South Africa’s central bank has cooled expectations for a retail central bank digital currency, saying the country does not face an urgent need to launch one and should focus instead on upgrading the existing payments system. Key Takeaways: South Africa’s central bank says a retail CBDC is not needed now and is prioritizing payments system upgrades instead. The SARB will focus on wholesale digital currency uses and improving cross-border payments. Officials also warned that crypto and stablecoins pos ...

Market Overview - Bitcoin traded around $90,600 to $91,400, with a recent peak of approximately $91,800, indicating a tight trading range [1] - Global equity markets are on track for their best week since June, driven by expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts [2][5] - Asian equities showed mixed performance, with South Korea and Japan indexes declining while Australia saw slight gains [4] Federal Reserve Expectations - Futures markets indicate an 80% to 85% chance of a quarter-point interest rate cut next month, with expectations for three reductions by the end of 2026 [5] - Recent jobs data and comments from Fed officials have strengthened the case for a potential rate cut in December [7][8] Cryptocurrency Market - US spot Bitcoin ETFs are experiencing slower inflows compared to earlier in the year, but still maintain a positive trend [9] - Current cryptocurrency market cap stands at $3.18 trillion, with Bitcoin at $90,868, Ether at $3,001, and XRP at $2.17, reflecting slight declines [10] China Market Focus - JPMorgan has upgraded its view on the Chinese market to overweight, citing potential upside despite ongoing pressures in the property sector [4]

Market Overview - U.S. stock markets, including NYSE and Nasdaq, were closed on November 27, 2025, for Thanksgiving, but market sentiment remained positive due to expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December and optimism surrounding artificial intelligence [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 47427.12, up 314.67 points (0.6679%), indicating positive momentum in the market [1] Key Performers - Major gainers among Dow components included Boeing (BA), which rose by 2.46%, Walmart (WMT) with a 2.07% increase, and Microsoft (MSFT) adding 2.04% [2] - Other notable gainers were Goldman Sachs (GS) up 1.71% and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) increasing by 1.64%, reflecting broad-based strength across various sectors [2] Decliners - Salesforce (CRM) was the biggest laggard among Dow components, falling by 2.51% [3] - Merck & Co. (MRK) decreased by 0.73%, while 3M (MMM) saw a modest decline of 0.43% [3] - Other companies with slight pullbacks included Honeywell (HON) down 0.43% and IBM (IBM) with a 0.41% loss [3]

Market Overview - The US stock markets are closed for Thanksgiving, following a four-day winning streak driven by optimism around potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts and enthusiasm for AI-related stocks [1][2] - Major US indexes saw significant gains before the holiday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising by 0.67% to 47,427.12, the S&P 500 increasing by 0.69% to 6,812.61, and the Nasdaq Composite leading with a 0.82% rise to 23,214.69 [2] Sector Performance - Technology stocks were pivotal in the midweek rally, with Microsoft gaining 1.8% and Nvidia rising 1.4%, reflecting renewed momentum in the AI sector [3] - Oracle experienced a notable 4% increase following a positive outlook from Deutsche Bank, while Alphabet (Google's parent company) saw a decline of 1% [3] - Financial sector stocks also contributed positively, with Robinhood Markets surging 10.9% after announcing plans for a futures and derivatives exchange [3] Global Market Activity - Asian markets mirrored the positive sentiment from US markets, with Japan's Nikkei 225 rising 1% to 50,069.33 and South Korea's Kospi increasing by 0.7% to 3,986.54 [4] - European markets also saw modest gains, with Germany's DAX up 0.4%, France's CAC 40 rising 0.2%, and London's FTSE 100 increasing by 0.1% [5] Upcoming Economic Indicators - Investors are anticipating key economic data releases and the Federal Reserve's next FOMC meeting on December 10, 2025, which is expected to address interest rate cuts [6][7] - Important economic indicators include Markit PMI Manufacturing, ISM Manufacturing, JOLTS Job Openings, and the Employment Situation report, which will provide insights into the US economy [7] Corporate Announcements - HP Inc. reported fiscal 2025 revenue of $55.3 billion, up 3.2% year over year, with Personal Systems revenue increasing by 8% [15] - Best Buy raised its FY26 adjusted diluted EPS guidance, reporting a 2.1% increase in domestic revenue driven by growth in computing, gaming, and mobile phones [15] - Analog Devices reported fiscal 2025 revenue of $11.0 billion, up 17% compared to 2024 [15] - Wipro announced a strategic alliance to advance AI technologies [15] - Paytm received approval from the Reserve Bank of India to operate as a payment aggregator, enhancing its digital payments business [15]

Core Insights - Goldman Sachs researchers indicate that the US labor market is showing signs of softening, with a notable increase in layoffs across various industries, marking the highest level of planned mass layoffs since 2016, excluding pandemic-related spikes [1][5] Layoff Trends - Layoff announcements have reached unprecedented levels outside of a recession, with significant cuts reported in sectors such as technology, industrial goods, and food and beverage [2] - The rise in layoffs is concerning as it reflects "growing signs of weakness" in the labor market, with workers facing challenges in securing new employment [3][4] WARN Notices - The increase in WARN notices, which are required for companies with over 100 employees before layoffs, serves as a key indicator of employer behavior and potential job cuts [5] - Publicly traded companies have begun discussing potential layoffs during earnings calls, suggesting a trend towards workforce reductions and efficiency measures in the near future [6] Jobless Claims and Economic Indicators - Despite the rise in layoffs, weekly jobless claims remain low, indicating that government reports may not yet fully capture the labor market's deterioration [7] - Historical data shows that jobless claims typically lag behind private layoff trackers by about two months, hinting at a possible increase in federal job loss data as winter progresses [7] Impact of AI on Employment - Concerns about artificial intelligence leading to workforce reductions are present, but current evidence does not support the notion that AI is a significant driver of recent layoffs [8]

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market is closed on November 27, 2025, for Thanksgiving, with trading resuming on November 28, 2025, in a shortened session [1] - The latest market data reflects performance from November 26, 2025, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 314.67 points (0.6679%) to reach 47,427.12 [1] Market Drivers - Investor optimism regarding potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in December and renewed enthusiasm for the artificial intelligence (AI) sector drove the market rally [2] - This positive sentiment contributed to a four-day winning streak for benchmark indices, helping to recover earlier losses in November [2] - Global markets also benefited from the anticipation of rate cuts, despite the U.S. markets preparing for the holiday closure [2] Stock Performance - Boeing (BA) led the Dow components with a gain of 2.46%, reaching $186.92 [3] - Walmart (WMT) increased by 2.07% to $109.10, and Microsoft (MSFT) rose by 2.04% to $485.50 [3] - Financial institutions performed well, with Goldman Sachs (GS) climbing 1.71% to $816.01 and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) up 1.64% to $307.64 [3] - Conversely, Salesforce (CRM) was the biggest laggard, down 2.51% to $228.15, followed by Merck (MRK) down 0.73% to $104.63, and Honeywell (HON) decreasing 0.43% to $189.99 [3]

Core Insights - Accessing paychecks early is possible through various methods, each with its own costs and drawbacks [1][2][3] Group 1: Early Access Methods - Some banks offer early access to paychecks through direct deposit, allowing funds to be available up to two days early without fees [2][3] - Payroll advances from employers are short-term loans that are repaid through future paycheck deductions, with an average amount borrowed of $106 in 2024 [3][5] - Payday loans are high-risk loans typically under $500, with repayment through automatic debit, often leading to extremely high APRs ranging from 400% to 800% [6][8][9] Group 2: Financial Management Strategies - To break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, individuals should consider applying for Payday Alternative Loans (PALs) through credit unions, which have capped interest rates at 28% [10][11] - Changing due dates for bills can help manage cash flow better, ensuring that not all expenses come from the same paycheck [11] - Exploring hardship plans and increasing income through side gigs or higher-paying jobs can also alleviate financial pressure [11]

Market Overview - European stocks are showing mixed performance as investors digest regional economic news and await the European Central Bank's monetary policy meeting minutes [1] - The pan European Stoxx 600 was roughly flat at 574.11, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 decreased by 25.52 points or 0.26% to 9,666.05 [2] - Germany's DAX increased by 82.87 points or 0.35% to 23,778.10, and France's CAC 40 rose by 5.37 points or 0.07% to 8,101.80 [2] Company Performance - In the U.K. market, notable gainers included St. James' Place, Land Securities, Centrica, and Natwest Group [2] - Conversely, Imperial Brands fell by more than 3%, while other companies like Anglo American Plc and British American Tobacco saw losses between 1% to 1.7% [3] - In Germany, Deutsche Boerse climbed over 4%, with Siemens Energy gaining about 2.3% [3] - In France, Pernod Ricard gained nearly 2%, while companies like Hermes International and Kering showed weakness [4] Consumer Sentiment and Economic Indicators - A monthly survey indicated that German consumer confidence is expected to improve in December, despite deteriorating economic and income expectations [4] - The forward-looking consumer sentiment index improved to -23.2 from -24.1, slightly below the forecast of -23.6 [5] - The Eurozone Economic Sentiment Indicator increased to 97.0 in November from 96.8 in October, marking its highest level since April 2023 [5]

Core Points - Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, with November 27 being the date in 2025 [3] - Various services, including mail delivery and banking, will be closed on Thanksgiving, with exceptions for certain express services [4][6][7][8] Service Availability - The United States Postal Service (USPS) will not deliver mail on Thanksgiving, except for Priority Mail Express [4] - UPS and FedEx will also be closed, with only UPS Express Critical and FedEx Custom Critical services available [6] - Banks will be closed, but ATMs and online banking will remain accessible [7] Retail and Grocery Store Operations - Many grocery stores and retailers will be open on Thanksgiving, with varying hours [12] - Notable stores that will be open include Whole Foods, Sprouts, Kroger, Meijer, and Walmart, among others [12] - Some pharmacies, like Walgreens, will have 24-hour locations open, while CVS will operate with limited hours [11][12]

Group 1 - The article presents a comparative analysis between AT&T and Verizon, highlighting a preference for AT&T stock based on specific charts [1] - Sensor Unlimited, an economist with a PhD, has been covering the mortgage market, commercial market, and banking industry for the past decade [1] - The investing group Envision Early Retirement, led by Sensor Unlimited, offers solutions for generating high income and growth through dynamic asset allocation [1] Group 2 - The investing group features two model portfolios: one for short-term survival and another for aggressive long-term growth [1] - Members have direct access to discuss ideas via chat, receive monthly updates on holdings, and engage in tax discussions and ticker critiques [1]