Seed to IPO: What Startup funding round names mean
What do seed rounds, Series A, SAFEs and IPOs actually mean? A plain-English guide to startup funding stages for Australian investors. MPC Markets 2026.
Jobs Blowout Sends Stocks Lower on Hike Fears
US nonfarm payrolls blew past expectations at 162,000 — nearly three times consensus — sending Fed rate hike odds above 60% and dragging the S&P 500 lower. Over the weekend the US–Iran tanker war escalated dramatically in the Strait of Hormuz, with oil set for further gains. All eyes now turn to next Friday’s CPI report, the decisive number for the September 16 FOMC meeting.
Oil Catches Fire, Nvidia pays 13b for Hugging Face
Oil hit $93, Fed rate hike odds swung wildly, and Nvidia bought Hugging Face for $12.9 billion. Three simultaneous shocks heading into September, historically the worst month for equities.
This week we break down the oil breakout, the Warsh vs Waller showdown at the Fed, why open-source AI just became a closed shop, and what September seasonal weakness actually means for your portfolio. Plus stock picks, what the market is missing, and our bull vs bear calls for next week.
Featuring Mark Gardner, Kai Chen, Finn Judell and Jonathan Tacadena.
Waller Sparks Rally as Fed Hike Bets Ease
Wall Street surged more than 1% overnight after Fed Governor Christopher Waller said he is inclined to hold rates steady later this month if inflation data continues to cool, slashing the probability of a September rate hike from near 70% to a coin flip. The S&P 500 climbed 1.1% to 7,747.71 for its best day in a month, bond yields retreated from multi-year highs, and the yen soared 2% on rising Bank of Japan rate hike expectations. ASX 200 futures are pointing 25 points higher to 9,037 as the Australian dollar hit a fresh four-month high at US72.08¢.
Yen Jumps, Oil Pumps, Bonds Buckle
Wall Street rebounded on Wednesday as Dell surged 16% on record AI server demand and the global bond sell-off paused. The yen leapt nearly 1% on BOJ hawk talk, oil held above $90 on US-Iran escalation, and HSBC forecast back-to-back RBA rate hikes starting this month.
Turn seasonal weakness into opportunity
September is the weakest month of the year, but its ugly if you dont plan
Stocks Drift Lower as Iran Escalates
Wall Street ended lower on Monday as renewed US–Iran military strikes sent Brent crude surging above $90 and pushed Treasury yields to their highest since January 2025. Despite the pullback, US stocks closed August with gains — the S&P 500 up 2.6% and Nasdaq up 3.9%. Fed Chair Warsh’s hawkish Jackson Hole speech has markets pricing a 64% chance of a September rate hike, with Friday’s nonfarm payrolls the key swing factor.
Stocks Lower as Warsh Talk Tough on Inflation
Fed Chair Warsh’s hawkish Jackson Hole debut sent two-year yields surging 12 basis points and rate-hike odds above 50% for September. Wall Street slipped with the S&P 500 down 0.25% to 7,711.76, while a U.S. strike on Iranian launchers at Larak Island kept the geopolitical risk premium elevated and ASX futures point to a weaker Monday open at 9,009.
Bulls vs Bears EP134: In Jensen We Trust
Jensen Huang has done it again. NVIDIA posted $59.7 billion in net income, more than 12 iconic companies combined, on 70% margins. Software stocks are surging, the SaaSpocalypse is dead, and we’re only a quarter of the way through the hyperscaler capex cycle.
This week the boys break down NVIDIA’s monster earnings, why ASX tech is lagging US software by 43%, Amazon’s robotics play, the uranium setup heating up on US-Canada trade tensions, and warning signs in private credit. Plus the full Buy, Avoid and Wild Card picks for the week ahead.
Tech Higher as Jensen Delivers
Nvidia’s blockbuster $92 billion quarter and 70% forward growth guidance carried Wall Street higher on Thursday, with the Nasdaq surging 1.6% even as every other S&P 500 sector declined. Core PCE inflation held stubbornly at 3.3%, keeping rate hike expectations alive ahead of Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s Jackson Hole keynote on Friday.
Software Stocks & Nvidia Beat
Wall Street traded flat as July PCE inflation came in hotter than expected at 3.7%, reinforcing bets the Fed will hold rates in September. After the bell, Nvidia’s revenue more than doubled to $96.2 billion but a lower-than-hoped margin guide sent shares down 2%, while Salesforce and CrowdStrike both surged 12% on strong outlooks.
Wall Street Rebounds on Tech and Oil Slide Ahead of Nvidia Earnings
Wall Street advanced modestly as tech stocks rebounded ahead of Nvidia’s earnings and oil plunged 5.8% on Strait of Hormuz reopening hopes. US consumer confidence hit a seven-month low while the US–Canada trade war escalated with retaliatory tariffs. ASX 200 futures point higher as July CPI data and the RBA’s hawkish tightening bias take centre stage.