"The Category is..."

Hi There! Last week, I was completely focused on the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. I'm a huge fan of track and field, and I was particularly excited to see Grenada represented in the Men's 400m, Men's Decathlon, Men’s Javelin, and Women’s 100m events. Let's take a moment to celebrate the incredible achievements of Grenada's own Lindon Victor, Kirani James, Anderson Peters, and Halle Hazzard.

Allow me to boast…

Lindon Victor's performance in the decathlon was truly impressive. Not many people fully understand the challenge of this athletic test, but Lindon secured a podium position and brought honour to our "Spice Isle". He won the bronze medal, his first World Medal, and set a national record of 8,756 points, which is a testament to his dedication and perseverance. Lindon's journey has not been without setbacks, such as discus fouls in 2017 and 2019, and battling a hernia during training leading up to the Budapest games. His accomplishment on the grand stage of the World Championships deserves applause that echoes across the globe.

Over the weekend, Kirani James aimed to add to his impressive medal collection, but unfortunately, he was disqualified for lane infringement after finishing 5th in Budapest. However, James' consistency is truly inspiring. Since 2011, across ten combined World Athletics Championships and Summer Olympics, he's reached the finals in nine events, a feat unprecedented in 400m history. Reflecting on his previous eight global Men’s 400m events, James secured medals in six, a remarkable accomplishment: Gold in 2012, Silver in 2016, and Bronze in 2021 at the Olympics; and Gold in 2011, Bronze in 2015, and Silver in 2022 at the World Athletic Championships.

Anderson Peters, a gifted Javelin athlete and two-time World Champion, exhibited bravery and sportsmanship in Budapest. Despite facing form issues this season, Anderson’s best throw of 78.49 m fell short of advancing him to the finals. Nevertheless, his remarkable past accomplishments are a testament to his exceptional talent and devotion to the sport.

In the women's 100m, Halle Hazzard participated in her first World Championship event and displayed a remarkable performance deserving of immense appreciation. Although she did not advance to the final with her 11.34, Hazzard previously won gold and silver at the 2021 NACAC U18, U20 & U23 Championships in Costa Rica. Her determination and hard work are admirable, and we have high hopes for her continued success in the future.

Our athletes are shining examples of excellence and are inspirations for us all. Grenada to the world!

Okay, let’s dig in!

Last week had its share of market excitement following the Jackson Hole Symposium. Fed Chair Jerome Powell's remarks hinted at a slightly hawkish tone. He indicated the Fed's commitment to maintaining higher interest rates for a longer period and didn't rule out potential interest rate hikes.

Despite the Fed's stance, markets remained resilient and held onto the previous week’s gain. Last Friday, the Dow closed up by 0.7% at 34,346.90 points, while the S&P 500 gained around 0.7% and the Nasdaq Composite rose by 0.9%. This upswing broke a three-week losing streak for both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. However, the Dow experienced a second consecutive week of losses.

Despite mixed results, market sentiment remains positive, with investors navigating the landscape with cautious optimism.

Here are other key highlights from last week:

• Oil Futures up 1% to one-week high on soaring U.S. diesel prices

• Bitcoin miners dump over 2,800 BTC in 24 hours as price dips to $26,000

• Shopify adds Solana Pay to its platform to allow USDC payments

• Volaris (Mexican airline) soars into NFT space to offer travel perks

• Power Rangers collaborates with Funko to celebrate its 30th anniversary

• Polygon Labs partners with Korean mobile giant - SK Telecom

We have another explosive week ahead:

As we enter this week, keep an eye on the potential impact of month-end rebalancing flows on price action. U.S. high-impact economic news that will demand our attention include:

• Core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Price Index on Thursday: Analysts predict a 0.3% income growth, a slightly tempered pace of spending advances (0.4% vs. 0.5%), and an expected repeat of a 0.2% core PCE.

• Non-Farm Payrolls on Friday: An expected decline in Non-Farm Payrolls and the continuation of a gradual cooling in employment growth are on the horizon. The Unemployment Rate is projected to hold steady at 3.5%.

• ISM Manufacturing on Friday: Numbers are anticipated to remain below 50. However, the influence of this on market volatility has proven to be inconsistent, so proceed cautiously.

Alongside these, keep an ear out for the speech from Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Susan M. Collins on Thursday. While a Fed rate hike in September seems unlikely, November could be a pivotal moment, with potential interest rate expectations swayed by forthcoming data.

Investors might find a brief respite, but this calm could be short-lived. The anticipated surge in volume upon institutional investors' return after Labor Day might shake things up. Moreover, the upcoming economic data, including the latest PCE reading and the August jobs report, could provide more food for market bears. Remain attentive and adaptable as the week unfolds.

The most notable earnings for the week (August 28 - September 1) are outlined in red in the chart below.

High-Impact Global News:

• Eurozone CPI on Thursday – The market sees EU headline inflation coming in lower than the previous release.

• China Manufacturing and Services PMI on Thursday – Both PMIs are expected to come in lower. This is a key piece of data to watch this week.

This week's anticipated bias (not financial or investment advice):

• Monday (08/28/23) - Trade the momentum

• Tuesday (08/29/23) - Bullish

• Wednesday (08/30/23) - Expect profit-taking and rebalancing

• Thursday (08/31/23) - Day Traders expect squeezing

• Friday (09/01/23) - High volatility; Watch the Financial Sector

Trading Tip: The last Wednesday in August is historically bearish!

Week 08/20/23 - 08/26/23 Recap

Special Tools and Strategies

Chartr is a cutting-edge data-driven platform that offers valuable insights across business, technology, entertainment, and society. By presenting comprehensive visuals and data, the platform:

• equips readers with the necessary tools to grasp the intricacies of today's world and markets

• enhances readers understanding and elevates their small-talk capabilities, whether they’re engaging with colleagues in the office or conversing at home

One of Chartr's standout features is its emphasis on data storytelling, which serves as a powerful research tool. This tool proves especially beneficial when seeking to understand companies of interest for investment and trading purposes.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is strictly educational. The information this report provides does not constitute investment, financial, trading, or any other advice. You should not treat any of the report’s content as such. Please be careful and do your research.