Do you remember our issue of institutional grade options from a month ago? The one where we told you how to short Boeing in case more planes fall out of the air?

You should maybe have another look at it.

• The S&P 500 hit record highs, with the NASDAQ jumping 1.6%.

  • Tech stocks led a rally on Wall Street with strong earnings from Oracle and a surge from Nvidia.

• Oil prices rose following a surprise drop in U.S. inventories and OPEC's demand outlook for 2024 and 2025.

• Another Boeing airplane fell out of the sky.

• Gold prices slid 2% from record highs after the inflation report.

• The GBP/USD remained rangebound awaiting U.S. Retail Sales and PPI figures.

📈 Trends you need to know

Ideas, trends, and analysis

• Americans are saving for retirement at record rates, with 43% increasing their 401(k) contributions last year.

• The FTC is refunding $4.1 million to victims of student loan forgiveness scams.

• Auto insurance rates soared by 20.6% year over year as of February.

• Franchised auto dealers reported shrinking profits with a sentiment index score of 49.

• The tech industry's layoff trend continues into 2024, with significant recent cuts from major companies like IBM, Audible, and Twitch.

• Economists are suddenly praising Canada's economy, as Canadians’ household net worth rose 1.8 percent to $16.4 trillion in Q4.

🌍 Global Perspectives

• 🇮🇹🇨🇳 Italy is in talks with China's Chery Auto to establish Chery's first European manufacturing presence.

• 🇯🇵 The Bank of Japan is meeting next week and could see the first interest rate hike in 14 years.

• 🇺🇦 Ukraine struck oil refineries deep inside Russia, intensifying cross-border attacks.

• 🇷🇺 Putin stated Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if the state's existence is threatened.

• 🇬🇧 The UK's economy grew in January after a shallow recession in the latter half of 2023.

• 🇭🇹 The US dispatched an anti-terrorism Marine unit to protect the embassy in Haiti following the Prime Minister's resignation. If you want a primer on why things in Haiti are so awful, check out this tweet:

• 🇪🇺 European missile makers booked record orders in 2023 as European nations rush to enhance air defenses.

📊 Income

• Yields continue to surge.

• February's dividend portfolio hits a new record with $643 in income and 19 strategic buys.

📊 Crypto

• The SEC ordered First Trust-SkyBridge to declare its Bitcoin ETF application abandoned.

• Visa and Mastercard's crypto initiatives aim to drive broader adoption through reward programs.

• Solana memecoin dogwifhat will light up Las Vegas's skyline after a successful $650,000 community fundraising campaign.

🧠 Errata

• Palantir CEO called short sellers cocaine addicts who "love pulling down great American companies."

• African cocoa plants running dry have caused a chocolate supply crisis, signaling a bitter future for sweet lovers.

• A newly identified ancient shark species, Cosmoselachus mehlingi, reminds us the ocean is terrifying.

• Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley' reported disease rates up to seven times the national average.

• A detailed map of the developing human heart unveiled never-before-seen cells even my ex can't deny exist.

• Science now shows that playing with dogs keeps you sharp.

That’s all for today. Did I miss anything? Smash the reply button to let me know.

Cheers,

Wyatt