🔌 The US is powering up

Both the US and China's inflation releases were worse than expected | The US has a ton of power plants in the plans | [Finimize](   TOGETHER WITH     Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for April 12th in 3:13 minutes.   🎙 The world might not have needed another podcast, but finance companies do need to know how to survive this volatile environment. So swap out your morning playlist to [hear our VP Community interview marketing maverick Chris Worle](, and find out how to use content to make some cold, hard cash. [Listen here]( Today's big stories - March was a bad month for the world’s two biggest economies, with the US and China’s inflation stats both coming in worse than expected - Here’s where to find investments that are worth some attention, but are still unloved – [Read Now]( - US power plant proposals have increased by 90% in the last three years A Fail Of Two Cities [A Fail Of Two Cities] What’s going on here? It was the worst of times: US inflation [came]( in hotter than expected for March, while China’s was icier than anticipated. What does this mean? Central banks are in constant pursuit of a “Goldilocks economy”: when inflation and unemployment are low, while the economy steadily grows. Right now, that’s as hard to find as palatable oatmeal. The US has economic growth and employment in check, but Wednesday’s release revealed higher-than-expected inflation in March. Meanwhile, data out on Thursday showed that prices in China increased by less than hoped in March, while industry prices fell for the eighteenth month in a row. That deflation isn’t any more reassuring than out-of-control inflation, so combined with a lagging economy, China’s looking a little too cold. Why should I care? For markets: Red, white, and woo. The Federal Reserve is now only expected to trim interest rates a couple of times this year, and just by 0.25% each time. That’s some change from the six or seven cuts that some traders expected back in January. Mind you, the latest data suggests that rates are yet to completely break inflation’s spirit, and if prices really slip out of grasp, then there might not be a single cut this year. Still, even though higher interest rates normally weigh on stocks, there’s no serious sign of worry in the US stock market so far – the same can’t be said for China, though. The bigger picture: The biggest economies sneeze, and emerging ones catch a cold. Many governments and companies in emerging countries borrow money in US dollars to finance investments. So because higher interest rates in the US – which usually correspond to a stronger dollar – make that more expensive, it makes them reluctant or unable to borrow any funds. Not only that, but with China watching the coins, it’s a less reliable buyer of emerging economies’ exported goods. You might also like: [Analysts can't decide whether or not inflation has peaked.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=A Fail Of Two Cities&utm_campaign=daily-global-12-04-2024&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Strong, Unloved, And Potentially Ready For A Recovery [Strong, Unloved, And Potentially Ready For A Recovery]( Global stock markets appear to have enjoyed a strong recovery since the start of last year. But if you look closer, you can see how [diverse the fortunes of different parts of the market]( have been. While the giant US tech companies have powered ahead again, that’s not the case wherever you look. Far from it. So canny investors need to know where to find [investments with a decent chance of picking up]( in the coming months. Well, our partners at interactive investor have an idea about that. So that’s today’s Insight: [the opportunities that are strong but so far, unloved](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY GRAYSCALE When it comes to crypto, you need a specialist [Crypto]( has been grabbing more than its fair share of attention this year. No wonder: [bitcoin]( hit its highest price ever – above $73,000 per coin – this March. [Grayscale]( is the world’s biggest crypto asset manager*, with over a decade of experience operating crypto-focused funds. The company is on a mission to “transform disruptive technologies of the future into investment opportunities today.” So far, so good: Grayscale manages a suite of [different crypto investment products]( spanning single-asset, multi-asset, and thematic exposures. [Discover the specialist when it comes to crypto investments](. [Find Out More]( Disclosures*Based on AUM as of 3/31/2024 Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. Visit Grayscale.com for important risk disclosures. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. If you want your brand featured here, [get in touch.]( Spark Up Generation [Spark Up Generation] What’s going on here? A recent study [revealed]( the sheer number of proposed power plants in the US, as the country struggles to find the bolts to bolster the AI era. What does this mean? The US has used roughly the same amount of electricity a year since 2010. But with electric vehicles plugged into residential streets and data centers whirring away to run AI systems, Bank of America believes the US could be using roughly 15% more electricity by 2030. Problem is, utility companies are already struggling to keep up. No wonder, then, that proposals for new power plants are flooding in, with a combined power capacity of nearly 2,600 gigawatts. (For context, one gigawatt can power 750,000 homes.) That’s 90% higher than the capacity of the pitched plants from just three years ago. Why should I care? Zooming out: It’s a marathon, but a sprint wouldn’t hurt. The US government is encouraging more manufacturers to set up shop stateside. That isn’t intended to be a short-term solution – and neither is the rise of AI or the shift away from fossil fuels. That means the appetite for electricity should stick, but producers might struggle to get ahead of the curve. Power projects are moving from the drawing board to the building site at a snail’s pace, weighed down by overstretched power lines, drawn-out permit times, and supply chain blockages. The bigger picture: Sometimes you have to get dirty. Renewable energy solutions aren’t [keeping]( up with AI’s demands, which has pushed back the launch date of several data centers. It should help that over 80% of the proposed plants’ energy production is expected to come from solar power and battery technology, with only 3% being squeezed out of burning plants, natural gas, or coal. Still, that’s not enough to plug the gap, and with money on the line, companies won’t be picky about where their energy comes from if cleaner energy solutions don’t buck up. You might also like: [The new investing power couple, AI and energy.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Spark Up Generation&utm_campaign=daily-global-12-04-2024&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day "All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward." – Ellen Glasgow (an American novelist) [Tweet this]( Thousands of retail investors from our million-strong global community told us [how they’re planning to invest this quarter](. In the finance circle, that's gossip as juicy as news of Taylor Swift's romantic getaway. Here's the teaser of [our exclusive data](: - 42% of retail investors use social media significantly less than they used to for investing. - 65% are more interested in getting financial advice and information than ever before. - 74% of retail investors think global stock markets will be higher in 12 months. [Check The Pulse]( ⏰ Start The Clock Bloomberg’s Intelligence team included Salesforce in its hand-picked selection of the [ten most attractive investment ideas]( for this quarter. Even the experts miss the mark sometimes, though. So Russell has used Finimize’s Markets tab – he's not biased, promise – to see [whether Salesforce is worth buying in three minutes](. [Read The Three-Minute Rundown]( 🎯 On Our Radar 1. Raye is setting standards for a generation. The musical superstar is a powerhouse [on and off the stage](. 2. Tax advantages, compounded returns, flexible inheritances. ISAs can have it all – so long as you [choose the right one](.* 3. Perfection is boring. It’s mistakes that [make life interesting](. 4. Women are still paid less than men on average. That makes it harder for them to keep up with investments – but [where there’s a will, there’s a way](.* 5. Stop and smell the… strangers. Those [unexpected conversations]( could turn out to be something special. 🌍 Finimize Live 🤩 Coming Up Soon... All events are in UK time. 💸 [Increase Your Wealth With Blockchain And Bitcoin:]( 5pm April 24th 💥[A Beginners Guide To Impact Investing:]( 5pm, May 14th 🤖 [How To Leverage AI In Investing:]( 5pm, June 4th 🚀 [2024 Modern Investor Summit](: 2pm, December 3rd ❤️ Share with a friend Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. You stay classy, {NAME} 😉 We’d love to hear your thoughts. [Give feedback]( Want to advertise with us too? 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