Stocks close near the flatline, how to play buy now, pay later stocks

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Market Analysis - US e-commerce is a $1 trillion business, with BNPL currently pushing $70-80 billion, representing a small fraction of the overall US retail market, which is about $7-8 trillion [5] - BNPL is misunderstood to be steered towards people without access to banking, but it's skewed younger, particularly the 18-34 cohort, who may not trust credit cards or banks [5][6][7] - BNPL's counter-cyclical potential lies in helping e-commerce retailers convert sales that regular credit/debit cards might not, potentially thriving in a weaker economy [8][9][10] - BNPL growth primarily impacts banks, as they are the current credit card operators, while Visa and Mastercard benefit from increased transaction volume due to installment payments [11][12][13] Company Specific Analysis - Affirm is considered a buy due to its unlimited TAM (Total Addressable Market) and strong execution, differentiating itself from Klarna by offering a wider range of products, including interest-bearing loans [13][14][15][16] - PayPal is also a buy, with BNPL being a key part of its new branded checkout button, expecting BNPL to grow in the 40s over the next 2-3 years, accelerating branded checkout button growth, and gaining market share in Europe [17][18][19] - Circle is rated as underperform due to flat USDC distribution at $68 billion since April, increasing distribution costs, and potential revenue shortfall [20][21][22][23] Housing Market Analysis - Home builder sentiment has fallen to its lowest level since 2022 due to persistently high mortgage rates constricting the market [3][41] - Mortgage rates need to be closer to 6% than 7% to loosen up the market, but consistency in rates is lacking, making borrowers cautious [43][44] - The Fed cutting rates would signal to banks to cut construction lending rates, boosting production, but the Fed's primary focus is on inflation and the labor market, not directly on housing [46][47][48] - Tariffs have been priced in, with about 60% of builders reporting increased goods costs, but the impact hasn't been as significant as initially anticipated due to slowed construction pace [52][53][54][55]