💰 Maniac Minute: Could Oil Hit $90?

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Good morning, Maniacs!

Middle Eastern missile strikes sent the market into a selloff. Oil went flying, markets turned red, and investors fled for safety in gold.

But there were some glimmers of good news.

Oracle blasted past expectations, Chime made a splashy IPO debut, and a nuclear startup backed by Sam Altman just landed a deal with the U.S. Air Force.

This week’s issue unpacks all the drama: the winners, the losers, the scams (that’s not Warren Buffett DMing you), and the wild story of the man in seat 11A who walked away from Air India’s crash.

Let’s dive in! 👇

Market Recap 📈

Despite early-week optimism, Friday’s missile exchanges between Israel and Iran sparked a sharp selloff. Defense stocks rallied, but most of the market turned risk-off.

Oil briefly touched $77 a barrel on fears that Tehran could disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that handles 20% of global supply. Analysts now warn crude oil could hit $90 if the conflict escalates.

Gold, meanwhile, flirted with record highs and officially surpassed the euro as the world’s second-largest reserve asset, with only the dollar ahead.

A cooler-than-expected inflation report revived hopes for two Fed rate cuts this year. Still, with oil climbing and tensions rising, the central bank is expected to hold steady at this week’s meeting.

Tariff headlines, a blockbuster IPO from Chime, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s plan to split into two companies added to the week’s excitement. But once again, geopolitics stole the spotlight.

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Winners & Losers 🚀

This week brought a nuclear liftoff, a cloud comeback, and a warning bark from Wall Street’s favorite pet stock.

Winners

1. Oklo ($OKLO) – Market Cap: $8.9B (+26.6%)

Oklo $OKLO ( ▲ 1.14% ) soared after landing a deal to supply nuclear energy to a U.S. Air Force base in Alaska. The Sam Altman–backed startup, aiming to bring its first commercial unit online by 2027, will design, deploy, and operate a small modular reactor (SMR) to provide both electricity and heat.

But just as investors started to cheer, Oklo tapped the brakes. It announced a $400 million public equity offering to dilute shareholders capitalize on its all-time high stock price. Although with shares up 524% over the past year, most shareholders aren’t complaining.

2. Oracle ($ORCL) – Market Cap: $603.5B (+23.7%)

Turns out “legacy tech” can still grow like a startup. Oracle $ORCL ( ▼ 1.89% )  blew past earnings expectations and forecasted “dramatically higher” cloud growth through 2026. Its infrastructure revenue jumped 52% year over year, and execs say AI workloads are just getting started.

CEO Safra Catz raised full-year guidance, while founder Larry Ellison saw his net worth balloon by $26 billion in a single day—vaulting past Bezos and Zuckerberg. That leaves only Elon Musk in his crosshairs.

Losers

1. GameStop ($GME) – Market Cap: $9.9B (-25.2%)

GameStop $GME ( ▲ 1.0% ) tumbled after the company announced a $1.75B convertible debt offering to fund crypto purchases, M&A, and whatever else falls under the vague banner of “general corporate purposes.”

The company hoped to channel its inner Michael Saylor. But running a leveraged “bitcoin treasury” strategy on shrinking fundamentals is risky business, especially when revenue has declined consistently since 2023. If Bitcoin stumbles and interest payments pile up, bankruptcy risk isn’t just theoretical.

2. Chewy ($CHWY) – Market Cap: $17.3B (-13.6%)

Chewy's Q1 report had investors expecting steak and getting kibble. While revenue beat, executives hinted that this quarter may be the year’s peak.

Margins slipped, customer growth was sluggish, and free cash flow took a hit. $CHWY ( ▼ 2.01% ) , up 80% over the past year, was priced for perfection—but got a lukewarm reality check instead.

Celebrity Endorsements You Can’t Trust 🚩

If you've scrolled Facebook lately and seen Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, or CNBC hosts hyping a “can’t-miss” stock pick... you’re not alone. And you’re not seeing the real deal.

A bipartisan coalition of 42 state attorneys general just called out Meta for failing to stop a surge in fraudulent investment ads across Facebook and WhatsApp.

These scams use fake celebrity endorsements to lure users into WhatsApp groups. Once inside, scammers promote obscure penny stocks, claiming they’re the next big thing.

As group members buy in, the stock price rises, creating artificial hype. That’s the “pump.” Then, the scammers sell their shares at the inflated price. The stock tanks, and everyone else is left holding the bag. That’s the “dump.”

Ultimately, money flows from unsuspecting victims straight into the scammers’ pockets.

Although Meta uses automated ad reviews, scammers continue to slip through the cracks. Some even use AI-generated voices or cloned websites to appear legitimate, preying on anyone who’s not paying very close attention.

How To Avoid Getting Played

• Don’t Trust “Celebrity Picks.” Warren Buffett doesn’t moonlight on Messenger.

• Avoid Private Investment Groups. Real investing rarely happens in group chats.

• Watch for Urgency. If someone says “buy now or miss out,” walk away.

• Check the Source. If the link leads to WhatsApp, it’s probably not a real CNBC article.

A Word To The Wise

Chasing hot stock tips rarely ends well, even when they aren’t outright scams.

You’ll notice this newsletter focuses on long-term trends and emerging themes, not clickbait trades that promise the moon.

Here’s why: Almost all active traders underperform the market. Even among the pros, 94% of fund managers lag the S&P 500 over time.

And the rare few who beat it? They’re busy running multibillion-dollar firms, not sharing “secret” trades on social media.

So stick to your plan, stay skeptical, and invest for sustainable growth—not get-rich-quick plays.

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Worth The Read 📚

👀 The man in seat 11A survived a crash that killed 241 others, including his brother. His story—and the rescue chaos around him—has captivated a grieving nation.

🔫 Minnesota lawmaker shootings point to a suspect with a double life: part-time pastor, eye donation worker, and now accused assassin with a political hit list.

💣 Liberation Day 2.0 is coming, but no one—not even Trump’s team—knows if it’ll bring trade deals, tariff hikes, or just another deadline extension.

🕊️ Trump says “it’s possible” the U.S. joins Israel’s strikes on Iran.

💳 Coinbase’s new Amex credit card will offer 4% bitcoin rewards and perks for staking.

🏗️ China’s economic outlook is dragging under the weight of falling exports, an aging population, and a property market still deflating.

⚛️ The World Bank is lifting its nuclear project ban after 12 years, marking a major pivot in its energy strategy as power demand surges in developing countries.

📉 Americans failed a retirement quiz, scoring just 2 out of 6 on basics like Social Security and Medicare. Financial literacy isn’t just low—it’s dangerous.

The Week Ahead 🔍

A fresh batch of housing data and retail sales kicks things off on Tuesday. The main event follows on Wednesday as the Fed delivers its latest rate decision, just before markets close for Juneteenth. Earnings highlights include Lennar, Kroger, Darden, and Accenture.

Monday

• Earnings from Lennar

Tuesday

• May Retail Sales (est. -0.5% MoM, 4.9% YoY)

• May Export Prices (est. -0.1% MoM, 1.7% YoY)

• May Import Prices (est. -0.2% MoM, 0.2% YoY)

• May Industrial Production (est. 0.1% MoM, 1.1% YoY)

• April Business Inventories (est. 0.2% MoM)

• June Home Builder Confidence (est. 36)

Wednesday

• May Building Permits (preliminary est. 1.42M)

• May Housing Starts (est. 1.36M)

• Fed Interest Rate Decision (est. 4.5%)

Thursday

• Markets closed for Juneteenth

Friday

• Earnings from Accenture, Kroger, Darden, and CarMax

That’s it for today! If you made it this far, you’re exactly why I do this.

All I ask for? A little feedback. Your comments, questions, and suggestions help me improve and shape future editions.

Just hit reply or leave a quick review below. It helps more than you know.

Keep stacking,
The Money Maniac 💸

DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets. All opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change without notice. Please do your own research or consult with a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.