📉 Down Lowe

Home retailer Lowe's results could be a symptom of a bigger issue | The US stock market pulled off the (almost) impossible | [Finimize](   TOGETHER WITH   Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for November 22nd in 3:08 minutes.   🤓 Artificial intelligence is poised to change everything – including your portfolio. So join us for [The AI Advantage: Enhancing Portfolio Protection Strategies]( Event: The AI Advantage: Enhancing Portfolio Protection Strategies Overview of how Artificial Intelligence is transforming the financial landscape. Examples of successful risk assessment and mitigation using AI How investors can effectively implement AI-driven optimisation December 14th, 5pm GMT) on December 14th, and find out how the tech could help you manage your risk and bloat your rewards. [Grab your free ticket]( Today's big stories - US retailers Lowe's and Best Buy reported third-quarter results that signaled the end of resilient spending - This might be a good time to look back at Uber and WeWork – [Read Now]( - The S&P 500 dusted off its latest "disaster" in record time The Lowe Down [The Lowe Down] What’s going on here? Lowe’s gave investors a debrief on Tuesday, revealing a [slimmer]( profit outlook on the back of worse-than-expected sales. What does this mean? High mortgage rates have squashed any Americans’ dreams of moving house, let alone having enough leftover cash to spruce up their new digs. That’s not what Lowe’s wants to hear, though. The home improvement retailer said with folk turned off DIY projects, same-store sales – that’s revenue excluding any shuttered or new stores – slipped more than 7% last quarter versus the same time last year. Investors weren’t expecting that, especially because rival Home Depot had reported better-than-expected sales just one week ago. Lowe’s made sure to keep expectations in check going forward too, adjusting its full-year revenue forecast to account for a drop in same-store sales that was almost double previous predictions. Why should I care? Zooming in: Your audience matters. Home Depot’s relative success isn’t a total shock, though: professional contractors make up roughly half of the chain’s sales, about double what they do for Lowe’s. And while the state of the housing market is putting DIY-ers off home improvements, the pros are still working through project backlogs that built up over the last few years. That explains how Home Depot pulled off a dip in same-store sales that was less than half of Lowe’s. For markets: Oranges are the cheapest stocking filler. Lowe’s wasn’t the only retailer revealing struggles: electronics giant Best Buy blamed cash-strapped customers for its squashed sales forecast on Tuesday. See, now that US customers have bled their pandemic savings dry, they’re relying on disposable income to buy their nice-to-haves. Problem is, there isn’t much of that around these days. There’s a strong chance, then, that Americans will be downgrading their lists to Santa this year. You might also like: [How to invest during an election year](. 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=The Lowe Down&utm_campaign=daily-global-22-11-2023&utm_source=email) Analyst Take WeWork, Uber, And The Risk Of The Buzzy Startup [WeWork, Uber, And The Risk Of The Buzzy Startup]( By Russell Burns, Analyst In 2019, [two big, disruptive startups]( had plans to float shares in an initial public offering (IPO) in New York – one with a valuation of around $47 billion, the other $100 billion. In the years since, they’ve each burned through a remarkable $10 billion in cash, but [with very different outcomes](. One, WeWork, [filed for bankruptcy]( just a few weeks ago, and the other, Uber, turned profitable and free-cash-flow positive for the first time this year. So it’s worth taking a look now at both companies if only to ask two questions: what can be learned from [WeWork’s unraveling and Uber’s success](, and is it time to give Uber’s stock a ride in your portfolio? That’s today’s Insight: [WeWork, Uber, and the risk of the much-hyped startup](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY CROWDCUBE AND HAATCH Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. [Take 2 minutes to learn more](. A pro opportunity for a fifth of the price Everyday investors are no longer limited when it comes to information, platforms, or even skill. But there’s a major blocker that hasn’t budged: [opportunities](. Many of the world’s most lucrative investments are only available privately to the well-connected, very expensive, or both. That’s why [Crowdcube]( and [Haatch](’s partnership is such a big deal. By combining their expertise in startups and pre-seed funds, the duo are making it easier to [invest in SEIS funds](. SEIS – or Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme – funds are essentially a way to [invest in early-stage companies](, long before they hit public markets. You’d usually have to fork out at least £10,000 to get in that early on, but Crowdcube and Haatch’s partnership means you can [get in for just £2,000](. Take that, pro investors. [The fund just launched this week, and has already attracted roughly £328,000 from 105 investors](. [Find Out More]( Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. [Take 2 mins to learn more](. Information is for guidance only and is dependent on individual circumstances. It is always recommended that you take professional advice regarding tax reliefs for your individual circumstances. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. Dig Deep [Dig Deep] What’s going on here? The main US stock index climbed its way out of a [hole]( in record time. What does this mean? Stocks have historically notched higher over time, keeping pace with strengthening economies and company profit. That, though, is a fact easy to forget when markets are especially volatile and it seems as though stocks could plummet to undiscovered depths at a moment’s notice. Case in point: the S&P 500 index had dropped more than 10% between the summer and last month, with pessimistic pundits predicting that a new bear market had reared its head. Yet in just 16 trading days, the index broke a new recovery record to land only 5% shy of its all-time high. You know what they say: what goes down must come up. Why should I care? For markets: Grab your flip-flops. It’s not just you: the last two years have been filled with extreme highs and lows. In fact, the S&P 500 has swung more than 10% in one direction 11 times since January 2022. That’s because investors are to-ing and fro-ing on whether inflation will come down to land safety without crashing economies, or stay relentless while economies suffer. Any evidence that makes them believe in one scenario will encourage them to buy stocks accordingly, and then one-eighty when the next update makes them change their minds. For you personally: Keep your eyes on the prize. If you have guts that even the spiciest taco couldn’t throw off, then you could use these swings to buy stocks when they’re down and sell them when they’re up again. But if you’re a mere mortal, that tactic may stop you from sleeping at night. Instead, then, you may want to sit tight on a well-diversified pot and trust in the market’s long-term prospects. After all, the S&P 500 managed to pull out profit upticks even over the last two years, and analysts are predicting a 12% pickup in company earnings next year too. You might also like: [Morgan Stanley’s top five thematic trade ideas right now](. 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=Dig Deep&utm_campaign=daily-global-22-11-2023&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day "Change is the end result of all true learning." – Leo Buscaglia (an American author) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY RUFFER The case for bonds in a low-inflation environment Two years ago, you’d pay nearly $1,190 to secure $1,000 of future purchasing power via bonds. Today, you’d need less than half of that. Value like that, plus payouts that have risen along with inflation, have made [bonds]( hard to compete with in this high-inflation environment. But while investors are focused on that scenario, they may be missing [a glaring opportunity]( that would present itself only if inflation tames and interest rates fall. That's why you might want to [check out The Green Line]( – a monthly publication that explains an interesting chart with short commentary – demonstrating [how bonds could impact your portfolio in a low-rate world](. So if you’re in the market for bonds, [find out what you can expect from them if inflation falls](. [Find Out More]( DisclaimerThe views expressed in this article are not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any investment or financial instrument, including interests in any of Ruffer’s funds. This financial promotion is issued by Ruffer LLP which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK and is registered as an investment adviser with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. © Ruffer LLP 2023. Registered in England with partnership No OC305288. 80 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5JL. For US institutional investors: securities offered through Ruffer LLC, Member FINRA. Ruffer LLC is doing business as Ruffer North America LLC in New York. [Read the full disclaimer](. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🎯 On Our Radar 1. Less screen time, more meal times. [Anime food]( exists in the real world now. 2. The metaverse could change everything. Prepare yourself for a [new investing landscape](.* 3. Turkey worth a million thanks. Here's how to nail your [festive focal point](. 4. DeFi yield farming can be extremely lucrative. Just [check out these common strategies and pitfalls]( before you pick up your plough.* 5. Subways will get easier to use. They may also [steal your data](. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌍 Finimize Live [Modern Investor Summit]( ❤️ 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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