Monday Minute: Monday the 11th
Good morning, friends. Here's your Monday Minute...
Market Minute
- OPEC monthly report
- CPI, PPI, and Jobless Claims
- Earnings for crypto
- Fed's Powell to speak Thursday
News Briefs
- Police Discover 80 3D-Printed Guns in Home
- Federal Judge Strikes Down Illinois ‘Assault Weapon’ Ban
- Brandon Herrera to Lead the Trump ATF?
- Video: Man Fatally Shot on Range After Bullet Ricochets
- NSSF Welcomes Rule Expanding Hunting Opportunities
- Gas and Watertight 3D Prints
- Toyota Unveils 4Runner Surf Concept
- Bitcoin Hits $80,000
- Notepad Has Gotten Its Inevitable AI Update
- AI to Process Secret Government Data Through Palantir
- Army Awards $435 Million TNT Factory Deal
- Harris Paid Oprah $1 Million
- Elon Musk Endorses Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader
- CNN: Justice Sotomayor Should be Replaced by Kamala Harris
- Starlink Election Conspiracy Theory Spreads Online
- Trump’s Victory: Many People Despise the Left
- Firefighter Dies While Battling Wildfires
- More...
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Market Minute
Things to be on the lookout for this week:
Economic and Market Events:
- OPEC Monthly Report - Expected Tuesday, this report can influence oil prices and related markets.
- U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation data - Also on Tuesday, this is crucial for assessing inflation trends, potentially affecting monetary policy expectations.
- U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) Inflation data - Scheduled for Thursday, which complements the CPI in understanding inflation at the production level.
- U.S. Jobless Claims - On Thursday, this data helps gauge the health of the labor market.
- U.S. Retail Sales data - Friday's release will provide insights into consumer spending.
- NY Fed Manufacturing Index - Also on Friday, this index offers a look at manufacturing activity in the New York region.
Earnings Reports:
- While the conventional earnings season is winding down, look for earnings from companies like Marathon Digital Holdings ($MARA), TeraWulf ($WULF), and Bitfarms ($BITF) this week. These companies are more relevant for those tracking the cryptocurrency and mining sectors.
Political Events:
- Fed Chair Powell speaks on Thursday; his remarks could provide further clarity or shifts in expectations regarding monetary policy.
News Briefs
Police Discover 80 3D-Printed Guns From Home; No Arrest Made
Summary: Maryland police are searching for Jarod Taylor, who fled his home after deputies responding to a domestic violence call discovered a cache of illegal "ghost guns." Authorities found a 3D printer, dozens of untraceable firearms, semi-automatic weapons, an AK-47, and 1,300 rounds of ammunition at his residence.
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WKRC
Federal Judge Strikes Down Illinois ‘Assault Weapon’ Ban: Major Win for Gun Owners’ Rights!
Summary: An Illinois federal judge issues a permanent injunction against the Protect Illinois Communities Act, blocking a semi-auto gun and magazine ban. The ruling prevents the state from enforcing registration requirements; however, a 30-day stay allows for potential appeal. This case adds to broader challenges against restrictive gun laws nationwide.
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F Riehl, Editor in Chief
Vote YES! for Brandon Herrera to Lead the Trump Administration’s ATF
President Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr want your help nominating people of integrity and courage for over 4,000 appointments across the future Trump Administration, and one of those positions is to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
Summary: The "Nominees for the People Forum" allows citizens to nominate and vote for positions. Why not vote for The AK Guy?
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F Riehl, Editor in Chief
Video: Man Fatally Shot on Range After Bullet Ricochets Back to Him
Summary: A ricochet incident at a Brazilian shooting range led to the death of 36-year-old Diego dos Santos Ribeiro. He was fatally struck in the chest while training. Investigations are emphasizing the proper angling of steel targets.
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Brandon Curtis
NSSF Welcomes USFWS Final Rule Expanding Hunting Opportunities on Public Lands
Summary: NSSF welcomes USFWS final rule expanding hunting on public lands, adding opportunities on 12 NWRs. In 2024, USFWS allocated over $1.6 billion for wildlife projects, primarily funded by these taxes. NSSF promotes and defends hunting and shooting sports.
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Daphane Cassidy
Gas and Watertight 3D Prints With DIAMANT Sealant
Summary: DIAMANT Polymer's Dichtol AM Hydro product addresses water tightness issues in 3D printing, providing a solvent-free, VOC-free solution that seals parts up to 2mm. Suitable for various materials like PLA and ABS, it solidifies quickly and is easy to apply. This innovation could enhance the usability of 3D-printed components in demanding sectors such as marine, chemical, and automotive.
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Joris Peels
Bitcoin Hits $80,000 for the First Time as Crypto Traders Bask in Trump Election Victory
Summary: Bitcoin hit an all-time high of $80,000, with other cryptocurrencies like Ether also rising due to a favorable crypto regulatory environment expected under President-elect Donald Trump. His pro-crypto stance and team of advocates have fueled investor optimism, especially with promises to make the U.S. a "crypto capital" and potentially establish a national bitcoin reserve. Smaller coins surged as well, with XRP up 11% and Cardano’s DeFi token soaring 40%. Experts like Galaxy Digital’s Alex Thorn expect continued gains, seeing the crypto-friendly shift as a major boost for digital assets.
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Tanaya Macheel
Notepad.exe, Now an Actively Maintained App, Has Gotten Its Inevitable AI Update
Summary: Microsoft's Notepad, recently updated in Windows 11, now includes an AI feature called Rewrite for sentence adjustments using generative AI, offering users three rewritten options. This feature uses cloud processing and requires a Microsoft account to access. Initial preview is available in select countries.
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Andrew Cunningham
Claude AI to Process Secret Government Data Through New Palantir Deal
Summary: Anthropic partners with Palantir and AWS to deploy Claude AI models for US intelligence and defense agencies, despite critics citing contradictions with its "AI safety" claims. Claude will process sensitive data in Palantir's defense-accredited environment. The partnership aims to enhance data analysis and document preparation while retaining human decision-making authority. Anthropic previously integrated Claude into AWS GovCloud and is pursuing a $40 billion valuation, having raised $7.6 billion, mainly from Amazon.
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Benj Edwards
Army Awards Repkon USA Potential $435 Million Deal to Build New TNT Factory in Kentucky
Summary: Army contracts Repkon USA for $435M to build TNT production facility in Graham, KY.
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Matthew Beinart
Harris Paid Oprah $1 Million in Failed Bid to Help Campaign: Report
Summary: Harris campaign spent $1M on Oprah's Harpo Productions, among other expenses on entertainers, during her failed presidential bid. Winfrey hosted a town hall and endorsed Harris at a rally, emphasizing values and healing. The campaign also invested six figures in a set for the "Call Her Daddy" podcast and up to $20M on swing state efforts, including concerts by major artists. Critics argue that spending doesn't guarantee success and that the campaign lacked a compelling message to differentiate from the unpopular Biden administration.
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Michael Lee
Elon Musk Endorses Rick Scott for Senate Majority Leader
Summary: Musk endorses Rick Scott for Senate majority leader, aligning with MAGA supporters post-Election Day victory. Scott agrees to expedite Trump’s nominations as they both eye leadership roles against Cornyn and Thune, despite challenges in securing Trump’s endorsement.
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Bradford Betz
Justice Sonia Sotomayor Should Be Replaced by Kamala Harris, CNN Commentator Argues
Summary: CNN's Bakari Sellers proposed President Biden replace Justice Sonia Sotomayor with Vice President Kamala Harris before Trump’s inauguration. Concerns arose over the potential Republican replacement. Sellers suggested Sotomayor resign to ensure a liberal replacement, comparing her to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Despite some Democratic discussions, Sotomayor has not shown intentions to retire.
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Lindsay Kornick
'Starlink' Election Conspiracy Theory Spreads Online
Summary: Conspiracy theory claims Elon Musk hacked the 2024 election for Trump using Starlink. Allegations suggest Starlink connected to voting machines, but experts confirm voting systems generally lack internet access. Musk endorsed Trump and invested in pro-Trump PACs, but investigations found no evidence supporting fraud claims related to voting machines. Starlink, designed for global internet access, has launched over 7,200 satellites. Despite speculation, the theory lacks credible support, and existing voting protocols mitigate hacking risks.
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Gabe Whisnant
From Trump’s Victory, a Simple, Inescapable Message: Many People Despise the Left
Summary: While much of the left-wing media has been self-soothing over the past week, frantically assuring themselves that their political ideas are beyond reproach and that most Americans are simply too misguided or too racist to vote the right way, at least one columnist from The Guardian is beginning to see the reality: voting is a popularity contest, and focusing your entire platform on scolding people does not make them like you. And maybe—just maybe—this isn't the best way to win them over.
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John Harris
New York State Parks Employee Dies While Battling Wildfires
Summary: NY parks employee Dariel Vasquez, 18, died from a tree falling while fighting a wildfire near NY-NJ border. The Jennings Creek wildfire threatened buildings; air quality advisories issued in NY and NE NJ. New Jersey contained another significant fire, while arson charges were announced for a Jackson Township fire. Godspeed.
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Associated Press
-Lee
