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☕️ GM Munchers! Happy Thursday! We're officially past the midweek slump, but like Powell’s rate cuts, the weekend still feels just out of reach. Let’s dive into the markets while we wait for Friday to show some mercy.

On today’s menu:

• 📈 S&P 500 at All-Time Highs While FOMC Pumps the Brakes on Cuts

• 🏆 Gold Hits Record Highs – Is It Time to Ride the Wave?

• 🚀 Alibaba’s Stock is Flying & Palantir’s Crashes

• 🟰 How To Make $60K/Year With Prop Firms

MARKET OVERVIEW

📈 S&P 500 at All-Time Highs While FOMC Pumps the Brakes on Cuts

Another day, another new all-time high for the S&P 500.

It’s like the market’s running on pure hopium… and maybe a little bit of denial.

The FOMC minutes dropped yesterday, and while they didn’t exactly scream “rate cuts are coming,” the market looked around and said, “Cool story, bro” — and kept climbing.

Here’s the deal:

💡 FOMC Says “Not So Fast” on Rate Cuts

• The Fed minutes showed most officials are in no rush to cut rates. Inflation is still sticky, and they want more proof it’s cooling before making any moves.

• Normally, this kind of news would send stocks into a mini spiral. But not this time. The market’s basically covering its ears and singing “la la la” while buying every dip.

• The S&P 500 closed at another record high yesterday and is now up 4.7% YTD. Powell’s caution? Completely ignored.

🌍 Geopolitics? What Geopolitics?

• Trump made headlines (again) with sharp comments about Ukraine’s Zelensky, calling for elections and tossing around the “dictator” label.

• And yet… markets shrugged. The Ukraine war, despite its global implications, seems to have fallen down the list of market-moving events.

• Safe-haven trades barely moved. Gold is up but more because of momentum than fear. The euro? Flat. The dollar? Broadly higher, but nothing dramatic.

🔍 What This Means for Traders:

• Risk-On is Still King: Markets are in full-on “ignore the bad news” mode. Equities are rallying, crypto is creeping higher, and risk appetite is strong.

• Fed’s Bark is Louder Than Its Bite (For Now): Even with Powell hinting at a pause on cuts, the market isn’t buying it. Rate cuts are still being priced in later this year.

• Geopolitical Risks Are Background Noise: Unless there’s a major escalation, markets seem content ignoring the Ukraine situation.

💡 How to Trade It:

• If you’re riding the risk rally, enjoy the ride—but keep stops tight. This kind of market euphoria can turn fast.

• Watch for any sudden spikes in volatility. FOMC comments might be ignored now, but all it takes is one ugly CPI print to flip the script.

• And if you’re trading FX, keep an eye on USD/JPY. The yen’s strengthening, but with the Fed staying hawkish, the dollar still has legs.

🧵 The Bottom Line:

The market’s in that awkward phase where it knows the Fed is serious but doesn’t believe them.

It’s like when your wife says, “We need to talk” — you know something’s coming, but you’re still hoping it’s about dinner plans.

For now, stocks are loving the fantasy of rate cuts and ignoring the Fed’s reality check.

But how long can the market keep its head in the clouds?

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TRADE IDEAS

🏆 Gold Hits Record Highs – Is It Time to Ride the Wave?

Gold’s been on an absolute tear lately, and if you blinked, you probably missed another $50 move.

The shiny metal just hit a record high of $2,550 — running faster than Usain Bolt on a Red Bull rush.

Since mid-December, gold has soared over 14%, proving once again that when markets get weird, traders flock to what glitters.

But what’s really driving this rocket ride? Let’s dig in.

💡 What’s Fueling Gold’s Rally?

1. The Fed’s Wobbly Stance: Even though Jerome Powell has been playing it cool, hinting that rate cuts aren’t right around the corner, the market isn’t buying it. Lower rates make non-yielding assets like gold more attractive. And traders are betting that when push comes to shove, the Fed will have to ease up.
   

2. Safe Haven Flow: Between tensions in Ukraine, shaky global economies, and whispers of more trade drama (thanks, Trump), gold is getting love from investors looking for safety. It’s like the market’s version of hiding under the covers during a scary movie.
   

3. Weak Dollar Vibes: The USD has been losing some steam, giving gold another reason to flex. When the dollar drops, commodities priced in dollars (like gold) usually get a nice boost.
   

4. Technical Breakouts: Gold smashed through major resistance levels like a wrecking ball. And you know how it goes — break a key level, and the FOMO crowd piles in, sending prices even higher.

🔮 What Happens Next?

Let’s get creative with a few possible scenarios:

1. The Melt-Up Continues:
Gold keeps ripping higher as more traders jump in, driving it to $3,000+. Inflation fears creep back, the Fed blinks, and boom — gold’s the belle of the ball.

2. The Sneaky Fake-Out:
Gold stalls here, teases us with more highs, then reverses hard. Maybe it’s a surprise data print, maybe it’s Powell going ultra-hawkish — either way, latecomers get trapped, and gold dumps back to $2,400.

3. The Sideways Grind:
Gold chops between $2,700–$2,900, leaving everyone second-guessing. Bulls and bears get whipsawed, and only the nimblest scalpers come out alive.

💡 So… Should You Ride the Wave?

Look, going against a strong trend is like stepping in front of a freight train — not advised.

As our Pip Munch intern (who still trades from his mom’s basement) always says: “Trade what’s in front of you, not what you think should happen.”

Gold’s red-hot right now, but that doesn’t mean you throw caution out the window.

If you’re hopping on, keep stops tight and ride the momentum — but don’t get married to the trade.

And if you’re waiting for a pullback? Patience, grasshopper.

Markets love to give second chances — right after they shake out the weak hands.

For now, though, gold’s shining bright.

The only question is… will you chase it or wait for the dust to settle?

🚀 Pre-Market Fuel

1. Alibaba’s stock soared 9% on positive earnings. It’s now up 47% over the last month. 📈 

2. Free money? Trump said they’re considering giving 20% of the savings created by DOGE to Americans.

3. Palantir’s stock is crashing. I mean, does anybody even know what this company does?

4. $60K a year with prop firms? Here’s the math.

🍪 Munchy Memes

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