Hey Rebels! Let's dive into this week's issue to help you become smarter about money, investing, and business in less than 10 minutes a week.
Weekly Intel
Stay current with top news from the business, money, and investing world.
Top Stories
Big Movie is back, baby!: A string of blockbuster movies has brought more people back to theaters, giving AMC Entertainment a much-needed financial boost. Higher ticket sales also mean more customers are feeling better about buying disgustingly overpriced popcorn, drinks, and snacks—some of the theater chain's biggest sources of profit. Be rebellious and hide the Red Vines up the sleeves of your sweatshirt, and fill a secret Camelback with Diet Coke. But you didn’t hear that from me. (more)
Is Polymarket the new Wall Street? A recent poll found that a third of Americans believe that they would “have higher financial returns focusing more on gambling than today’s stock market.” That share increases to 46% among millennials and to 44% among gen Z. Read more about my thoughts about this (a.k.a. THE FACTS) below in this week’s Financial Rebellion way. (more)
Move over Big Apple - here comes The Big Mango: For the first time, the Miami metro area has become more expensive to live in than the New York City metro area. Since 2019, prices in Miami have risen faster than almost anywhere else in the U.S., driven by an influx of new residents and rising housing costs. So definitely visit! But bring your big girl wallet. (more)
By the numbers
$700 million: how much George Clooney sold his tequila company to drink titan Diageo earlier this year. He’s now setting his sights on something with a little less buzz - nonalcoholic beer (more)
2 out of 5: how many Americans believe that the stock market only serves the top 1%. (more)
70%: the percentage of Americans who have high confidence in their skills in the workplace, despite AI fears. (more)
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The Financial Rebellion Way
The Stock Market Is Less Risky Than You Think
Nearly half of millennials and Gen Z say they’d have higher financial returns from gambling than investing.
I’m sorry, what?
As fun as it is to bet on whether Cape Verde will win the World Cup or if Bronny James will follow his daddy to Philadelphia, the most reliable and best way for your money to grow is in the stock market. And investing is not just for the top 1%.
The stock market has survived over 130 years of pandemics, crashes, wars, meme coins. It is designed (imperfectly, messily, but genuinely) to grow. The casino apps on your phone are literally designed for you to lose.
Big picture: Investing isn’t about timing the market perfectly or picking winning stocks. It’s about showing up consistently and letting time do the heavy lifting. The market has weathered everything history has thrown at it. It might not be fun, but it’s your best chance of long term financial security and success. Get addicted to that.
Markets - stocks and crypto
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Prices for the week ending July 24, 2026:
▼ S&P 500 | 7,411 | -1.25% |
▼ NASDAQ | 24,975 | -3.12% |
▲ GOLD | 4,070 | +1.01% |
▲ AMC ENTERTAINMENT (AMC) | 2.27 | +2.95% |
▼ ALPHABET (GOOG) | 319 | -10.18% |
▼ BITCOIN (BTC) | 64,300 | -1.37% |
▼ ETHEREUM (ETH) | 1,870 | -1.73% |
Stock and Crypto Moves
The “Magnificent Seven,” the name of my friend group growing up and also this group of mega cap stocks (Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Nvidia, Tesla and Meta) had a rough week, losing roughly $797 billion market value, with Alphabet and Tesla leading the declines. (more)
But we know where the money went: While those big guys fell hard, a basket of AI-related firms (memory makers, server builders, data centers) rose an average of 11%. (more)
President Trump introduced new tariffs on products from 60 trading partners, covering almost all goods entering the U.S. The administration says the tariffs are meant to pressure countries to crack down on goods made with forced labor, while critics argue they'll mainly increase prices for American businesses and consumers. (more)
Oil prices topped $100 per barrel after Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, raising fears that global oil supplies could be disrupted and the prices of like, everything, will be pushed up. Again! Hehe, happy summer! (more)
Hasbro is making some magic: The collectible card game Magic: The Gathering has become Hasbro's biggest moneymaker, bringing in more than $500 million in a single quarter for the first time. They’re racking up some serious XP while playing dungeon master on this campaign…oh wait that’s D&D never mind idk what I’m talking about. (more)
Bitcoin dropped below $64,000 this week — about 50% off its all-time high — as fewer investors are moving money onto crypto exchanges. When the buying slows down, so does the price. (more)
Real Money Moves
Each week, we feature a reader’s smartest and dumbest money moves. We’re all in this together; let’s learn from each other.
Ida - Columbus, Ohio
Best Money Move - Bought a home early on
“At 22, I bought my first home. I had gotten a job, I graduated from Ohio State, and I knew with a steady job I’d be able to pay the mortgage.”
“Instead of renting, I decided to buy, and that was definitely one of the best financial moves I made at a young age.”
“It was a two-bedroom condo. It wasn’t a large place, but I was able to sustain myself, and it ended up being a great money move.”
Worst Money Move - Penny stock mistakes
“When I was 18 I invested in penny stocks. Back then we’re using the newspaper and looking at some stocks we could do. I made bad investments.”
“It would be much better to have bought one share of something more stable than to buy a hundred or a thousand shares of something that really didn’t have any proof of concept to it.”
“To lose money when you’re eighteen — it feels pretty devastating. I was working at the public library making $4.25 an hour, so my money was limited.”
Got a money win or financial faceplant? Send it in. You might help someone dodge a mistake or make a smarter call.
Side Hustle Differently
Each week, we focus on money-making opportunities for a side hustle that could potentially become a full-time venture. No MLM schemes, no “passive income” lies, just real strategies for stacking cash outside your 9-5.
From grocery store observer to global brand strategist
Ida Abdelkhani didn’t launch a business with a big idea and a business plan. She launched it after burning out, buying a one-way ticket with no place, and wandering the aisles of grocery stores across the world wondering “why do people buy what they buy?”
Here’s what her journey looked like:
She burned out at Procter and Gamble managing global brands — and instead of jumping to the next corporate job, she had her “eat, pray, love” moment and started traveling the world
While abroad, she kept wandering into grocery stores in foreign countries just to watch people shop, and realized we’re “way more alike than we are different”
She brought that insight home and built Ability to Engage, a consumer research and brand strategy firm that’s worked with P&G, Pepsi, and L’Oreal for over 14 years
Her advice for young people thinking about starting something: “Differentiate between your gifts and your capabilities. We all have competencies — skills we can learn. But leaning into what you’re gifted to do is an entirely different thing.”
Check out the Financial Rebellion podcast to learn about how to turn your passion into profit.
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We’ll catch you next week. Rebels OUT.
Todd Romer: Founder and Writer
Corinne Clarkson: Writer and Editor
Dallin Merrill: Chief Newsletter Overlord
Disclaimer: The advice provided in Financial Rebellion is not considered to be financial or legal advice of any kind. It is your responsibility to dig deeper on any opinions or recommendations given