Market Overview - Wall Street is entering a historically strong month, with November being the best month for the S&P 500, averaging a gain of 1.8% since 1950 [1] - The S&P 500 is currently just below the 7,000 mark, significantly above the year-end target of 6,555 predicted by strategists [2] - All three major indexes have shown strong year-to-date gains, with the Dow Jones up 12.2%, S&P 500 up over 16%, and Nasdaq Composite up over 23% as of October 31, 2025 [3] Federal Reserve Policy - The Federal Reserve has entered an easing policy era, having cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point for the second consecutive meeting, bringing the benchmark rate to a range of 3.75%-4.00% [4] - The rate cut reflects the Fed's intention to bolster economic growth and strengthen the labor market amid limited economic data due to a government shutdown [5] U.S.-China Trade Relations - Investor confidence has been boosted by hopes of easing U.S.-China trade tensions, following a meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping, where they reached an understanding to pause new trade tensions [6] - China will cease investigations targeting U.S. companies in the semiconductor supply chain, as announced by the White House [7] Consumer Spending Trends - Approximately 91% of consumers plan to celebrate the winter holidays, with average spending expected to be $890.49 per person, a slight decrease of 1.3% from last year's record [8] Investment Opportunities - **High Beta ETF**: Invesco S&P 500 High Beta ETF (SPHB) is recommended due to easing Fed policy and trade tensions, along with anticipated holiday season sales [10] - **Consumer Discretionary ETF**: Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) is expected to benefit from increased holiday shopping, with significant holdings in Amazon and Home Depot [11] - **Software ETF**: SPDR S&P Software & Services ETF (XSW) is positioned well due to the growing demand for AI software, which is sold on a subscription basis [12] - **Aerospace ETF**: iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) has reported earnings growth of 226.1% on 15% higher revenues, making it a strong investment option [13] - **Small-Caps ETF**: iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is favored due to Fed rate cuts, easing trade tensions, and favorable small-cap valuations [14]