US home sales fell to a ​14-year low

Hello and welcome to Alts Cafe

This is everything you need to stay up to date in alternatives.

Highlights from the full issue:

  • Macro: South Korea’s economy ​grew only 0.1%​ in Q3
  • Real Estate: US home sales fell to a ​14-year low
  • Startups: Finix ​raised $75 million​, quadrupling revenue
  • Private Credit: PE investments in insurance ​surged 42%
  • Crypto: Retail demand for Bitcoin ETFs reached $63.3 billion
  • NFTs: Solana’s Froganas collection saw a 444% rise in sales
  • Art: Egon Schiele’s death mask sold for $24,600
  • Vintage Autos: A WWII Mercedes​ is set to sell for £770,000
  • Coins: A 1904 Liberty Head Eagle sold for $96,000
  • Farmland: Floods ​ruined 34,000 hectares​ of Afghan farmland
  • Luxury: Prada joined Axiom Space to design a spacesuit
  • Wine, Tequila, and Spirits: Champagne uses cork closures
  • Film & Music: Spotify’s audiobooks have ​hurt music royalties
  • Precious Metals: China’s metals ore imports fell 22.4%
  • Collectibles: Caitlin Clark collector items ​sold out in minutes
  • Websites: Rocket.com sold for $14 million

Let’s go.

Wyatt

Macro View

look at the Vix

Bullish News

Bearish News

What are the odds?

So even affordability can hurt the economy?

Get $25 to play around with using this link.

Real Estate

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in real estate right now:

Fixer-uppers are in, but distressed is out.

Startups

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in startups right now:

Bad time to be in a Southeast Asian startup.

Private Equity and Private Credit

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in PE and Private Credit right now:

Who’s applying to PE-owned firms?

Crypto

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in Crypto right now:

Solana is on the up & up!

NFTs

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in NFTs right now:

DeTankZone was fake? Then what was I playing…

Artwork

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in Artwork right now:

Where are high-net-worth individuals spending their money?

Vintage Autos

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in Vintage Autos right now:

Beware of low-quality copycat parts.

Rare Coins

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in Rare Coins right now:

Time to dump out the piggy bank. One of these dimes has to be missing a mint mark.

Farmland

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in Farmland right now:

Untilled next time, American farms.

Luxury Goods

Bullish News

  • Prada partnered with aerospace leader Axiom Space to ​create a spacesuit​ for astronauts to wear during the Artemis III lunar mission in 2026.
  • Jaeger-LeCoultre announced the support of 23 emerging artisan duos participating in ​guided apprenticeships​ until March 2025.
  • ​Hermès​ defied wider luxury industry trends, reporting a Q3 consolidated revenue increase of 10% year over year to about $4 billion.
  • London’s luxury market is ​set to grow​, with 80% of high-net-worth individuals expecting stable or increasing disposable income in 2024.

Bearish News

  • Luxury brands are facing a ​self-inflicted crisis​ due to poor storytelling, lack of client-centric value, and failure to engage Gen Z.
  • China’s ​booming grey markets​ for luxury goods are adding to the woes of luxury brands.
  • A US judge ​blocked​ the effort to create an “American LVMH” by merging Tapestry and Capri.

How to invest in Luxury Goods right now:

That’s whats stopping me from luxury purchases: poor storytelling.

Wine, Tequila, and other Spirits

Bullish News

  • Despite efforts to raise alcohol taxes in several states, the alcohol industry has successfully ​thwarted​ tax increases at virtually every turn.
  • Matthew and Camila McConaughey’s Pantalones Organic Tequila ​celebrated​ its first anniversary and is now available nationwide in the US.
  • The Ohio Liquor Autumn 2024 Bottle Lottery offered ​the chance to win​ rare spirits like Pappy Van Winkle, with bottles ranging from $130 to $450.

Bearish News

How to invest in Wine and Spirits right now:

Any Pappy Van Winkle winners?

Music and Film

Bullish News

Bearish News

  • Blackstone’s Hipgnosis acquisition ​backed​ a $1.47 billion securitization just three months after the $1.6 billion deal.
  • Spotify’s audiobook bundle has ​reduced music royalties​, leading to pushback from the music industry and questions from authors.
  • Thousands of artists signed a statement ​opposing AI training​ on their works without a license.

How to invest in Music and Film right now:

Can’t wait to hear AI Christmas music this year!

Metals and Gems

Bullish News

Bearish News

  • China’s precious metals ore imports ​fell 22.4%​ in September to 201,004.9 metric tons due to a proposed rule change.
  • Anglo American’s Q3 ​copper output fell 13%​ and diamond output decreased 25%.
  • The raw materials bill for the average EV is down to $537 compared to $1,342 in August 2023, a ​60% drop​.

How to invest in Metals and Gems right now:

Gold is going for gold.

Collectibles

Bullish News

Bearish News

  • Auction sales at major houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s ​dropped by 26%​ in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year.
  • Balenciaga ​faced backlash​ over its £1,460 “reptile trainers” with a “worn-out effect” and “elongated toe”.

How to invest in Collectibles right now:

Who managed to snag a Caitlin Clark autographed item?

Websites and Domains

Bullish News

Bearish News

How to invest in Websites and Domains right now:

Rocket.com sells for $14 million in 2024—something to remember in case I ever get a time machine.

Cheers,

Wyatt

Disclosures

  • We hold BTC and ETH in our ​ALTS 1 Fund​.
  • This issue was brought to you by our friends at ​Sensate​.
  • There are a couple of affiliate links above. If you click them, we may get a couple of bucks.

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Author

Picture of Wyatt Cavalier

Wyatt Cavalier

With a background in finance & intelligence analysis, Wyatt has an unhealthy obsession with finding the best blue chip investment opportunities. His previous newsletter, Fractional, resonated deeply with subscribers, bringing actionable insights and unconventional trading strategies. His rare book collection specializes in banned editions. He currently lives in Spain with his beautiful wife, three young boys, and dog Monty.

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