Aug 16, 2025

I recently came across news about concerns regarding inflation moving in the wrong direction, with the inflationary trend persistently higher than pre-pandemic levels and potentially faster than expected in 2024. The impact of tariffs and uncertainties surrounding the integrity of inflation numbers following the change in leadership at the Bureau of Labor Statistics are contributing factors to this trend.

There are also warnings of potential market trouble ahead, with Goldman researchers cautioning that the next significant market move may be downward despite recent record highs in the S&P 500. Factors such as increased tariffs, geopolitical risks, and uncertainties regarding Fed rate cuts are creating a less favorable environment in the stock market with higher equity drawdown probabilities.

Additionally, discussions are ongoing about President Trump’s executive order to promote 401(k) investments in private equity and its potential implications. The recent rescission of a Biden-era statement cautioning against including private equity in 401(k) plans by the Labor Department has sparked conversations about the benefits for retail investors, private equity fund managers, and the broader economy. There are also talks about Intel considering selling an ownership stake to the U.S. government to support its domestic manufacturing ambitions, leading to a spike in Intel’s shares.

Furthermore, there have been significant venture capital deals in the tech industry, with companies like Cohere, Cognition, Lambda, XOPS, Sola, and Palabra AI securing substantial funding rounds for their innovative technologies. Notable private equity deals include Advent International’s potential acquisition of U-blox, Affinity Partners’ stake acquisition in OakNorth, and Apollo and Motive Partners’ merger to form a new private-market services provider. Public offerings and mergers and acquisitions in various industries, such as PayPay’s confidential IPO filing, Associated British Foods’ acquisition of Hovis, and Berkshire Hathaway’s stake in UnitedHealth Group, are also shaping the financial landscape with opportunities for growth and investment.

Stay Well!