💰 Google's mega deal

Google's massive security deal, China's limping economy, a brainteaser, and a recipe for breakfast ice creams | [Finimize]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for July 16th in 3:10 minutes.   🐦 You know what they say: the early bird gets the Amazon Echo Dot. Be one of the first 1,000 to get your [Modern Investor Summit]( ticket, and you could be the lucky winner of the smart speaker. [Grab your free ticket]( Today's big stories - Alphabet is reportedly considering buying a cybersecurity firm for $23 billion, in what could be the company’s biggest-ever deal - Here’s where Wall Street sees the big risks and big opportunities right now – [Read Now]( - China’s economy dragged in disappointing numbers, and the US election could be the last straw Computer Whiz [Computer Whiz] What’s going on here? Reports out on Monday suggested that Alphabet’s considering [buying]( cybersecurity startup Wiz for $23 billion, determined to upgrade its technological know-how. What does this mean? Alphabet’s trailing behind Amazon and Microsoft when it comes to cloud computing services. And with the sector tipped to be a major moneymaker in the years ahead, Google’s parent company is reportedly looking for support from Wiz, a specialist in cybersecurity for cloud solutions. Now, despite being worth some $2 trillion, Alphabet has been far thriftier on buyouts than its Big Tech rivals lately. But this deal would be one of the technology industry’s biggest to date, and easily Alphabet’s heftiest. Why should I care? Zooming out: Everyone wants to feel secure. Wiz could almost double its valuation by inking this deal. We’re not talking small numbers here, either. The startup made $350 million in recurring revenue – that’s predictable income, like subscriptions – last year. Plus, it recently raised $1 billion, implying a valuation of $12 billion. That’s no fluke: companies are clamoring to swap local drives for cloud storage, so much so that they’re [shelling out]( more on safeguarding cloud solutions than any other security category, including data security and privacy. And Alphabet’s no exception to the trend. The firm made its second-biggest purchase two years ago, buying security firm Mandiant for over $5 billion. The bigger picture: The cloud needs a tougher lining. Once upon a time, a hacker would have to break into a desk and run away with a floppy disk. But cyberattacks are a daily threat nowadays. Just ask AT&T: hackers swiped six months of customer data from the US telecom behemoth, causing a national security scare. Or take Indonesia, where a colossal hack paralyzed over 280 government agencies, disrupting everything from airports to scholarships. No wonder both companies and countries are scrambling to bolster their defenses with cybersecurity firms. You might also like: [How to lock down a profit from the cybersecurity industry](. 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=Computer Whiz&utm_campaign=daily-global-16-07-2024&utm_source=email) 🧐 QUESTION OF THE DAY Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft are cloud computing giants, but what's the right order of their market shares for cloud infrastructure? A: Amazon, Microsoft Google B: Microsoft, Amazon, Google C: Google, Microsoft, Amazon D: Amazon, Google, Microsoft You'll find the answer at the bottom of this email. (No cheating.) Analyst Take How To Play Markets Now, According To BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, And Goldman Sachs [How To Play Markets Now, According To BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, And Goldman Sachs]( By Russell Burns, Analyst When you’re making [big decisions](, it’s nice to get a second opinion. And when those decisions involve your [hard-earned money]( and a changing economic climate, a third and a fourth (and maybe even a fifth) opinion from the world’s top investment houses couldn’t hurt either. Lucky for you, I keep pretty [close tabs]( on the big-picture views from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, and Bank of America. Here’s what they say now. That’s today’s Insight: [where to find opportunities now, according to Wall Street’s biggest firms](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( Bulls have horns for a reason Change might scare some of us – but it excites plenty, too. Case in point: when financial markets start moving as quickly as they are today, many investors take the opportunity to go against the grain or seek quick turnaround trades. That’s where [leveraged and inverse ETFs]( come in. The first lets traders amplify their high-conviction trades, while the latter lets traders bet on price dips without having to “short” assets. That means you could put a bigger bet on a market move or technical signal without accessing more capital. So if you’re a risk-tolerant trader, you’ll want to [find out how to use them safely and effectively](. Our free guide with Direxion – a platform that specializes in tools for decisive investors – has the lowdown: [discover how you could use leveraged and inverse ETFs to amplify your trades](. [Read The Guide]( Out Of Fashion [Out Of Fashion] What’s going on here? China’s economy [grew]( at its slowest pace in five quarters, and that demure attitude is causing a faux pas in the luxury market. What does this mean? China’s economy was just 4.7% bigger last quarter than the same time last year, short of Bloomberg’s 5.1% prediction. That’s mainly because the country’s real estate market is still in turmoil, with property sales coming in around 14% lower this June than last. So, on edge about the value of their biggest financial asset, homeowners are keeping their wallets shut. That explains why retail sales were only 2% higher this June versus last year, far off the expected 3.4%. And despite new government incentives, car sales dropped by 6.2% in the same period – their biggest fall in over a year. Why should I care? For markets: When Chinese shoppers sneeze, luxury brands catch a cold. As the world’s second-biggest economy, China is usually a reliable market for the finer things in life. But now, shoppers are drawing the line at browsing. Swatch Group, for example, reported on Monday that slow sales in China caused worse-than-expected sales and profit last quarter, pushing investors to send the watchmaker’s stock down 10%. Burberry’s stock fell on Monday too, by 16%. The luxury brand issued a profit warning the same day, citing limp demand in China – a concern shared by LVMH, Hermès, and Prada, all of which have been watching their share prices slip. The bigger picture: It’s out of China’s hands. The upcoming US election could have serious consequences for China. Former president Donald Trump plans to stamp a 60% tax on anything imported from the country – a figure that would hamper its all-important manufacturing industry, potentially encouraging an all-out trade war. And following news of the attempted assassination, the market is pricing in a 70% chance of the former president winning the keys to the White House. You might also like: [What Trump 2.0 would mean for the economy.]( 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=Out Of Fashion&utm_campaign=daily-global-16-07-2024&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day "Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it, the tree is the real thing." – Abraham Lincoln (an American president) [Tweet this]( The main stage is ready for you Oakley Capital established itself as a name to know in the private equity world at last year’s [Modern Investor Summit](. The publicly listed company funds early-stage ventures, offering investors a chance to benefit from private equity – an opportunity often reserved for institutional traders and uber-wealthy individuals. By taking to our [Modern Investor Summit]( stage last December, Oakley detailed the benefits of private investments, as well as how to diversify, spot headwinds, and find market disruptors. Oakley’s shares have risen 150% in the last five years, so its tips and tricks are well worth listening to: you can [catch up on last year’s session on YouTube for free](. And if you want to put your brand in the spotlight this year, [drop us a line to talk about speaker slots and promotional packages](. [Talk To Us]( 🚨 A Warning Light is flashing The “[Sahm rule](” is flashing yellow. When the unemployment rate’s three-month average rises by half a percentage point from its lowest level in the past year, the rule tells you that [recessionary conditions]( are already here or will be soon. So now it's lit up, that suggests [the US might be headed straight toward a recession](. [Read The Quicktake]( 🎯 On Our Radar 1. Move over, smoothie bowls. Summer is the season for [ice cream breakfasts](. 2. Size up the opportunities. You can [trace the world’s biggest stock indexes]( without paying mammoth prices.* 3. It's not an economy, it's a wedding. Peek inside the [$600 million Ambani wedding](. 4. Crisp basics never go out of style. Give your investment strategy [a refresher](.** 5. Not-so-killer whales. Despite a run of attacks, one family simply [sailed through "Orca Alley"](. **Investing puts your capital at risk. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌍 Finimize Live 🤩 Grab your tickets... 💃🏼 [Finimize Ladies Investing Club:]( 6.30pm, July 18th 🤫 [Secret Strategies Of A Long-Term Investor:]( 5pm, July 24th 💰 [How To Invest Like A Modern Warren Buffett:]( 5pm, Aug 14th 🔨 [Five Portfolio Hacks For Busy Investors:]( 5pm, Sept 12th 🚀 [2024 Modern Investor Summit](: 2pm, December 3rd 😅 Check your answer The answer is A. Amazon Web Services is the leader with a 31% market share, followed by Microsoft's Azure with 25%, and Google Cloud with 11%. [( ❤️ 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. 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