I’m travelling this week and next, so these may not arrive in your inbox bang on 6am every day. Apologies in advance.
Alts in your retirement fund in 2025
Announcing our new partnership with Alto.
Like us here at Alts, our friends at Alto are on a mission to democratize alternative investing.
Specifically, Alto lets you invest in alternative assets through a retirement account known as an Alto IRA.
Alto IRA accounts are charged a simple quarterly Account Fee based on Total Invested Capital.
Good news: Alts.co subscribers get 50% off Account Fees for the first year.
PS — Alto is headquartered in Nashville. If you live in the area, join us for dinner on Thursday, Oct 24 and meet CEO Eric Satz in person. Reply for details.
Disclaimer: Private securities involve risk and may result in significant losses. Important disclosures apply. Alto does not provide investment advice. Consult an investment advisor to determine whether an investment is appropriate for your portfolio.
📰 Market Headlines
Major indexes closed out a record-breaking year with a downbeat finish, as tech stocks led losses.
The S&P 500 fell 0.4% on the last trading day but still posted a 23.3% annual gain, its second straight year with a 20%+ rise.
The Nasdaq surged 28.6% in 2024, while the Dow rose 12.9%.
Minimum wage increases took effect in 21 states.
A power grid failure left 58% of Puerto Rico without electricity on New Year's Eve.
A deadly truck attack in New Orleans' French Quarter killed 10 and injured 35.
👫 Training Day
Have you ever thought about investing in art? Want to throw a Monet on your bathroom wall?
Check out our guide to investing in art (paywalled but free trial).
🧠 Make yourself heard
Quiz time — answer before scrolling down.
🇻🇪 Venezuela's GDP growth over the last three years was between
📊 Ideas, trends, and analysis
Venezuela’s GDP growth - stronger than you’d think
Venezuela’s economy grew over 9% in 2024, up from 5.5% growth in 2023.
Drugmakers announced plans to increase US prices on over 250 medications starting January 1, with a median hike of 4.5%.
😱 Fear and Greed Index
📊 Winners and losers
Get $20 free shares at public.com using code ALTSCO.
Earnings, upgrades, and acquisitions
No notable earnings this week.
Market movers
Warren Buffett bought $74 million of VeriSign stock, raising Berkshire's stake to 14% of the company.
Boeing ended 2024 as the Dow's biggest loser, tumbling 32%.
Apple TV+ announced its first-ever free weekend streaming promotion for January 3-5.
Nippon Steel offered the US government veto power over production cuts.
Wendy's closed 220 locations in 2024.
🌍 Global Perspectives
🇷🇺 🇺🇦 Russian gas stopped flowing to Europe via Ukraine after five decades, slashing Russia's revenue by $6 billion annually.
🇩🇪 Five people died and dozens of emergency workers were injured during Germany's New Year's Eve fireworks chaos.
🇨🇩 A Congolese military tribunal sentenced 13 soldiers to death for murder, looting, and cowardice after territorial losses.
🇮🇱 🇵🇸 Israeli military strikes in Gaza's Shejaia suburb killed at least eight Palestinians.
📊 Crypto
Tether moved $780 million in Bitcoin to its reserve, its largest transfer since March.
The IRS delayed new crypto cost-basis reporting rules.
Coinbase CEO urged X to integrate USDC payments as the stablecoin's supply surged in 2024.
Do Kwon was extradited to the US to face fraud charges over stablecoin's $40 billion collapse.
Learn AI in 5 minutes a day
What’s the secret to staying ahead of the curve in the world of AI? Information. Luckily, you can join 1,000,000+ early adopters reading The Rundown AI — the free newsletter that makes you smarter on AI with just a 5-minute read per day.
🎤 What you said last time
“If you hit too hard out of the gate and it doesn't have the desired effect, there is no room to escalate.”
🧠 Errata
UK police seized 6,000 wild bird eggs in their largest-ever wildlife raid.
Scientists discovered a key brain aging mechanism in mice that could help fight cognitive decline.
SpaceX wrapped up 2024 with a record 259 orbital launches, more than double 2019's total.
A study found that Yellowstone's volcanic activity is shifting northeast, but an eruption remains unlikely.
📺 What to Watch Today
That’s all for today. Did I miss anything? Smash the reply button to let me know.
Cheers,
Wyatt
