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Good day valued readers,

We hope this week's carefully curated selection of news finds you well. In this edition, we cover the latest developments across investing, finance, crypto, AI, and other topics to help you stay informed.

As always, our goal is to provide you with a professional, unbiased roundup of noteworthy news to augment your understanding of what's happening in the world. We take pride in hand-selecting articles from trustworthy sources across a diverse range of industries.

Please enjoy this week's newsletter. We're grateful for the opportunity to share these insights with you and look forward to continuing to be a valuable resource.

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Investing and Finance

Welcome to this week's market insight newsletter, where the glitter of gold takes center stage amid a fascinating tapestry of market movements. The precious metal's spectacular rally to record highs has caught everyone's attention, with Costco reportedly selling an astounding $200 million in gold bars monthly - a testament to growing investor appetite for safe-haven assets. Tech continues its rollercoaster ride, with Nvidia reaching fresh highs despite warnings from Norway's sovereign wealth fund about market caution, while AI skeptics draw concerning parallels to the dot-com bubble.

In the corporate realm, we're seeing mixed signals: SAP and Philip Morris soar to record heights on strong earnings, while McDonald's grapples with E. coli concerns and Lockheed Martin faces headwinds from declining F-35 sales. Treasury yields have surged to levels not seen since July, adding another layer of complexity to an already intricate market landscape. The global stage remains dynamic, with Hyundai Motor India making waves with the country's largest IPO, while closer to home, an inspiring story of teen entrepreneurs turning a Facebook side hustle into a $1.2M business reminds us that opportunity knows no age.

Meanwhile, real estate investors are exploring creative alternatives to traditional landlording, and diversification strategies are taking center stage as market uncertainty persists. As we navigate these turbulent waters, one thing becomes clear: adaptability and informed decision-making have never been more crucial for investors.

1. Why the west should be paying more attention to the gold price rise - Read more

2. Watch These Gold Price Levels as Precious Metal Sets New Record High - Read more

3. Treasury Yields Surge to Highest Level Since July - Read more

4. The AI bubble is looking worse than the dot-com bubble. Here’s why. - Read more

5. Nvidia Stock Climbs to Fresh High as Analysts Grow More Bullish - Read more

6. Hyundai Motor India's shares set to start trading after the country's largest IPO - Read more

7. Teen Brothers' $1.2M Business Began as Facebook Side Hustle - Read more

8. New bullish phase'? As gold hits another high, analysts say more records are in sight - Read more

9. 3 Ways to Invest in Real Estate Without Being a Landlord - Read more

10. SAP Stock Hits Record High as Demand for Its Cloud Products Soars - Read more

11. Lockheed Martin Stock Sinks as F-35 Sales Decline Weighs on Revenue - Read more

12. How Much House is Too Much? - Read more

13. A Few Thoughts On Diversification Strategies - Read more

14. Philip Morris Stock Surges to All-Time High on Better-Than-Expected Earnings, Outlook - Read more

15. Costco selling as much as $200 million in gold bars monthly, Wells Fargo estimates - Read more

16. McDonald's Stock Drops on E. Coli Investigation - Read more

17. Apple and Goldman Sachs Fined More Than $89 Million For Apple Card Issues - Read more

18. Silver Rally Stumbles But Metal Remains Supported by Industrial Demand - Read more

19. Nvidia Launches Danish Sovereign AI Supercomputer That Novo Nordisk Will Use - Read more

20. Time to be a little bit cautious': Norway's $1.8 trillion wealth fund issues stock market warning - Read more

Crypto News

Welcome to this week's crypto and blockchain newsletter, where the digital asset landscape continues to evolve with fascinating developments and cautionary tales. In the heart of Kentucky, a Bitcoin mining venture has transformed from a promising opportunity into a sobering reminder of the industry's volatile nature, while elsewhere, the network's hashrate reaches unprecedented heights with public miners claiming a larger share than ever before.

Institutional interest continues to surge, with VanEck enhancing its Solana product in Europe and River introducing an innovative service allowing investors to earn Bitcoin while holding dollars. The infrastructure space sees bold moves as Aurum Equity Partners launches an ambitious $1B tokenized fund utilizing XRP Ledger technology, while Base pushes forward with decentralization efforts through the introduction of fault proofs. On the personal front, a crypto CEO's unfortunate $450K loss through a WiFi connection serves as a stark reminder of security risks, even as Michael Saylor makes headlines with his Satoshi-inspired pledge to give away his Bitcoin holdings.

Meanwhile, regulatory landscapes shift as Nigeria drops charges against a Binance executive, and Circle expresses optimism about upcoming UK stablecoin legislation. Tesla's movement of $776 million in Bitcoin adds another layer of intrigue to the market dynamics, highlighting the continued involvement of major institutional players in the space. As the industry matures, these developments underscore both the tremendous opportunities and significant challenges that lie ahead in the digital asset ecosystem.

1. In the Kentucky Mountains, a Bitcoin Mining Dream Becomes the Stuff of Nightmares - Read more

2. VanEck Adds Staking Rewards to Solana Investment Product in Europe - Read more

3. Bitcoin Hashrate Hits All-Time High as Publicly-Listed Miners' Share of the Network Peaks - Read more

4. Aurum Equity Partners Launches $1B Tokenized Equity and Debt Fund Using Zoniqx and XRP Ledger Technology - Read more

5. River launches Bitcoin Interest on Cash: For the first time ever investors can hold dollars and earn bitcoin safely - Read more

6. Aurum Launches $1B Tokenized Fund for Data Center Investments on XRP Ledger With Zoniqx - Read more

7. Crypto CEO Loses $450K to 'Best Friend' After Connecting to His WiFi - Read more

8. Michael Saylor Says He'll Give Away His Bitcoin—Like Satoshi Nakamoto - Read more

9. Elon Musk's Tesla Moved $776 Million in Bitcoin, But Is Still in Control of Wallets: Arkham - Read more

10. Nigerian court orders release of Binance executive after charges dropped - Read more

11. Crypto firm Circle expects the UK to introduce stablecoin laws in ‘months, not years’ - Read more

12. Radiant Capital hacker moves $52M in stolen funds - Read more

13. Base plans to introduce fault proofs this month, aiming for decentralization - Read more

Artificial Intelligence

Welcome to this week's AI industry newsletter, where the landscape continues to evolve at a breathtaking pace, marked by both groundbreaking achievements and sobering challenges. The sector's momentum remains strong with Q3 2024 witnessing $3.9B in generative AI startup investments, while established players like Anthropic and Microsoft push boundaries with new computer control capabilities and enhanced Copilot Studio features.

A notable shift in leadership dynamics unfolds as former OpenAI technology chief Mira Murati prepares to launch her own venture, while the company welcomes Dr. Ronnie Chatterji as its first Chief Economic Officer. The intersection of AI and society grows more complex, with Penguin Random House taking a firm stance against AI training and Character.AI facing serious challenges following a tragic teen suicide case. Meanwhile, the competitive landscape intensifies as Apple reportedly struggles to keep pace with rivals in AI development, Qualcomm unveils new AI smartphone chips, and Nvidia candidly acknowledges a design flaw in their latest AI chip.

The corporate world continues to embrace AI integration, exemplified by Chipotle's implementation of AI hiring platforms, even as legal battles emerge with Rupert Murdoch's news outlets taking on Perplexity AI. Perhaps most intriguingly, OpenAI scientist Noam Brown's recent TED AI Conference revelation about the value of thinking versus data suggests we're on the cusp of yet another paradigm shift in how we approach artificial intelligence development.

1. Investments in generative AI startups topped $3.9B in Q3 2024 - Read more

2. Unlocking autonomous agent capabilities with Microsoft Copilot Studio - Read more

3. Qualcomm reveals AI smartphone chip as industry leans into AI phones - Read more

4. Former OpenAI technology chief Mira Murati to raise capital for new AI startup, sources say - Read more

5. Apple's AI Progress Lagging Behind Rivals; ChatGPT Outperforms Siri by 30% - Read more

6. Penguin Random House books now explicitly say ‘no’ to AI training - Read more

7. Anthropic says latest AI model can control users’ computers - Read more

8. Introducing computer use, a new Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Claude 3.5 Haiku - Read more

9. Chipotle Introduces New Ai Hiring Platform To Support Its Accelerated Growth - Read more

10. Bringing Agentic Workflows into Inflection for Enterprise - Read more

11. Apple study exposes deep cracks in LLMs’ “reasoning” capabilities - Read more

12. Rupert Murdoch’s news outlets sue Perplexity AI for allegedly engaging in ‘massive freeriding’ - Read more

13. Dr. Ronnie Chatterji Named OpenAI’s First Chief Economist - Read more

14. Chipotle turns to AI hiring platform to screen job applicants - Read more

15. Microsoft has a plan to beat Apple and Google at AI. Here's how - Read more

16. Character AI clamps down following teen user suicide, but users are revolting - Read more

17. Nvidia's CEO says a design flaw in its new AI chip was '100% Nvidia's fault' - Read more

18. Qualcomm Announces Multi-Year Strategic Collaboration with Google to Deliver Generative AI Digital Cockpit Solutions - Read more

19. Mother sues AI chatbot company Character.AI, Google over son's suicide - Read more

20. OpenAI scientist Noam Brown stuns TED AI Conference: ’20 seconds of thinking worth 100,000x more data’ - Read more

Top Article Picks this week

Welcome to this week's lifestyle and wellness newsletter, where we explore the fascinating contradictions of modern living and the quest for better health and happiness. From the hidden world of extreme night owls who keep their unconventional sleep schedules secret, to new research suggesting that "weekend warrior" exercise might be just as beneficial as daily workouts, we're uncovering surprising insights about our daily routines.

The wellness industry's trillion-dollar shadow looms large over our collective consciousness, even as we grapple with more fundamental questions about relationships and whether our desires are truly our own or socially programmed. Urban design comes under scrutiny as we examine how parking lots have dramatically shaped American cities, while the fashion industry faces criticism for the proliferation of disposable clothing. Our relationship with stress is getting a fresh look, with evidence suggesting it's not the universal villain we once thought it was, and research into the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon offers intriguing insights into cognitive aging.

As we navigate these complexities, from handling awkward personal questions to finding ways to transform our lives, one thing becomes clear: the path to well-being often lies in questioning our assumptions and finding balance in an increasingly unbalanced world. Meanwhile, parents seeking to nurture young minds can explore the latest STEM toys, proving that learning and play continue to evolve hand in hand. The seemingly free WhatsApp reminds us that in today's world, even our most basic tools of connection come with hidden business models worth understanding.

1. Extreme Night Owls: ‘I Can’t Tell Anyone What Time I Go to Bed’ (Reading time: 12 min) - Read here

2. How does WhatsApp make money? It's free - with some tricks (Reading time: 3 min) - Read here

3. 10 Ways to Turn Your Life Around for the Better (Reading time: 6 min) - Read here

4. A Foolproof Way to Respond to Awkward Personal Questions (Reading time: 3 min) - Read here

5. Stress isn't all bad. Here's when it can help (Reading time: 4 min) - Read here

6. What the Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon Says About Cognitive Aging (Reading time: 5 min) - Read here

7. A Dark Night Is Good for Your Health (Reading time: 5 min) - Read here

8. The Rise of Ending Explainers, Explained (Reading time: 12 min) - Read here

9. ‘Weekend Warrior’ Workouts May Be as Effective as Daily Exercise, Study Shows (Reading time: 3 min) - Read here

10. The best STEM toys in 2024 for kids of all ages (Reading time: 10 min) - Read here

11. The Multi-Trillion-Dollar Wellness Industry Is Making Us Sick (Reading time: 12 min) - Read here

12. We’re in the Golden Age of Garbage Clothing (Reading time: 18 min) - Read here

13. I Can’t Tell If I Actually Want a Relationship, or I’ve Just Been Programmed to Think I Do (Reading time: 4 min) - Read here

14. Parking Has Eaten American Cities (Reading time: 3 min) - Read here

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Book of the week

Patrick Süskind's masterpiece "Perfume" is a dark, mesmerizing journey through 18th-century France that engages the most neglected of our senses in literature: smell. The protagonist, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, is born into squalor beneath a fish stall, surviving against all odds despite his mother's attempt to let him die among the fish guts and flies. From his first breath, Grenouille possesses an supernatural ability to perceive and categorize every scent in his world, yet ironically, he himself has no personal odor. The author's prose is so richly descriptive that readers can almost smell the putrid streets of Paris, the delicate floral essences, and the mysterious human scents that drive the narrative forward.

Süskind crafts a character study of a monster who, despite his incredible gift, lacks the basic human qualities of empathy and connection, making him both fascinating and horrifying. The novel expertly weaves historical detail about perfume-making with a compelling murder mystery, as Grenouille's obsessive quest to capture the perfect scent leads him down an increasingly dark path. Through Grenouille's journey from apprentice perfumer to serial killer, the book explores themes of identity, power, and the nature of human essence both literal and metaphorical.

The author's decision to focus on scent as the driving force of the narrative creates an unusual and unforgettable reading experience that challenges our traditional reliance on visual and auditory descriptions in literature. The translation by John E. Woods masterfully preserves the original German text's poetic quality and sensual intensity. As Grenouille's fixation escalates to its shocking climax, the novel takes on an almost fairy-tale quality, though one closer to the dark original Brothers Grimm stories than their sanitized modern versions.

The book's exploration of beauty, desire, and obsession reaches mythological proportions while remaining grounded in historical detail. Both a period piece and a psychological thriller, "Perfume" succeeds in creating a unique literary experience that lingers in the mind long after the final page. Süskind's ability to make readers sympathize with and simultaneously recoil from his protagonist is a remarkable achievement in character development. The novel's conclusion is as unexpected as it is perfect, bringing together all the themes of scent, power, and human nature in a finale that feels both inevitable and shocking. This modern classic deserves its reputation as one of the most original and compelling novels of the 20th century.

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