🇺🇸 USA

U.S. markets closed yesterday's session with mixed and predominantly negative sentiment as traders wait to see which direction the market will take next.

• $SPX500 — Closed slightly down (-0.15%), showing uncertainty after a volatile day.
• $DJ30 — The only index showing strength, it closed in positive territory (+0.45%), supported by industrial stocks.
• $NSDQ100 — Experienced a sharper decline (-0.76%), with tech stocks facing profit-taking.

💻 Tech Snapshot

• $AVGO (+2.91%) — In a clear downturn (-3.52%), the semiconductor sector appears to be under pressure.
• $AMZN (-0.72%) — Down (-1.66%), the stock is affected by the risk-averse climate in the tech sector.
• $META (+1.2%) — Closed essentially flat (+0.02%), showing relative strength compared to the sector.
• $MSFT (+0.23%) — Slight decline (-0.09%), in line with the general uncertainty in the tech space.
• $BABA (+2.56%) — In negative territory (-2.37%), hit by the sell-off in Chinese stocks listed on Wall Street.

🇪🇺 Europe (Closing data from 10/14 and today's open)

European stock exchanges closed weak yesterday, but today's futures point to a recovery at the open, following the positive wave from Asia.

• STOXX 600 — Finished yesterday down (-0.37%) with widespread selling.
• GER40 futures — Are moving in negative territory today (-1.05% in the last 24h), still reflecting yesterday's weakness but with potential for recovery at the open.

🏦 European & Italian Banks (Closing data from 10/14)

The banking sector showed weakness in the previous session.

• $$ISP (-1.62%) — Closed lower (-0.18%).
• $$BAMI (-3.63%) — In decline (-0.24%).
• $$BPE (-2.9%) — Negative performance (-0.27%).
• $$CE (-2.89%) — Was up on Friday, but today's data is awaited.
• $$BBVA (-1.54%) — Closed positive (+0.44%), bucking the trend seen in the Italian sector.

🌏 Asia (Today's closing data)

Asia is the true engine of the day, with a strong wave of buying improving global sentiment.

• $JPN225 — Closed with a strong gain (+1.82%), leading the region's optimism.
• $HK50 — Excellent performance, closing with a gain of +1.78%, driven by local tech stocks.

💱 Forex

• $965275 (+0.26%) — Stable around the 1.1620 area, with the dollar waiting for the next moves after yesterday's mixed data.

💰 Crypto (Today's data) The crypto sector is showing signs of weakness in the early hours of the day, moving against the trend of Asian equities.

• $BTC (-1.88%) — Trending down, trading below €97,000 after starting the day above this level. The performance in the last few hours is approximately -1.02%.
• $ETH (-2.93%) — Following Bitcoin's weakness with a similar trend.

🔎 Deep Dive: Asia Leads, the West Waits

Today's session is marked by a clear divergence between Asia and the West. While Asian markets, particularly Japan ($JPN225) and Hong Kong ($HK50), posted strong gains and fueled a positive global sentiment, European and American markets are coming off a session of weakness and uncertainty.

• Stock Markets: The optimism from Asia is positively influencing the European open. The real question is whether this momentum will be enough to reverse the negative trend seen on Wall Street yesterday, especially in the tech sector ($NSDQ100). All eyes are on the U.S. market open to see if the Asian risk-on sentiment will be sustained.
• Crypto Market: The crypto world seems disconnected from the positive equity sentiment today. The decline in Bitcoin and Ethereum suggests that crypto investors are proceeding with more caution, perhaps waiting for confirmation from Western markets before pushing higher. This period of weakness could present an interesting accumulation zone if the global sentiment continues to improve.

PS: The strong push from Asia is an encouraging sign. I am closely monitoring the European open to see if the rebound materializes. If Europe follows Asia, we could see a return of confidence in the U.S. as well. I'm holding my positions but remain ready to manage volatility.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Past performance is not an indication of future results. Investing involves risks, including the loss of capital.

🇺🇸 USA

$SPX500 — Slight decline, the market is moving cautiously after Friday's crash, showing no clear upward momentum.

$DJ30 — Down slightly, industrial and cyclical stocks continue to be affected by recession fears.

💻 Tech Snapshot

$NVDA (+0.04%) — Under pressure, the tech sector is struggling to find support and continues to show weakness.

$QBTS (+0.43%) — Still correcting, the stock is giving up some of its recent gains.

$AVGO (+2.91%) — Down, the semiconductor sector is facing a phase of uncertainty.

$AMZN (-0.72%) — Marked decline, investors remain skeptical about business growth.

$META (+1.2%) — Down, the stock is moving in line with the general weakness of the sector.

$MSFT (+0.23%) — Downward pressure, the stock aligns with the negative sentiment in the tech market.

$SHOP (+2.48%) — Continues to decline, it has yet to find solid support after the recent crash.

🇪🇺 Europe

STOXX 600 — Decidedly negative opening, pessimism from the US and geopolitical tensions weigh on the index.

GER40 futures — Moves in significant contraction, investors are positioning themselves defensively.

🏦 European & Italian Banks

$$UCG (-0.17%) — Decisive drop, banks are still undergoing heavy selling.

$$ISP (-1.62%) — Moves into marked negative territory, the sector remains under pressure. $BAMI (-3.63%) , $CE (-2.89%) , $BPE (-2.9%) — Widespread selling on Italian mid-cap banks.

$BBVA.MC — Under strong pressure, international exposures amplify the fears.

🌏 Asia

$JPN225 — Down, sentiment remains negative and the Yen is strengthening.

$KOSPI — Registers a drop, the Korean tech sector is affected by the global risk-off mood.

$HK50 — Sharp decline, due to renewed tensions over US-China tariffs.

$BABA (+2.56%) — Further decline, reflecting ongoing uncertainties and the weakness of the sector.

$CHINA50 — Weak, balanced by limited government support.

💱 Forex

$EURUSD — Moves in slight contraction, the Dollar is strengthening as a safe haven. $GBPUSD — Weak, the market is assessing the economic slowdown.

$USDJPY — Stable, with investors maintaining caution.

$DXY — Solid recovery, reinforced by generalized risk-off.

🥇 Gold

$GLD (+1.03%) — In solid increase, gold confirms itself as the primary safe-haven asset during phases of strong market uncertainty.

🛢 Oil

$BRENT — Trending down, due to fears of weaker global demand resulting from recession.

$WTI — Losing ground, affected by the negative macroeconomic sentiment.

💰 Crypto

$BTC (-1.88%) — Slight pullback, following the risk-off in equity markets.

$ETH (-2.93%) — Following Bitcoin, showing a cautious tone in line with high-risk assets.

🔎 Deep Dive: Markets and Crypto (Yesterday - Today)

Markets continue to show clear risk aversion, with Friday's weakness consolidating at the start of this week. The initial hope for a technical bounce quickly faded.

Equity Markets: Although price levels have reached potential support zones, there has been no significant buying pressure. Investors remain on high alert for signs of an economic slowdown, US-China tariff tensions, and geopolitical risk. Selling is widespread and not limited to a single sector. High-growth tech stocks, which led the markets for most of the year, are among the hardest hit, suggesting a significant drop in confidence.

Crypto Market: The risk-off sentiment has continued to influence digital assets. Bitcoin and Ethereum have failed to find solid support and have aligned with the weakness of the equity market. Their inability to act as a safe haven during this phase of uncertainty confirms their strong correlation with broader market sentiment, particularly with the global liquidity flow. The continued strength of the Dollar (DXY) represents additional pressure, making non-USD assets less attractive.

PS: Volatility remains very high. Despite prices having fallen to potentially interesting levels, caution is mandatory. I will continue to monitor the situation, especially the reaction of gold (GLD) and the Dollar (DXY), before considering new entries.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risks, including the loss of capital.

🇺🇸 USA

$SPX500 — Sharp drop on Friday's close, signaling widespread profit-taking and growing recession fears.

$DJ30 — Widespread selling, the index gives up ground significantly after hitting recent highs.

💻 Tech Snapshot

$NVDA (+0.04%) — Under pressure, suffering from the general sell-off in large-cap stocks.

$QBTS (+0.43%) — Clear correction, investors take profits after last week's rally.

$AVGO (+2.91%) — Down, the semiconductor sector faces a phase of weakness.

$AMZN (-0.72%) — Marked decline, the e-commerce and cloud sector is affected by economic uncertainty.

$META (+1.2%) — Significant slump, in line with the sharp selling in growth stocks on Friday.

$MSFT (+0.23%) — Downward pressure, the stock aligns with the weakness in the tech sector.

$SHOP (+2.48%) — Sharp fall, continues to lose ground after outperforming.

🇪🇺 Europe

STOXX 600 — Decidedly negative opening, influenced by pessimism from Asia and the US.

GER40 futures — Moves in significant contraction, caution dominates ahead of confidence data.

🏦 European & Italian Banks

$$UCG (-0.17%) — Decisive drop, in line with the strong pressure on the financial sector.

$$ISP (-1.62%) — Moves into marked negative territory, limited by the general adverse climate.

$$BAMI (-3.63%)
$CE (-2.89%) , $BPE (-2.9%) — Generalized selling across Italian mid-cap banks.

$$BBVA (-1.54%) — Under strong pressure, international exposures amplify concerns.

🌏 Asia

$JPN225 — Trending down, despite the stabilization of the Yen, sentiment remains negative.

$KOSPI — Registers a fall, the tech sector is affected by global risk-off mood.

$HK50 — Sharp decline, due to renewed tensions over US-China tariffs.

$BABA (+2.56%) — Further decline, reflecting ongoing regulatory uncertainty and weakness in the Chinese tech sector.

$CHINA50 — Weak, balanced between government support and fears of a global recession.

💱 Forex

$EURUSD — Moves in slight contraction, the Dollar acts as a haven in this phase.

$GBPUSD — Weak, the market assesses the economic slowdown.

$USDJPY — Stable, with investors maintaining caution.

$DXY — Solid recovery, strengthened by generalized risk-off.

🥇 Gold

$GLD (+1.03%) — In solid increase, gold confirms itself as the primary safe-haven asset during phases of strong market uncertainty.

🛢 Oil

$BRENT — Trending down, due to fears of weaker global demand resulting from recession fears.

$WTI — Losing ground, affected by the negative macroeconomic sentiment.

💰 Crypto

$BTC (-1.88%) — Slight pullback, following the risk-off in equity markets.

$ETH (-2.93%) — Following Bitcoin, showing a cautious tone in line with high-risk assets.

🔎 Deep Dive: Markets and Crypto (Friday - Today)

The period between the close on Friday, October 10th, and today's open has been characterized by an abrupt and widespread risk-off sentiment.

Equity Markets: The sell-off started aggressively in the US, where data on slowing growth and persistent inflation triggered a strong rotation out of risky assets. The SPX500 recorded a significant drop, with growth and tech stocks ($META, $NVDA) particularly hit. In Europe, this sentiment was compounded by internal weaknesses (such as banks and cyclical sectors), leading to a soft opening. Over the weekend, news of renewed US-China tariff tensions severely impacted Asia, particularly Hong Kong stocks (HK50) and Chinese giants like BABA. The only true escape valve for investors has been the run to Gold ($GLD), which confirms itself as the ultimate haven in macro crises.

Crypto Market: In this phase of risk aversion, digital assets BTC and ETH were also not spared. Historically, cryptocurrencies have shown an increasing correlation with equity risk. The Dollar's recovery (DXY) and general market weakness triggered profit-taking, forcing BTC and ETH into a technical consolidation phase below recent highs. This trend once again refutes the narrative of crypto being a total safe haven; instead, cryptocurrencies are currently moving as high-beta speculative assets, sensitive to global liquidity flows.

PS: Following the sharp sell-off in the markets on Friday and the $QBTS correction, it is crucial to remain calm and stick to support levels. If Gold ($GLD) continues its run, it might be wise to increase exposure to safe havens.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risks, including the loss of capital.

Healthcare, Harvard, and a Prescription for Relevance

Today I want to touch upon an interesting story I’ve read in the WSJ. Something I found extremely intriguing: a move orchestrated by Microsoft. The company might just have come up with a smart, highly sustainable strategy and basically unlimited upside if scaled correctly. Microsoft struck a deal with Harvard Health Publishing, letting it feed licensed health content straight into Copilot. The goal? Turn AI health advice from slightly-better-than-a-random-Google-search into something that feels a little closer to what your actual doctor might say.

Let’s be honest, Microsoft has been playing catch-up lately. Ironically, they are chasing their own investment: OpenAI. Sam Altman still owns the spotlight, Copilot is miles behind not only ChatGPT but also Gemini. So, instead of competing head-to-head in general AI, they’re going for a vertical approach: healthcare. Smart move. If you can’t win the popularity contest, at least own a niche that actually matters. Assuming this strategy works out, Microsoft could create an empire (on top of their existing one, of course). Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though, the project is still in its early stages. But…

The upside is real. Healthcare is the ultimate long game and a clear differentiator. If Copilot can become the trusted source for reliable, medically vetted information, that’s not just a nice-to-have, it’s a very wide moat in a field not completely explored. Hospitals, insurers, pharma companies would line up for that kind of trustworthy, compliant AI. It’s also a chance for Microsoft to remind the world that it can build something again, beyond Office 365 integrations and smart early investments.

But the risks are still massive, especially reputationally. This isn’t about summarizing emails, it’s human health, potentially with lives at stake. One scandal, one negative insider comment, and the project might die before it can say its first word. A single wrong medical suggestion can cause chaos, lawsuits, or worse. Regulators will be circling this like hawks. Even with Harvard’s stamp of approval, the margin for error is microscopic.

Still, the directional shift is an excellent idea. It’s bold, calculated, and it shows Microsoft understands one crucial truth: They probably lost the race for “regular” models, but utility remains widely unexplored. If Copilot becomes the AI people actually trust, not just for productivity but for personal advice, that’s a long-term win. Just consider all the doors this step could open. If AI can replace minor doctor visits, could it also work as a substitute for psychologists in the future? There is so much potential in this area, and Microsoft is starting to fill it.

For now, let’s just say this: Microsoft’s not just chasing OpenAI anymore. It’s trying to build its own operating room for the next generation of AI. Whether it becomes a success story or a malpractice case… time will tell, but this could be a generational opportunity and something people look back on as a key moment for AI use cases.

$MSFT (+0.23%)

🇺🇸 USA

$SPX500 — Opening in a slight decline, pulling back from all-time highs due to profit-taking.

$DJ30 — Generalized weakness, with cyclical and financial sectors weighing on the index.

💻 Tech Snapshot

$NVDA (+0.04%) — Remains in positive territory, driven by the AI narrative.

$AVGO (+2.91%) — In a slight downturn, the semiconductor sector is mixed.

$AMZN (-0.72%) — Stable, as investors await clearer signals on cloud growth.

$META (+1.2%) — Net increase, supported by positive sentiment regarding advertising spending. $MSFT (+0.23%) — In moderate decline, affected by the general market weakness.

$SHOP (+2.48%) — Falling, giving up some of the recent gains.

$QBTS (+0.43%) — Registers a major spike, benefiting from renewed focus on quantum computing.

🇪🇺 Europe

STOXX 600 — Registers a sharp setback, weighed down by luxury car and banking stocks.

GER40 futures — Moves in slight contraction, awaiting economic data from Germany.

🏦 European & Italian Banks

$UCG (-0.17%) — Decisive drop, in line with the strong pressure on the sector.

$ISP (-1.62%) — Moves into the negative, limited by yield volatility.

$BAMI (-3.63%)
$CE (-2.89%) , $BPE (-2.9%) — Weak tone for Italian mid-cap banks.

$BBVA (-1.54%) — Under pressure, due to its international exposures.

🌏 Asia

$JPN225 — Slight upward push, with the Yen remaining stable.

$KOSPI — Progressing, thanks to the strength of the technology sector.

$HK50 — Sharp decline, due to sales in Chinese tech stocks.

$BABA (+2.56%) — Under strong pressure, reflecting ongoing regulatory uncertainty and growth concerns.

$CHINA50 — Stable, balanced between government support and weak data.

💱 Forex

$EURUSD — Moves in slight contraction, with the Dollar recovering.

$GBPUSD — Flat, awaiting the BoE's next move.

$USDJPY — Stable, as investors assess the yield differential.

$DXY — Recovering, showing a cautious return to strength.

🥇 Gold

$GLD (+1.03%) — In solid increase, gold continues to attract safe-haven investment flows, maintaining high levels.

🛢 Oil

$BRENT — Falling, due to signs of slowing global demand.

$WTI — Losing ground, affected by recent increases in US inventories.

💰 Crypto

$BTC (-1.88%) — Slight pullback, in a phase of technical consolidation.

$ETH (-2.93%) — Following Bitcoin, showing a cautious tone. The sector remains awaiting new catalysts.

🚀 Insight: $ASTS (-0.91%) (AST SpaceMobile) - The Analysis

$ASTS is an innovative satellite telecommunications company with an ambitious mission: to create the first global cellular broadband network in space, capable of connecting directly with standard mobile phones.

Why is it interesting?

Disruptive Technology: The company aims to eliminate global "shadow zones" without requiring additional user hardware. The implementation of the BlueBird network represents a potential game changer for the wireless industry.

Strategic Partnerships: Agreements with top-tier operators, such as Vodafone and Rakuten, validate its market potential.

Market Performance: The stock has recently shown ** strong upward momentum**, with significant year-on-year growth.

Analyst Sentiment (TipRanks & eToro)

The general sentiment is one of cautious optimism with a "Moderate Buy" recommendation.

• Target Price: The 12-month target is considered high (around $53 $), although the current price ($86 $) exceeds the average projection, reflecting the enormous potential of the technology.
• Technical Analysis: In the medium term, the stock is in an upward trend channel. The high RSI indicates strong optimism, but suggests the stock may be technically "overbought" in the very short term, making a brief correction possible.

In summary, $ASTS is a high-risk/high-reward
growth stock, driven by space-to-cell technology and supported by solid partnerships.

PS: The strong run of $ASTS has attracted attention. I am considering entering a position at more attractive support levels (around $60 $ in case of a correction) to capitalize on the long-term trend in satellite connectivity.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risks, including the loss of capital.

September was one of my best dividend months over the last year so far!

I got 12 dividend payment from companies like $MSFT (+0.23%)
$TROW (-0.32%) and $ARCC (+0.63%)

https://youtu.be/glXsLDZMrSs

How much dividends did you guys get in september?

#investing
#stocks
#finance
#dividends
#passiveincome