Stock Futures Are Little Changed Ahead of Jobs Data
< 1 min
Stock futures are little changed Sunday evening as investors await the release of key reports on the labor market during another abbreviated week of trading, including Friday’s jobs numbers.
At 6:13 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were flat; the S&P 500 futures gained 0.1%; and Nasdaq Composite futures gained 0.1%.
Stocks started out the new year on a muted note. Last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 260 points, or 0.6%, to 42,732.13, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
The S&P 500 was down 0.48% to 5,942.47, and the Nasdaq Composite closed down 0.51% to 19,621.86.
Stock markets will close Thursday in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, who died late last month. Also this week, several reports on the labor market are expected, including Friday’s jobs report for December. Economists expect the economy added 153,000 jobs last month, lower than November’s reading.
This week also features oral arguments at the Supreme Court in TikTok’s battle against the U.S. government, with a potential ban of the video-sharing app looming later this month.
Among the week’s other economic reports, the Federal Reserve will release the meetings of its December meeting, and three Fed governors are speaking publicly this week. On Monday, Governor Lisa Cook will be at the University of Michigan Law School’s Seventh Conference on Law and Macroeconomics.
Gov. Christopher J. Waller on Wednesday will discuss the economic outlook at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Conference Center in Paris.
And Gov. Michelle Bowman on Thursday will reflect on 2024’s monetary policy, economic performance, and lessons for banking regulation at the California Bankers Association’s 2025 Bank Presidents Seminar in La Quinta, Calif.
Copyright 2020, Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. LEARN MORE
Ophora Tallawong has launched its final release of quality apartments priced under $700,000.
International AI strategist Justin Kabbani will headline the Kanebridge Property Summit in Sydney on June 18, with tickets selling fast.
With US$40 million already committed, the Global Talent Fund is attracting investor attention with a strategy focused on building globally scalable consumer brands alongside high-profile talent.
2 min
A new investment fund targeting celebrity-founded consumer brands has secured US$40 million in commitments and is rapidly approaching its US$50 million fundraising target, signalling growing investor appetite for alternative opportunities beyond traditional asset classes.
The Global Talent Fund, which has a maximum raise of US$100 million, focuses on building and investing in consumer businesses alongside celebrities, athletes, and influential personalities who play an active role as co-founders rather than simply endorsing products.
The strategy is based on the belief that changes in consumer behaviour, particularly the rise of social media and digital engagement, have fundamentally altered how brands are built and scaled.
GTF founding partner Jeremy Hunt, who is helping lead the fund’s strategy, said consumers increasingly feel connected to personalities they follow online and are more willing to support products developed by those individuals.
“Consumers are searching for content to engage with, and when a celebrity they like or follow takes them on the journey of creating a product or brand, they genuinely feel part of that process,” he said.
The fund is targeting high-growth consumer sectors including wellness, hydration, beauty and recovery, areas Hunt believes continue to benefit from strong global demand and ongoing innovation.
Rather than backing celebrity endorsement deals, the fund is seeking businesses where talent is deeply involved in product development, brand creation and long-term growth.
According to Hunt, authenticity remains one of the biggest differentiators between successful celebrity-backed brands and those that fail.
“The consumer can see clearly if someone is simply being paid to promote a product,” he said. “The winners are typically the brands where the celebrity has genuinely helped build the business from the ground up.”
The model has attracted support from several prominent Australian investors and business families, reflecting broader interest in alternative investments with global growth potential.
Hunt said consumer brands offered a level of tangibility that many investors found appealing.
“Consumer brands are what we touch, feel, smell and taste every day,” he said. “Our investors understand the growth potential in the model, but they also want to be part of the journey.”
The fund’s rapid progress towards its fundraising target comes amid growing recognition that celebrity influence, when combined with strong commercial execution and scalable business models, can create significant enterprise value.
With several high-profile celebrity-founded businesses generating billion-dollar exits in recent years, supporters of the strategy believe the opportunity remains in its early stages.
For more information, contact marc@kanerbridge.com.au
Once a sleepy surf town, Noosa has become Australia’s prestige property hotspot, where multi-million dollar knockdowns, architectural showpieces and record-setting sales are the new normal.
Formula 1 may be the world’s most glamorous sport, but for Oscar Piastri, it’s also one of the most lucrative. At just 24, Australia’s highest-paid athlete is earning more than US$40 million a year.
