#market-volatility

#market-volatility

A recent Allianz survey found that 64% of Americans worry more about running out of savings than actually dying. And it's easy to see why. Even if you apply a smart withdrawal strategy to your savings, there's no guarantee that your money will last as long as you need it to. You could end up living longer than expected, or the stock market could go through an extended rough patch that forces you to lock in portfolio losses.

Most people would probably be thrilled to reach the age of 50 with $3 million and a $1 million house. But this Reddit poster is having doubts about how well they're actually doing. And while that might seem surprising, the reality is that $3 million doesn't automatically guarantee financial freedom in today's economy, not when rising costs, longer lifespans, and shifting expectations can make even a large nest egg feel surprisingly fragile.

Opendoor Technologies ( NASDAQ: OPEN) went public via SPAC merger in December 2020 with a bold vision: use technology to eliminate friction from home buying and selling. The iBuyer model promised homeowners instant cash sales while buyers browsed algorithmically priced homes online. Investors initially loved it. The pandemic housing boom was rocket fuel. Low rates and remote work sent home prices soaring, and Opendoor's tech-forward approach seemed perfectly timed. But the model had a fatal flaw: buying massive inventory with borrowed money,

The company paid an average price of $90,615 per bitcoin during the Dec. 1-7 period, according to a regulatory filing and a statement from Executive Chairman Michael Saylor. The purchase lifts Strategy's total bitcoin holdings to 660,624 coins, accumulated for roughly $49.35 billion at an average cost of $74,696 per bitcoin. At current prices near $94,000, Strategy's bitcoin stash is valued at about $60.5 billion, leaving the firm with an estimated $11 billion in unrealized gains.

Ark Invest's Cathie Wood, who's a big investor in disruptive innovators, has been reducing her stake in AI data analytics firm Palantir ( NASDAQ:PLTR) in recent weeks. And a bit of profit-taking at quite a volatile and anxious time certainly does seem wise, especially as Dr. Michael Burry looks to keep those subscribed to his newsletter informed on his views of big tech and his bearish put positions.

If November's fickle rates are a sign of what's to come, mortgage rates will likely rise in December. Analysts went into this month with a growing sense that the Federal Reserve would vote to lower the federal funds rate at its Dec. 9-10 meeting. However, any cuts to mortgage rates related to this month's meeting will be relegated to the first week or so of December.

The stock market continues to send investors mixed messages, blending signs of resilience with hints of fragility. Economic data shows robust corporate earnings, yet labor market weakness, inflation and interest rate worries, and geopolitical tensions have sparked bouts of selling. Investors face a dilemma: commit fresh capital to equities amid record highs, or shift toward bonds and cash for protection? Just a week ago, the S&P 500 appeared poised for a 10% correction, with breadth narrowing and volatility spiking.

"I underestimated how much exposure Fannie and Freddie ('F2') have to crypto, not on balance sheet, but in their shareholder bases," Ackman said on X.

After yesterday's debacle in which approximately $1 trillion in market capitalization was erased from the stock market, some technology stocks are still hunting a bottom. With the Nasdaq Composite now down 3% for the month of November so far, the AI rally has lost its steam for the time being as the markets wrestle with bullish fundamentals overshadowed by negative headlines. While the selling hasn't been pretty for the bulls, it does not appear to be over, at least not yet.

The VIX, for those unfamiliar, measures expected 30-day volatility in S&P 500 options, essentially tracking how much investors will pay to protect against market swings. Readings above 20 signal heightened anxiety; readings above 40 often mark crisis points. On April 8, the VIX peaked at 52.33 after Trump's tariff announcement sent global markets into freefall. Thursday's spike stemmed from different concerns.

"Global stock markets sold off sharply this morning as investors continued to question whether the "Magnificent 7" tech companies have fueled an unsustainable bubble in AI. The selling is brutal. Nasdaq 100 futures were down 0.36% this morning after losing 2.38% yesterday. S&P 500 futures were flat but volatile this morning (the VIX volatility index was up 14% this morning). The S&P 500, which lost 1.56% yesterday, is now down 3% this month, and is down over 5% from its recent high."

Few sectors this year have delivered the kind of explosive gains seen in artificial intelligence (AI)-focused data center operators. IREN ( NASDAQ:IREN ) is a former Bitcoin miner turned renewable-powered AI cloud provider and surged more than 400% year-to-date at its peak. Nebius Group ( NASDAQ:NBIS ) - the rebranded AI infrastructure arm of what was once Russian search giant Yandex - climbed over 500% from its spring lows as it secured massive GPU deals.

The markets are ending the week on a low note as the global selloff continued in Asia and Europe this morning, prompted by rising uncertainty stemming from the U.S. economy. Doubts about a much-anticipated December interest rate cut from the Fed are mounting, with the likely outcome obscured by patchy data after Washington's government shutdown. Wall Street was bumpy yesterday. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones posted contractions of more than 1.6%, while the Nasdaq Composite fell by 2.3%.

For many quants, the painful start of October brought back memories of June and July, when systematic funds were slammed due to crowded trades, a momentum sell-off, and artificially inflated junk stocks. Indeed, in the first week of October, Renaissance Technologies - the legendary quant firm founded by the late billionaire Jim Simons - had given away all of its gains on the year in its two biggest funds for external investors.

Over the past month, XRP has fallen 22.6% to around $2.30. The chart shows a steady downtrend. Recovery attempts keep failing as sellers remain in control. XRP has dropped below the Bollinger Band midline, with resistance near $2.46. The lower band at $2.24 provides temporary support, but repeated tests suggest it could break under more selling pressure. Buying interest is weak, and trading volume has dropped compared to past surges. Short-term moving averages (MA5 and MA10) sit above the current price, signaling bearish momentum.