#79 - Your Friendly Reminder

Market & Freedom Fund Recap

Last Friday, markets dropped sharply after Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on Chinese imports, sparking fears of a renewed trade war. The Dow fell 1.9%, the S&P 500 lost 2.7%, and the Nasdaq declined more than 3.5%. Around the same time, a crypto whale rumored to have ties to Trump denied insider trading allegations after reportedly shorting Bitcoin and Ethereum just before the tariff news. That same wallet later opened a $340 million short position in Bitcoin and profited as the price fell by roughly 8%.

By Sunday, market sentiment had shifted. As the tone around China softened, stocks bounced back strongly, showing how quickly financial markets can swing based on rhetoric and reaction.

More broadly, there has been increasing conversation around the strength of recent market gains, the possibility of an AI bubble, and the growing shift into alternative assets like gold, silver, and crypto. One important factor is that M2 money supply is now at an all-time high. This means there is more money circulating through the economy than ever before, creating abundant liquidity. When not matched by real economic output, this excess liquidity can fuel inflation, push asset prices higher, or weaken the purchasing power of the dollar.

More broadly, there has been increasing conversation around the strength of recent market gains, the possibility of an AI bubble, and the growing shift into alternative assets like gold, silver, and crypto. One important factor is that M2 money supply is now at an all-time high. This means there is more money circulating through the economy than ever before, creating abundant liquidity. When not matched by real economic output, this excess liquidity can fuel inflation, push asset prices higher, or weaken the purchasing power of the dollar.

It brings to mind a chart from 2020 that Visual Capitalist released, which highlighted the long-term decline in the U.S. dollar’s purchasing power. While today’s market strength appears impressive on the surface, much of it is likely being driven by years of aggressive monetary policy and money creation. That excess liquidity has helped propel asset classes like stocks, commodities, and digital currencies to all-time highs.

Every week, I talk about the growth of the Freedom Fund and share the trades that have worked, including some triple-digit gains. But I want to be honest. I’m not doing anything extraordinary. I am simply responding to the environment we are in. The current conditions have allowed momentum and themes to play out well. I have made timely bets, but I am still a product of the broader macroeconomic setup.

Are we in a bull market? Yes.
Is there a bubble forming around AI? Most likely.
Will AI change how people earn a living in the future? Almost certainly.

There are so many variables that are out of our control in the future. Economic tensions between NATO and BRICS, housing supply and cost of living, political tensions and humans being humans. There is even a potential for another impactful recession where the market drops immensely like 1929, 1987, 2000, 2008, and 2020.

So here is the point… The past two years have been very strong, but this won’t last forever. Everything moves in cycles. What remains consistent is your ability to control your own behavior.

You control your effort.
You control your emotions and decisions.
You control your financial habits.

You can choose to invest weekly in your 401(k), Roth IRA, brokerage accounts, crypto wallets, real estate, businesses, health, or education. You can even choose to stack gold bars from Costco if that aligns with your plan. Most importantly, you control how valuable you become in the job market, how you manage your spending, and how prepared you are for both opportunity and adversity.

This is not just about trading. It is about building a mindset and strategy for long-term financial freedom.

This week the public account stayed pretty flat as it pushed passed $41,000 for the first time then settled back around last weeks value. I purchased 5 additional shares of $CHWY ( ▼ 1.94% ) as I think there is still a short term upside and I plan to sell into the $50-$60 range going into December earnings.

Freedom Fund Background: I launched the Freedom Fund in October 2022 as a public brokerage account to show that anyone—with just a bank account and Social Security number—can start investing, even with a couple hundred dollars a week. I started from $0 to make the journey real and relatable. Each week, I share transparent updates on purchases, sales, dividends, and growth on X (@GrahamSchroeder) so you can follow along in real time. The hardest part of investing is getting started—so I did, publicly, to help others do the same.

Bank Boldly. Climb Higher.

Peak Bank offers an all-digital banking experience, providing all the tools and tips you need to make your way to the top. Take advantage of competitive rates on our high-yield savings account and get access to a suite of smart money management tools. Apply online and start your journey today.

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