From our friends at Hartford Funds.

1. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia – After dominating headlines for much of the last year, Nvidia is now the most valuable company by market cap—the first time a company other than Microsoft or Apple has held the title since February 2019. Nvidia shares have risen 174% this year compared to a 15% rise in the S&P 500 Index and a 19% rise in the Nasdaq Composite Index over the same period. (Sources: The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s)
2. A win is a win, right? – May’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) print rose 3.3% year-over-year but came in flat month-over-month, the lowest reading since July 2022. While those numbers are a vast improvement from the nearly 10% inflation rate seen two years ago, the CPI has now been stuck between 3% and 4% for nearly a year. (Source: NBC)
3. No summer slowdown here – Both the UK and France are looking at July elections with far-reaching market implications. Ahead of the big votes, London’s stock market has edged ahead of its Parisian rival as the country’s political uncertainty hangs in the balance. Stocks listed in France are now worth about $3.13 trillion in total, compared with $3.18 trillion for all shares listed in the UK. (Source: CNN)
4. There’s no place like my apartment – Thanks to high home prices and interest rates, renters looking to buy a house are facing the most expensive housing market in at least three decades. And, even more, only an estimated 5.8% of renters nationwide (2.6 million rental households) had sufficient income to afford a median-priced home in the first quarter of this year. (Source: MarketWatch)
5. Fool me once …  – US consumers disputed about 105 million charges with credit-card issuers in 2023, worth an estimated $11 billion. That’s up from about $7.2 billion in 2019, and some predict it will continue to rise nearly 40% by 2026. Some of these chargebacks, though, are being reported as “friendly fraud”—flagging unrecognized transactions and unwanted subscriptions in an effort to get free stuff. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
6. Rizz and rose-colored glasses? – When it comes to financial outlook, Gen Z and millennials are reportedly the most hopeful: More than 60% of the two generations said they were optimistic, compared to less than 50% of Gen X and baby boomers. For Gen Z in particular, a strong jobs market and earlier retirement savings buoy their convictions. (Source: Business Insider)
7. There’s no “I” in team, guys – For the first time since NATO allies agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on militaries in 2014, more than 20 of 32 members will meet the target allocations this year. In 2014, only three met the goal. Allies have also increased military spending this year by 18%—the biggest jump in decades. (Source: The New York Times)
8. As seen on TV – Netflix has officially announced the first two mall locations for its permanent entertainment spaces opening in 2025: Galleria Dallas in Texas and King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania. Netflix House is reported to be a massive and immersive venue that will include themed gift shops, restaurants, and elaborate events based on some of Netflix’s most popular shows including Bridgerton, Stranger Things, Squid Games, and more. (Source: The Verge)
9. And it was all yellow ... wait, green? – Coldplay has achieved a 47% reduction in carbon emissions so far on its Music of the Spheres tour. The band has been careful about plane routes, travels by train when possible, gives out compostable wristbands, and has fans help generate electricity by dancing on kinetic dance floors or hopping on power-generating bikes mid-concert. (Source: Billboard)
10. Nothing but net (and a trophy) – The Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 to win the 2024 NBA Finals marking the team’s record-setting 18th NBA title and inching ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the most titles in NBA history. Fittingly, the win also came on the 16th anniversary of the day they won their 17th championship in the same building. (Source: ESPN)