Tuesday☕️

Time Is Money

Aug 6, 2024 • 5 min read

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Neuralink Trials
Global Stock Market Decline

Markets:

Yesterday’s U.S. stock market:

Yesterday’s commodity market:

Yesterday’s crypto market:

Neuralink Trials:

Elon Musk announced during a podcast with Lex Fridman that Neuralink has successfully implanted a second brain-computer interface (BCI) in a patient. This update came early in their nearly four-hour conversation when Fridman inquired about the scalability of human participants. Musk indicated that the second implant has been performing well, showing promising results.
The second implant is part of Neuralink's PRIME Study, which involves clinical trials of the implant technology on patients who are quadriplegic due to spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The primary objective of these implants is to help patients control external devices, such as a computer mouse, using their thoughts. The first patient, Noland Arbaugh, received his implant in January and has experienced significant improvements, including the ability to control a computer mouse with his mind and increased independence.
Neuralink received FDA approval for clinical trials last May and started recruiting participants in September. The second implant marks a significant milestone for the company. However, Neuralink has specific criteria for study participants, excluding those with active implanted devices, a history of seizures, the need for ongoing MRIs, or those receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are devices that enable direct communication between the brain and external devices.
BCIs hold immense potential for various applications, from medical treatments to enhancing human capabilities. In the future, BCIs could revolutionize the treatment of neurological disorders, enable new forms of human-computer interaction, and even augment human cognitive abilities. As technology advances, BCIs may become more widespread and integrated into daily life, offering new ways to interact with the digital world and improving the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Neuralink's progress in this field is a significant step towards realizing these possibilities.

Global Stock Market Decline:

Yesterday, global stock markets experienced a sharp decline, causing a significant spike in the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), which measures market expectations of near-term volatility. Known as Wall Street's "fear gauge," the VIX briefly soared above 65 on Monday morning, a steep increase from around 23 on Friday and approximately 17 a week ago.
This surge marks the highest level for the VIX since March 2020, when the Federal Reserve implemented emergency measures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. By shortly after noon EST, the VIX had moderated to around 32. The VIX is calculated from the prices of options on the S&P 500 and reflects anticipated volatility over the next 30 days. A rising VIX signals heightened investor anxiety and uncertainty about future market movements, as was evident in yesterday's trading.
Jim Carroll, a senior wealth advisor at Ballast Rock Private Wealth, explained that the VIX's sharp rise could be attributed to traders seeking additional protection by shifting from short-term options to longer-term ones. This shift indicates a lack of confidence in the market's immediate outlook and highlights the high demand for protective options amid increased volatility. The dramatic increase in the VIX underscores the elevated levels of fear and uncertainty currently affecting investors.

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