Jim Lydotes breaks down rising capex projections, how AI token costs are shaping workforce decisions, and why consumer trust is key to the next leg of the AI trade.

The chart everyone’s sharing leaves out the one number that stands out this year.

Long-term returns are the product of a disciplined investment process: acquiring quality assets at attractive prices, supporting value creation, converting gains into realized proceeds, and reinvesting that capital across a diversified portfolio. Understanding how a private equity secondaries fund moves through that cycle can provide insight into its approach to seeking consistent long-term results.

Highlights from the week of October 23 – October 29, 2026.

Last week, America was reminded that AI can write a sonnet, diagnose a disease, and create a photorealistic image of Abraham Lincoln riding a capybara. All very impressive. Wall Street would now like to see it perform one quaint little party trick: make money.

The Fed raised rates in September, and held rates steady this week, saying more information would help determine its next policy move.

Unlike in 2022, today’s higher rates are more tied to resilient growth than an intensifying inflation shock.

Many investors may be less diversified than they think because AI exposure can show up across multiple asset classes, not just technology stocks.

The midterms may move markets on headlines. Active investors can find opportunity where political perception diverges from company fundamentals.

Last week, America continued its quest for homeownership, a process that somehow combines the cost of a luxury vacation with the emotional experience of visiting the DMV. A barrage of housing reports suggested prospective buyers are finding neither bargains nor shortcuts.