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Wednesday, October 8

The ongoing U.S. government shutdown has entered its second week, creating uncertainty in the markets as President Trump threatens to cut spending programs and lay off federal workers. This political deadlock is contributing to a stronger demand for safe-haven assets like gold and the U.S. dollar, which recently reached its highest level since early August amid concerns over economic performance.

In Europe, significant political turmoil surrounds France following Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's sudden resignation shortly after taking office due to internal party conflicts. This instability is negatively impacting investor sentiment towards the euro while simultaneously boosting interest in safer currencies such as the USD.

Additionally, recent data from Germany indicates that industrial production fell by 4.3% month-over-month in August—much worse than expected—and reflects broader weaknesses within Europe's largest economy amidst rising geopolitical tensions globally and domestic challenges related to fiscal policies across major economies including Japan’s new leadership under Sanae Takaichi favoring expansionary measures rather than immediate rate hikes.

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) [+1.5%]
SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has experienced a price increase of 1.5% in pre-market trading, reflecting broader trends in the gold market. Gold prices have surged past the $4,000 per ounce mark, currently trading at approximately $4,011.50, which represents a significant rise over the past week. GLD closed at $366.26 on Tuesday, marking a year-to-date increase of nearly 50%. This surge is attributed to ongoing global economic uncertainties, including the U.S. government shutdown and political turmoil in France. Analysts from UBS expect continued price gains, while Goldman Sachs has raised its target price for gold to $4,900. Social media discussions highlight a sense of urgency among market participants, with mentions of panic buying as gold outperforms other assets, enjoying its best year since 1979.

Bitcoin (BTC/USD) [+1.1%]
Bitcoin's price has surged past 126,000, driven by heightened market uncertainty amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. This environment has increased demand for cryptocurrencies as safe-haven assets. The debate surrounding Bitcoin's fundamental value in contrast to traditional financial systems is intensifying. Expectations for potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve are also influencing the digital currency market. Meanwhile, global assets under management for Bitcoin funds have exceeded 200 billion. Social media discussions reveal that Bitcoin was valued at 62,000 a year ago, marking a significant increase. Michael Saylor's strategy now holds 80 billion in Bitcoin, ranking it as the fifth largest corporate treasury among S&P 500 companies. Additionally, Bitcoin whales are showing signs of profit-taking as dormancy spikes, while a recent price decline coincided with the dollar index reaching its highest level since early August and gold prices surpassing 4,000. GraniteShares has filed for 3x daily long and short ETFs for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

JOBY | -10.9% | -1.3B
Joby Aviation Inc | Passenger Airlines
Joby Aviation Inc. announced a public offering of 30.5 million shares priced at $16.85 each, generating approximately $513.9 million in gross proceeds. This offering is expected to close on October 9, 2025, and includes a 30-day option for underwriter Morgan Stanley to purchase an additional 4.575 million shares. The proceeds will support certification and manufacturing efforts, preparation for commercial operations, and general working capital needs. Following this announcement, Joby Aviation's stock dropped significantly, falling around 10% to $16.94 in premarket trading. The offering was priced below the previous closing price of $18.91. Social media discussions highlighted the potential impact of this decision on JOBY's stock performance, with negative sentiment regarding the strategy of issuing shares. Additionally, the stock's performance has been noted to affect broader market indices, particularly the Russell 2000.

RKLB | +5.2% | +1.7B
Rocket Lab USA Inc | Aerospace & Defense
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has secured a multi-launch contract with the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS) for three dedicated Electron missions, scheduled to launch no earlier than 2026 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. This agreement increases the total number of upcoming launches for iQPS to seven, complementing four already booked. Each mission will deploy a synthetic aperture radar satellite using Rocket Lab's Motorized Lightband separation system. The company has ramped up its production and launch cadence, targeting over 20 missions in 2025, having already completed four launches for iQPS this year. Social media discussions highlight Rocket Lab's role as the primary launch provider for iQPS’s commercial Earth imaging constellation and mention that the next mission is set for November 2025. The stock price of Rocket Lab has increased, reflecting heightened attention on the company’s long-term potential and upcoming projects.

ASTS | +12.1% | +2.6B
AST SpaceMobile Inc | Alternative Carriers
AST SpaceMobile Inc. has announced a definitive commercial agreement with Verizon to provide direct-to-cellular satellite service, scheduled to launch in 2026. This collaboration will utilize Verizon's 850 MHz spectrum in conjunction with AST's low Earth orbit satellite network, enabling space-based cellular broadband coverage across the continental United States. Notably, the service will connect directly to standard smartphones without the need for specialized equipment. Successful testing has already demonstrated voice and video calls using unmodified devices. This agreement builds on a strategic partnership initiated in May 2024 and marks a significant step toward AST SpaceMobile's objective of establishing a global cellular broadband network accessible via standard mobile devices. Concurrently, social media discussions have emerged around ASTS, with users referencing its mention in the 2025 Q3 Investor Letter from 10 West Advisors and highlighting its position alongside other stocks in the aerospace sector.

FICO | -3.2% | -1.4B
Fair Isaac Corp | Application Software
Fair Isaac Corp's stock has declined by 3.2% following Equifax's announcement of a significant reduction in its mortgage credit score pricing. Equifax will now offer VantageScore 4.0 at $4.50, a discount exceeding 50% compared to Fair Isaac's planned $10 price in 2026. This pricing strategy is described as a response to Fair Isaac's perceived monopolistic practices. Additionally, Equifax will provide free VantageScore credit scores to customers purchasing FICO scores throughout 2025 and 2026. The news, published approximately 15 hours ago, has prompted an immediate market reaction. Conversations on social media have also surfaced regarding Fair Isaac's direct licensing model, which is expected to enhance price transparency in the mortgage industry.

EFX | +3.1% | +940.5M
Equifax Inc | Research & Consulting Services
Equifax Inc. has announced a significant reduction in its VantageScore 4.0 mortgage credit scores, pricing them at $4.50 for two years, which is over 50% lower than FICO's planned pricing of $10 in 2026. This strategic move aims to enhance competitive dynamics in the credit scoring market, particularly in response to FICO's substantial price increase. Additionally, Equifax will provide free VantageScore 4.0 credit scores to customers purchasing FICO scores through the end of 2026, potentially allowing for the scoring of an additional 33 million U.S. adults by incorporating alternative data such as rental and utility payment histories. The announcements coincided with a recent price movement in the stock, which increased significantly. Conversations on social media regarding Equifax's response to FICO's direct licensing model emerged shortly after market hours yesterday.

LCID | -2.6% | -1.3B
Lucid Group Inc | Automobile Manufacturers
Lucid Group Inc. reported the delivery of 4,078 vehicles in Q3, reflecting a 47% year-over-year increase, though this figure fell short of market expectations. Following this announcement, shares declined to 23.89 in after-market trading. CFRA subsequently downgraded the stock from Sell to Strong Sell, establishing a price target of 10.00. Social media discussions have highlighted user experiences with the upcoming 2026 Lucid Gravity and comparisons between the Lucid Air Pure RWD and the Porsche Taycan 4S. Additionally, a video showcasing a gravity charging test for Lucid vehicles was shared, emphasizing the efficiency of a 400kW charger. Concurrently, Joby Aviation Inc. experienced a significant decline of over 10% following its announcement of a public offering, which may be influencing sentiment within the sector and contributing to Lucid's recent price drop of 2.6%.

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