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— Josh
MARKETS
💰 Report: Trump Plans to Open California to Offshore Oil Drilling
(Credit: wasi1370/Pixabay)
The Scoop: The Trump administration is preparing to announce a plan this week to resume offshore oil and gas leasing off California’s coast for the first time in four decades, alongside expansions in Alaska and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The Details:
The draft five-year blueprint calls for six lease sales along the Pacific coast from 2027 to 2030, primarily off Santa Barbara County, fulfilling Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” pledge to slash energy costs amid inflation pressures.
A Louisiana federal judge recently struck down Biden’s last-minute ban on new Atlantic and Pacific drilling as unlawful; Interior Secretary Doug Burgum initiated the scheduling process in April to promote “responsible offshore energy development” for jobs and independence.
Newsom, speaking at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, condemned the move for risking communities and coastal economies.
The proposal phases out federal renewable incentives, prompting the International Energy Agency to cut its U.S. clean-energy growth forecast; California’s crude output has halved in two decades amid its push for solar and EVs.
What’s Next: With industry interest rekindled and legal hurdles cleared, the plan could unlock billions in Pacific reserves by 2027, spurring thousands of high-wage jobs, slashing pump prices for inflation-hit Californians, and cementing U.S. energy dominance.
Market Roundup
🏦 Economy
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Hassett cautioned that the government shutdown's disruption of October survey data has obscured the U.S. economic outlook, likening the situation to navigating through "cloudy, cloudy weather." (BBG)
Trump voiced frustration with fellow Republicans for failing to champion his pre-pandemic economy as the "greatest in history." (FOX)
China's senior trade negotiator has pledged to expand market access in the service sector, creating fresh investment opportunities for U.S. companies. (RTS)
Wolfe Research issued an optimistic 2026 U.S. economic outlook, forecasting 2.1% above-trend GDP growth, buoyed by Trump's budget bill, fading tariff uncertainties, and Federal Reserve easing. (INV)
📈 Hot Stock Picks
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Amprius Technologies is forecasting explosive growth into 2026, propelled by a 172% year-over-year Q3 revenue jump to $21.43 million, according to MarketBeat. (MB)
Zacks Investment Research anointed Robinhood as its "Bull of the Day" with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) as it pivots toward a diversified, fee-based model with promising 2025 EPS growth of 84%. (ZCK)
Morningstar identified Microsoft, Alphabet, Taiwan Semiconductor, Meta, Oracle, Tencent, Adobe, and Cognizant as the top undervalued AI stocks to buy now, each with fair value discounts ranging from 7% to 42%. (MS)
Uber stock merits a buy rating thanks to its robust 22% trip growth, $2.2 billion quarterly free cash flow, and a $20 billion share repurchase program, according to Motley Fool. (MF)
🏢 Industry
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Target announced plans to slash prices on approximately 3,000 everyday essentials, from groceries to household goods, through the holiday season. (INV)
General Motors instructed thousands of its suppliers to sever parts sourcing from China, citing the imperative for greater supply-chain resilience. (RTS)
Provalus, a U.S.-based IT and customer service firm, is revitalizing overlooked rural communities by onshoring high-paying tech jobs that exceed local median incomes by 10-15%. (FBN)
The White House is weighing an executive order to restrict the sway of proxy-advisory firms while imposing limits on voting practices by index-fund behemoths such as BlackRock. (WSJ)
🌕 Crypto
⭐ Editor’s Pick: SoFi launched SoFi Crypto to offer crypto trading for consumers, the first directly integrated crypto offering under its national bank charter. (BAR)
Without evidence, China accused the U.S. of orchestrating the 2020 LuBian hack and seizing $14.5 billion in stolen Bitcoin. (YF)
JPMorgan launched its USD-denominated deposit token JPM Coin on Coinbase's Base Layer 2 blockchain for institutional clients, enabling 24/7 near-instant settlement of onchain payments. (BBG)
Visa launched a "breakthrough" pilot program with Circle enabling businesses to make near-instant cross-border payouts in USDC stablecoins to creators and freelancers. (TB)
Polymarket partnered with fantasy-sports app PrizePicks to let users buy event contracts on prediction markets for entertainment outcomes. (PRN)
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TECH
💻 China’s “Mysterious Dragon” Drone Soars Out Of The Shadows
(Credit: TWZ)
The Scoop: China’s GJ-11 “Mysterious Dragon” stealth drone just broke cover in air-to-air footage, flying undetected beside J-20 fighters and J-16D jammers, weeks after satellite images caught it prowling a Himalayan war base—proof Beijing’s pilotless, radar-evading swarm leader is now combat-ready, TWZ reports.
The Details:
The GJ-11 is a radar-evading flying wing refined since 2013 and now fully stealth with a shielded exhaust that can penetrate air defenses crewed jets cannot.
The first official PLAAF video shows it taxiing, launching, and flying in formation while a J-20 fires a PL-15 missile mid-flight.
Loyal wingman tactics are live—one pilot in a two-seat J-20 or J-16D jammer can command dozens of autonomous GJ-11s.
This multi-role nightmare delivers deep strikes, long-loiter surveillance, air-to-air combat, and electronic warfare with crewed-jet endurance and zero human risk.
A naval variant with an arrester hook is already airborne, setting China’s carriers up to launch stealth drone fleets across the Pacific.
The swarm is expanding—CH-7 and larger flying-wing UCAVs are airborne while China fields a stealth drone air force the U.S. has none of.
What’s Next: The GJ-11 is a live force multiplier that can unleash autonomous, stealth, long-range drone waves in the next Taiwan, South China Sea, or Himalayan crisis and overwhelm defenses before fighters scramble—while the U.S. has no equivalent in service, handing Beijing asymmetric airpower.
Tech Roundup
🧠 AI
⭐ Editor’s Pick: China's government is intervening to ration scarce advanced semiconductors from SMIC for Huawei's AI chip production amid deepening shortages triggered by U.S. export controls. (WSJ)
Meta chief AI scientist Yann LeCun is preparing to depart the company to found his own artificial-intelligence startup. (FT)
Amazon launched Rufus, an AI-powered shopping assistant integrated into its platform, that automatically monitors prices, delivers personalized deal recommendations and executes purchases. (OV)
Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine inked deals with AI audio firm ElevenLabs to develop digital replicas of their distinctive voices. (VAR)
Google faces a federal lawsuit in San Jose, California, accusing it of secretly deploying its Gemini AI tool across Gmail, Chat, and Meet to harvest users' private communications without consent. (BBG)
🤖 Robots
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Honor confirmed the launch of its robotic smartphone, featuring a camera-equipped mechanical arm that doubles as a selfie stick and 3D scanner, slated for release in 2026. (TR)
Russia's first AI-powered humanoid robot, modeled after Putin and dubbed AIdol, suffered an humiliating debut by toppling face-first during its unveiling. (EXP)
Firebot can endure 1,200-degree infernos to relay live video and thermal scans, equipping firefighters with critical reconnaissance to pinpoint victims and sidestep perils. (EXT)
Startup Tuurny is pioneering an AI-powered robot that uses computer vision and precision robotics to extract critical chips from electronic waste, tackling the global semiconductor shortage. (GNW)
🚀 Defense & Space
⭐ Editor’s Pick: The U.S. Army's Northern Command certified a rapid-response team equipped with Anduril's AI-enhanced Counter-small UAS fly-away kit to neutralize drone threats at domestic military installations. (DEFC)
Israel's defense sector is rapidly advancing quantum technologies—from unbreakable encryption to radar analytics—positioning the nation as a leader in leveraging these once-futuristic innovations for military superiority. (JPOST)
Frankenburg Technology unveiled the palm-sized Mark 1 missile, a 25-inch AI-guided rocket designed to intercept and neutralize drones. (IE)
💰Venture Capital
⭐ Editor’s Pick: AI agent startup Wonderful raised another $100 million in a private funding round led by Index Ventures, with the round valuing the company at $700 million post-money. (RTS)
Lighter, a decentralized crypto trading protocol, secured $68 million in funding at a $1.5 billion valuation, led by Founders Fund and Ribbit Capital. (FM)
Israeli cybersecurity veteran Shai Morag secured $60 million in funding for his latest stealth-mode startup from backers including Greylock. (CALT)
Beside, an AI startup that extracts actionable insights from phone calls and texts for workers, raised $32 million in a funding round led by EQT Ventures. (TFN)
FREEDOM
📢 DOJ Investigating Riot at UC Berkeley During Turning Point USA Tour Finale
(Credit: Frontlines/TPUSA/Screenshot)
The Scoop: The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has launched an investigation into UC Berkeley’s handling of a Turning Point USA campus event on Monday evening, where violent protests led to at least four arrests and clashes outside Zellerbach Hall, ABC News reports.
The Details:
The TPUSA tour finale, drawing over 900 attendees two months after co-founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination, sparked hours-long violent demonstrations by hundreds
Berkeley police and UC officers made arrests for charges including robbery, battery, trespassing, and resisting arrest, with one merchandise seller assaulted and bloodied.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced the probe, citing campus safety failures and potential anti-discrimination violations.
UC Berkeley condemned the violence, affirmed its free-speech commitment, and pledged full cooperation with federal investigators and the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force to identify “outside agitators.”
What’s Next: The probe may broaden to other campuses, bolstering Trump administration efforts to safeguard conservative events while fueling debates on balancing protest rights with speaker security.
Freedom Roundup
🏛️ Policy & Culture
⭐ Editor’s Pick: A Georgia street preacher faces a misdemeanor noise charge after city officials revoked his sound amplification permit amid complaints, prompting First Amendment concerns. (UT)
Trump's $60 million settlement with Cornell curbs DEI but risks a "zombie" revival under rebranded terms without strict oversight. (NYP)
Nigerian Senator Orji Uzor Kalu endorsed Trump's warning of an "existential threat" to Christianity in Nigeria from jihadist massacres, affirming that "Trump told the truth" about the genocide. (BN)
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DISCLAIMER: The CAPITAL newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or professional advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The CAPITAL newsletter and its owner and operator, Josh Caplan, are not liable for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on this information. The CAPITAL newsletter is solely owned and independently operated by Josh Caplan, separate from any employer affiliations.
