Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the ongoing U.S. government shutdown could negatively impact the GDP growth, as expressed in a CNBC interview. With no agreement on a spending bill, Bessent highlighted potential consequences such as reduced economic growth and harm to working Americans. This comes at a time when the U.S. economy has been recovering, with a 3.8% GDP growth in the second quarter and projections for similar growth in the third quarter.

The European Union is reportedly set to double its steel import tariffs to 50%, mirroring US rates. This decision aims to counter China’s overproduction and protect the EU’s steel sector. The current temporary safeguard measure, imposing a 25% duty post-quota, ends in June, with a permanent replacement expected next week. Casual retail investors or traders might consider monitoring global trade dynamics as such geopolitical shifts can influence commodity markets and industries.

The original poster questions the rapid increase in tech stocks, wondering about the source of such substantial capital inflow. They ponder if this growth is sustainable without draining other sectors or if investment firms have been hoarding funds. The poster seems to suspect a potential market bubble and seeks understanding on its probable burst and accountability.

In Q2 2025, the top 10% of wealth holders experienced a significant surge, accruing $5 trillion in wealth, while the bottom 50% saw only a fraction of that growth at $150 billion. The top 0.1% wealth has remarkably doubled from $12.2 trillion in 2020 to $23.3 trillion, with all this growth attributed to stock market performance. The concentration of ownership is stark, with the top 1% controlling 50% of individually held corporate equities and mutual fund shares, and the top 10% owning 87%. This raises concerns about potential manipulation of the bull market by the elite, leaving retail investors vulnerable as they hold onto assets that may be due for a downturn.

The US labor market is showing signs of slowdown, with employers planning the fewest annual job additions since 2009. According to Challenger Gray & Christmas, planned hiring for the year through September has dropped significantly to 204,939 from 483,590 at the same point last year. This sluggish pace echoes the early post-Great Recession period when companies recorded just 169,385 new hires in 2009. Casual investors and traders should keep an eye on this economic indicator as it may reflect broader trends in consumer spending and corporate performance.

A renowned market strategist, Tom Lee, predicts the S&P 500 could hit 7,000 by year-end despite current government shutdown concerns. Lee dismisses the shutdown as a “sidebar issue,” citing past instances where such events had minimal long-term effects on stock markets. With the index currently at 6,711.20, it needs to rise about 4% to reach his projected target, amidst broader market gains of 14% in 2025. Casual investors might find this insightful for maintaining a bullish outlook amidst potential negative sentiments surrounding the shutdown.

Nuburu (BURU) has initiated a strategic pivot from a niche blue-laser technology provider to a defense and security systems company in 2025. Key actions include acquiring a 3% equity stake in Tekne S.p.A., establishing an operational U.S.-based joint venture with Tekne, and securing $12 million through a public offering to fund these endeavors. The company aims to gain full control of Tekne by Q4 2025, subject to Italian regulatory approvals. They’ve also formed Nuburu Defense LLC, hired new financial personnel, and are negotiating another potential acquisition to bolster their defense tech development. While there is a positive outlook if the plan unfolds as intended, risks include regulatory hurdles, integration challenges, dilution from share issuances, intense market competition, and timing uncertainties.

🔄 Dragonfly Energy (DFLI) has been chosen by Nevada Tech Hub for initial funding, focusing on manufacturing upgrades to enhance efficiency and cut costs. The project also aims to bolster Nevada’s skilled battery workforce through new training programs and job opportunities. This development could be of interest to retail investors or traders following clean energy stocks, as it indicates potential growth for DFLI in the battery manufacturing sector. Learn more on Yahoo Finance.

The original poster is seeking advice on identifying a significantly undervalued stock poised for substantial growth over the upcoming decade, potentially surpassing the S&P 500’s performance. They’re interested in insights from fellow investors regarding which single stock could be a promising long-term investment opportunity, given Donald Trump’s ongoing presidency from 2025 to 2029.

The original poster contemplates potential triggers for an AI stock market bubble burst, suggesting scenarios such as a widespread security breach revealing vulnerabilities in AI systems, a decline in content quality due to over-reliance on AI, growing public dissatisfaction with AI-generated content, and a decrease in computer science students leading to less efficient and secure AI models. These factors could potentially destabilize the AI sector, impacting retail investors and traders.

The original poster shares a personal trading experience, highlighting a significant loss due to overconfidence and greed. Initially up by 20%, they moved their take profit (TP) target further, only to see the trade reverse and hit their stop loss (SL), resulting in a 10% loss. The poster acknowledges their mistake, emphasizing the importance of not falling prey to greed and maintaining trade vigilance, even while occupied with work. This cautionary tale serves as a reminder for casual retail investors and traders to stay disciplined and avoid emotional decision-making in their trading strategies.

The original poster is observing potential negative trends in the stock market, specifically mentioning a “divergence of individual fairy,” though the term’s exact meaning isn’t clear. They’re seeking input from fellow investors on whether to sell existing holdings, maintain current positions, or invest more. Given the current presidential term extending into 2029, this discussion might be influenced by broader economic expectations under the existing administration.

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has made a significant $10 billion acquisition of Occidental Petroleum’s chemicals business, OxyChem, marking one of its largest deals in recent years. This move is seen as a strategic win-win for Berkshire, not only providing a steady cash cow with growing chlor-alkali operations but also helping the company to reduce its debt burden and improve its financial standing. The deal signifies Berkshire’s potential shift in investment strategy under incoming CEO Greg Abel, as Buffett prepares for retirement at the end of December. Analysts highlight that this acquisition could benefit both Berkshire and its substantial 30% ownership stake in Occidental Petroleum, aligning with Buffett’s history of self-serving yet logical investment decisions.

The original poster shares their successful strategy that yielded a 140% return over four months, primarily focusing on trading 0DTE SPX spreads with minimal technical analysis. Despite experiencing significant losses, they remain committed to refining their approach. The user seeks advice from experienced spread traders regarding the frequency of large losses and the possibility of minimizing such risks in the long term.

The original poster contemplates the future allocation of liquidity during the next economic cooling cycle, noticing disconnection among stocks, gold, and bond markets since Trump’s first term. They question why bond yields remain low despite gold prices rising 40% alongside a 30% stock market increase during this period. The poster also ponders whether Trump will permit the dollar to strengthen amidst ongoing trade wars, as a robust dollar could hinder his goal of boosting foreign demand for American goods and services. They seek insights from knowledgeable individuals about the potential direction of investments, particularly in bonds, during the upcoming market downturn.

On day 52 of their trading strategy, the original poster experienced a minor setback during the London session due to price not adhering to expectations, resulting in a stop-loss. However, they remained patient during the New York session as all indicators – fiber levels, VWAP, and EMA – confirmed bearish trends. The trade eventually paid off, compensating for earlier losses, leaving the poster satisfied with their strategy execution and commitment to the plan. This update is particularly relevant for casual retail investors or traders looking to understand patience and risk management in trading.

The post emphasizes that experienced individuals, who have been engaging with trading content for years without actual trading, should prioritize practice over further knowledge acquisition. It advises against switching strategies or seeking more information, suggesting instead that these individuals should start paper trading to solidify their understanding and build confidence in their trading decisions.

A retail investor with a $1.8M account has seen their GOOGL position surge by 64%, yielding over $313,000. They plan to allocate $1M in cash towards CRWV (CoreWeave), an AI infrastructure provider that recently secured a $6.5B contract with OpenAI, and CRCL (Circle), a major issuer of stablecoins. The investor aims to use long-term LEAPS call options for both stocks, capitalizing on trends while managing high volatility through strategic positioning and potential volatility selling. They caution that this strategy is not investment advice and emphasize the risks associated with high valuations and market uncertainties.