battle sequences, frame rates rarely dipped below 100 FPS. The realistic reflections and intricate lighting effects made environments come alive, with highlights like walking through water puddles becoming a jaw-dropping experience. <div type="image" title="5" msid="116133782" hostid="261" sizebytes="1046215"></div> Thus, Dragon Age: Veilguard delivered a stellar performance on my custom water-cooled system, thanks to NVIDIA's 4070 Super GPU and DLSS option. Whether you’re a player who prioritises ultra-smooth gameplay or one who revels in visual splendour, the game offers a wide range of configurations to suit your preferences. With its flexibility in settings, Dragon Age: Veilguard proves to be a masterfully optimised title that caters to both performance enthusiasts and visual connoisseurs. On my rig, the game performed brilliantly, making every battle, exploration, and story moment a seamless experience. Whether you’re walking through shimmering puddles or taking down foes in epic battles, this is a journey that will keep you hooked for hours.

Dragon Age The Veilguard performance review: How Nvidia 4070 Super GPU powers this aesthetic marvel

The Covid-19 pandemic drastically changed the way we work, with <keyword id="20665553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="remote-work" source="keywords">remote work</keyword> quickly becoming the new normal. Employees across the globe adapted to working from home, enjoying newfound flexibility and a better <keyword id="19901232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-life-balance" source="keywords">work-life balance</keyword>. And for a long time, we all thought that this was the new world and going to the office every day would be a thing of the past. However, as pandemic restrictions eased, many companies began rolling back these remote policies, pushing employees to return to the office. Tech giant <keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amazon" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> recently ended remote work for its employees and told them to come to office five days a week, just like how it used to be before the pandemic. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, in a blog post, said that working from offices has its benefits and therefore all employees will have to start coming to work the entire week. He added that even though they will permit work from home in case of emergencies (taking care of your sick kid, running emergency errands etc), remote work will no longer be the norm. <h2>Companies are calling employees back to offices</h2>Amazon isn’t the only company that has implemented the <keyword id="20007258" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rto" source="keywords">RTO</keyword> (<keyword id="20408795" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="return-to-office" source="keywords">return to office</keyword>) mandate. Companies like <keyword id="19945574" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wipro" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Wipro" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Wipro">Wipro</keyword>, TCS, X (earlier called Twitter) and Infosys also require employees to be there in office for at least three days a week. While X boss <keyword id="19903807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Elon-Musk" source="keywords">Elon Musk</keyword> had once asked those seeking work from home to “get off of their moral high horse,” Infosys CEO N. R. Narayana Murthy had made headlines for saying that workers in India should work 70 hours per week. In wake of Amazon’s recent RTO mandate, many young professionals are reacting strongly on the internet. While some feel that the RTO mandate will hamper their productivity, others feel that it is simply unnecessary. And then there are also some people who think that this is a good decision. Let us take a look at how people are reacting on being called back to offices. <h2>How are people reacting?</h2>Social media sites like Reddit, X, and LinkedIn are full of reactions on the RTO mandate. Many employees feel that this will increase their cost and time spent on commute. Amazon’s recent decision to bring its employees back to offices has not sat well with many, especially those accustomed to the <keyword id="20445439" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hybrid-work-model" source="keywords">hybrid work model</keyword>. On LinkedIn, Samrat Bhardwaj, who has previously interned with Amazon India, questioned the rationale behind the shift, asking whether the company truly considered employee well-being or was more focused on its own benefits. He also voiced concerns over the increased cost in case employees think of moving closer to tech hubs. He also added that if people start living at a distance from tech parks, rent will be lower, but you'll be wasting a lot of time to and fro from the office every day. On the other hand, Erin Mantz, a former Meta and Amazon employee, pointed out the stark difference between previous work norms and the flexibility of today's workforce in a LinkedIn post. “Gen Xers, for decades, used to have to go in every day... no working from home, no midday walks or being home for the dishwasher repairman,” she said, reflecting on how work-life balance has evolved. She concluded that the shift back to in-office work might not align with modern expectations, suggesting that today’s workforce has experienced a better way of working. <h2>“Working in the parking lot isn’t a bad idea”</h2>People aren’t just concerned about the increased cost and wastage of time in commute. Some also pointed out the irony of commuting to the office only to continue working in their cars due to a lack of proper space and resources. One Reddit user said, “Genuinely had no idea how bad RTO would be until it hit. I'm as unproductive as ever and half my work is done in the parking lot at this point for these exact reasons. Going back to the office isn't the end of the world, but when there's zero space or even disability accommodation for the employees? Unacceptable, especially considering the ones who usually enforce the arrangements all have their own private offices with the best gear their department offers.” Another user, Oracle-2050, quipped that working from their car was a makeshift solution, noting, "At least I can attend Teams meetings and make phone calls." The absurdity of the situation was highlighted by yet another commenter who sarcastically remarked, “Only in clown world would a worker drive to the office in order to do work in their car.” Another user pointed out that the decision-makers pushing these mandates “all have their own private offices with the best gear their department offers,” leaving regular employees to struggle in far less conducive work environments. <h2>The “Fake work” problem </h2> Annie Dean, who earlier used to work as Director of Remote Work at Facebook, took a critical stance on LinkedIn, highlighting that return-to-office mandates don’t address the core problem which is “Fake work.” This term, popularised by Airbnb’s Brian Chesky, refers to tasks that feel like work but don’t actually create value for the business. Dean explained in her post that employees are drowning in endless meetings and messages, which detract from productivity. She argued that instead of mandating office attendance, companies like Amazon should focus on “pioneering new, more efficient modes of work.” This argument has resonated with many on X as well, where employees have expressed frustration over the return-to-office mandates being viewed as a quick fix. One Twitter/X user remarked that "commuting to do the same virtual meetings in person isn’t solving anything," while others echoed that the core problem lies in work structures, not location. Here are some other reactions on X: <div type="image" title="negative reactions" msid="113528739" hostid="261" sizebytes="64721"></div> <h2>A quiet layoff strategy? </h2> Yet another take on the RTO mandate comes from Jennifer DeLorenzo, a former senior recruiter at Pinterest. She suggested that the move feels like a “quiet layoff strategy.” According to her, by mandating full-time office attendance, companies may be hoping for a wave of resignations without having to deal with the negative press of formal layoffs. “This tactic allows them to reduce headcount while avoiding the negative optics of layoffs,” DeLorenzo wrote on LinkedIn, adding that it may backfire as hiring becomes challenging again when the economy shifts. Many others seemed to agree with her view. On Reddit too, there are many people talking about how companies might be carrying out soft layoffs by implementing an RTO mandate. Her comments tapped into a broader conversation on how companies may be using return-to-office mandates to indirectly reduce their workforce. Other social media users pointed out similar trends across industries, where companies tighten office attendance policies to nudge employees toward leaving voluntarily. <h2>Some mixed reactions too </h2> While the return-to-office mandates are frustrating for many, not all reactions are negative. Some employees, particularly newer hires, see value in the traditional office setting. Bhardwaj, for example, also noted that going to the office is beneficial for freshers who want to learn. “I do believe that going to the office makes you learn a lot as freshers,” he wrote in his post, suggesting that for those early in their careers, the in-person experience might be crucial for growth and networking. Some users on X too seemed to be in support of this mandate. Here’s a look: <div type="image" title="mixed-reactions" msid="113528718" hostid="261" sizebytes="77770"></div> This duality reflects the ongoing debate around the future of work. On one hand, companies like Amazon, Google, and Meta are focusing on building stronger in-office teams, believing that physical presence fosters better collaboration, innovation, and mentoring. On the other hand, employees, especially those who experienced the benefits of remote work during the pandemic, are pushing back against these mandates, valuing the flexibility and improved work-life balance that working from home provides. As companies continue to adjust their RTO policies, the tension between employee expectations and corporate strategies is likely to persist. However, one thing is clear — the future of work is still being negotiated, and both sides are making their voices heard across the internet.

'I'm unproductive, this is not the real solution': Internet reacts as Amazon, Wipro and others call employees back to office

<keyword id="7457881" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="private-credit" source="Orion">Private credit</keyword> deployments are likely to surpass the $10 billion mark in 2024, a report by a consultancy firm EY said on Wednesday. The January-June period saw private credit transactions of over $6 billion in 96 deals, and the last two-and-a-half years have seen over $20 billion being deployed in the emerging alternative serving the credit needs of Indian companies. Major deals were witnessed across real estate, infrastructure, and healthcare sectors in the first half of the year, the report by EY said. Domestic funds are gaining traction and market share in the private credit space leveraging local expertise and the influence of lower-cost domestic money, it said. The first half of the year saw <keyword id="23077048" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-logistics" source="keywords">Reliance Logistics</keyword> and Warehousing, Vedanta Semiconductors, and Matrix <keyword id="19933821" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pharma" source="keywords">Pharma</keyword> collectively raising approximately $1.3 billion, while real estate sector continued to be a focal point with borrowers such as <keyword id="20197996" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prestige-group" source="keywords">Prestige Group</keyword>, <keyword id="21275229" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="puravankara-group" source="keywords">Puravankara Group</keyword>, Kalpataru Group, and Shapoorji Group being active. The firm's partner Bharat Gupta said private credit investments are at an all-time high, driven largely by growth-oriented strategies. "The outlook remains promising, though thorough due diligence and effective deal oversight are crucial to maximizing returns and managing potential risks," Gupta added. With the maturing of the system, there is a subtle shift towards performing credit deals in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> with funds increasingly engaging in sub-18% <keyword id="22335519" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="internal-rate-of-return" source="keywords">Internal Rate of Return</keyword> (IRR) transactions, the report said. In the high-yield segment, mergers and acquisitions/buyout deals, and bridge-to-initial public offering transactions have gained traction within private credit funding, it said. High-net-worth investors and family offices are increasingly participating in private credit as a key asset class, boosting the popularity of domestic funds, it added.

Private credit deals to touch $10 billion in 2024, says EY report

Washington: <keyword id="21118122" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jonathan-Bailey" source="keywords">Jonathan Bailey</keyword> has confirmed his return to 'Bridgerton' for the upcoming fourth season of the hit <keyword id="20214791" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix-series" source="keywords">Netflix series</keyword>. The actor, who became a fan favourite for his portrayal of <keyword id="22079948" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viscount-Anthony-Bridgerton" source="keywords">Viscount Anthony Bridgerton</keyword>, made the announcement during an appearance on 'Late Night with Seth Meyers', where he shared his enthusiasm about reuniting with the 'Bridgerton' family, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Bailey, who led the second season alongside Simone Ashley, will once again join the ensemble cast for the next chapter of the Shonda Rhimes-produced period drama. The actor revealed that he would be "reuniting with the family next week" as production for season four begins. "It changes every year, you know, every two years," Bailey joked, referencing the show's rotating lead cast, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Each season of 'Bridgerton' focuses on a different member of the Bridgerton family, and with each new lead comes a fresh dynamic for the beloved period series. Bailey, 36, expressed his excitement about the show's evolving format. "What an amazing thing to be a part of," he said, reflecting on his time with 'Bridgerton'. Season two, in which he played Anthony Bridgerton, was a breakout moment for the actor, and he reprised his role for season three alongside leads Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton. Looking ahead to season four, Bailey also shared his support for the new cast members, including his onscreen brother Luke Thompson and the recently announced addition, Yerin Ha, who will take centre stage as the lead couple in the upcoming season. "There's going to be lots of space for new people to come in and Luke and Yerin are gonna be great," Bailey said, adding, "So I'll always pop back and say hello," as per The Hollywood Reporter. Fans of the show can expect plenty of family moments as Bailey's Anthony, alongside his brother Colin, plays a key role in <keyword id="20745564" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Benedict-Bridgerton" source="keywords">Benedict Bridgerton</keyword>'s love story. Season four of 'Bridgerton' will centre on Benedict Bridgerton, the second son of the Bridgerton family. According to the season's logline, Benedict, unlike his elder and younger brothers, is hesitant to settle down. However, everything changes when he encounters a mysterious woman at Violet Bridgerton's masquerade ball. "Anthony and Colin couldn't be prouder" of their brother, setting the stage for a romantic journey that will captivate viewers. Based on Julia Quinn's 'An Offer from a Gentleman', the upcoming season will dive into Benedict's romantic evolution. While 'Bridgerton' fans are eager for new episodes, there is still no official release date for season four. However, according to 'Bridgerton' producer Brownell, viewers may have to wait up to two years before the next season arrives on Netflix. The delay is due to both the extensive production process and the busy schedules of the cast, as per The Hollywood Reporter. In the meantime, Bailey is keeping busy with the promotion of another major project. The actor is currently on a press tour for 'Wicked', the highly anticipated film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical. Directed by John M. Chu, 'Wicked' serves as a prequel to 'The Wizard of Oz' and stars Bailey as Fiyero, alongside Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Bailey will also star in the next Jurassic World movie as palaeontologist Dr. Henry Loomis. The film is scheduled for release in 2025.

Jonathan Bailey confirms return to 'Bridgerton' for season four, production to begin next week

History famously repeats itself. Still, I never expected "retarded," the insult du jour of my youth, to come back in style — especially after it was canceled only years ago.These days, mostly on X, I see liberal-identifying people dropping the word as casually as when I was a preteen in the mid-aughts. It's trickled into offline conversations as well, used to embellish how stupid a person, situation, or political stance is.The word is so ubiquitous that even mainstream movies and TV shows have caught on. The billion-dollar R-rated hit "Deadpool &amp; Wolverine," a Disney film, included <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0V-ykuwdaQ">a pointed joke</a> in which a character pronounces "retired" in a deliberate way. In the trailer for a coming FX show, "<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/brianjoralvarez/status/1820872574089523244">English Teacher</a>," one character notes that kids are "not into being woke anymore": "They're saying the R-word again."I've also seen homophobic language punctuating my timeline, including the return of "gay" as an insult. Slurs have apparently undergone a major rebrand, like a pendulum swing that upends the idea of liberals being precious gatekeepers of inoffensive speech.A few weeks ago, I started asking left-leaning people their thoughts on slurs being peppered into everyday conversations. Everyone from moderates to Marxists told a similar story: At the height of the pandemic, the left became fixated on using the most inclusive terminology. As people felt increasingly cautious and nervous about always saying the wrong thing, a backlash — the resurgence of edgier speech — was hardly surprising.<h2 id="2f4a0e9c-c3a9-42d5-b690-dafc69aed5ed">An inclusive era</h2>Kayla Cash, a 31-year-old PR manager, grew up using words she now considers offensive. "In middle school, I was definitely saying those things because I didn't know any better," she told me. Some of the language felt ubiquitous; she remembers the 2004 release of "Let's Get It Started," the Grammy-winning Black Eyed Peas hit that was originally released as "Let's Get Retarded."When Cash went to the University of Idaho in the early 2010s, expanding her world and experiences, she started questioning what she had heard growing up, learning "to be aware of how we're positioning language when we're describing other people."The world was changing. In 2010, the Obama administration signed Rosa's Law, legislation that replaced "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" in federal health, education, and labor laws. Online regulations tightened as well: After several <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-policies-change-for-zelda-williams-2014-8">high-profile harassment campaigns</a>, Twitter (now X) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/z43xw3/the-history-of-twitters-rules">introduced a "report abuse" button</a> and started suspending accounts.Social media really came into play at this time, too. "A variety of different folks were exposed to your speech," Ari Lightman, a digital marketing and media professor at Carnegie Mellon University, told me. "Consequently, that led to more of a discussion."A person could tweet a joke they would otherwise have told only a close friend group and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thtgirldiaries/video/6956373748245122310">hear exactly why it might upset a stranger</a>. Suddenly, feedback on what was considered outdated or in poor taste was immediate and ubiquitous, translating to real-life changes in how we refer to one another, Lightman said.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2014/08/26/social-media-and-the-spiral-of-silence/">People grew more cautious online</a> and withheld their opinions, worried about social media pile-ons and becoming the so-called main character of the day, especially if it could result in lasting professional consequences. Comedians, including Seth MacFarlane and Kevin Hart, were panned for unsavory jokes (in Hart's case, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/8/18131221/kevin-hart-oscar-hosting-homophobia-twitter-tweets">ones he had made seven years prior</a>).Robbie Goodwin, a comedian who describes himself as being "on the progressive, social-democrat side of things," told me he thought the trend of people self-censoring "would've died a more natural death" had Donald Trump not been elected in 2016. Goodwin felt his peers were compelled to counteract <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-rhetoric-mirroring-nazi-fascism-hitler-expert-warns-2023-11">Trump's inflammatory rhetoric</a>. "It kind of put it into overdrive then, so I think the tone-policing stuff lasted a very, very long time," he said.Ultimately, we rely on words to express ourselves. Lightman said he believes that the prevalence of slurs on both sides of the political spectrum "reflects what society's undergoing collectively." He thinks people have been searching for words to convey their anger, particularly regarding the pandemic and political frustrations. "Certain words have less of a punch to them, less volatility," he said. "Other words get replaced by that."<h2 id="64f2d2c0-dbd7-4a71-ac75-4629b5030302">The rise of the 'dirtbag left'</h2>Political-pressure-cooker moments often trigger counterculture. The Vietnam War empowered the hippie movement, and <a target="_blank" href="https://lithub.com/on-punk-rock-ronald-reagan-and-the-real-culture-war-of-1980s-america/">1980s DIY punk rock in the US</a> was a response to Reagan policies like cuts to social services.I remember first hearing about the "Red Scare" podcast in 2020, two years after it launched. It was billed as discussions between two "<a target="_blank" href="https://redscarepodcast.libsyn.com/about">bohemian layabouts</a>" who called out performative aspects of progressive politics — while using language more often associated with the right, such as that offensive term for someone with intellectual disabilities. They were "a refreshing critique of the increasingly polarized political landscape," as one <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/style/podcast-overload.html">New York Times</a> writer put it. While mainstream progressive politics felt chaste and pedantic, "Red Scare" carved out space for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/29/us/politics/bernie-sanders-chapo-trap-house.html">the "dirtbag left"</a> by pushing back.Many people mentioned "Red Scare" when I asked people on X about their relationship with slurs. In more than 100 responses in my DMs and <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/jaypugz/status/1818401853559771322">a Google form</a>, there was a pervasive feeling that certain elements of progressive politics felt performative — all talk. One survey respondent characterized some on the left as "superficial liberals who've shown they mostly care more about the appearance of goodness more than anything more.""When people started to obsess and fixate on 'spaz' and 'insane' and 'handicapped,' it felt like you couldn't possibly keep up with it anymore," one respondent wrote. "I want to be respectful and inclusive always, but the left's continued tendency to devour itself gets old." Another respondent, while "not a fan" of their friends using throwback offensive insults again, said it felt like a response to "tiptoeing around marginalized groups, using <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/therapy-speak-language-terms-retire-2024-2023-12">therapy speak</a>, and being cautious not to offend."One 29-year-old New Yorker who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution told me she freely used some offensive words, such as "faggot" and "tranny," to convey openness with others. As a trans woman, she bristles at anyone making assumptions about her politics because of her identity. "I don't want that wall, so I will more casually than others bring out these words," she said. "I think people are kind of sick of these echo chambers."For some, using forbidden words is a lot simpler than wanting to bridge divides: It's exciting. "I think it shows closeness to say taboo things around friends," a survey respondent said, adding that this was especially true when they know their friends don't mean it in a derogatory way. "I think like many of my peers, I feel victim to this ultra left and sterilized manner of speaking in college. I think we got tired of that!" Another said: "It eats and makes me feel a little rush. im being naughty!"People are craving levity. After 2020, "people got really tired of being upset all the time," the Vox correspondent Zach Beauchamp theorized in a recent episode of "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/16/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-election.html">The Ezra Klein Show</a>." It's no accident that the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-coconut-tree-memes-khive-joe-biden-debate-2024-7">Democratic campaign is meme-driven</a>. The liberal coalition "sanded off the self-righteousness that a lot of people found unappealing about it," embracing irony and a mocking self-awareness, Beauchamp said.<h2 id="a4a9500c-311c-40b9-b2f3-e5ee8777c2af">Looser language and new rules</h2>Everyone I talked to for this story had rules for which words they would and wouldn't say.Overwhelmingly, people drew hard lines against anyone but people of color uttering racial slurs, such as the N-word. People were also largely aligned on certain homophobic language: It's OK for queer people to use, or reclaim, these slurs, and less OK for straight people to say them.Lines blurred around the word whose comeback first got me thinking about this subject. A few people clarified that they meant it as a synonym for idiotic or bad and would never aim it at a disabled person.A 35-year-old Brooklyn man, who asked to be anonymous for professional reasons, said he didn't like it when some of his friends said it but, at the same time, "maybe it doesn't matter." Synonyms for "stupid" such as "idiot," "moron," and "imbecile," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/moron-idiot-imbecile-offensive-history">all originated as clinical terms for people with intellectual disabilities</a> but are all more accepted today, with only the one being widely singled out. "Maybe we should be focusing on helping people in real material ways and not just focusing on words," he said.I talked to a 33-year-old man who was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder as a child (later "just folded into autistic spectrum disorder"), a nonverbal learning disability, and sensory integration disorder. He prefers to describe himself as "retarded. ""I'm still kind of retarded in some ways," the man, who asked to remain anonymous for the same reasons as other anonymous sources in this story, told me. "I get lost very easily and have trouble with instructions. It is just a lot easier to get people to understand where I'm at, to just say, 'Oh, I'm kind of retarded' instead of whipping out some jargon-laden thing I was diagnosed with in 1997."He doesn't think you should call someone with a disability anything derogatory — whether it's "retard," "idiot," or "stupid." As for using it more broadly, "it depends on the connotations," he said. It's one thing to say a politician he dislikes is "retarded," but if the word offends someone he's around, he'll stop using it.Goodwin, who uses the word in his comedy routines to denote something "beyond stupid," also doesn't like how people like Joe Rogan use it to bash people. He "rolls his eyes" at troll-y uses of the word on X, which has looser policies on speech after <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter">Elon Musk bought it in 2022</a>.It raises crucial questions. Even if the intent is just to be more relaxed around speech, where is the line that distinguishes hard-nos from other slurs? Plus, with the anonymity granted online, who could confidently say that the person using a word is reclaiming it or abusing it?"In the very highly polarized, highly turbulent world that we live in, maybe it's my naivete, but we're all sort of relaxing a little bit," Lightman said. He theorizes that by popularizing and reclaiming taboo words, "inflammatory speech can be reduced somewhat so it doesn't have the emphasis and power that it used to."The 35-year-old Brooklyn man acknowledges sometimes feeling the impulse to say "retard" when joking with his friends. He still wonders what it all means. "It just feels like it would feel good or transgressive in a way that I want to be transgressive," he said. "I don't say the word because I don't think it's right, but I think that it's evidence of this big thing in the ether that we're just responding to."

The return of slurs in liberal language

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The S&amp;P 500 will see annualized returns of 3% over the next 10 years, says Goldman Sachs.</li><li>That's down from the 13% annualized figure from the prior decade.</li></ul>The stock market's decade-long golden age will soon be a thing of the past, says Goldman Sachs.A new report from the firm's portfolio strategy research team forecasted that the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500">S&amp;P 500</a> will see an annualized nominal return of 3% over the next 10 years. That would put it in the 7th percentile of performance since 1930. It would also badly lag the 13% annualized figure put up by the benchmark index over the prior decade, Goldman data show."Investors should be prepared for equity returns during the next decade that are towards the lower end of their typical performance distribution relative to bonds and inflation," the analysts wrote.As an extension of this forecast, Goldman also sees stocks struggling to outperform other assets over the next 10 years. By its calculation, the S&amp;P 500 has about a 72% chance of trailing bonds, and a 33% probability of lagging inflation through 2034.Five factors underline Goldman's lackluster outlook:First, a historically stretched stock market valuation implies lower future returns, the bank said. Current valuations are indeed elevated, with the cyclically adjusted price-earnings ratio currently at 38 times, or in the 97th percentile.The S&amp;P's 500 CAPE has averaged 22%, Goldman noted.<div type="image" title="S&amp;P 500 adj CAPE" height="489" width="718" msid="114434673" hostid="261" sizebytes="26312"></div>Second, market concentration is near its highest level in 100 years, Goldman said."When equity market concentration is high, performance of the aggregate index is strongly dictated by the prospects of a few stocks," the analysts wrote.These stocks include tech large-caps such as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/nvda-stock">Nvidia</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/goog-stock">Alphabet</a>, whose performance has driven the S&amp;P 500 more than 20% higher year-to-date. While that's led the index through a string of record highs this year, it fosters a market mired in volatility risk and in need of diversity."Our historical analyses show that it is extremely difficult for any firm to maintain high levels of sales growth and profit margins over sustained periods of time. The same issue plagues a highly concentrated index," Goldman said.While some may find reason to argue why tech stocks will maintain growth momentum, history suggests that revenue will slow. According to Goldman, S&amp;P 500 firms that have consistently generated over 20% revenue growth underwent a sharp drop off after 10 years.<div type="image" title="Market concentration GS" height="1128" width="1422" msid="114434678" hostid="261" sizebytes="73798"></div>Third, Goldman expects the economy to contract more frequently for the next decade. The firm says the US will see four GDP contractions over the period, or in 10% of quarters. That's up from two such instances during the previous decade.Goldman notes that annualized equity returns typically average -10% during these periods of economic slowdown.<div type="image" title="Economic contractions GS" height="932" width="1434" msid="114434677" hostid="261" sizebytes="47150"></div>The fourth headwind factored into Goldman's forward-return model is corporate profitability. The firm tied its rationale in with the concentration argument above, saying that as sales and earnings growth decelerate for the market's biggest stocks, that will have an outsize impact on the entire market.Finally, the fifth is the relative level of the 10-year Treasury yield. The 10-year is currently yielding north of 4% as investors recalibrate their rate-cut expectations following a series of strong economic-data reports and amid persistently hot inflation.

The S&P 500's golden decade of returns is over, Goldman says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The stock market is poised for a weak decade of returns.</li><li>Goldman Sachs predicted annualized returns for the S&amp;P 500 could drop to 3% over the next 10 years.</li></ul>The stock market's benchmark index is poised for a decade of tepid returns, Goldman Sachs predicted this month.The investment bank said it sees a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-sp500-future-returns-decade-forecast-goldman-sachs-2024-10">decade of weak gains</a> coming for the S&amp;P 500, thanks to a confluence of factors, such as a weakening economy, high market concentration, and an unfavorable backdrop in Treasury yields.Those headwinds could lead the benchmark index to return just 3% in nominal annualized returns for the next 10 years, strategists said, down from the S&amp;P 500's average 13% annualized return over the last decade.Here are four charts the bank is watching as it sees the S&amp;P 500's golden era for stocks winding down.<h3 id="d5107ea1-131f-462a-816f-bdc955ad85cb">1. Only a few S&amp;P 500 companies are sustaining sales growth</h3>The percentage of unique S&amp;P 500 firms that have maintained high sales growth is small.The share of companies that maintained 10% or higher sales growth for 10 years is 11%, while the share of companies that maintained 20% or higher sales growth for 10 years is 3%, according to the firm's analysis of corporate earnings dating back to 1985.<div type="image" title="Graph showing share of unique S&amp;P 500 companies maintaining rapid sales growth" height="819" width="1222" msid="114701890" hostid="261" sizebytes="50274"></div><h3 id="766cbdd3-fedb-4471-b158-199b1de3f43d">2. S&amp;P 500 market concentration is at its highest levels in a century</h3>The largest stock in the S&amp;P 500 is has a market cap over 700 times the market cap of the index's 75th percentile stock. That's the highest multiplier seen in about 100 years, a sign the benchmark index is highly concentrated.<div type="image" title="Stock market concentration graph" height="882" width="1272" msid="114701889" hostid="261" sizebytes="63516"></div>Higher market concentrations have typically led to poorer returns for the S&amp;P 500 over the next 10 years, barring recessionary periods.<div type="image" title="S&amp;P 500 market concentration vs 10-year returns" height="836" width="1211" msid="114701893" hostid="261" sizebytes="66582"></div><h3 id="bb7ca64b-3a39-458d-a60c-25c4fac93015">3. The S&amp;P 500 is seeing relative underperformance</h3>Total returns for the S&amp;P 500 since the start of the year have fallen behind several other assets, indexes, and individual sectors, including the Russell 1000, bitcoin, and gold.Meanwhile, the total return of the S&amp;P 500 has trailed behind the SPW, an equal-weight index of large-cap shares, and the S&amp;P 400, an index of mid-cap stocks, for years.<div type="image" title="Graph showing S&amp;P 500 indexed total return against other indices" height="861" width="1230" msid="114701895" hostid="261" sizebytes="58576"></div>"Investors should consider allocating to other indices where we view the current landscape as favorable for strong forward performance," strategists said, highlighting in particular the equal-weight S&amp;P 500 and the mid-cap S&amp;P 400 index."Long-term performance of these alternatives reflects the fact that the strength of the US economy and the earnings and innovative capacity of US corporates can be captured outside of large-cap and capitalization-weighted indices."The S&amp;P 500 is up 23% year-to-date, and corporate earnings have been relatively strong so far this quarter. According to FactSet, 75% of the companies that have reported earnings have beat earnings estimates, on par with the 10-year average.Goldman Sachs strategists said they're bullish on the S&amp;P 500 over the short term, forecasting 8% growth in earnings per share by the end of 2024 and 11% EPS growth the following year. The benchmark index is on track to hit 6,300 over the next 12 months, the strategists predicted, implying another 8% upside from current levels.

4 charts Goldman Sachs is watching as it predicts an era of weak stock returns ahead 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Bank of America cited three risks that could upend corporate earnings growth, a key driver of stock returns.</li><li>One potential headwind is Trump's proposed tariff plan, BofA said.</li></ul>The stock market has been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trump-election-win-stock-market-today-record-high-sp500-dow-2024-11">riding high</a> since Donald Trump won the presidential election.One main driver of that has been investors pricing in strong profit growth in the future, seen as a direct byproduct of Trump's plans to cut the corporate tax rate and loosen regulation.Although <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/bank-of-america">Bank of America</a>'s year-end target for the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500">S&amp;P 500</a> is slightly above current levels, new research from the firm's equity-strategy team laid out three developments that could derail the ongoing "earnings-per-share upcycle" that's powering gains.First, an economic recession could significantly undercut earnings growth, drawing S&amp;P EPS down 10% to 20%.Though a US downturn isn't BofA's base case, the bank cited that recession risk is a real possibility under incoming president Donald Trump.That will depend on which policies the incoming administration prioritizes, analysts wrote in a separate note. In a scenario where Trump pushes dramatic immigration curbs and protectionist trade policies amid minimal fiscal easing, the economy would sink into recession.Peak-to-trough profit drawdowns of 20% are typical in an average recession. Under this scenario, EPS would drop to $195-$220 next year.To be sure, BofA also sees chances of blowout growth, if the president-elect de-emphasizes trade and immigration restrictions in favor of tax cuts and deregulation. In this case, GDP growth could even exceed 3% in 2025.Second, if Trump's trade plans are implemented, retaliatory tariffs could trigger a 10% hit to EPS.During his campaign, the president-elect pledged to implement a 10% duty on all foreign imports into the US. That wouldn't apply to Chinese products, which would face a 60% rate instead.If Trump stays true to his word, BofA expects US foreign sales to take on a 3% to 4% hit as the rest of the world establishes its own retaliatory tariffs.In the mounting trade war, industrials and semiconductor stocks would be most at risk, the bank said.Third, a dramatic upswing in bond yields could slash EPS by another 10%.BofA's worst-case scenario would be if the 10-year Treasury yield surges to 7%, a situation that could be prompted if Trump's tariff and immigration reductions spark an inflation shock.If this were to happen, the yield jump implies that the Purchasing Managers Index would hit 43 by 2024's year-end.This measure monitors the health of US manufacturing and indicates a contraction whenever its reading stands below 50. As of October, PMI registered a 46.5 level.While a contracting manufacturing base would cut into EPS, higher bond yields could also weigh on equity exposure. BofA noted that stocks could face increased pressure once the 10-year rate rises above 5%.The yield has been climbing higher amid Trump's election, as uncertainty has grown over whether the Federal Reserve can cut rates amid the president-elect's policies. The 10-year rate is currently trading above 4.5%.

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