Good Afternoon. If your 401(k) could talk, it’d be humming “Started from the bottom now we here.” Markets are cruising at record highs, Nvidia keeps making deals, TikTok just got a political greenlight, and even Notre Dame is having a glow-up. Let’s get into it.

—Rosie, Wyatt, Evan & Conor

🔥 What’s Hot: 🔥

🥶 What’s Not: 🥶

Wondering what’s the latest with crypto treasury companies, Pre-IPO venture secondaries, private credit deals and real estate moves? Join 100,000+ private market investors who get smarter every day with Alternative Investing Report, the industry's leading source for investing in alternative assets.

In your inbox by 9 AM ET, AIR is chock full of the latest insights, analysis and trends that are driving alts. Readers get a weekly investment pick to consider from a notable investor, plus special offers to join top private market platforms and managers.

And the best part? It’s totally free forever.

Subcribe to AIR today

1. CrowdStrike stock surges on AI strategy, Nvidia deal

The News: CrowdStrike (CRWD) surged 12% to $498.23 on Sept. 18 after its Fal.Con conference showcased an aggressive AI push and a deepened tie with Nvidia. The companies unveiled a joint “no-code” platform that fuses CrowdStrike’s Charlotte AI AgentWorks with Nvidia’s Nemotron/NeMo stack to build secure AI agents. CrowdStrike also announced a $260M deal for AI-security startup Pangea, extending Falcon into prompt-layer defense.

Why It Matters: Everywhere Nvidia shows up, valuations follow and CrowdStrike is the latest beneficiary of the chipmaker’s “Midas Touch.” For enterprises, the partnership promises guardrails as AI adoption rewrites the attack surface, with CrowdStrike pitching its new AIDR (AI Detection & Response) stack as a must-have. For investors, the Nvidia halo plus upside ARR guidance shifts the narrative from outage recovery to growth re-acceleration. If execution holds, CrowdStrike could justify its premium multiple.
Source: thestreet.com

2. TikTok Deal Lifts Nasdaq

The News: President Trump said he reached a TikTok deal with China’s Xi Jinping, with new investors expected to own about half the platform and existing ByteDance backers (Susquehanna, KKR, General Atlantic) retaining ~30%. Terms weren’t disclosed, but the announcement coincided with broad market strength: the Nasdaq rose while the Russell 2000, S&P 500, and Dow extended records set Thursday. Treasury yields climbed to 4.14% on the 10-year, and gold futures traded above $3,680/oz near record highs. Meanwhile, a stopgap U.S. budget bill failed in the Senate, raising shutdown risks.

Why It Matters: A Trump–Xi deal may secure TikTok’s U.S. future, avoiding app bans and disruptions for its 170M American users. For investors, it reduces geopolitical risk around one of the world’s most valuable social platforms while signaling potential thaw in U.S.–China ties. At the same time, yields inching higher and gold hitting records show markets still hedging against policy uncertainty and fiscal stress. What to watch: final TikTok ownership terms and whether Congress averts a Sept. 30 shutdown. For now, Wall Street’s scrolling happily.
Source: wsj.com

3. SEC Weighs End of Quarterly Earnings

The News: SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the agency will propose a rule change to allow companies to switch from quarterly to semiannual earnings reports, echoing President Trump’s push earlier this week. The proposal, which needs only a majority SEC vote (Republicans hold a 3–1 edge), would let firms choose their cadence. Supporters argue six-month reporting reduces costs and short-termism, while critics warn it cuts transparency for retail investors. Foreign private issuers already report semiannually, and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund recently advocated the same model for U.S. companies.

Why It Matters: For investors, fewer reports mean less timely insight, potentially widening the gap between Wall Street and retail traders. For executives, it could reduce compliance costs and ease pressure to “manage to the quarter,” freeing bandwidth for long-term strategy. Markets may initially reward firms that stick with quarterly updates, signaling stability and investor-friendly transparency. With Republicans holding a 3–1 SEC majority, passage is likely all but certain, marking the biggest change to U.S. disclosure rules since quarterly reporting became mandatory in the 1970s. What to watch: whether blue-chip firms actually switch, or if semiannual reporting ends up a perk mostly for midcaps.
Source: cnbc.com

4. Every Doge has Its Day

The News: The first U.S. ETF tracking Dogecoin (ticker: DOJE) launched Thursday and smashed expectations with $17M in first-day trading volume, including $6M in the opening hour. That’s far above analyst forecasts of ~$2.5M and well above the <$1M norm for most ETF debuts. The launch, paired with a new XRP ETF that saw $37.7M in day-one volume, signals strong demand for regulated exposure to crypto beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Why It Matters: For investors, the DOGE ETF makes the meme coin mainstream, wrapping speculative crypto in a regulated, brokerage-friendly vehicle. For issuers, REX-Osprey’s creative use of the ’40 Act let it bypass delays that have sidelined bigger players like Bitwise and Franklin Templeton. For markets, the ETF’s structure (80% Dogecoin futures, 20% Treasuries) shows how issuers are engineering around regulatory hurdles until true spot approvals arrive. What to watch: whether DOGE’s early momentum sustains beyond launch day or if, like many meme-fueled assets, it burns bright and fades fast.
Source: finance.yahoo.com

5. Merck Wins FDA Nod for Injectable Keytruda

The News: The FDA approved a new under-the-skin version of Merck’s cancer drug Keytruda, used to treat 18 cancers including lung, breast, skin, and colon. The injectable, launching this fall, offers patients a faster, easier alternative to IV infusions, potentially reshaping treatment for millions. Merck is expecting many of the 2.9 million current and former patients to switch over.

Why It Matters: Keytruda is Merck’s crown jewel, prescribed to 2.9M patients and credited with extending lives, including former President Jimmy Carter’s. With its main patent expiring in 2028, Merck is using the new formulation, patented possibly into the 2040s, to defend billions in revenue and delay cheaper biosimilars. For patients, convenience improves; for payers, the $204K annual price tag is unlikely to budge. What to watch: Legal challenges from biosimilar makers could arrive by 2026, testing whether Merck can keep its grip on one of the world’s most lucrative cancer drugs. For now, let’s all be glad we have one more tool to stand up to cancer and hope we get cheaper versions soon.
Source: nytimes.com

1. European shares finish week flat after key central bank verdicts

The News: The STOXX 600 closed essentially unchanged Friday, ending a week defined by central bank moves. The U.S. Fed cut rates for the first time since December, while Norway’s central bank followed suit and the Bank of England held steady. The Fed’s cautious guidance capped enthusiasm, but tech stocks still surged nearly 5% for the week, boosted by global semiconductor optimism after Nvidia’s $5B investment in Intel.

Why It Matters: For investors, Europe’s flat finish hides sector churn, banks rebounded, defense stocks hovered near highs, but media and energy dragged. The tug-of-war reflects a market caught between optimism on AI-driven tech and concern over sovereign debt, tariffs, and slowing trade. Fiscal policy could be the next catalyst, with Germany approving its first budget since suspending debt brakes. What to watch: whether promised government spending filters into growth before year-end, and if Italy secures a ratings upgrade that could ease broader eurozone debt worries. Right now, European stocks feel less like a rally and more like a round about, plenty of motion, not much progress.
Source: reuters.com

2. Notre-Dame Towers Reopen After Six-Year Restoration

The News: French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the newly restored towers of Notre-Dame on Friday, just in time for European Heritage Days. Tickets sold out in 24 minutes, marking a major milestone in the cathedral’s comeback since the 2019 fire.

Why It Matters: Tourism is one of France’s few growth engines as debt piles up, and Notre-Dame’s return is set to draw millions back to Paris. For Macron, it’s a rare win delivered on time and within budget. What to watch: Whether the cathedral’s full reopening in 2026 helps ease France’s fiscal strain, every €16 ticket and tourist café stop counts. Paris may yet balance the budget with the help of a few restored gargoyles.
Source: lemonde.fr

3. Oklo Surges on US–UK Nuclear Partnership

The News: Oklo stock jumped nearly 20% Friday to record highs near $130 after Washington and London announced a transatlantic partnership to speed deployment of advanced nuclear tech. The deal includes plans for up to 12 modular reactors in England and nuclear-powered data centers, positioning Oklo’s Aurora reactors at the center of the push.

Why It Matters: Demand for AI-era energy is straining grids, and governments are betting on nuclear as a scalable fix. Oklo’s stock is up 1,400% in a year, reflecting investor belief it could become the “Tesla of nuclear.” But with no revenue and profitability unlikely before 2028, execution and regulatory approvals remain the real test. What to watch: How quickly the US–UK pact turns into concrete projects and whether Oklo can turn record hype into actual megawatts.
Source: ibtimes.co.uk

Q: Why don’t seagulls fly over the bay?

A: Because then they’d be bagels.

✅ Monthly Theme Planning: Pick one theme for next month: health, creativity, connection, learning. Let it guide decisions.
✅ Citrus Zest Before Juicing: Always zest lemons and limes before juicing. Store zest in freezer for instant flavor hits.
✅ Gummy Business Model: How a company that only makes gummies makes money. That’s a lot of red gummy bears.
✅ All-In-One Platform: Trade stocks, ETFs, and options while managing IRAs and automated portfolios*. All under one roof.

*A message from our sponsor or affiliate link.

The process of comparing project processes, performance metrics, or deliverables to industry standards or best practices to identify areas for improvement.

“The team used benchmarking to assess their project’s quality against top competitors.”

The market moves fast - we make sure you don’t miss a thing.

Elite Trade Club delivers clear, no-fluff market intel straight to your inbox every morning.

From stocks to big-picture trends, we cover what actually matters.

Join 100,000+ readers who start their day with the edge.

Click Here to Join Now