📈 Markets Pop as Shutdown Nears End

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Good Morning & Happy Monday.

From markets cheering the end of the U.S. shutdown to Trump’s new crypto-fueled stimulus buzz, AI shaking up jobs, and gold surging, here’s everything you need to know to start your week.

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Market News

📈 Markets rejoice potential end to US government shutdown
Global markets kicked off the week with serious energy, rallying on hopes that the U.S. government shutdown might finally be ending. The Senate advanced a bill to fund operations until January 30, giving investors a reason to breathe. Futures surged, Nasdaq up 1.2%, S&P 500 up 0.7%, and Europe following suit. Even with the shutdown’s toll on workers and economic data, this move injected optimism back into markets.

🕺 Senate advances a new bill to end the shutdown
A 31-page bill aimed at ending the historic U.S. government shutdown sped through the Senate Sunday night with a 60-40 vote, signaling that the deadlock may finally be breaking. Eight Democrats crossed the aisle to push it past the filibuster hurdle. President Trump said, “We’re getting very close to the shutdown ending,” as the measure now heads to the House. The bill funds the government until Jan. 30 and protects certain federal workers from dismissal.

💵 Trump Stimulus Check Could Trigger New Crypto Bull Run
Crypto markets roared back to life Sunday after President Trump announced plans for $2,000 “tariff-funded” payments to Americans, a move he claimed would come from “trillions” in tariff revenue. Bitcoin shot past $103K, Ethereum climbed above $3,500, and Solana broke $160 as optimism spread. Analysts called the proposal a “modern stimulus check,” comparing it to the COVID-era payouts that fueled massive crypto rallies. While the plan still lacks Congressional approval, traders say even the possibility of fresh cash entering the system is rocket fuel for the next bull run.

⛏️ Gold Shines Again as Prices Soar 2% to Cross $4,080
Gold surged over 2% early Monday, blasting past $4,080/oz as traders doubled down on bets the Fed could cut rates in December. The CME FedWatch Tool now shows a 67% chance of a cut, up from 50% last week. Weak jobs data and sinking consumer sentiment reinforced gold’s safe-haven appeal, with investors fleeing uncertainty for stability. With global growth cooling and markets turning defensive, gold’s dual role as safety and speculation keeps it shining, now just steps away from its record $4,400 high.

🤖 AI Is Eating All the Earnings
The S&P 500’s earnings look strong, but dangerously narrow. Growth is still anchored to the AI boom, even as profits appear to “broaden” beyond Big Tech. EPS is tracking nearly 14% higher year-over-year, yet sectors like consumer staples and materials remain weak. Even banks and industrials owe much of their success to AI-related dealmaking and infrastructure. For now, investors are happy to ride the wave, but when an entire market leans on one story, the ending rarely comes gently.

This week in Tech

💸 OpenAI asked Trump administration to expand Chips Act tax credit to cover data centers
OpenAI is pushing Washington for support as it ramps up its massive AI data center expansion. In a letter to the White House, the company urged the government to extend the 35% Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit beyond chip fabs to cover AI servers, grid components, and data centers. The goal? To cut capital costs and speed up construction. OpenAI also called for faster permitting and a reserve of critical materials. CEO Sam Altman clarified the firm isn’t seeking bailouts or guarantees, but still expects $20B in revenue by 2025 and a staggering $1.4T in capital commitments over the next eight years.

🛍️ TikTok Shop Is Now the Size of eBay
TikTok’s ecommerce arm just won’t quit. Even with Trump’s shifting tariffs, political pressure, and constant talk of a U.S. ban, the platform’s shopping business keeps climbing. Executives may come and go, but TikTok Shop’s growth remains explosive, proving that users are still buying, scrolling, and spending no matter the headlines.

💼 AI Is Waging War on White-Collar Jobs. It Won’t End Well
AI is hitting white-collar jobs hard, and the fallout could be explosive. From Amazon to GM, corporations are slashing corporate roles while blue-collar work in construction and engineering surges. A new NBER study warns AI could reverse centuries of progress, shrinking demand for educated labor by nearly 1% a year in key fields. As “digital humans” take over offices, educated workers risk alienation and unrest, echoing revolutions of the past. The message is stark: in the AI era, a degree may no longer be your safety net, it might be your warning sign.

Invest & Strategies

🧠 With Crypto, It Can Pay to Keep an Open Mind
Bitcoin and Ethereum may dominate crypto, but a new ETF is betting on the next wave of altcoin winners. The CoinShares Altcoins ETF (DIME), launched this month, focuses on top-tier Layer 1 projects like Solana, Cardano, Avalanche, and Sui, offering investors exposure beyond the “big two.” CoinShares says DIME adds “optionality” and diversification, letting investors benefit if DeFi or gaming tokens take off. Riskier? Sure. But as crypto evolves, altcoins remain the wild card that could rewrite the leaderboard.

😅 Private Equity Isn’t What You Think: Overpriced, Overleveraged, and Out of Luck
Private equity and private credit may be facing their reckoning. Once hailed as Wall Street’s secret sauce, these industries are now overleveraged, overvalued, and underperforming. Years of cheap money and sky-high fees have led to bloated valuations and shrinking returns, with many funds relying on accounting tricks to mask losses. Analysts warn of a slow-motion unwind, not a crash, but a painful decade of low returns, illiquidity, and investor regret. The verdict? Private markets aren’t “smart money” anymore, just expensive illusions waiting to be repriced.

🍂 Success in Bull Markets Sets You Up for the Fall
Bull markets breed overconfidence; bear markets breed doubt. History proves it, just ask Benjamin Graham, who turned $400K into $2.5M before losing nearly everything in the Great Depression. His early success led to hubris, a mistake many modern investors may be repeating. As author Brendan Moynihan warned, “the rise sets up the fall.” So enjoy the wins, but remember, markets always humble you eventually.