🇺🇸 Hope for the US

Lululemon flexed its money-making muscles | The US job market showed it could be our way out of this mess | [Finimize](   TOGETHER WITH   Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for September 2nd in 3:07 minutes.   ☕️ Finimized over a latte at [Le Petit Atelier]( in Tours, France (☀️ 24°C/76°F) Today's big stories - Lululemon flexed its muscles and showed off some pumped-up results - Why you should make a list of your no-go investments – [Read Now]( - US jobs data came in ahead of expectations At Leisure [At Leisure] What’s going on here? Lululemon [reported]( bouncing results this week, as the sportswear brand showed just how far it can stretch. What does this mean? Brunch in jeans and a nice top is fine, but brunch in comfortable leggings that guarantee you compliments couldn’t be better. No surprise, then, that Lululemon – maker of workout and athleisure garms that you’ll spot as often in coffee shops as you would gyms – is as popular as ever. The lycra-heavy firm won over more market share in the US after donning stores with its profitable new performance sports lines. Mind you, sleek sportswear was flying off the shelves outside North America too: international sales were up 52% last quarter from the same last year, spurred on by China’s reopening and store openings in spots like Thailand. Lululemon skipped away having beat expectations for both profit and revenue, and upped its full-year outlook too. Why should I care? For markets: Stop trying to make Gap happen. Lululemon’s fellow trendsetters Abercrombie & Fitch and Urban Outfitters’ sales were in vogue last week too, growing as their affluent fashionista fans stayed loyal and kept spending. Meanwhile, the likes of Gap and Macy’s are being left on the shelves, as the brands’ more money-conscious target customers watch their budgets. That’s probably why the first three have outperformed the S&P 500 this year, while the others lag behind. The bigger picture: Sports bras for everyone. The sportswear supreme has ambitious plans, aspiring to double its annual revenue from 2021 by 2026. Lululemon will be leaning heavy on those international markets: they only make up a fifth of the firm’s sales right now, but they’re brimming with potential. That’s why Lululemon plans to open new stores in Asia’s fastest-growing areas, along with focusing on its men’s and online segments. Get your jockstrap pre-orders in, boys. You might also like: [How to work out what Lululemon’s stock is worth.]( Copy to share story: [/at-leisure]( 🙋 [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=At Leisure&utm_campaign=daily-global-02-09-2023&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Five Things You Won’t Find In My Portfolio [Five Things You Won’t Find In My Portfolio]( By Theodora Lee Joseph, Analyst You probably already spend a lot of time thinking about the assets you want [to include]( in your portfolio. But what you leave out of your portfolio is [just as important]( as what you add in. You should spend just as much time thinking about what [to exclude]( – otherwise, you might drag down your best performers. That’s [what I do](, and it’s useful in thinking through your own investment approach. That’s today’s Insight: [the five things you won’t find in my portfolio.]( [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY ALLBRICKS The life of a landlord’s never looked better You might’ve noticed that securing a rental home feels harder than ever. And you’re not wrong: landlords are fleeing the buy-to-let market as rising mortgage rates and mounting red tape make the tried-and-test strategy more hassle than its worth. But [Allbricks]( – like crowdfunding but for homes – is offering an [alternative route for savvy investors seeking property holdings and regular income](. You can buy “bricks” on properties on the platform for just £2,000, so you can start spreading your savings across a number of properties instead of fighting for one single mortgage. What’s more, Allbricks will take care of all the admin and management. [Discover a new way to invest in real estate](. DisclaimerCapital at risk – Investments may go up or down. Investment decisions must be based on definitive documentation and your own independent research. Any past performance referenced is not an indicator of future performance. [Find Out More]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. Face The Music [Face The Music] What’s going on here? Data out on Friday [showed]( the US stuck to its tune and added more jobs than expected last month – but, record scratch, the country might be headed down a better track this time. What does this mean? The US adding a more-than-expected 187,000 jobs in August sounds less than ideal for the anti-inflation attack. But look a little closer, and the labor market in the world’s biggest economy might actually be cooling off. That was the third month in a row that there were fewer than 200,000 jobs added, while data out this week showed that the number of job openings fell to the lowest in over two years. Add in that the unemployment rate unexpectedly jumped up to 3.8%, and the hot-to-touch market is looking a little more tepid. Why should I care? Zooming in: Retirement was nice while it lasted. Once-free folk have been crawling back to the workforce to earn a few extra bucks. And with more potential workers to choose from, employers may not have to inflate their salaries to compete with each other for job seekers’ attention. That’s just what the Federal Reserve (the Fed) wants to hear, since rising wages tend to stoke inflation. The central bank, then, might not have to slam the big, red “rate hike” button for now. Markets are certainly hoping so: they’re betting the Fed’s next two meetings will be hike-free. The bigger picture: Take your pick: recessions or spiders. The jobs market has a lot of sway on the direction of the economy. This kind of data, then, could mean the US is one step closer to achieving the once-unlikely but coveted “[soft-landing](” scenario, managing to tame inflation without a full-blown recession. In fact, some economists are expecting the economy to keep up its sturdy growth this quarter, making fears of even a shallow recession look like irrational phobias. You might also like: [2% isn’t a magic number: why the Fed could consider a higher inflation target.]( Copy to share story: [/face-the-music]( 🙋 [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=Face The Music&utm_campaign=daily-global-02-09-2023&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day "A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read." – Mark Twain (an American writer, humorist, and entrepreneur) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY MAGNIFI Artificial intelligence could change the world, starting with your investments Big businesses will use artificially intelligent solutions to transform their books. You could too. Just check out [Magnifi](: the app and web-based platform has harnessed the power of conversational artificial intelligence so that you can [streamline your entire investment process](. [Add your different accounts](, and Magnifi will break down exactly what you could change to [better diversify your portfolio]( and tip your [risk-reward profile]( more toward the nicer half. And if you have specific questions or stocks you want to research, just [ask Magnifi’s chatbot]( and you’ll get a top-notch answer in seconds – no more clunky calculations or spreadsheets. You’ll keep total control over your investments, mind you: think of Magnifi as [your investing copilot](, not a self-driving plane. All that, in a platform with [no minimum investment fee](. [Find Out More]( Disclaimer Advisory services are offered through Magnifi LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. All investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market. It is a method used to help manage investment risk. See Terms and Conditions at magnifi.com Discount available for new Magnifi members only. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🎯 On Our Radar 1. The American West is inconsistent. Just ask [elk hunters](. 2. This decade is not like the last. Here's how to [make sure your strategy will keep up](.* 3. Finally, someone said it. The beach is [overrated](. 4. Crisp basics never go out of style. Give your investment strategy [a refresher](.* 5. Destination: Tokyo. The world's best fashion happens [off the runway](. *Investing puts your capital at risk. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌍 Finimize Live 🥳 Coming Up Soon... All events in UK time. 🙋‍♀️ [Ladies Investing Club](: 6.30pm, September 5th 🏠[Beginner's Guide To Building Wealth Through Real Estate](: 5pm, September 6th 📈 [Diversifying Your Portfolio With Real Estate](: 1pm, October 11th 🎉 [Modern Investor Summit 2023](: 12pm, December 5th and 6th ❤️ 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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