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Which, one is compelled to ask, is the lesser of the two evils? Let us, with a sigh, attempt to discern some pattern in the prevailing madness.

They say there are two things that could fix it. Two. As if everything’s always solvable with a neat little pair of catalysts. It’s never that simple. But fine, let’s play along. Let’s pretend these “catalysts” are actually going to do something.

Investing in such companies is not simply about generating passive income; it is about acquiring a small piece of enduring prosperity. A rather sensible notion, wouldn’t you agree? Consider, if you will, the following three exemplars, and the modest, yet satisfying, income they might provide. One must, of course, remember that even the most reliable stream is but a trickle compared to the ocean of foolish ambition.

Novo Nordisk, the alchemists behind Ozempic, were first to market with these hormonal tinkerings back in 2017, and enjoyed a comfortable lead for a time. But the market, as any seasoned goblin trader will tell you, is a fickle beast. Recently, another player has swaggered onto the scene, rather like a particularly well-fed troll demanding a larger share of the bridge toll. So, if you’re an investor seeking a champion in this particular gold rush – and let’s be honest, who isn’t? – it might be prudent to forget about Ozempic. The real action, it appears, is with a different giant entirely.

And 2026? Well, I reckon it’ll be much the same. A repeat performance, with a few extra twists and turns, no doubt. Folks are expectin’ a miracle, and miracles, as a rule, are expensive and disappointin’.

I propose a modest investment in two institutions – Nu Holdings (NU +2.05%) and SoFi Technologies (SOFI +0.20%) – entities that, despite operating in the notoriously staid world of banking, possess a certain… vitality. They are growing, yes, but more importantly, they are attempting to dismantle the antiquated structures that have long held the financial world in their grip. A commendable, if perhaps naive, endeavor.

The company’s reported backlog now stands at $9.4 billion, a figure which, upon closer inspection, feels less like a testament to robust demand and more like an accumulation of obligations, a growing weight of expectation. They have, it is noted, consistently exceeded earnings estimates for fourteen consecutive quarters. A streak of competence, perhaps, but also a deepening of the labyrinth, each successful navigation merely leading to a more complex and potentially inescapable chamber.

These networks, these self-reinforcing cycles… Visa, Mastercard, they understand it instinctively. Merchants need buyers, buyers need merchants. A simple truth. CoStar has built something similar, a web of 8.5 million properties, tethered to the needs of 230,000 professionals. More data attracts more users, more users refine the data. It’s a hungry machine, this one, and it cares little for sentiment.