Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Tuesday, 5:17 AM

October 29, 2024

Good morning news friend! Stay current with the latest updates, following the continuous flow of events as they unfold. 📰🌟

Robinhood Enters the Election Prediction Market

Robinhood launched a new feature allowing users to trade contracts predicting either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump as the next president.

To participate, users must be US citizens and approved for a Robinhood Derivatives account. The contracts range in price from $0.02 to $0.99, reflecting each candidate's odds of winning.

On PredictIt, Trump’s Yes contract is priced at 61 cents, while Harris's is at 42 cents. Polymarket places Trump’s odds even higher at 66 cents and Harris’s at 34 cents.

Payouts for winning contracts from Robinhood will occur on January 8, 2025, after Congress certifies the election results.

Source: Read More

The Collapse of Commercial Real Estate?

Buyers of top-rated commercial mortgage-backed securities are facing losses for the first time since the 2008 great financial crisis.

A prime example is the 43-floor tower at 1407 Broadway in Manhattan, once regarded as a highly secure investment. In 2019, it issued a $350 million bond backed by its rental income, which received a AAA credit rating.

Investors considered this building to be nearly immune to economic fluctuations. The losses in these bonds have raised alarms. This situation reflects broader issues in the commercial real estate market.

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China's Iron Grip on Rare Minerals Intensifies

China is tightening its control over mineral resources essential for technology. As of October, exporters must now document how rare earth metals are used in Western supply chains.

This measure enhances Beijing's influence over foreign companies, especially semiconductor manufacturers. China already dominates the market, producing nearly all of the world’s supply.

Additionally, state-owned companies are increasing their ownership in mining and refining operations. The last two foreign-owned refineries in China are being acquired by a state-run company.

The world’s largest mine for light rare earths is Baiyun Obo in Inner Mongolia.

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Pentagon Runs Low on Air Defense Missiles

The US faces a critical shortage of air-defense missiles. This shortage comes as wars in the Middle East and Europe intensify, leading to heightened demand for interceptors.

Since Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, the US has launched over 100 Standard Missiles, costing more than $1.8 billion. It typically deploys two interceptors for every missile fired.

RTX can produce only a few hundred missiles per year, and these are distributed among 14 allied countries.

Pentagon officials are exploring alternatives. Recent deployments include the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Israel and increased Patriot missile systems in the Middle East.

Source: Read More

Apple Unveils iOS 18.1

Apple launched iOS 18.1 with new AI features. This update is available for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, as well as iPadOS 18.1 and MacOS Sequoia 15.1.

Key features include a writing tool that allows users to highlight text to proofread, rewrite, or summarize content across multiple apps.

Also photo clean up lets users remove unwanted objects from photos by simply circling them in the Photos app.- Writing Tools: Users can now

Importantly, iOS 18.1 includes a hearing-aid feature for AirPods Pro 2, allowing users to undergo a clinical-grade hearing test and utilize their earbuds as hearing aids.

Source: Read More

“You can be certain that a CEO has a lot to worry about when they announce publicly that - ‘there’s nothing to worry about’”

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️