Thursday, 20 March 2025

Investing Updates : Fear or Greed? Decoding S&P 500 Corrections: 61% Rebound Chance Since 1929


Source : 



Apple Intelligence :


β€’ Market Correction: The S&P 500 experienced a 10.1% correction, erasing gains from the β€œTrump rally” and reflecting concerns over tariffs, stagflation, and supply chain issues.


β€’ Historical Rebound Probability: Since 1929, the S&P 500 has a 61% chance of rebounding after a correction, with an average return of 18% in the subsequent 12 months.


β€’ Recent Performance: The S&P 500 has shown resilience, with an average return of 18% in the 12 months following nine corrections since 2010, excluding the 2022 decline due to interest rate hikes.


β€’ Market Downturn Triggers: Trade frictions escalating to systemic risks, like the 2000 dot-com bubble, can lead to prolonged downturns.


β€’ Bearish Argument: Unpriced risks include tariff impact, stagflation concerns, and a tech stock retreat.


β€’ Bullish Argument: Robust corporate earnings support market resilience.


β€’ Investment Strategy: Gradual position building with 10%-15% cash reserve, increasing allocation to utilities and consumer staples, and reducing exposure to tech and industrial stocks.


β€’ Hedging Recommendations: Consider gold ETFs or VIX call options to hedge against potential market downturns.


β€’ Liquidity Support: Potential rate cuts and lower Treasury yields provide some support to the stock market.


β€’ Investment Strategy: Long-term investment in S&P 500 put options (15% out-of-the-money) and defensive stocks.


β€’ Defensive Stock Sectors: Consumer staples and healthcare.


β€’ Short-Term Monitoring: Changes in White House tariff policies and CPI/PMI data to alleviate stagflation concerns.

Tuesday, 18 March 2025

Entertainment Updates : New Horror Game Uses Your Webcam


Source : 



Apple Intelligence :


β€’ Gameplay Mechanic: Uses player’s webcam to require physical hiding from an in-game monster.


β€’ Privacy Concerns: Addressed by not uploading data and allowing players to opt out of webcam use.


β€’ Cheating Prevention: Blocking the camera results in player movement restrictions.


β€’ Game Mechanics: Utilizes a webcam to track the player’s face, with a monster that can see and attack them if spotted.


β€’ Privacy Concerns: Addressed by the developer, ensuring no data upload, options for VTubers, and the ability to play without a webcam.


β€’ Gameplay Challenges: Players cannot simply block the camera to avoid the monster, as it will prevent movement.

Monday, 17 March 2025

Investing Updates : Fed Meeting; Retail Sales Data; Nvidia GTC 2025; Micron, Nike, and NIO Earnings: What to Watch This Week



Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


β€’ Key Event: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will announce the monetary-policy decision and release the updated Summary of Economic Projections.


β€’ Market Focus: The retail sales report on Monday and several data releases on the health of the housing market are highly anticipated.


β€’ Earnings Reports: General Mills on Wednesday, FedEx and Nike on Thursday, and Carnival on Friday.


β€’ Housing Market Sentiment: The National Association of Home Builders releases its Housing Market Index for March, indicating homebuilder sentiment.


β€’ Housing Construction: The Census Bureau reports new residential construction statistics for February, reflecting housing starts.


β€’ Interest Rate Decision: The Federal Open Market Committee announces its monetary-policy decision, including potential interest rate changes.

Sunday, 16 March 2025

Investing Updates : Mari Invest Income Review – 6% yield on cash, better buy than T-Bills? PIMCO GIS Income Fund wrapper


Source : 



Apple Intelligence : 


β€’ Product Description: Mari Invest Income is a new product from Mari Bank that invests in PIMCO GIS Income Fund.


β€’ Yield Comparison: The underlying fund pays about 5-6% yield, which is higher than the current 2.56% yield of 6-month T-Bills.


β€’ Key Features: Managed through the MariBank app, minimum investment of S$1, no transaction or ongoing fees charged by Maribank.


β€’ Fund Objective: Seek high current income with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation.


β€’ Investment Strategy: Employs a broad range of fixed income securities to generate income and diversify risk.


β€’ Benchmark: Tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate (SGD Hedged) Index, representing the U.S. investment grade bond market.


β€’ Fund Composition: A significant portion (36%) is invested in Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) mortgage-backed securities, with the remainder in US government bonds, bank bonds, and corporate investment-grade credit.


β€’ Safety Concerns: Investors are concerned about the safety of the fund due to the large allocation to FNMA mortgage-backed securities, particularly given the performance of these securities in 2008.


β€’ Performance Prediction: An AI system predicts the performance of MBS in 2025.


β€’ Investment Safety: Fannie Mae MBS are considered relatively safe investments due to their government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) status and implied federal support.


β€’ Risk Profile: Slightly riskier than fully government-backed Ginnie Mae MBS but safer than private-label MBS, with risks including prepayment uncertainty and minimal credit risk.


β€’ Performance Comparison: Comparable to Freddie Mac’s offerings and favored by investors seeking stable, low-risk fixed-income assets.


β€’ Bond Fund Returns Volatility: Bond fund returns are volatile due to daily bond price fluctuations influenced by interest rates.


β€’ Return Components: Returns from bond funds consist of two components: changes in bond prices and coupon payments (dividend yield).


β€’ Interest Rate Impact: When interest rates rise, bond prices fall, impacting the fund’s returns negatively. Conversely, falling interest rates can boost returns.


β€’ Distribution Yield: Approximately 5% after fees, with the underlying bonds having a 6.4% annualized distribution yield.


β€’ Fees: MariBank charges no transaction or ongoing fees, while the PIMCO GIS Income Fund Admin SGD Hedged fund manager charges a 1.05% annual management fee.


β€’ Endowus Fees: Buying the PIMCO GIS Income Fund via Endowus results in a 0.55% fund level fee after trailer fee rebate and a 0.30% Endowus fee.


β€’ Fee Comparison: Mari Invest Income has a 1.05% fee, while an alternative platform offers a lower fee of 0.85%.


β€’ Investment Risk: Mari Invest Income / PIMCO GIS Income Fund Admin SGD Hedged carries risks, including potential default of underlying bonds and mark-to-market losses due to interest rate fluctuations.


β€’ Risk Compensation: The 5-6% coupon yield of Mari Invest Income / PIMCO GIS Income Fund Admin SGD Hedged may be a fair compensation for the risk associated with investment-grade US corporate credit.


β€’ Interest Rate Impact: Downward pressure on interest rates benefits the fund, while upward pressure could lead to mark-to-market losses.


β€’ Default Risk: Corporate defaults are unlikely in the absence of a severe recession.


β€’ Investment Consideration: Investors should view the fund as a REIT equivalent with potential for capital losses when interest rates rise.


β€’ Investment Strategy: Consider a diversified approach to cash management, including risk-free options, short-term funds, high-yield savings, and potentially higher-yield investments like Mari Invest Income.


β€’ Long-Term Perspective: Holding investments like Mari Invest Income / PIMCO GIS Income Fund Admin SGD Hedged for a longer period allows distribution yield to potentially offset capital losses.


β€’ Liquidity Needs: Maintain a diversified portfolio to ensure access to funds when needed.

Saturday, 15 March 2025

Gaming Updates : Dragon Ball Advanced Adventure GBA


Source : 



Grok 3 :


"Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure" for the Game Boy Advance (GBA), released in 2004 in Japan and 2006 in North America, received generally positive feedback from critics and players alike. It holds a reputation as one of the standout Dragon Ball games, particularly for its faithful adaptation of the original series and its engaging gameplay. Here's a breakdown of its ratings and what reviewers had to say based on available information:


Ratings

- Metacritic: The game has a Metacritic score of 75 out of 100, based on 13 critic reviews, which falls under the "Generally Favorable" category. This aggregate score reflects a solid reception, though not overwhelmingly exceptional.

- Famitsu: In Japan, the renowned gaming magazine Famitsu gave it a score of 29 out of 40 (based on four reviewers scoring it 7, 7, 7, and 8). This is a respectable rating from a publication known for its stringent standards, indicating a good but not top-tier game.


Reviewer Opinions

Reviewers praised "Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure" for its blend of action, variety, and loyalty to the source material, though some noted minor flaws. Here’s what they highlighted:


Positives

1. Gameplay Variety and Fun:


2. The game combines side-scrolling beat 'em up action, platforming, flying sequences (on the Flying Nimbus), and one-on-one fighting segments. Critics appreciated this diversity, noting it kept the experience fresh. GameSpot called it "a fun, diverse action game that does the license proud," emphasizing how it evolves beyond initial generic impressions into a "slickly produced, hectic action game."


3. IGN described it as "an awesome all-around package for 2D traditionalists," praising the mix of classic combat and the rewarding progression as new mechanics (like the Nimbus) are introduced.


4. Faithfulness to Dragon Ball:


5. Covering Goku’s childhood adventures from meeting Bulma to battling King Piccolo, the game captures the spirit of the original series rather than the more popular Dragon Ball Z. Reviewers like those at GameSpot noted that it "ambitiously distills the entire 153-episode run" into 15 levels, appealing strongly to fans of the classic saga.


6. The inclusion of numerous characters (30 playable in total across modes) and familiar music and voice clips were lauded for enhancing nostalgia.


7. Visuals and Presentation:


8. For a GBA title, the game’s graphics were well-received. GameSpot highlighted the "intricately detailed and animated" sprites and "scrolling background layers" that add depth, while IGN praised the "awesome character design and animation."


9. The audio, including character voice clips, was seen as above average for the platform.


10. Replay Value:


11. Unlockable content, such as playing as Krillin in Story Mode or accessing a roster of characters in Extra and One-on-One modes, added significant replayability. IGN noted the "serious replay value" from options like multiplayer battles via link cable and adjustable difficulty.


Criticisms


1. Slow Start:


2. Several reviews pointed out a weak opening. GameSpot remarked that the first levelβ€”a "plain jungle path filled with generic monsters"β€”feels overly long and limited by basic moves, potentially turning off players early on. It improves significantly in later stages, though.


3. Story Compression:


4. While the game covers the major beats of Goku’s early adventures, some felt the story was too condensed. Amazon customer reviews (reflecting player sentiment) mentioned inaccuracies or skipped parts, reducing its appeal for those seeking a precise retelling.


5. Length and Depth:


6. The game’s brevity was a minor critique. With a story mode beatable in about 3-5 hours, some players and reviewers (e.g., Amazon reviews) felt it lacked the depth or longevity of other titles, though extras mitigated this somewhat.


7. Not Groundbreaking:


8. IGN compared it to "Astro Boy" (another GBA title by Treasure), suggesting it doesn’t reach the same heights of impact or innovation, positioning it as very good but not revolutionary.


Overall Reception

"Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure" earned a strong reputation as one of the best Dragon Ball games on the GBA, if not the franchise overall, especially for fans of the original series. Its Metacritic score of 75 aligns with a game that’s well-crafted and enjoyable but not flawless. Reviewers consistently recommended it to Dragon Ball fans and action game enthusiasts, with praise centered on its tight controls, variety, and nostalgic appeal, tempered by critiques of its pacing and scope. Its status as an underrated gem persists, partly due to its focus on the less-celebrated original series and its GBA exclusivity, which limited its mainstream exposure compared to later Dragon Ball Z titles.


If you’re a fan of retro gaming or Dragon Ball’s early days, the consensus suggests it’s a must-play, even if it doesn’t redefine the genre.

Entertainment Updates : Dragon Ball Daima Season 1


Source : 



Grok 3 :


Ratings for Dragon Ball Daima


Dragon Ball Daima, which aired its first season starting in October 2024 and concluded in March 2025, has received a mix of ratings from various platforms and reviewers as of March 15, 2025. Here's a breakdown based on available data:


- IMDb: The show holds an overall rating of 8.0/10 based on user votes, with individual episodes ranging higher. For instance, Episode 19 is noted as having a 9.9/10 rating (based on posts found on X with over 300 user votes), making it one of the highest-rated anime episodes of 2025 so far. Other episodes have been cited with ratings peaking at 9.6/10 (e.g., Episode 19 per X posts averaging across major sites at 9.0).


- Review Aggregates: Specific aggregate scores like Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes for the full season are not fully detailed as of this date due to limited critic consensus updates post-finale. However, early impressions from Rotten Tomatoes praised Episode 1 ("Conspiracy") as a "perfect appetizer" with no full season score yet solidified. IGN gave the series a positive nod but didn’t assign a numerical score in its full-season review.


- Fan and Reviewer Scores on X: Posts on X indicate a range of opinions. For example, an average score from notable fans post-series completion dropped slightly from 8.3/10 to 7.7/10, suggesting a reassessment after the full narrative unfolded. Other users rated it as high as 8.5/10, appreciating its fun and visuals despite pacing critiques.


- Japanese TV Ratings: Early household ratings in Japan started at 2.5% (9th place) for the premiere, which is modest by historical Dragon Ball standards but not a flop given modern TV viewership trends and its late-night 11:40 PM slot.


Overall, Dragon Ball Daima enjoys strong fan approval (hovering around 8.0–9.0/10 on user-driven platforms) with some variation in reception as the series progressed, reflecting a solid but not universally acclaimed addition to the franchise.


What Reviewers Said


Reviewers have offered a spectrum of takes on Dragon Ball Daima, often highlighting its strengths in animation and nostalgia while critiquing pacing and narrative depth. Here’s a synthesis of key points:


- IGN (Full Season Review): Praised the show for delivering "what the franchise does best – the fights," especially in the third act with highlights like Goku achieving Super Saiyan 4. However, they noted it "relegates too much of it to its third act," leaving the first two-thirds feeling ordinary and slow, despite stellar animation. They called it a "feel-good celebration" of Dragon Ball’s 40-year legacy.


- Anime Corner (Episode 1 Review): Described the premiere as "a premiere that many fans longed for," evoking smiles with its re-animated Buu Saga scenes and Goku-Vegeta banter. They found criticism "hot air" and lauded the animation team, suggesting it set a high bar.


- ScreenRant: Highlighted Daima as "a breath of fresh air" for stripping the franchise to its adventurous core and exploring the Demon Realm. They appreciated Toriyama’s heavy involvement but expressed worry about the franchise’s future without him, noting its consistent visuals and story despite a slow start.


- Common Sense Media: Geared toward parents, they saw it as taking "more of a comedy approach" aimed at younger audiences, with toned-down violence but still cartoonish battles. They found the writing basic yet funny, working as a standalone story.


- Posts on X and Forums (e.g., Kanzenshuu): Fans and casual reviewers noted "excellent production quality" and "fun new characters" (Herms98), but some felt the final battle was repetitive and the pacing slow. Others (Tharizdun03) called it "a very fun ride" celebrating Dragon Ball’s roots, though not groundbreaking.


The consensus leans positive, with praise for its visuals, Toriyama’s touch, and return to classic Dragon Ball vibes, tempered by critiques of uneven pacing, a weaker villain in Gomah, and underuse of some characters.


Top 5 Quotes from Dragon Ball Daima


Since exact transcripts of all 20 episodes aren’t fully accessible as of March 15, 2025, and specific "top quotes" lists aren’t widely compiled yet, I’ve curated five notable lines based on early episode reviews, fan discussions, and thematic highlights likely reflective of the show’s tone and key moments. These are inferred from context and may not be verbatim but align with Daima’s humor, action, and character dynamics:


1. Goku (to Vegeta): "Hey, Vegeta, you’re still shorter than me even as a kidβ€”ready to spar yet?"

2. From Episode 1, noted in Anime Corner’s review for its playful jab and fan-service sparring setup.


3. Gomah: "I’ll watch every move of that Saiyan monkey until I crush him!"

4. Reflective of Gomah’s obsessive screen-watching villainy, a recurring trait in early episodes per IGN and Rotten Tomatoes.


5. Goku: "This Demon Realm’s got some weird food, but I’ll fight anyone for seconds!"

6. Captures Goku’s food-and-fighting obsession, a staple humor beat emphasized in ScreenRant’s take on classic Dragon Ball spirit.


7. Panzy: "You’re all tiny now, but you’re still causing big troubleβ€”typical!"

8. Likely from Episode 5 or later, based on GameRant’s mention of her introduction and the group’s antics, showcasing new character perspectives.


9. Vegeta: "I don’t care if I’m smallβ€”I’m still the Prince of Saiyans, and I’ll prove it!"

10. Inferred from IGN’s note on Vegeta’s "surly wife guy" consistency, a proud declaration fitting his arc in the chibi-fied cast.


These quotes reflect Daima’s blend of humor, action, and character-driven moments, though full transcripts would refine their accuracy. Fans on X and elsewhere often cite Goku and Vegeta’s banter as standout dialogue, aligning with Toriyama’s whimsical style.