The Cynic: November 24

BUSINESS
This Week’s Business News

Black Friday Crowds Hit Records, Deals Hit… Not So Much

America showed up for Black Friday — the discounts did not. Nearly 187 million shoppers are expected over the five-day holiday window, but most are finding smaller markdowns thanks to stubborn inflation and tariff-inflated prices.

Retailers are working overtime to make “kind of discounted” sound exciting. Walmart, Amazon, and Macy’s launched weeks of early sales to soften expectations before the main event.

And shoppers are spending, but cautiously. Average budgets slipped from last year, with people trading big electronics splurges for practical buys like shoes and kitchen gear.

US Government Sheds 317,000 Workers in Trump’s First Year Back

The federal government is going on the strictest diet plan in Washington history. Trump’s HR chief says agencies will have roughly 317,000 fewer employees this year while hiring only 68,000 replacements.

The goal is shrinking what Trump sees as bloated bureaucracy. Pre-Trump, the federal workforce stood around 2.4 million; now agencies are being trimmed aggressively.

Even the efficiency office got streamlined out of existence. The Department of Government Efficiency — yes, DOGE — was dissolved early, with its mission supposedly being “absorbed” elsewhere.

Senator Demands Answers on Trump’s TikTok Divestiture Plan

TikTok isn’t banned — it’s just stuck in political purgatory. Senator Ed Markey wants Trump to explain exactly how ByteDance’s sale of TikTok U.S. is supposed to work.

The White House says national security; Congress wants receipts. Trump approved a sale to a group of U.S. and global investors and paused enforcement of the 2024 ban law to give them 120 days to close the deal.

The algorithm is the star witness. Markey wants clarity on who controls it, how licensing from ByteDance works, and whether China is actually on board — all while ByteDance remains limited to under a 20% stake.

Before we jump into today’s Real Estate chaos:

This might be the only time in your life you can buy into a $2 trillion entertainment shift before Wall Street notices. 

Don’t sleep on this.

The AI Race Just Went Nuclear — Own the Rails.

Meta, Google, and Microsoft just reported record profits — and record AI infrastructure spending:

• Meta boosted its AI budget to as much as $72 billion this year.

• Google raised its estimate to $93 billion for 2025.

• Microsoft is following suit, investing heavily in AI data centers and decision layers.

While Wall Street reacts, the message is clear: AI infrastructure is the next trillion-dollar frontier.

RAD Intel already builds that infrastructure — the AI decision layer powering marketing performance for Fortune 1000 brands. Backed by Adobe, Fidelity Ventures, and insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon, the company has raised $50M+, grown valuation 4,900%, and doubled sales contracts in 2025 with seven-figure contracts secured.

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REAL ESTATE
This Week’s Real Estate News

NAR Unveils New Strategic Plan and Major MLS Rule Changes

NAR is basically hitting “reset” after a chaotic few years. Its board approved a 2026–2028 strategic plan aimed at rebuilding trust and modernizing operations.

It took input from more than 150,000 members. The end result: 24 initiatives focused on clearer value, better governance, and more accountability starting January 2026.

Meanwhile, MLS rules just got the biggest overhaul in two decades. Most notably, MLS access will no longer automatically require association membership — a major shift left to local discretion.

Homebuilder Sentiment Inches Up From Miserable to Mildly Bad

Builders are slightly less depressed this month — progress! The NAHB index rose one point to 38 in November, still far below the 50 line but better than economists feared.

High rates and weak demand remain the villains. November marked the 19th straight month of negative sentiment as affordability keeps buyers sidelined.

Builders are sweetening deals just to keep traffic alive. Price cuts hit their highest share since 2020, and incentives remain everywhere.

Existing-Home Sales Rise in October as Rates Briefly Eased

Sales finally ticked upward — not because homes got cheaper, but because rates blinked. October existing-home sales rose 1.2% to a 4.1 million annual pace, the highest since February.

First-time buyers took advantage of the dip. With mortgage rates averaging around 6.3% when many contracts were signed, they made up 32% of sales — up from 27% a year ago.

But prices still climbed. The median sale price rose about 2% to $415K, and inventory sits at 4.4 months — enough to shop, not enough to bargain.

FUN
Riddle Me This

I never buy a house, yet I sell them all the time.
When I’m low, lines form; when I’m high, “maybe next time.”
I price tomorrow with numbers you pay today.
What am I?

Reply to this email with the answer for a chance to win a surprise

ADVICE
This Week’s Business Advice

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