Why the Weekly Global Markets Navigator Remains Free

A Letter About Mission, Access, and Sustainability

For over 20 years, I’ve published daily financial market research without paywalls or advertising. The reason is simple: institutional-grade investment intelligence shouldn’t be available only to those who can afford $25,000 Bloomberg terminals or $10,000 research subscriptions.

Every week, readers in over 100 countries access the Weekly Global Markets Navigator—a comprehensive ~500-600-page analysis covering 2,000+ instruments across 87 market segments, from sovereign debt and commodities to technology stocks and emerging market equities. It includes technical analysis, fundamental research, and contextual intelligence synthesized from decades of professional experience.

It has always been free. It will always remain free.

The Model That Worked

For many years, I could afford to give this research away because I ran a boutique portfolio management practice from my private offices overlooking the Bahamas Parliament building to the penthouse floor of Toronto’s Stock Exchange Tower. A small number of high-net-worth clients paid for my professional services, which has funded my ability to publish freely for everyone else.

The work has been recognized by the SEC, international securities regulators, and governments seeking market intelligence. Forbes named my research “Best of the Web” and listed it among their “Favorites.” Barron’s and the Wall Street Journal have referenced the work. But more importantly, it reached individual investors, students, pension trustees, and small money managers worldwide—people making real decisions with real consequences for those who otherwise had no access to this level of analysis.

When Everything Changed

In June 2024, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. Surgery was successful, but recovery meant stepping away from portfolio management. At 83, I could no longer maintain the demanding client service obligations of a fiduciary practice.

The income – what little there had been in recent years -- stopped. But, the mission didn’t.

I still wake up every Saturday morning to produce the Navigator. Every day, I still analyze 2,000+ instruments across global markets. I still synthesize macro policy, technical patterns, and fundamental drivers into actionable intelligence. My commitment continues because the need continues—perhaps more than ever in an era of market complexity, geopolitical uncertainty, and AI-driven disruption.

The New Reality

In summer 2025, I launched a Substack to generate the income I need to continue this work. I now offer three specialized subscription products:

INSTAT Technical Analysis - My proprietary technical scoring system providing objective momentum and positioning signals across all instruments

Weekly Playbook - Strategic market intelligence translating complex developments into clear investment implications (soon launching as a Daily)

Portfolio Reports - Detailed analysis of my five US equity portfolios with specific holdings, allocation decisions, and rationale

These paid products will each be priced separately (starting around $200/year) and serve serious investors who want specialized tactical tools beyond the free Navigator and general commentary I sometimes do at billcara.com. But my premium reports also serve another purpose: they fund the continuation of the free work.

When someone subscribes, they’re not just purchasing a product—they’re supporting a public good. One recent subscriber, Francis, said it perfectly when he wrote me today: “I am amazed at the quality and volume of your reports. The wealth of information you are providing is proving a clear path forward to meeting one’s investment goals. Your report pricing is exceedingly generous.”

Francis understands he’s paying not just for INSTAT and Playbook, but to help sustain the free Navigator for those readers in 100+ countries who will never be able to afford a subscription to anything.

Why This Matters

I am one voice among hundreds of thousands publishing financial commentary daily. I don’t have the marketing budget of a Morningstar or a Seeking Alpha. I don’t have venture capital backing or institutional ownership.

What I have is 50+ years of professional investment experience, a fiduciary’s commitment to accuracy and integrity, and a belief that financial knowledge should be democratized, not gatekept behind paywalls accessible only to the wealthy.

But I also have bills to pay and no portfolio management clients anymore.

The Ask

If you’ve found value in the Weekly Navigator over recent months, consider supporting the mission by subscribing to one of the paid products. If you’re a foundation, family office, or high-net-worth individual who believes financial literacy and access matter in this crazy world, consider becoming a patron supporter at a higher tier.

If you can’t afford a subscription, that’s exactly why the Navigator remains free. Keep reading. Keep learning. Keep making informed decisions. That’s what this has always been about.

And if you know someone who might want to support this work —a colleague, a foundation program officer, a family office principal— please share this article. The work continues as long as it can be sustained.

What You’re Supporting

Every weekend, I publish:

• Weekly Global Market Navigator (550-600 pages, free): Comprehensive analysis of 2,000+ instruments across 87 Reporting Files spanning sovereign debt, bonds, currencies, commodities, global equities, sector analysis, industry themes, and country-specific markets

• Special Reports (free): Public interest analysis on critical market developments, regulatory issues, and systemic risks

• Daily Market Pulse Reports (subscribers): Real-time technical updates using INSTAT scoring

• Weekly Playbook (subscribers): Strategic intelligence and positioning guidance

• Portfolio Reports (subscribers): Detailed holdings analysis and allocation decisions across five US equity portfolios (soon to be ten)

I also produce the work using Gemini NotebookLM to create 30-35 minute audio discussions of each Navigator—translating dense financial analysis into accessible conversation for listeners who learn better through audio than reading hundreds of pages.

A Note on Process

I’m 83 years old and learning to integrate AI tools (Claude, Perplexity, Gemini) into my workflow to maintain the volume and quality readers expect. It’s not always smooth. Sometimes I’m up until after 2 AM manually assembling outputs from different systems. I’m working on automation with Power Query to make this sustainable long-term.

The tools change. The commitment doesn’t.

How to Support

Subscribe to paid products:

• Visit BillCara.com or my Substack

• Subscribe to INSTAT, Playbook, and/or Portfolio

• Current pricing: $200/year per product (will be increased in coming months)

Become a patron supporter:

• Email me directly about higher-tier support for the mission: [write me billcara@billcara.com]

• Foundation and family office inquiries welcome

Share the work:

• Forward this letter to colleagues, friends, contacts, and financial media who might care about democratizing financial intelligence

• Share the Weekly Navigator with students, pension trustees, and small investors who need it

Just keep reading:

• If you can’t afford to pay, that’s fine. The Navigator remains free for exactly this reason.

In Closing

I don’t know how many more years I can maintain this pace. I laughed when hearing the Gemini team say a few days ago, “When does Bill Cara sleep?” Yes, I do sleep – even power naps – and I beat Stage 3 cancer, but I’m realistic about time and energy at 83.

What I do know is this: as long as I’m able, the Weekly Global Market Navigator will publish every weekend, free to anyone in the world who wants to read it.

That’s not charity. It’s my ‘why’.

Thank you to many of you for two decades of readership. Thank you to all those who’ve chosen to subscribe and support the mission. Thank you to those who’ve shared the work with others who needed it.

Let’s see how much longer we can keep this going together.

/Bill Cara
Licensed Fiduciary Investment Manager (Retired)
Publisher, Weekly Global Market Navigator
Toronto, Canada

“Democratizing institutional-grade investment intelligence, one weekend at a time.”

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Recognition & Media:

• Forbes: “Best of the Web,” “Favorite”

• Referenced by: Barron’s, Wall Street Journal, Investment Executive

• Recognized by: SEC, international securities regulators, government agencies

• Readership: 100+ countries worldwide

• Experience: 50+ years professional investment management

Subscribe: BillCara.com | Contact: [billcara@gmail.com]
Free Weekly Navigator: Published every weekend, no paywall, no ads, forever.