Core Insights - Apple has experienced a rally of over 10% in the past month, with historical data indicating that October is typically one of its most profitable months for investors [1] - The company has recorded gains in 68% of Octobers, with an average return of 6.2%, contrasting with September, which has been its weakest month [2] iPhone 17 Demand - Demand for the iPhone 17 lineup appears strong, with a survey indicating that 56% of nearly 4,000 consumers plan to purchase the Pro or Pro Max models, leading to increased average selling prices [3] - Only 9% of respondents showed interest in the iPhone Air, while Apple's services business, particularly Apple Pay, continues to grow [4] - Strong demand in China and double-digit sales growth at T-Mobile are seen as indicators of a robust iPhone cycle [4] Stock Price Analysis - AAPL stock closed at $255, down 0.55%, but remains up over 10% in the past month [5] - Analysts have a 'Moderate Buy' rating for Apple, with an average 12-month target of $251.24, indicating a potential downside of 1.65% from the last close [5] - Price predictions for AAPL range from a bullish $310 to a bearish $180 [8]

Market Dynamics - Bitcoin has been rangebound for over ten weeks, influenced by long-term holders distributing and institutions accumulating, creating a deadlock [1][2][3] - Long-term holders (LTHs) started distributing Bitcoin when it broke above $110,000, but this distribution has decelerated recently [4][5] - Institutions, including ETF buyers and treasury companies, are aggressively buying Bitcoin, offsetting the supply from long-term holders [6] - Seasonality favors Bitcoin, with October and November historically being its two strongest months, averaging returns of +22.9% and +35.7% respectively [1][7] Macroeconomic Factors - The Federal Reserve (Fed) has begun an easing cycle, cutting policy rates, which historically benefits Bitcoin as investors venture out on the risk curve [1][8] - Loosening credit conditions and a resilient economy are likely to drive another explosive leg higher for Bitcoin in Q4 [8][10] Technical Analysis - Long-term holder distribution is cooling, with net outflows from LTH supply slowing down [6] - Bitcoin's consolidation period suggests a potential for a violent breakout, with the odds favoring another leg higher in Q4 [10]

Core Insights - Ethereum typically experiences strong performance in the fourth quarter, with a median return of approximately 22% and an average return near 24% [3] - Historical price behaviors in Q4 may be influenced by new investors, particularly asset managers and treasury companies, who have different capital and investment horizons compared to previous buyers [6][7] - Despite potential shifts in dynamics, there are indications that Q4 could still align with Ethereum's historical performance trends [10] Performance Trends - Q4 is traditionally the best-performing quarter for Ethereum, indicating a tendency for late-year momentum to favor holders [3] - The wide dispersion of results suggests that while the median return is lower than the average, there are significant upside outliers that can impact overall performance [3][4] Market Dynamics - The approval of spot Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) by the SEC in May 2024 is expected to enhance Ethereum's integration with the traditional financial system, allowing mainstream brokerage accounts to invest more easily [6] - The emergence of crypto treasury companies focused on accumulating Ethereum is introducing a new class of investors, which may alter the historical price behaviors observed in Q4 [6][7]

Market Sentiment - The current market shows signs of froth, particularly with money flowing into SPACs and meme stocks, indicating a mindset of buying based on price increases rather than fundamentals [2][6] - Small-cap stocks, particularly those in the Russell 2000, are struggling due to a majority not being profitable, which necessitates either aggressive rate cuts or a robust economy for recovery [3][4] Economic Indicators - The market's assumption of aggressive rate cuts from the Federal Reserve has not been confirmed, which could impact the performance of small-cap stocks [3] - A strong economy could limit the potential for rate cuts, creating a challenging environment for small-cap stocks [4] Investment Strategies - There is a prevailing sentiment that investors are currently rewarded for being "irresponsibly bullish," suggesting a short-term strategy of buying into the market despite potential long-term risks [5][6] - Historical seasonality trends in September have shown mixed results, indicating that seasonality should not be a primary reason for investment decisions [7]

Market Overview - The Russell 2000 (IWM) reached an all-time high of 244.46 in November 2021 and has shown a slight increase to 244.98 in November 2024, with a recent high of 245.14 on September 18 [1][2]. Technical Analysis - A monthly close above 243.50 for IWM is necessary to maintain a bullish bias [2]. - The Russell 2000 is currently outperforming the S&P 500, indicating positive momentum for small-cap stocks [11][12]. - The Real Motion indicator shows strong momentum, with red dots clearing the Bollinger Band, but it needs to remain above the Bollinger Band for continued strength [13]. Economic Indicators - A strong consumer base, supported by good wages and a robust labor market, is essential for sustained growth in US-centric companies [3]. - Retail remains a laggard, with the XRT index being 30% away from its 2021 highs, indicating potential challenges in the retail sector [4]. Market Sentiment - There are no significant bearish indicators currently, suggesting a positive outlook for the market [14].

Market Trends - Altcoins are predicted to experience significant growth in Q4 [1] - Seasonality is cited as a key factor driving the anticipated altcoin surge [1]

Market Overview - The market is currently focused on potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, which have been anticipated for several months [3][7][10] - Despite some concerning macroeconomic data, equities are looking past these issues, indicating a complex relationship between inflation and equity performance [1][5] Inflation and Equities - Inflation pressures are building but are not yet overwhelming, with economists expecting certain trends to emerge in labor market reports [2] - Historically, rising inflation has led to increased equity allocations among households, suggesting that the market is currently responding to positive tailwinds despite headwinds from inflation [5] Seasonal Trends - There are concerns regarding the typical negative seasonality seen in September and October, although the market has reached new highs without significant labor market disruptions [6] - Investors are cautious about potential ripple effects from earlier policy disruptions, which could impact market performance [6] Federal Reserve Expectations - The market is anticipating a rate cut next week, with expectations for additional cuts throughout the year and into 2025 [8][10] - There is a debate among investors about the timing and pace of these cuts, with some suggesting that expectations have been pulled forward [9] Valuation Considerations - Current peak valuation levels necessitate careful consideration of market conditions, as much of the anticipated positive developments may already be priced in [10]

Market Overview - The current market is experiencing positive momentum, which is atypical for September, a month historically known for weak stock performance [6][7][8] - The S&P 500 is having a better than average year, contrary to initial bearish expectations due to tariffs and Fed independence concerns [14][15][16] September Effect - The "September effect" refers to the historical tendency for stocks to perform poorly in September, with an average decline of 2% over the last decade [7][8] - Despite this historical pattern, the expectation of a rate cut on September 17th may lead to a different outcome this year, potentially resulting in a higher market finish [7][10] Labor Market Insights - The labor market is showing signs of deterioration, with reports indicating a slowdown in hiring activity [20][26] - The Federal Reserve's response to labor market conditions has been criticized as being slow, which may impact future rate cut decisions [19][21] Concentration in the Market - The market is currently highly concentrated, with a few companies driving significant gains, reminiscent of the dot-com bubble [28][29] - However, the profitability and strong balance sheets of these leading companies provide some justification for this concentration [29][30] Consumer Behavior and Retail Performance - Retail companies like Dollar General and Dollar Tree are outperforming major tech stocks, indicating a shift in consumer behavior towards value shopping amid inflation [42][43] - The trend suggests that consumers across income brackets are seeking to stretch their dollars further due to rising costs [44] Gold and Cryptocurrency Trends - There is a notable increase in gold prices, driven by central bank purchases and a general hedge against dollar debasement [45] - Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are also gaining traction as investors look for alternatives to traditional currency [46][48] Future Market Predictions - If the Federal Reserve implements two to three rate cuts by year-end, small-cap stocks may perform well due to their sensitivity to interest rates [51][52] - The ongoing debate about inflation and labor market conditions will influence the Fed's decisions and market performance moving forward [53]

Market Analysis & Predictions - The analysis suggests Ethereum's price is slowly declining from around $4,900 in mid-August [2] - The industry expected Ethereum to rally to all-time highs after reaching the regression band [2] - The report anticipates a rejection of Ethereum's rally to all-time highs, citing the need for Ethereum to durably exceed $5,000 for altcoins to outperform Bitcoin [3] - Seasonality trends indicate that altcoin/Bitcoin pairs often peak around late August [3][4] - The analysis posits that Ethereum is unlikely to break $5,000 in September, aligning with the seasonality of altcoin/Bitcoin pairs [6] - The industry predicted an all-time high for Ethereum in August, followed by a pullback to the 21-week EMA (Exponential Moving Average) in September [7] Potential Price Correction - The report suggests a potential 30% drop for Ethereum from its local high to the 21-week EMA, which translates to approximately a 20% drop from current levels [10] - The analysis anticipates Ethereum dropping to the 21-week EMA by late September or early October before rallying back up [11][19] Altcoin Performance - Altcoins bottomed against Ethereum the week of August 18th, coinciding with Ethereum's all-time high [14][15] - Altcoins may rally against Ethereum because Ethereum is expected to drop more significantly to its 21-week EMA compared to altcoins [17][18]

Friday. Joining us this morning is bespoke co co-founder Paul Hickeyi to discuss. Paul, let's get the fall started.Good to have you. Um, talk about September season seasonality and whether or not there are elements that might make this particular round of September maybe a little less than feared. Yes.I mean, September, we all know it's historically a weak time of year uh for the markets overall. Uh, especially look at I mean what we've done the last four months. We're up 1% four months in a row.Um, you kno ...