The Market Pulse: Still moving. Still confusing. Here’s what you need to know before you check your portfolio.

$SPX ( ▲ 0.26% ) $DJI ( ▲ 0.24% ) $NASDAQ ( 0.0% ) $QQQ ( ▲ 0.48% ) $BTC.X ( ▲ 0.49% )

Vanguard just projected public markets may return only 5% annually over the next decade. In a 2024 report, Goldman Sachs forecasted the S&P 500 may return just 3% annually for the same time frame—stats that put current valuations in the 7th percentile of history.

Translation? The gains we’ve seen over the past few years might not continue for quite a while.

Meanwhile, another asset class—almost entirely uncorrelated to the S&P 500 historically—has overall outpaced it for decades (1995-2024), according to Masterworks data.

Masterworks lets everyday investors invest in shares of multimillion-dollar artworks by legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso.

And they’re not just buying. They’re exiting—with net annualized returns like 17.6%, 17.8%, and 21.5% among their 23 sales.*

Wall Street won’t talk about this. But the wealthy already are. Shares in new offerings can sell quickly but…

👉 My subscribers skip the waitlist

_{*Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd.}

The concept of your "salary" literally comes from the Roman practice of paying soldiers in salt (salarium). So, if you ever feel underpaid, you're literally telling your boss, "I'm not worth my salt!"

The 10-Minute Rule for Spending: If you feel a sudden, urgent desire to buy something non-essential, set a timer for 10 minutes. During that time, complete one chore and then re-evaluate. You'll often find that the immediate desire to spend money was just a form of procrastination, avoiding a task you should have been doing anyway.

Until Next Time: Go forth, make smart choices, and remember: The best investment is usually the one you actually understand.