Hi There!

No one warns you about the grief that comes after the goodbye.

I still remember my first Monday morning after my resignation. No meetings. No deadlines. No forty-minute commute rehearsing the day’s tasks. Just stillness.

For the first time in more than a decade, I had no emails waiting, no team to manage, no clients to call. You would think that kind of silence would feel like peace. Instead, it felt strange, almost heavy. I realized I had prepared for everything, except this.

Come to think of it, we are mostly taught to grieve people or pets, but no one really talks about grieving the parts of our lives we leave behind. Leaving a job. Shutting down a business. Retiring after years of service. Changing homes. We rarely talk about how it feels when the identity that once defined us starts to fade.

When I walked away from engineering, I was sure I had done everything right. I crunched the numbers, built the plan, created my financial runway. What I didn’t plan for was the emotional shift. I did not plan for the sudden loss of structure. There was a void where my workday used to be.

No one warned me about the ache that comes from not hearing my name in a meeting. I was not prepared for the awkward pause at the event when someone asked me, “So, what do you do?” and I hesitated because I wasn’t sure anymore.

For years I introduced myself as Rhoda Hall, Project Manager at xyz company. My title carried weight. It was a symbol of years of hard work, long hours, relationships, and leadership. When that chapter ended, I was left with only the other parts of me, powerlifter and mom. I had to figure out who I was beyond that.

At first, I filled the time with tasks. Cleaning. Organizing. Planning workouts. Meal prep. Trading. Uber mom. However, it didn’t offer solace to the questions in my head. Did I make the right decision? Was I being ungrateful for the peace I had asked for? The uncertainty caught me off guard.

Eventually, I came to understand that even if a change is good, it can still disrupt my routine. Instead of equating that unease to failure, my mind had to adjust to a new kind of freedom. Grieving what once was doesn’t mean I regret it. It means I cared deeply about that chapter of my life.

I started journaling again. I wrote about what made me feel alive outside of work. I thought about the moments that filled me with energy, about the people who made me laugh, about how I wanted to feel each day.

It was then I began to find direction again, not through spreadsheets or project plans, but through reflection. My worth wasn’t tied to my professional title. My job was just one piece of my life, not the whole story.

I broke things down into smaller steps, just like any project I managed before. One step was honing in on new aspects of my trading and investing. Another was reaching out to old colleagues to stay connected. I even found time to reconnect with friends and family who knew me long before I ever became “the engineer.”

My days were rooted with intention. I kept most of my pre-resignation routines, which included waking up early, my workouts, and my writing. I learnt to listen to my own voice again, not the one driven by deliverables.

If you’re preparing to walk away from your career for retirement, a pivot, or a break, remember this, you’ll need more than a financial plan. You’ll also need an emotional transition plan much like the one in the Special Tools Section below. Take time to grieve what you’re leaving behind and make room for what’s waiting ahead.

Your work was only a chapter, not your whole book. The next one begins when you stop asking who you used to be and start exploring who you’re becoming.

I know I am.

Alright, let’s dig in!

Last week was full of wild swings. U.S. markets closed higher, buoyed by the start of earnings season and optimism that U.S.-China trade tensions might be cooling. The relief, however, came with a dose of anxiety as regional bank concerns resurfaced and credit market stress drew renewed attention. Overseas, Europe found some stability in politics, while Asia navigated trade uncertainty and shifting investor sentiment. Commodities rallied, gold climbed above $4,000 an ounce, and the U.S. dollar lost ground.

Stocks spent much of last week like contestants in a reality show comeback, clawing their way back from early losses to end stronger. AI optimism kept tech in focus, though Oracle stumbled as investors questioned its lofty revenue goals.

U.S. Markets Recap (October 12 - October 18, 2025)

Equities:

Major indexes closed higher despite bouts of volatility. The S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all posted weekly gains supported by:

• Hints of renewed dialogue between the U.S. and China

• Rate cut expectations from the Federal Reserve

• A strong start to Q3 earnings season

Big banks kicked things off with results that exceeded expectations. JPMorgan, Citigroup, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo all reported solid profits, citing higher deal activity and robust wealth management businesses. Yet, the financial sector ended the week lagging after Zions Bancorp disclosed a $50 million loan charge-off and Western Alliance admitted exposure to the same borrowers, sparking fears of cracks in regional credit markets.

Despite reassurance that these issues appeared isolated, the market reaction showed just how sensitive investors remain to banking headlines.

Fixed Income:

Bonds extended their five-week rally as Treasury yields declined and credit markets steadied. The Bloomberg Aggregate Index rose, though underlying data suggested that stress may be building beneath the surface.

• Institutional and foreign demand kept spreads tight, but high-yield debt showed growing vulnerability.

• Defaults and distressed exchanges are climbing among speculative-grade issuers, signaling weakness among heavily indebted firms.

• Recent corporate collapses, including Saks, New Fortress Energy, and Tricolor Holdings, inflicted major investor losses, reminders that rising rates eventually reveal weak spots.

While analysts don’t foresee a systemic crisis, many question whether investors are being adequately compensated for risk, especially when high-yield returns barely exceed Treasury yields.

Commodities:

The commodity complex rebounded from last week’s decline.

• Oil: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) slid below $58 per barrel amid record U.S. production and repeated inventory builds.

• Natural Gas: Fell on mild weather forecasts and healthy storage levels.

• Gold: Surged above $4,000 per ounce as investors sought safety amid credit worries and growing bets on more Fed rate cuts.

Currencies:

The U.S. dollar softened as investors rotated into safe havens like the Swiss franc (CHF). The extended government shutdown began weighing on the greenback, reflecting concerns about potential economic fallout.

• EUR/USD: +0.49%

• GBP/USD: +0.27%

• USD/JPY: -0.36%

U.S. Economic Recap (October 12 - October 18, 2025)

The Fed’s Beige Book highlighted a slowdown that started even before the government shutdown. Inflation pressures remained mixed: steel and lumber prices fell, while luxury spending stayed strong. Firms continued favouring part-time over full-time hires and hesitated to pass on tariff-driven costs to consumers.

Economic Forecasts

• GDP growth expectations for 2025 improved to 1.8%, up from 1.3%.

• Job creation projected to slow to 60,000 per month, down from 87,000.

• Inflation is expected to stay above the Fed’s 2% target.

• Core PCE inflation expected at 3% this year, declining toward 2.5% by 2026.

Tariff Effects

Private data from PriceStats and OpenBrand showed a modest inflation uptick tied to tariffs, particularly for household goods. Analysts called this a “temporary bump” rather than a trend reversal. Goldman Sachs estimated that U.S. consumers will absorb 55% of the tariff burden by year-end, adding roughly 0.44% to inflation this year.

Global Markets Recap (October 12 - October 18, 2025)

European

European stocks advanced modestly, led by France’s CAC 40, which rallied after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived no-confidence votes.

• Winners: Nestle, LVMH, and ASML delivered upbeat earnings.

• Laggards: Michelin fell after cutting its outlook on weaker U.S. demand.

  The U.K. trailed its peers as Finance Minister Rachel Reeves prepared higher taxes for top earners.

Asia

Asian markets were mixed.

• Japan: Political instability pressured markets after the ruling coalition collapsed.

• China/Hong Kong: Fell as trade tensions persisted despite softer rhetoric from Washington.

• South Korea: Gained on reports of progress in trade negotiations.

• India: Ended the week higher after regulators introduced upgrades to its algorithmic trading framework.

Crypto Recap (October 12 - October 18, 2025)

The crypto market had a bruising week as bearish sentiment dominated.

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunged to 22–24 (Fear), down from 71 earlier in October, as traders retreated and retail searches for “Bitcoin” hit multi-month lows.

• Total Market Cap: Down nearly 17% (over $700B in value erased).

• Bitcoin (BTC): -5.24%, ranging from ~$116,100 (Oct 13) to ~$104,000 (Oct 17). Found support near its 200-day moving average; resistance seen around $113K–$116K.

• Ethereum (ETH): -7.22% to $3,758.24, still struggling to reclaim $4,000 but holding key support near $3,825.

• Solana (SOL): -8.53% to $179.35, under pressure after retesting $210. Key support at $195.53; a break below $170 could signal a deeper pullback.

Despite the selloff, technical analysts see potential for stabilization if BTC holds above its long-term trendline.

Last Week’s Top Gainers: TAO, ENA, PAXG, COAI, CRV

Here are other key highlights from last week:

• Charles Schwab saw a 90% spike in Crypto interest, plans Spot Bitcoin trading.

• TradFi giant JPMorgan is planning to offer crypto trading for clients.

• Citi plans to launch Crypto Custody Services in 2026.

• YouTube star MrBeast files trademark for Crypto exchange and payments service.

• Polygon makes money move at the speed of a DM.

This is another busy week in the markets!!!

Key U.S. Economic Releases this week:

• Thursday: Existing Home Sales

• Friday: CPI Inflation, Services PMI, Manufacturing PMI, Consumer Sentiment, Inflation Expectations

Fed Speakers:

Tuesday: FOMC Member Waller (9:00 AM and 3:30 PM)

Earnings: 

Big names reporting this week include:

• Tuesday: Netflix ($NFLX)

• Wednesday: Tesla ($TSLA), IBM ($IBM)

• Thursday: Intel ($INTC)

Other notable Earnings Releases are outlined in red in the cart below.

Medium-to-High Impact Global Economic Events This Week:

• China CCP 4th Plenum (Oct 20–23)

• European Council Meeting (Oct 23–24)

• Bank of Korea (BOK) Policy Announcement (Thursday)

• Bank of Russia (CBR) Policy Announcement (Friday)

Other key global economic events are shown in the chart below.

Week 10/12/25 - 10/18/25 Recap

Special Tools & Strategies - The Emotional Transition Plan

Disclaimer: This newsletter is strictly educational. The information this report provides does not constitute investment, financial, trading, or any other advice. You should not treat any of the report’s content as such. Please be careful and do your research.