Government shutdown or not, the markets never sleep — so here’s your quick-and-digestible rundown of what actually matters this week.

📊 Economy Check: Still Kicking, But Slowing Under the Hood

• GDP (Q2 final) clocked in at a strong +3.8%, meaning the economy’s still chugging along. No recession cliff dive yet — which gives the Fed every excuse to sit tight on rates for now.
• PMI reports (manufacturing + services) cooled off a bit — slowing growth but also easing price pressures. That’s the magical combo the Fed loves: ✅ softer inflation without ❌ full-on slowdown.
• Since official jobs reports are delayed, the “shadow data” filled the gap — and it’s telling. Hiring is basically flat, and small business job losses are creeping up. Translation? The labor market is quietly losing steam.

Bottom line: Strong headline growth, weaker job reality. That keeps the Fed in “cautious mode,” which means rates are likely to stay steady for a bit.

🏠 For property financing? That’s our window. Lock in what cash flows now, and make sure you’ve got room to refi later when cuts finally hit.

🤖 Meanwhile in AI-Land… Bubble or Breakthrough?

Everyone’s still chanting AI like it’s 1999 dot-com déjà vu.

• Giants like Nvidia, OpenAI, and energy-tied AI plays are trading at nosebleed valuations.
• Bank of America just officially labeled “AI bubble” as investors’ top risk.
• Even Jamie Dimon is out here saying: AI isn’t fake — but the money chasing it might be.

My take: The innovation is very real, but so is the hype cycle. When liquidity tightens, the fluff goes first.

💡 Investor Rule #1 — whether it’s AI or real estate:

Don’t buy the dream. Buy the cash flow.

If you’re financing or investing in data centers, chips, or automation, make sure there’s real revenue underneath — not just a whitepaper and a keynote speech.

That’s the scoop for now. Steady hands win in weird markets.

Talk soon,
Addison