The Daily Upside

Artificial Intelligence

Gecko’s AI Robots Represent the ‘Boring’ Future of Bots

Jake Loosararian, CEO of Gecko Robotics. Photo by World Economic Forum via CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

More than 70% of the $2.3 billion raised by robotics companies in Q1 2025 was directed towards task-centric tech like Gecko’s.

1 min read
Inflation & Prices

Just How Much Data Does the Fed Need to Cut Rates?

Photo via Aaron Schwartz/CNP/ Polaris/Newscom

Despite new data this week showing inflation has cooled, Powell and the Federal Reserve are still expected to hold off on rate cuts.

2 min read
ETF Upside

Vanguard Files for ETF Share Class Approval

Photo via Connor Lin / The Daily Upside

The company on Wednesday joined the ranks of fund managers that have filed for exemptive relief to offer ETF share classes of mutual funds.

2 min read
CIO Upside

Does Agentic AI Have Staying Power?

Tom Zehren, CEO of Info-Tech. Photo via Info-Tech Research Group.

‘Humanity’s never automated intelligence before in the way that we’re doing it now.’

2 min read

CIO Upside

Nvidia Safety Patent Signals Physical AI Push

Photo via U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

The goal of Nvidia’s tech is to help give autonomous systems more reliable memory, hazard detection and depth perception.

1 min read
CIO Upside

Ransomware Groups Use AI to Level Up

Photo by Getty Images via Unsplash

Threat actors are “targeting businesses eager to adopt AI but unaware of the risks,” one expert said.

2 min read
Markets

Retail Investors Risk Ominous Opportunity Cost With Private Investments, Moody’s Warns

Photo via Richard B. Levine/Newscom

The private sector took off after traditional banks pulled back from some risky lending following the 2008 financial crisis.

2 min read
Media & Entertainment

Switch 2 Becomes Nintendo’s Fastest-Selling Console

Photo via Bruce Cotler/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

The Switch 2 sold 3.5 million units in its first four days, and Nintendo’s targeting 15 million units for this fiscal year.

2 min read

Consumer

Starbucks’ China Business May Need a Caffeine Jolt

Photo via Cfoto/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

In an interview with the Financial Times, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said the company is exploring a partial sale of its China business.

2 min read
Advisor Upside

Financial Uncertainty Spurs Anxiety and Depression

Photo by Getty Images via Unsplash

Nearly 70% of Americans said financial uncertainty has made them anxious and depressed, according to a Northwestern Mutual report.

2 min read
Advisor Upside

How Advisors Can Harness Media to Reach Gen Z

Photo by Austin Distel via Unsplash

Advisors need to embrace social media, podcasting, and client testimonials if they want to reach Gen Z clients, marketing experts say.

2 min read
Advisor Upside

Most Americans Question Online Financial Information

Photo by Camilo Jimenez via Unsplash

Some 80% of Americans are skeptical of the investment and saving information they find on social media.

2 min read

Finance

Robinhood, AppLovin Locked Out of S&P 500 Yet Again

Photo via Richard B. Levine/Newscom

Conventional wisdom says being on the S&P 500 is a status symbol that is supposed to come with plenty of benefits.

2 min read
Artificial Intelligence

Meta’s Scoping Out a Superintelligence Lab

Photo via Andrej Sokolow/dpa/picture-alliance/Newscom

As ChatGPT’s partial outage yesterday goes to show, AI companies are still struggling to scale up to artificial general intelligence.

2 min read
Consumer

Not Lovin’ It: McDonald’s Suffers Third Downgrade in as Many Trading Days

Photo by Erik Mclean via Pexels

Could GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic and changing economic winds really take a bite out of the almighty Big Mac?

2 min read
ETF Upside

Schwab Keeps Industry’s ETF Fee Cuts Rolling

Photo by Hapabapa via iStock

Vanguard reduced fees on 87 funds earlier this year, and Schwab just lowered costs on ETFs with $66 billion in total assets.

2 min read
ETF Upside

Weight-Loss Drug ETFs Generate Skinnier Returns Than Expected

Photo by Clay Banks via Unsplash

ETFs tracking the performance of weight-loss drugs have largely underperformed since launching in late 2023.

2 min read
ETF Upside

WisdomTree Branches Out to Private Credit

Photo via Samuel Rigelhaupt/Sipa USASamuel/Newscom

The company is prepping a private credit mutual fund that adds a unique flavor — tokenization.

2 min read
Big Tech

Apple Still Won’t Ride the AI Hype Train

Photo via Andrej Sokolow/dpa/picture-alliance/Newscom

At its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, Apple announced a slew of incremental updates to its AI offerings.

2 min read
International Economics

Washington Trade Talks With Beijing Drive S&P 500 Toward Record High

Photo via Li Ying / Xinhua News Agency/Newscom

The on-off dynamic of the US-China economic relationship so far this year would make the writing rooms of most soap operas blush.

2 min read

Advisor Upside

Financial advisor news, market insights, and practice management essentials.

Musk’s xAI Holds Talks for Another Massive Fundraising Round

Photo via SYSPEO/SIPA/Newscom

1 min read
Oil Prices Spike as Israel-Iran Conflict Threatens Production, Shipping

Photo via James Thew/Newscom

2 min read
Proposed Crackdown on Pharma Ads Leaves Cable TV Fearing $10B Withdrawal

Photo via Andy Dean/Newscom

2 min read

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