We are now in the thick of Fall, or what most of the world calls “autumn”. This is good news/bad news for people farther north, as we look forward to leaves changing, sweater weather, and soup season. But we’re also bracing for winter - hopefully it’s a light one.

The drier air of autumn/fall makes for much more vivid sunrises/sunsets, so get out there and enjoy it!

Markets

Source: CoinGecko.com As of 3:08AM October 7, 2024

World news

Top news stories of the past week

1) U.S. hires big-time: U.S. job gains increased by the most in six months in September and the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. With 254,000 new jobs added in September, some are expecting the U.S. Federal Reserve will not need to continue cutting rates as aggressively.

2) OpenAI raises: OpenAI, the ChatGPT maker, has raised more than $10 billion in debt and equity. This recent financing has made it the most valuable private company in the world, at almost $157 billion. A.I. brings in the big $$$.

3) Musk backs Trump: Elon Musk, currently the world’s richest person, appeared with Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, showing support for the presidential candidate. As not only the world’s richest person but also the most followed X (Twitter) account, his support has real power. This is the ultimate meme duo.

Top WEIRD stories of the past week

1) Mark Zuckerberg is cementing his transition into hypebeast, now designing clothes fit for billionaire tech entrepreneurs and TikTokers.

2) A 31-year-long treasure hunt for a golden owl has come to an end this week after the clues were finally solved. Cool story!

3) People will steal anything that drives in the UK, including ambulances, garbage trucks, and even a hearse. How much is resale on a garbage truck?

Chart

You like charts? Graphs? Ya you do

Monthly home sales in the U.S. have picked up slightly, but are still millions below their 2020 peak.

Investment idea

What are we investing in?

Retail companies

Retail therapy works in investing too! Retail companies are businesses that sell goods or products directly to consumers, either through physical stores or online platforms. Some examples include clothing stores, grocery stores, and electronics shops.

These companies rely on customer purchases to make money, and they often see changes in sales depending on the time of year. During the fall and winter months, people tend to buy more as they prepare for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other festive events. This means retail companies usually see a big jump in sales during these times.

Investing in retail companies during the fall and winter can make sense because of this increase in shopping. People often spend more money on gifts, clothes, food, and decorations, boosting the companies' profits. As a result, the stock prices of these retail companies might go up, giving investors a chance to earn more money. This pattern happens almost every year, making it a predictable time for investors to consider retail stocks.

This pattern even has a name: the “Santa Claus Rally”. This refers to the tendency for stock prices to rise during the last week of December and the first two trading days of January. Historically, this rally has occurred about 79.2% of the time, with an average gain of 1.4% in the S&P 500 during this period.

How can you invest in this? Try these options!

1. SPDR S&P Retail ETF - tracks a broad index of retail companies

2. VanEck Vectors Retail ETF - tracks the largest 25 retail companies

3. Fidelity Select Retailing Fund - active fund that invests in retail companies

History

On this day…

…in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger became the Governator, when he was elected as Governor of California. What a life this man has had.

Music

Banger of the week

Most important thing

Meme? Nah. Art.