"Come On Down!"

Hi There! Raised in the warmth of Grenada, my Catholic roots were lovingly intertwined with my mother's openness to various spiritual paths. She taught me that the essence of worship lies in the community it fosters, not the place. This lesson shaped my appreciation for the diverse tapestry of beliefs, particularly during the holidays. In these moments, as I dig deep, it is clear to me that the heart of the season is joy (regardless of one’s spiritual belief or practice). It's a joy that kindles giving, dissolves fears, and reminds me that each new day is a blessing. It's a time for gratitude and spreading kindness that echoes far beyond one day. ‘Tis the season for me to gently let go of burdens and welcome joy with open arms. May my heart be light, and my spirit filled with the incomprehensible joy of the season.

Alright, let’s dig in!

Last week, the stock market brought a wave of optimism, signaling a potential avoidance of an economic downturn and a hopeful soft landing. The U.S. job market outperformed expectations, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting the addition of 199,000 jobs in November, surpassing forecasts. This positive trend was further bolstered by a decrease in the unemployment rate to 3.7%, the first decline since July. Additionally, there was a notable increase in average hourly pay by 0.4%, cumulatively rising 4% over the year and exceeding anticipated annual price growth rates. Those indicators suggested a robust economy, but also raised concerns about heightened inflation risks.

The stock market responded positively to the developments. The S&P 500 experienced a 0.21% weekly rise overall, marking its sixth consecutive weekly gain and the longest streak since November 2019. The Dow saw a marginal increase of 0.01%, continuing its six-week upward trend, the longest since February 2019. The Nasdaq Composite also ended the week on a high note, gaining 0.69%. However, the strong economic data imply a reduced likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates in March 2024, a scenario many bond traders and prospective mortgage borrowers were hoping for. This could signal a shift in market dynamics in the coming months.

Here are other key highlights from last week:

• Oil prices rose more than 2% last Friday

• Swiss city Lugano accepts Bitcoin for municipal taxes

• Armenian Cultural heritage sites tokenized on Solana blockchain

• Michael Jackson’s first-ever studio demo to be released on blockchain

• Shell program that manages supply chain launched on Polygon

This week is full of excitement with high-impact news:

• On Tuesday, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for November showed inflation at 3.1%, matching expectations. However, it's uncertain if it will reach the Federal Reserve's 2% target soon.

• Producer Price Index (PPI) Inflation and the Federal Reserve's Interest Rate Decision, with Jerome Powell speech are set for Wednesday (today).

• Data on Weekly Initial Jobless Claims and Retail Sales will be released on Thursday.

• Reports on S&P Global Manufacturing, Composite, and Services PMI, and the NY Manufacturing Index will be released on Friday.

The most anticipated earnings releases this week are shown in the chart below.

This Week’s High-Impact Global Economic Data Highlights:

• UK Employment and Wages Report

• Australia Employment Report

• Swiss National Bank (SNB) Meeting

• Bank of England (BoE) Interest Rate Decision

• European Central Bank (ECB) Interest Rate Decision

• China Monthly Growth

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

• Monday (12/11/23) - Expect positioning

• Tuesday (12/12/23) - Low Volume

• Wednesday (12/13/23) - High Volatility Expected

• Thursday (12/14/23) - Trade what you see

• Friday (12/15/23) - Triple Witching

Trading Tip: Plan your trades and trade your plan!

Week 12/04/23 - 12/08/23 Recap

Special Tools and Strategies

Are you interested in trading and/or collecting digital art or NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens)?

Or are you an artist looking to transform your artwork into a digital asset?

A great starting point for your journey is Nifty Gateway.

Nifty Gateway offers a curated marketplace to buy, sell, and store digital art and collectible Nifties or NFTs. With its user-friendly design, it simplifies NFT trading by categorizing them and allowing fiat currency purchases. It boasts exclusive NFT drops and a robust security system, courtesy of its owner, Gemini.

Key Features:

• Nifty Gateway Custodial System: This system removes gas fees for users by storing all NFTs on the platform, delivering them directly without blockchain use. It emphasizes strong security for asset protection.

• Nifty Gateway Advisory: Provides specialized services to Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWIs), investment firms, DAOs, and others looking to include NFTs in their portfolios.

• Nifty Gateway Publishers: Offers a toolkit for creators to enhance their NFT releases, allowing customization of buyer criteria, payout types, and distribution methods. Independent artists must apply and get approved through an artist curation process for selling NFTs.

To Get started:

• Create a free Nifty Gateway account to begin trading NFTs on the marketplace

• Select a valid payment method such as a fiat credit card, Prepaid Ethereum, Metamask wallet, or Gemini Pay.

• Validate the account in order to be eligible to participate in certain drops.

• Once completed, browse popular and trending NFTs and complete purchases.

For a guide on buying NFTs, you'll find invaluable insights in the Rhoda Report, Issue #5.

Before you buy, do you own due diligence!

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.