Happy Wednesday! The sun isn't the only thing sizzling this summer — so is the pressure on your wallet. As the U.S. dollar suffers its worst first-half performance in over three decades, Americans are finding their vacations abroad are costing a lot more than they bargained for.

Also, gold is quietly staging one of its best performances in nearly two decades — and it’s leaving Bitcoin in the dust. What’s driving the precious metal’s surge, and could it signal a major shift in investor sentiment? Read on to find out.

Plus, if you’re looking for a cutting-edge sports technology investment that just expanded its partnership with Major League Baseball, check out today’s sponsor.

In Today's Edition

• MARKET RECAP

• FIVE ZINGERS

• MARKET HISTORY

• ONE FOR THE ROAD

A Sinking Dollar Is Making Your Dream Vacation Way More Pricey This Year

Summer is in full swing, and families around the world are packing their bags for vacation.

But it’s not just travelers clocking out. The U.S. dollar continues to take an extended holiday of its own, as it just wrapped up its worst first half of the year since 1991.

At the start of 2025, the U.S. dollar was flying high, with markets betting big on a political tailwind to give the greenback some serious lift. But just six months later, that confidence has taken a nosedive — along with the value of the dollar itself. Now, the only thing rising is the cost of your vacation.

From eating Gelato in Rome to relaxing on the beaches of Brazil, U.S. tourists are waking up to a new reality: their dollars aren't going nearly as far. What felt like an affordable adventure just months ago now comes with a much steeper price tag.

What triggered this dramatic reversal? Read on for the full breakdown, including five favorite destinations where U.S. travelers are feeling the squeeze this summer.

Sportradar (SRAD), a leading global sports technology company that creates immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors, recently extended and expanded its decade-long partnership with Major League Baseball.

The agreement gives Sportradar exclusive right to distribute MLB’s real-time data and gives the league an equity interest in Sportradar. It is expected to help MLB grow its audience globally, specifically in desired markets in Latin America and Asia.

For Sportradar, the expanded agreement – locked in for eight years – gives it an extended runway to innovate, scale and create new fan engagement opportunities globally. The partnership could be a great deal not just for Sportradar and MLB but also for baseball fans.

Get more information about the Sportradar ecosystem and how it merges sport, AI and fan engagement by clicking here.

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Yesterday: U.S. indexes were mixed on Tuesday as investors rotated out of tech to start the second half of 2025. The Dow led the way as it climbed more than 400 points, while both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropped, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq falling nearly 200 points. Investors weighed comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, as well as ongoing negotiations over President Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill. Treasury yields rose, with the 10-year yield hitting 4.25%, the U.S. dollar extended its decline and oil prices advanced ahead of the July 6 OPEC+ meeting. Manufacturing data was broadly positive, with the S&P U.S. Manufacturing PMI rising to 52.9, above estimates of 49.3, and the ISM index edging up to 49.0, narrowly missing forecasts of 49.1. Job openings rose unexpectedly to 7.8 million in May, signaling continued labor market strength.

On Our Radar: Analysts will be paying attention to the initial jobless claims and the U.S. unemployment rate which are both due Thursday morning before the market opens. On the earnings front, all eyes will be on Franklin Covey (FC), which will report results after market close today.

Infinity And Beyond: Rocket Lab's stock has skyrocketed 650% over the past year, fueled by record-breaking launch speeds and rising demand from commercial and government sectors. Read on to see why this space challenger is defying gravity.

Trump vs. Musk: Shares of Tesla plunged over the continued public fallout between Elon Musk and President Trump, as well as news about Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” — which is getting closer to getting signed. According to analyst Dan Ives, it’s a “junior high school friendship gone bad.” Discover why Ives remains bullish on the company and why he believes the drama will quickly fade.

VOO Turn: After 30 consecutive months of inflows, investors dumped nearly $6 billion from the world’s largest S&P 500 ETF — even as the index hit record highs. Is this a profit-taking pit stop or a stealthy exit? Read on to learn more about the market’s most mysterious ETF move.

Mine Over Matter: Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat and now chairman of BitMine, is shaking up the crypto industry by turning BitMine into the “MicroStrategy of Ethereum.” Discover how big the war chest is and the impact it could have on your investments.

Holding Pattern: The airline industry is hitting some turbulence as experts warn that passenger traffic and spending remain soft. However, with potential capacity cuts likely on the horizon, check out the full story to see how the second half of 2025 could get a much-needed boost.

Geopolitical tensions. Shifting Fed signals. Surprise market swings. Tonight at 6 p.m. ET, Chris Capre goes live to reveal the short-term trades he’s targeting right now — plus how he adapts fast when volatility hits. You’ll get his full strategy for navigating chaos with precision.

On This Day In 1962…

Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, launching what would become the largest retail chain in the United States. Walton's vision of offering everyday low prices in small-town markets revolutionized American retail. The company's aggressive expansion strategy and focus on efficiency through supply chain innovation and technology would eventually make it not only the largest retailer in the U.S. but the world's largest company by revenue, fundamentally changing how Americans shop and reshaping entire communities across the country. As of today, Walmart has a market cap of $785 billion.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.”

— Warren Buffett

Gold Rarely Beats Bitcoin, But 2025 Could Be Another Blowout Year

Is gold having its shining moment?

In a move few saw coming at the start of the year, the precious metal has been stealing Bitcoin’s thunder. Gold is up a whopping 26% through the first half of the year — its strongest start since 2007 — and has doubled Bitcoin’s return (13%) in the process. If it stands throughout the rest of the year, it would mark just the fourth time that gold has outpaced Bitcoin since the crypto debut in 2009.

But Bitcoin isn't down and out — it’s evolving. Once a symbol of the Wild West with no rules and volatility, has now grown up, trading with more stability and attracting hedge fund and institutions as well. But with that maturity comes moderation. ETF inflows are slowing, even as political winds and a weakening U.S. dollar tilt the scales in favor of hard assets. Gold, long the anchor in times of uncertainty, is now sprinting ahead as real yields drop and the dollar slides to multi-decade lows.

With tariffs, ongoing wars and inflation all raging on, experts say it’s a real possibility that gold could hit this target by the end of the year.

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