Thursday, August 6, 2026

Economy -- The Consumer Is Doing Just Fine, Thank You -- August 6, 2026

Locator: 51345MARKET. 

Futures: futures suggest it's a great time for stock picking traders. 

The consumer is doing just fine, thank you. I consider Burger King and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen as focused on those consumers in the lower to lower-middle class demographics. 

Intergenerational wealth transfer: has now reached $120 trillion over the next 20 years.  Gemini suggests taking an annual "salary" of $70,000, a one-million-dollar inheritance will last fourteen to eighteen years.  

Dow at record high.

Dow is on pace for best week since June, 2025.

AAPL: right now, three hours from market opening, AAPL is up almost $3/share. 

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Disclaimer

Briefly

  • I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken and I am often well out front of my headlights. I am often appropriately accused of hyperbole when it comes to the Bakken.
  • I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
  • I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple.
  • See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
  • Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  • If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
  • Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken, US economy, and the US market.
  • I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
  • And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution. 
  • I've now added Broadcom to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Broadcom. Now, I've added Amazon. And QCOM.
  • Longer version here 
  • Walmart Drone Program -- Update -- August 6, 2026

    Locator: 51344WALMART. 

    Tag: drones.  

    In Texas, generally 40 - 60 deliveries per day. Exact figures not supplied by Walmart.  

    Walmart down the street from us has an aggressive drone program. It's been discussed on the blog before. 


     

    In addition to Texas, other states with the Amazon drone program:

    • Georgia
    • North Carolina
    • Arkansas
    • Florida

    Insurance: Progressive Vs Geico -- August 6, 2026

    Locator: 51343BRKB. 

    Tag: retail insurance 

    Link here


     From the linked article:

    Progressive roared back from a rough patch after the pandemic, becoming the nation’s largest personal auto insurer this year. Along the way, it also generated a mountain of excess capital, paying out a record 2025 dividend to shareholders.

    But now the company faces a slight different outlook: a combination of strong profitability and slowing growth. That’s a boon for investors avid for capital returns, but a capital-allocation question for the company.

    Progressive recovered faster than its peers from inflationary pressures, nabbing market share and growing plump on higher premiums, analysts say. And it stands apart among insurers for the way it has used variable annual dividends, in addition to fixed quarterly dividends, to distribute excess capital. At the end of last year, Progressive, which mostly sells auto insurance, announced an $8 billion variable dividend, or $13.50 a share, its largest-ever and three times the amount of its 2024 dividend.

    Progressive uses variable dividends to return capital after it has considered other uses, such as buybacks and acquisitions, said John Sauerland, the company’s former finance chief, in an interview before he retired this month. When growth slows and margins are wide, the company generates a lot of capital. “Our situation has changed, but our approach to capital has not changed,” Sauerland said.

    North Dakota State Legacy Fund -- August 6, 2026

    Locator: 51342B. 

    Link here



     

    Trump Shows His Agility, Quick Thinking To Prevent Toddler From A "Biden Fall" -- August 6, 2026

    Locator: 51341B. 
    Pageviews: 77,643,674. 4:00 a.m., Thursday, August 6, 2026.

    Tea leaves: Hegseth will survive politically, but he's not getting Trump's love right now. White House accused Department of Defense lying on status of munitions. 

    Discount: link here

    Potential "Biden fall" averted: link here.  

    "Unlocked"!  SPCX up $1.50 before market open. 

    AAPL futures: