Oct 22, 2026 · 5 min listen · Last updated October 22, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief. Mason, October 22nd. Quick read on what moved overnight — five stories, no fluff. Let's get into it. First, from The Daily Upside. Meta’s Muse Is Everywhere and Nowhere in Latest Earnings Result.
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Daily Finance & Markets Brief · October 22nd
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Meta’s Muse Is Everywhere and Nowhere in Latest Earnings Result
Mark Zuckerberg is sticking to the plan, mostly. His company’s multiple increasingly depends on it. In its after-the-bell third-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, Meta said it’s raising the lower bound of its capital expenditures guidance for the year, from $130 billion to $135 billion, but keeping its top-end projection steady at $145 billion. That’s calming music to the ears of Wall Street, which has had trouble sleeping lately due to AI bubble fears and mounting capex spending.
The Big Three Investment Banks Feed Hedge Funds’ AI-mbitions
Feeling guilty about not meeting 2026 goals? Don’t look at Wall Street. The five biggest investment banks have already beaten last year’s record for equity trading revenue by about $7 billion, a CNBC analysis found. Three of them — Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley — hauled in $52 billion of the top five’s $67 billion in equities revenue through September, nearly 80% of the total. Goldman Sachs is leading the pack: Its equities revenue grew 57% this year to more than $19 billion, edging out Morgan Stanley (~$17 billion) and JPMorgan (~$15 billion).
Venture Capitalists Push Up AI Startup Valuations with Tranched, Two-Step Rounds
It looks like this article is focused on venture capitalists and their strategies for funding AI startups, specifically through tranched, two-step rounds. This approach is pushing up valuations in the sector. The trend suggests that investors are willing to take calculated risks, breaking down funding into stages to manage exposure while still supporting innovation. It's an interesting shift in how capital is flowing into tech, reflecting confidence in AI's potential.
If you’re curious about how this might impact crypto or related markets, keep an eye on the tech landscape. For listeners who want low-fee crypto exposure, our markets partner Kraken supports Bitcoin — link in show notes.
New Interest Rate Regime Model - Volatility is building
This could be a game changer for folks managing interest rate risk, especially with the FOMC looming. The daily updates for paid subscribers should keep everyone in the loop on how this evolves. It’s a smart way to keep an eye on the shifting landscape.
For listeners who want low-fee crypto exposure, our markets partner Kraken supports Bitcoin — link in show notes.
Long-End US Yield Hits One-Month Low as AI Fears Fuel Haven Bid
Treasuries climbed across the curve Thursday, pushing long-end yields to the lowest in a month, as renewed doubts about the durability of the artificial intelligence trade drove investors toward havens.
Navin Saigal, Head of Global Fixed Income for Asia Pacific at BlackRock, discusses his outlook for Asian fixed income markets and the firm's investment strategy. He speaks with Haidi Stroud-Watts from the sidelines of the Barclays Asia Forum in Singapore. (Source: Bloomberg)
Zuckerberg told Meta directors he might leave California, where he could lose billions to a wealth tax. Meta answered with a new class of stock
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg intends to maintain control over the company he founded in 2004 and a new class of stock will help him do just that. On Wednesday as Meta released third quarter earnings results, the company announced that it would issue a new share class of Class C stock. The share class, which is technically a one-for-one stock dividend of new Class C shares, will be distributed to all shareholders.
Walmart rolls out AI agent shopping features while Amazon tries to curb the tech
- Walmart is rolling out two new tools to help third-party AI agents shop on behalf of customers. - The company says the tools give people more control of their bots, and help bots be more accurate. - Walmart's move contrasts with Amazon's approach, after it blocked Meta's agent Muse from its site. Walmart wants your bot to shop. The retail giant said Wednesday that it has two new tools to help third-party AI agents shop on customers' behalf: agent profiles and an agent gateway.
Stock Market Crash: Why Investors Should Hold Gold Now
Norway’s $2.3 trillion sovereign wealth fund reported a record $184.3 billion profit in the first half of 2026. This is supported by technology stocks during the AI boom. But its CEO, Nicolai Tangen, warned that the fund could lose nearly all its value in a catastrophic stock market crash, nuclear war, or biological weapons attack. Recognizing the danger isn’t enough. We need to know what steps are being taken to protect the fund if these risks materialize.
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