Apple Hits a New High: $260 and Counting 🍎

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Welcome to Cash Nut, your daily source for the most intriguing stories in business, tech, and beyond. Grab your coffee and let’s crack open today’s headlines! ☕✨

🚀 Startups Nuts

Startups Begin Geoengineering the Sea

Big problems call for bold solutions. Captura, a pioneering company, is taking on the climate crisis by electrochemically removing carbon dioxide from the ocean. Their plan? Extract CO₂, store or repurpose it, and return the processed water to the sea. This cycle leverages the ocean’s natural ability to absorb CO₂ from the air, creating a scalable solution to combat climate change.

Captura will begin its first major operations at Hawaii's Keāhole Point in the coming months, pumping volumes of the Pacific. They aren’t alone—dozens of similar projects are gearing up, aiming to scale significantly by 2025. Could this be the start of a new era in carbon capture?

2025 Prediction: A Surge of Self-Serve CTV Buyers

Roku predicts that 2025 will be a breakthrough year for self-serve CTV advertising. Roku Ads Manager makes it easy to integrate CTV into your 2025 marketing mix. Easily segment your target audience, optimize campaigns in real-time, and drive conversions with interactive ad formats and shoppable ads with a Shopify integration. Roku Ads Manager makes CTV advertising accessible and impactful for businesses of any size.

Discover CTV performance on Roku

💡 Business Nuts

Santa’s Final Gift: Apple Stock Hits $260

Apple Rings in 2025 Near $4 Trillion Valuation 🎁"

Apple gave investors a Christmas surprise with shares hitting an all-time high of $260, inching the tech giant closer to a jaw-dropping $4 trillion market cap.

What’s Driving the Surge:

• Strong September earnings of $94.9 billion (+6% YoY), beating Wall Street expectations.

• Apple Intelligence’s integration with the iPhone 16 lineup, though met with mixed reviews, has Wall Street bullish.

• $27 billion in operating cash flow and $29 billion returned to shareholders signal confidence in Apple’s financial muscle.

The Fine Print: Despite the pop, some analysts caution against overhyping the immediate impact of Apple’s AI initiatives, suggesting meaningful financial returns may not materialize until 2026 or later. Still, Apple’s stock momentum closes 2024 on a high note, setting the stage for an intriguing 2025.

📊 Economic Nuts

"2024 Ends as it Began: Confusing the Fed 🤔"

Economic data is closing the year with mixed signals, leaving the Federal Reserve scratching its head.

The Numbers:

• Weekly jobless claims dipped by 1,000 to 219,000, better than expected.

• Continuing claims, however, rose by 46,000 to 1.9 million, a three-year high.

• November job growth rebounded strongly, adding 227,000 jobs, offsetting a weaker October.

Retail to the Rescue: Holiday sales (Nov. 1–Dec. 24) jumped 3.8% YoY, fueled by deep discounts. Online platforms like Shein and TikTok Shops led the charge, with online sales up 6.7%.

The labor market’s mixed signals and robust consumer spending set a curious tone for the Fed heading into 2025.

💰 Crypto Nuts

Bitcoin’s Post-Christmas Slump

After inching close to $100,000 on Christmas, Bitcoin dropped 4% Thursday, sending ripples through the crypto market.

What Happened:

• A TradingView glitch incorrectly showed Bitcoin’s market cap as 0%, spooking investors.

• Declining interest rates are also emerging as a potential headwind for the cryptocurrency.

The Bright Side: Bitcoin is still up 116% for the year, buoyed by events like the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs and its role in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. Despite recent flat performance, the crypto remains a major player to watch in 2025.

🛏 Retail Nuts

Amazon vs. Temu: Price War Intensifies

Amazon is reportedly pressuring its Chinese merchants to avoid listing cheaper products on Temu, its rapidly growing competitor. Temu, the most downloaded app in 2024, has captured market share with its aggressive pricing strategy. Amazon responded, stating sellers are free to determine their pricing on all platforms, but the battle for dominance is far from over.

Conquer Winter in Style: Best Men’s Sneakers from Nike Air Max.

Winter is here, and it’s time to elevate your look while staying warm and comfortable. The Nike Air Max collection is perfect for the modern man ready to tackle the season. From the edgy Air Max Plus to the versatile AM1, these sneakers combine style with features designed to keep your feet happy all winter long.

Whether you're tackling holiday shopping or celebrating with friends, these kicks are your perfect companion. Find your ideal pair and effortlessly elevate your winter wardrobe this season.

Treat yourself or a loved one to a stylish pair from the collection this holiday season.

Shop the Men’s Collection

🐦 National Pride

Bald Eagle Soars as Official National Bird

President Biden officially recognized the bald eagle as the U.S.’s national bird on Christmas Eve. Known for its role on the Great Seal since 1782, the bald eagle symbolizes resilience. Once endangered, conservation efforts have restored its population to 19th-century levels. Native American tribes hold the bird sacred, using eagle feathers in religious practices—a tradition supported through regulated channels.

🚨 Other News

• 🎫 Mega Millions Jackpot Hits $1.15 Billion: With no Christmas Eve winner, Friday’s drawing could crown one of the largest prize winners in history.

• ⚡ Corporate Leader Richard Parsons Passes Away: The trailblazing CEO guided Time Warner and Citigroup through transformative times.

• 🛍 Retailers Celebrate Holiday Surge: Holiday spending grew 3.8%, driven by discounts and resilient consumer confidence.

• 🔪 Tragic Discovery on United Airlines Flight: A body was found in the wheel well of a Chicago-to-Hawaii flight, prompting an investigation.

• 🔧 Japan Airlines Cyberattack: A hacking incident delayed over 20 domestic flights but did not compromise safety.

• 🚀 Alibaba Eyes $4 Billion South Korea Merger: Strengthening its e-commerce foothold, Alibaba is set to merge with E-Mart.

• 🚗 Nissan and Honda’s Merger Plan: The Japanese automakers aim to combine forces by 2026, creating the world’s third-largest car manufacturer.

• 🤖 Nvidia Draws $30B Retail Investment: The AI darling continues to shine, driven by Main Street’s enthusiasm.

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🙏 Thanks for Reading!

That’s all for today, Cash Nutters! We’ll be back tomorrow with more news and insights to keep you informed and engaged. Have a cracking day! 🌰