🌞 Gold Up – January 24 2022

*Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 5:00 am ET.

• Markets: Crypto markets continued their bleedout over the weekend. Every token in the top 50 by market cap are in the red at the time of this publication. Solana is down 20% and 42% over the past seven days. 

The Lead: When I come to your house have chips for me

credit: getty

“We're going to stamp everything we can 'Made in America,' especially these computer chips.” – President Biden

Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer, announced at a White House event Friday that it plans to build a $20 billion dollar facility outside Columbus, Ohio. 

At the event, President Biden called for an increase in research and development and manufacturing investment to fight the semiconductor chip shortage plaguing the nation. The chips are essential parts of cars, smartphones, medical equipment, refrigerators, and so much more people use on the daily.  

Biden used Intel’s announcement to push Congress to pass the stalled CHIPS Act, which would provide $52 billion for chip research and manufacturing.

After the failure of Biden’s Build Back Better bill, the president is once again attempting to “get another historic piece of bipartisan legislation done.” 

Let’s see how this attempt at bipartisanship goes.

A Secret Weapon Against RSV

credit: scitechdaily

Researchers at Washington State University might have just discovered the key to wiping out respiratory viruses. That means you, Covid-19!

The study focused on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which infects the lungs and can lead to pneumonia and death. Scientists were able to isolate one viral protein of RSV called NS2, whose main job is to take out our immune system’s defense against the virus (a cellular protein called Beclin1).

So, we take out NS2, we take out the virus. 

“In a way you are disabling NS2’s ability to modulate the cell’s immune defense mechanism,” said Kim Chiok, who led the study. “You can use therapeutics to target that protein, and potentially transfer this concept to other respiratory viruses like influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2.”

We are coming for you, NS2!

Sponsor: Podium

Go on and admit it, you're more likely to do business with a company if they're able to help you right away. 

That's where Podium comes in. They offer a text messaging platform for small businesses that lets owners connect with customers in real-time. Podium makes doing business as easy as sending a text. Because when texts get opened, business gets done. Here's what you can do:

• All your employees can text from a single inbox, offering a smoother experience for your customers.
• Answering questions? Send a text. 
• Collecting reviews? Send a text. 
• Scheduling an appointment or delivery? Send a text.
• Payment collection? Just send a text.

They have FREE plans to help grow your business. Give Podium a try today by using this link. 

Straight Talk, Period

the diva cup credit: nytimes

Gen Z wants to talk. #PeriodTok.

The young people who we’re all hoping will save our world are trying to knock out another old-fashioned stigma: menstruation. They want to talk about it, on TikTok, home, everywhere, and they want (and are making) better products that won’t add to the climate crisis, like the Diva Cup pictured above.

According to the New York Times, people in the U.S. spend $1.8 billion on pads and $1 billion on tampons every year. But reusable period underwear, cloth pads, and (my favorite) menstrual cups are gaining in popularity among this crowd and their parents, and forecasters expect this market to grow in the next decade.

There are barriers to reusable products, of course, including for people who can’t access period products and for those who can’t afford the initial expense of reusable products versus the small payout (that adds up) for disposables. 

But Gen Z knows that talking is a great place to start when you’re changing the world. Menstruation is a natural part of life, and we all benefit from it. Then again, it can become a marketing tool that takes advantage of the #PeriodTok. Facebook is now advertising Period Sleepwear to me. Because I can’t sleep in regular PJs during menstruation? 

News By The Numbers

credit: giphy

1,000+. That is how many doctors, scientists, and other health professionals signed a letter to Spotify telling it to scrap The Joe Rogan Experience due to unchecked anti-vaccine rhetoric. Spotify does not disclose numbers, but Rogan’s show has been the streaming platform’s top podcast globally for two years running.

19. That is the age of the youngest person to fly around the world solo. Zara Rutherford flew over 52,000 km, crossed 41 countries, and broke two world records on her journey, landing last Thursday in Belgium.

Over $205 billion. That is how hard the cryptocurrency market crashed Friday in the U.S. Guess NYC Mayor Eric Adams is regretting converting his first paycheck to crypto now.

M&M Makeover

credit: cbs

Candy maker Mars announced Thursday that M&M characters are getting a revamp. The company wants the characters to better reflect a "more dynamic, progressive world.”

Keeping in mind that this is all advertising, which means motives are anything but pure, the new M&Ms will be better (and less-gendered) friends. 

• The green M&M will lose her go-go boots for "cool, laid-back sneakers to reflect her effortless confidence." 
• Brown and Green will be a lot friendlier than in some previous advertisements, and Brown’s heels won’t be so high.
• Orange is embracing his anxious nature by tying his shoes.
• Red will bully no more, embracing his M&M community and friends. His shoes now have laces, as do Yellow’s.
• Blue’s shoes now kind of look like Uggs.

(Shoes are a big part of this, since there isn’t much else to each character.)

All prefixes will also disappear and there will be M&Ms in different shapes and sizes. This is a clear push to speak to a new generation that loves to speak (see above), but will Gen Z buy it? 

What's Trending? 

now you know what chlamydia looks like up close credit: abc

Black Mirror is trending because Elon Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink seems to be on the brink of conducting human trials, which feels like an episode of the television series. See also Made for Love. (SPOILER: in both series, this technology doesn’t work out for anyone.)

“Big Sur fire” is trending because the brush fire known as The Colorado Wildfire burned 1,500 acres Friday and Saturday, helped along by the Santa Ana winds in the area. This fire is further confirmation that there is no longer a ‘fire season.’

Mark Cuban is trending because he wants to sell people in the U.S. drugs. The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. has an appropriately incoherent name and will offer generics for an allegedly smaller markup than big pharmaceutical companies.

Park Shin Hye is trending because the Korean actress got married Saturday and posted a photo on Instagram of herself in traditional Korean wedding dress thanking her fans.

Today's Live Show

U.S. TELLS AMERICANS TO GET OUT OF UKRAINE, AS BIDEN READIES TROOPS

Join us on today's live morning show. We'll be analyzing how the latest tensions in Ukraine are driving markets around the world.  The markets are running for safe havens in gold and precious metals. President Biden will hold a press conference to announce his plan to drive down consumer prices. Click here to RSVP and I'll see you at 9 AM Eastern. 

Share The Love

Become a friend of Morning Invest by sharing this newsletter with someone you love.

When you do give you actual rewards that’ll make everyone jealous.

Share Now