Wall Street’s Recycled Playbook Soars

Market Sizzle: Big Tech hides market fears, Fed cuts bets rise, healthcare roll-ups slow, and apartment boom stalls. ͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­ Forwarded this email? [Subscribe here]() for more [Wall Street’s Recycled Playbook Soars]( Market Sizzle: Big Tech hides market fears, Fed cuts bets rise, healthcare roll-ups slow, and apartment boom stalls. [Josh Belanger]( Jun 5   [READ IN APP](   Remember when scanning QR codes at restaurants seemed like the future? Well, it turns out, diners have had enough of squinting at their phones and fretting over privacy. Upscale vibes and easy dining are back in vogue, with many restaurants ditching the digital menus. It's a deliciously retro move that’s making everyone happier—from tech-challenged customers to privacy-conscious brunchers. It seems like the next big trend in dining is a blast from the past. Tech's Great Market Disguise Big tech stocks hide market fears. Investors worry the Fed will keep rates high. The average S&P 500 stock is hurt more by rising yields. But big tech, with lots of cash, is less affected. Stocks like Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, and Alphabet surged due to AI. This created a divide between big stocks and the rest. The S&P 500 index isn’t as affected by interest rates because of its big tech members. These companies prepared by locking in low rates early. Big tech's cash piles protect them. Smaller companies can’t do this. They need to issue bonds and don’t have big savings. This year, big tech stocks perform well while smaller ones struggle. The S&P 500 is up over 10% this year, while the equal-weighted version is up less than 5%. Investors worry about higher rates, avoiding smaller stocks. Big tech’s strong performance pulls the market up, hiding broader concerns. Fed Cut Frenzy Ahead Bond traders are betting on faster Fed rate cuts. Recent reports show weak inflation and spending. Swaps traders now expect a rate cut by November, not December. JPMorgan’s survey shows rising long positions in Treasuries. Traders think the Fed will protect jobs, not fight inflation. Options market activity also shows a shift to dovish bets. Open interest in 10-year note futures indicates short covering. Treasury options are now more expensive for hedging rallies. The cost is the highest since February. SOFR options, tied to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, are also active. These options help manage interest rate risks. Notable trades are at the 94.8125 and 94.875 strikes. Traders are preparing for multiple rate cuts by September. Private Equity's Healthcare Crackdown Private-equity firms have slowed buying small medical businesses. Regulators say these deals harm competition and patients. By May 28, there were 180 healthcare add-on deals, only 23% of last year’s total. Regulators want to stop these roll-ups to avoid higher costs and lower care quality. The FTC and Justice Department are investigating healthcare roll-ups. New rules will make these deals harder to complete. This scrutiny makes closing deals slower and costlier. Private-equity roll-ups combine many small companies into one big one, improving profits. For years, regulators ignored small roll-ups. Now they worry about their combined effect. Some experts say the slowdown is due to economic factors, not just government scrutiny. Others believe the FTC's actions have impacted the market. Apartment Boom Goes Bust A developer planned to build 104 apartments in Boise, Idaho. Rising interest rates and costs stalled the project. Many developers face the same problem. High rates and tight lending have slowed apartment construction. The average project now takes nearly 500 days to start, a 45% increase since 2019. Developers are launching fewer projects due to financing issues. In April, multifamily building starts dropped to the lowest rate since 2020. Some projects stall even after construction begins. In Phoenix, a 25-story tower remains half-built due to unpaid contractor claims. The National Association of Home Builders reports a decline in construction. Regional banks are hesitant to lend, forcing developers to find more cash from cautious investors. In Worcester, Mass., over 2,000 apartment units are delayed. Interest rates are too high, keeping investors on the sidelines. Cities like Boise saw rapid rent growth, leading to more construction. But many projects face delays. Some developers are converting parts of their projects into affordable housing to qualify for tax credits and hope to start building by fall. Quick Sizzles - Wheat Woes: Wheat futures drop for the fifth day as US harvest progresses faster than expected. - Meme Stock Millionaire: Keith Gill's GameStop position skyrockets, revealing $260 million gain. - Oil Tumbles: Oil prices fall due to weak US data and OPEC+ output increase. - SEC Smacked Down: Court strikes down SEC's hedge fund fee disclosure rule, citing overreach. That’s today’s Market Sizzle; Good Trading, Good Life! 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