🚀 Republican budget likely to slow growth

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Billionaires wanted it, but 66,737 everyday investors got it first… and profited

When incredibly rare and valuable assets come up for sale, it's typically the wealthiest people that end up taking home an amazing investment. But not always…

One platform is taking on the billionaires at their own game, buying up and offering shares of some of history’s most prized blue-chip artworks for its investors. In just the last few years, those investors realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8% and +21.5% (among assets held 1+ year).

It's called Masterworks. Their nearly $1 billion collection includes works by greats like Banksy, Picasso, and Warhol, all of which are collectively invested in by everyday investors. When Masterworks sells a painting – like the 23 it's already sold – investors reap their portion of any profits.

It's easy to get started, but offerings can sell out in minutes.

Our readers can skip the waitlist to join with this exclusive link.

Past performance not indicative of future returns. Investing Involves Risk. See Important Disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.

Market Overview
Read time 1.4 minutes

Year To Date Performances:

1. House Republicans have proposed $880 billion in spending cuts over a decade, likely impacting Medicaid, despite Speaker Mike Johnson’s assurances otherwise. The cuts aim to offset expiring Trump-era tax breaks, which disproportionately benefit the wealthy, per research from the Penn Wharton Budget Model. Analysts warn Medicaid reductions could reduce consumer spending, increase hardship for millions, and slow economic growth by 0.5%, potentially costing 550,000 jobs. The Federal Reserve may cut rates to compensate, but its ability to respond to future downturns would be limited. Medicaid expansions, by contrast, have historically boosted state economies.

2. Macy’s turnaround under CEO Tony Spring is showing progress, with its "First 50" store revitalization plan yielding better-than-average sales, but overall revenue still fell short of expectations. Comparable sales dipped 1.1% in Q4, though Bloomingdale’s and Blue Mercury saw growth. Activist investor Barington Capital is pressuring Macy’s to cut costs and monetize real estate, following previous activist pushes. Macy’s plans to close 150 underperforming stores while improving top-performing locations. Despite the setbacks, the retailer beat earnings estimates, announced share buybacks, and reaffirmed its commitment to customer experience and operational improvements.

3. Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting criticized Canadian provinces for removing U.S. liquor from store shelves, calling it “worse than a tariff” and a “disproportionate response” to Trump’s trade levies. Canada’s retaliatory 25% tariffs on U.S. alcohol have fueled a broader consumer shift away from American goods. While Canada accounts for just 1% of Brown-Forman’s sales, the company is monitoring Mexico, its larger market. Facing a global demand slowdown, Brown-Forman reported a 3% revenue drop to $1.04 billion, missed estimates, and enacted cost-cutting measures, but reaffirmed its forecast for 2%-4% sales growth in fiscal 2025.

4. Headlines

   1. China has claimed that they will fight “any type of war” with the United States in response to Trump’s tariffs.

   2. Layoffs are at their highest level since the pandemic as DOGE continues to cut government staff.

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