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September 2, 2026 The Appetizer “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/ I’m begging of you, please don’t take my man/ Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/ Please don’t take him just because you can.”
Now, on to the numbers. Drum roll, please …
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Dig In America’s debt situation has been getting plenty of attention lately, and this ain’t the first debt drama in history. Nearly 500 years ago, Henry VIII faced a budget problem ... His strategy? Quietly reduce the amount of gold and silver in England’s coins while keeping their face value the same. People eventually caught on, and the episode became one of history’s earliest examples of currency debasement. Fast forward to today, and some investors are drawing parallels to a modern version of that story. With U.S. federal debt surpassing $40 trillion, deficits widening, and long-term borrowing costs rising, questions about the sustainability of the country’s fiscal path have become more common. In response, some investors have shifted money toward assets with limited supply characteristics, such as gold and silver. The trend has been noticeable. The U.S. dollar has weakened while gold has rallied as investors look for other options to traditional stores of value. That does not mean a financial crisis is around the corner, nor does it mean hard assets only move higher. Gold itself recently experienced a sharp correction before rebounding. This trend may suggest that more investors are paying attention to a question that once lived mostly in economics textbooks: How much debt is too much debt? |
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Weekly Specials I have a new business idea: Puffin tours in Maine. All you need is a boat! Puffin cruises seem to be the new hot thing out of Boothbay Harbor, taking visitors to Eastern Egg Rock, home to about 80 breeding puffin pairs. Tours attract around 10,000 visitors annually, averaging $71 per adult, while private tours run $275-$325 per person. Youth league, middle school, high school, college, the NFL ... and now back to college? That’s Dae’Quan Wright’s journey this year. Apparently, returning to LSU could mean more money, more playing time, and more attention. Novak Djokovic came to New York chasing major No. 25. Instead, he lost in the opening round of the U.S. Open for the first time ever, falling to Argentina’s Mariano Navone in a five-set marathon that didn’t wrap until nearly midnight. So much for easing into the tournament. One last tribute to Dolly: With 11 Grammys, thousands of songs, and spots in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Dolly Parton is a legend by any measure. She even entered a Dolly lookalike contest once ... and lost. Clearly, we have some country music fans on the Stifel Bits writing team. |
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Corporate Lunch Apple is upgrading the Mac Mini with its new M6 chip. At this point, having your own signature chip is basically the tech industry’s version of having a signature fragrance. Uber launched a feature that lets parents livestream their teens’ rides. Nothing kills the vibe quite like saying, “Hang on, I have to add my mom to the trip.” Oreo has reportedly released KFC Spicy Chicken-flavored cookies in China. This is a reminder that not every idea needs to leave the brainstorming session. GLP-1s are having an unexpected impact on apparel, with retailers including H&M scaling back larger sizes. Snacks, restaurants, airlines, apparel – we may be running out of industries that aren’t somehow impacted by GLP-1s. Starbucks just had its biggest fall menu launch day ever on August 25, with the new Hedgehog Cake Pop its best-selling fall cake pop in a single day, ever. Are Christmas trees going to pop up next week? |
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501 North Broadway | St. Louis, Missouri 63102 Diversification and asset allocation do not ensure a profit or protect against loss. The risk of loss in trading commodities and futures can be substantial. You should therefore carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for you in light of your financial condition. The high degree of leverage that is often obtainable in commodity trading can work against you as well as for you. The use of leverage can lead to large losses as well as gains. Stifel does not provide legal or tax advice. You should consult with your legal or tax advisor regarding your particular situation. Investing involves risks, including the possible loss of principal invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Index returns include the reinvestment of dividends but do not include adjustments for brokerage, custodian, and advisory fees. Indices are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment. The S&P 500 Index is a capitalization-weighted index that is generally considered representative of the U.S. large capitalization market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is an index that shows how 30 large, publicly owned companies based in the United States have traded during a standard trading session in the stock market. The S&P 500 Momentum USD Index tracks the performance of securities within the S&P 500 that exhibit strong momentum characteristics, measured in U.S. Dollar terms. This material is for informational purposes only and is not an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any security or instrument discussed herein. If you no longer wish to receive these types of communications from Stifel, please reply with a subject line of “unsubscribe.” Please note you will still receive electronic communication as it pertains to your account(s). |
