August 18, 2025

Markets:

U.S. stock futures slipped Monday, giving back some momentum after last week’s strong rally fueled by optimism over Fed rate cuts.

Tesla edged down about 0.7% after London’s The Times reported the company is slashing lease prices in the U.K. by up to 40% amid slowing demand. Novo Nordisk popped more than 4% after the FDA granted its obesity drug Wegovy accelerated approval for treating a severe liver disease.

All eyes remain on the Federal Reserve this week as policymakers gather in Jackson Hole for the annual symposium. Markets will be parsing every word for rate cut signals. According to CME’s FedWatch tool, futures now imply nearly an 85% chance of a September rate cut.

Overseas, Asia-Pacific stocks mostly advanced Monday as investors awaited talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, Friday’s U.S.-Russia summit wrapped without progress toward a ceasefire.

Portfolio:

We’re fired up for the next stretch. A heavy earnings slate is ahead with names like NVDA, WDAY, OKTA, MDB, CRWD, SNOW, MRVL, DELL, BULL, and BABA—all in focus over the next two weeks. Tonight, Palo Alto Networks kicks things off, and we’re leaning in hard on this space.

Also in play: the Jackson Hole Symposium. Remember—this week brings nonstop headlines, “sources say” chatter, and clickbait spin. Don’t get whipsawed. The market’s broader trend is intact, and the noise is just positioning games. Patience is key.

After Labor Day, full trading volume returns as Wall Street comes back from summer. Historically, this sparks another round of big moves. Given the massive cash still parked on the sidelines, we see the setup for a powerful runway into year-end. These are the rare stretches that can reshape portfolios. We’ll be in attack mode—and you should be ready too.

Stay patient the next couple of weeks. We’ll pick our spots carefully  No changes needed with current holdings in CRWX, ONDS, and TSLL.  Let's have a great week.  Follow the playbook above.