🏆 The UK broke a (dismal) record

It's time to pay back student loans | UK housing is red-hot | [Finimize](   TOGETHER WITH   Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for September 19th in 3:10 minutes.   🤩 Rubbing shoulders with an investing titan like Ray Dalio might sound like the stuff of dreams – but this December, the [Modern Investor Summit]( is making it a reality for clued-in retail investors. [Get your free summit ticket]( Today's big stories - The resumption of student loan repayments in the US could threaten consumer spending - Here’s what “girl math” can teach you about investing – [Read Now]( - British rents charted their steepest rise in over a decade Payback Time [Payback Time] What’s going on here? US consumers could feel the pinch as [student loan repayments]( resume, potentially putting a damper on spending. What does this mean? Starting October 1st, those with student loans will once again feel the weight of monthly payments, typically around $200 to $300. And for the record, this is the first time they’ll be parting with that cash since the Education Department hit the pause button back in March 2020. During that generous break, instead of chipping away at their debt, many treated themselves to luxuries like high-end TVs and spontaneous trips. So it’s no surprise that this spending spree played a part in keeping the US economy robust – even as interest rates flirted upward. Why should I care? For markets: No doomsday yet. Retail behemoths like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy depend on consumers’ penchant for non-essentials, so this news has got them biting their nails. But many of these borrowers aren’t living paycheck to paycheck – and they might overlook the looming loan shadows to make room for the odd splurge. Plus, economists have pointed out these repayments are just a drop in the ocean, accounting for a mere 0.4% to 0.6% of total consumer spending. So while this move has added a slightly wobbly piece to the US’s economic Jenga tower, it’s unlikely to topple the thing entirely – especially in an era of rising wages and low unemployment. The bigger picture: Wait and see. Regardless of the impact, the bottom line is that government policy changes are adding unneeded volatility. To make things even tougher, [auto workers’ strikes]( are cranking up the pressure on the economy – and with debt levels rising and folk saving less, credit card balances have hit a [whopping $1 trillion](. So while today’s loan repayments might seem like small potatoes, they could spell trouble down the line. You might also like: [How to recession-proof your portfolio.]( Copy to share story: [/payback-time]( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Payback Time&utm_campaign=daily-global-19-09-2023&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Actually, You Might Learn A Thing Or Two About Money From #GirlMath [Actually, You Might Learn A Thing Or Two About Money From #GirlMath]( By Theodora Lee Joseph, Analyst Those ridiculous and fairly hilarious [#GirlMath videos]( are all over my TikTok feed right now. And, I admit, I’ve watched [quite a few of them](. But [hear me out](: there’s actually more to these comedic little takes than you might think. Everyone suffers from some form of behavioral bias that impacts the way they [save, spend, and invest]( – and these videos hit on quite a few. So that’s today’s Insight: [the things you can learn from a little #GirlMath.]( [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY ORACLE Make sure your work matters Your team could be the brainiest, sharpest, most in-sync machine the boardroom’s ever seen. But to track projects or prove your productivity to the level above, you’ll need [meaningful key performance indicators (KPIs)]( that suit your team’s tasks and communicate progress clearly. That framework is time-consuming to produce, mind you, which is where business coach [Bernie Smith’s handy KPI-focused ebook]( comes in. You’ll unlock practical material like [customizable templates, checklists, spreadsheets](, and sample SLAs, as well as [process maps, user guides, and practical advice]( to streamline the process. [Unlock the tools that could support your decision-making, engage your organization, and make work more meaningful](. [Find Out More]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. Hot Properties [Hot Properties] What’s going on here? Britain's rental scene isn't just heating up – it's on fire, with the cost of rent soaring faster than it has in at least a decade. What does this mean? Higher interest rates are making it uncomfortably expensive to buy a home, but rising lease costs aren’t making rental life particularly cushy either. New rental agreements had tenants shelling out 12% more in August compared to the previous year – the sharpest rise since UK property broker Hamptons started tracking the figures in 2014. That’s far from normal: UK rents have risen more in the past year alone than they did from 2015 to 2019, combined. And much of this stems from a supply-demand mismatch: rising mortgage rates have pushed more people to rent, while slowing construction and causing some landlords to sell up and quit the market. Why should I care? For you: The rent, as they say, is too damn high. It’s a tough crumpet to swallow for Brits who are already saddled with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. Renting is supposed to be the fallback option for those who can’t afford to buy. But as rents rise faster than wages, the cost of renting is fast becoming a more grueling stretch and putting those dreams of homeownership even further out of reach. And that’s not likely to help consumer confidence – or the economy. For markets: The UK’s keeping its hiking boots on. This data suggests inflation’s likely to remain a problem – at least for the foreseeable future. And that’s unwelcome news for the Bank of England as it convenes this week. The central bank’s been battling the country’s high inflation with a steady barrage of interest rate hikes and this data implies its fight might be far from won. So if you’re wading into UK stocks and bonds, brace for a splash – these waters could remain choppy for some time. You might also like: [Your UK property investing options – from your own home to real estate funds.]( Copy to share story: [/hot-properties]( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Hot Properties&utm_campaign=daily-global-19-09-2023&utm_source=email) 💼 Introducing Finimize For Business We're helping financial firms publish [first-class content]( that keeps investors engaged, active, and up to speed. After all, we don’t hoard our treasures: we prefer to [share them](. [Book A Demo]( 💬 Quote of the day "The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." – Jon Hammond (an American musician) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY STOCKLIFT What happens in China doesn’t stay in China China’s slowdown has been the talk of the town lately. And its ramifications go well beyond the country itself: what happens in China will have [far-reaching consequences](. So it might be a good time to [check your exposure,]( and there’s an easy way to do that: using [Stocklift’s in-app market simulator and portfolio tracker](. You can [test your portfolio against a Chinese slowdown]( to see if your strategy works. And if it doesn’t, you’ll be able to see which bits might need tweaking. A new – and global – perspective is always helpful, especially when it comes to your investments. [Check out Stocklift’s app]( to see where you stand. [Find Out More]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🎯 On Our Radar 1. Roman ruminations. Men seem to have the [Roman Empire on their minds]( quite often, according to this TikTok trend. 2. Meet the hospitality industry's disruptor. [This newly public company]( is reinventing travel for nomads.* 3. Forget Europe. Catalina Island is the [Mediterranean mimic]( every Southern Californian needs. 4. Options trading is a big deal in the crypto-sphere. [Find out how to use them]( in your own strategy.* 5. Ancient city surfaces. Archaeologists have dug up the remains of a [long-lost Roman city](. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🌍 Finimize Live 🥳 Coming Up In The Next Week... All events in UK time.🚀 [Future Of Finance: Building Global Platforms For Next-Gen Investors](: 6pm, September 20th 📚 [Mastering Technical Analysis For Traders](: 5pm, September 26th And After That...💰 [Money Matters: Her Wealth Roadmap](: 5pm, October 25th 🎉 [Modern Investor Summit 2023](: 12pm, December 5th & 6th ❤️ Share with a friend Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. You stay classy, {NAME} 😉 We’d love to hear your thoughts. [Give feedback]( Want to advertise with us too? [Get in touch]( Image Credits: Image credits: Midjourney | Samuel Rolle, 1667 Preferences: [Update your email]( or [change preferences]( [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( from all Finimize Emails 😴 Crafted by Finimize Ltd. | 280 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AG All content provided by Finimize Ltd. is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to represent trade or investment recommendations. You signed up to this mailing list at finimize.com or through one of our partners. © Finimize 2021 [View Online](