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Shares in Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) will likely remain in the spotlight to start the week as the stock continues to retreat from a record high set earlier this month that saw the conglomerate's market capitalization briefly surpass $1 trillion for the first time.

Bearish sentiment in recent days could potentially relate to a regulatory filing last Wednesday that revealed Berkshire’s top insurance executive, Ajit Jain, sold more than half his Class A shares in the company. Jain’s insider selling, coupled with the conglomerate slowing its stock repurchases and letting its cash pile swell to $277 billion, has possibly raised valuation concerns among investors.

While the industrial conglomerate’s more-affordable Class B stock was nearly 8% below its Sept. 4 high through Friday’s close, it has still gained around 26% since the start of the year, handily outpacing the S&P 500’s 18% return over the same period. Class B shares were up 0.2% at $448.70 in premarket trading about two hours before Monday's opening bell.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at what the technicals on Berkshire’s chart are saying and discuss important price levels to watch out for.

Since a doji candlestick marked the stock’s record high earlier this month, the price has undergone an orderly retracement.

Importantly, during the decline, trading volumes have decreased, indicating slowing selling momentum.

Looking ahead, investors should eye three lower price levels on Berkshire’s chart likely to remain in play amid further weakness.

The first sits around $446, an area just below Friday’s closing price where the shares could attract buying interest near the July swing high and a minor pause in the stock’s impulsive move higher between early August and early September.

A failure to hold this level could see the shares decline to the $421 area, a location on the chart where investors may look for buying opportunities near a horizontal line linking the prominent February and April peaks with several trading levels situated in close proximity to last month’s low.

Ongoing selling in Berkshire shares may bring the $398 region into play. This area, which lies slightly below a multi-month uptrend line and the 200-day moving average, would likely encounter support from a trendline connecting a series of price action from early February to early May.

If Berkshire shares find a floor at current levels and resume their longer-term uptrend, investors should monitor the $480 level, an area where investors may look to exit the stock around its record high. Such a move which would complete a basic five phase Elliot Wave pattern.

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FedEx (FDX) is set to report fiscal 2025 first-quarter earnings after the bell Thursday, with analysts expecting the shipping giant to post year-over-year revenue and profit gains.

Analysts polled by Visible Alpha expect net income of $1.16 billion on revenue of $21.96 billion, up from $1.08 billion and $21.68 billion, respectively, in the first quarter of fiscal 2024.

Analysts are largely optimistic about FedEx's stock, with 11 "buy" ratings and just "hold" and one "sell" rating apiece, according to Visible Alpha's database, with an average price target of $323.50, nearly 13% above Friday's closing level.

In its fourth-quarter report in June, FedEx introduced its projections for fiscal 2025. It guided low- to mid-single-digit revenue growth, while analysts expect growth of just over 2% from last year's $87.69 billion. The company also saw earnings per share (EPS) between $18.25 and $20.25, 6% to 18% better than the $17.21 generated in fiscal 2024, while analysts expect $19.87.

FedEx will be losing out on one source of revenue later this month, when its contract with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) officially ends and shipping rival UPS (UPS) takes over as the USPS' official air freight carrier. In April, FedEx said it was unable to reach "mutually agreeable terms" with the USPS, and said it planned to "implement adjustments" to its shipping network to adjust for the lost volume and further improve profitability.

In April 2023, FedEx announced plans to restructure and cut an estimated $4 billion in costs by 2025. The plan largely has paid off, with FedEx mostly posting substantial profit improvements despite revenue declines or slight gains in recent quarters.

FedEx looked to cut costs after shipping demand fell from its pandemic-fueled peak, with UPS also reporting revenue declines amid lower volumes. Last quarter, FedEx said it expected to cut about $2.2 billion in costs over fiscal 2025, up from $1.8 billion in fiscal 2024.

FedEx Chief Customer Officer Brie Carere said in its June earnings call that the company expects "the demand environment to moderately improve as we move through the year."

FedEx stock closed Friday at $286.38, up 13%% on the year.

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Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on Nigerians to reaffirm their confidence in President Bola Tinubu as his administration advances broad reforms to rejuvenate the economy.

This was disclosed in a statement he released in Abuja to celebrate Muslims on the occasion of this year’s Maulud.

“In the spirit of this season, I urge all Nigerians to reaffirm their trust and backing for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he spearheads a comprehensive economic revitalization agenda, underpinned by an unyielding passion for transformative change, aimed at elevating the standard of living for all Nigerians.

All party members should use this occasion to reflect on their faith and renew their commitment to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Let us work together to build a society that is just, equitable, and peaceful.

This auspicious occasion is a significant milestone in the Islamic calendar, and it serves as a reminder of the Prophet’s teachings of peace, love, and compassion. As we celebrate his birthday, we must reflect on his exemplary life and strive to emulate his noble qualities.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a shining example of leadership, wisdom, and kindness. His message of Islam is a beacon of hope and guidance for humanity. As we commemorate his birthday, we must recommit ourselves to the principles of justice, equality, and fairness that he espoused,” the statement reads.

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A bond-market indicator is sending signals investors should pay close attention to, financial advisors say. 

The indicator is the yield curve, which tracks the relationship between shorter- and longer-term Treasury yields. The latter are typically higher, but until recently the curve was inverted, with higher yields on shorter-term Treasurys—generally an indication that investors expect rates to fall or the economy to weaken. 

The 10-year yield finished Friday at 3.657%, while the two-year was at 3.587%.

Now, with the Federal Reserve widely expected to begin a rate-cut cycle next week, things may be returning to normal. That, according to experts, could mean it’s time for investors to rethink their fixed-income portfolios. Here are some of their suggestions. 

After a two-year campaign of interest rate hikes aimed at fighting inflation, the Federal Reserve is poised to cut its federal funds rate—which influences everything from interest rates to bond yields—at its meeting next week.

Although yields on bonds are likely to come down as a result, there are still opportunities to incorporate fixed-income investments into portfolios, according to Kathy Jones, Chief Fixed Income Strategist at Charles Schwab.

Yields move inversely to bond prices, so when yields fall, bond prices rise. That means investors can benefit from price appreciation if they invest in bonds before yields decline further.

“For the retail client, a lot of times, they've been sitting in cash waiting for the Fed to make a move, so they've already missed the peak of rates,” Jones said. “The direction of travel is lower…That means there’s room for further price appreciation as the Fed cuts.”

The yield curve is returning to normal because of signs that inflation and the economy are cooling, says Jeff Johnson, head of U.S. fixed income products at Vanguard.

“If we're talking about rates falling because the economy is cooling, that does represent what could potentially be a more challenging and volatile period for equity,” Johnson said. “That's another reason why you want to add fixed income to the portfolio—to provide balance and diversification against riskier parts of the portfolio.”

Since bonds with shorter maturities tend to more closely follow changes in the Fed’s benchmark rate, Jones thinks it’s a good time to invest in bonds with maturities between three months and five years. 

“If you're tactical and looking at what’s going to do well during this rate cutting cycle in the first six to 12 months, it's probably under five years just because that has the most room to decline,” Jones said. 

Some experts, however, urge caution when investing in shorter-maturity bonds.

“Investors need to be aware of reinvestment risk. This means that when their current bonds mature, they might have to buy new bonds that pay lower interest rates,” Greg Onken, Wealth Partner at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, said via email. “Longer-term fixed-income opportunities can also help investors lock in current rates.”

When it comes to figuring out which fixed-income investments are best, experts offer varying recommendations—some prefer bond exchange-traded funds while others suggest bond ladders, a strategy of investing in bonds of varying maturities to spread out interest risk.

Johnson recommends broadly diversified bond ETFs that invest in a wide range of fixed-income investments like Treasurys and corporate debt across the maturity spectrum. He prefers ETFs with intermediate maturities.

Jones thinks bond ladders are a good option because they let retail investors avoid trying to time the Fed’s moves.

And investors don’t need to limit themselves to Treasury bonds. Jones notes that corporate bonds can offer higher yields—though investors need to be mindful of their credit quality, since they are riskier than Treasurys.

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McKay Floyd was looking for a cheap dresser. She found a new job.

For Floyd, a former teacher, “flipping furniture,” or re-doing and modernizing old pieces, started as a way to get a new dresser into her son’s room. That eventually turned into her full-time job. 

With inflation still making it hard for households to keep up with essential bills, many Americans have taken on extra jobs to make ends meet. More than half of Americans say they have taken on a so-called side hustle, according to a recent MarketWatch survey.

Floyd, 29, was a fifth-grade teacher in Atlanta. One summer, she realized that updating her 2-year-old’s bedroom would be more expensive than she had anticipated. In an effort to save some money, Floyd said she used skills and knowledge she had gained working with her grandfather to fix up a cheap dresser she bought on Facebook Marketplace.

After re-doing the dresser, Floyd was curious to see if she could sell it for a profit. She listed the dresser for sale and found takers.

“I ended up selling it really quickly," Floyd said, so she did it again. "And then, honestly, after that, it just never stopped. I didn't plan on doing it full-time at that point in my life.”

After she found a steady stream of business, Floyd decided to making flipping furniture her main source of income.

Floyd typically buys furniture from Facebook Marketplace or thrift stores for $50 or less. She then takes it home to clean, restain, repaint or otherwise upgrade. The piece then goes back onto Facebook Marketplace, where Floyd lists larger pieces for $500 or more.

Floyd says she makes anywhere from $3,500 to $5,000 a month on her projects. The variation, she said, depends on how many pieces she can find as well as how many she sells.

“That is definitely something that I did struggle with—just not knowing how much I would make every month—coming from teaching where you get paid once a month, the same amount every month," Floyd said.

Social media has helped fill gaps during months when Floyd doesn't make as much money, she said.

Floyd mostly uses TikTok to advertise her projects and said most of her sales come from people who saw the piece on social media. Collaborations with companies have also helped her make some extra money.

Working from home has been a blessing and a curse, Floyd said. It can be both lonely and hectic, as she balances caring for her son while working on furniture in her garage.

“I have quite the odd schedule, and sometimes I find that really hard,” Floyd said. “But overall, I'm glad that I can do this because it also gives me the time to be able to spend with my son and to stay home, which, without furniture flipping, I would never be able to do or want to do.”

For those thinking about getting into the “flipping” business, Floyd suggests practicing on something small, such as an old dresser you already have. From there, you can build your skills and eventually transition into re-doing more expensive pieces.

“A pro is just being able to work from home and making more than I was teaching, making my own schedule and getting to flip furniture," Floyd said. "I do love flipping furniture, and I love getting to be creative and come up with designs.”

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Major U.S. equities indexes climbed Friday to wrap up a week of gains as recent data on inflation and the jobs market helped lift expectations that the Federal Reserve could be set for a steeper interest rate cut at its meeting next week. The S&P 500 advanced 0.5% Friday, while the Dow and the Nasdaq both closed around 0.7% higher.

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shares notched the top performance of any S&P 500 stock for the second straight day, surging 10.8% on Friday. The entertainment giant said Thursday that it renewed its distribution deal with Charter Communications (CHTR), a year before the existing agreement was set to expire.

Shares of online crafts marketplace Etsy (ETSY) jumped 7.6% on the day, bouncing off a 52-week low set by the stock in intraday trading earlier in the week. A proposal by the Biden administration to limit tariff exemptions that often benefit Chinese e-commerce companies helped push Etsy shares higher.

Align Technology (ALGN) shares added 6.5% on Friday as Piper Sandler reiterated its "overweight" rating for shares of the provider of clear teeth aligners and other dental products. Analysts pointed to strong trends in the U.S. orthodontics market over recent months that could drive strong quarterly results.

Adobe (ADBE) shares dropped 8.5%, the biggest daily decline in the S&P 500, following the release of the software firm's results for its fiscal third quarter. Although sales and profits grew from a year ago and exceeded analysts' forecasts, Adobe's fourth-quarter sales guidance came in below expectations.

Shares of GPS navigation and wearable technology provider Garmin (GRMN) slid 5.1% after the investment bank Barclays downgraded the stock to "underweight" and reduced its price target. Analysts suggested Garmin's valuation has become overextended following a year of strong gains for the stock. Barclays analysts also said Garmin could see softer sales in the second half of the year.

Boeing (BA) shares fell 3.7% as thousands of workers for the aviation giant went on strike Friday. The first strike at the company in more than 16 years began after workers voted overwhelmingly to reject a contract deal. The labor dispute could complicate Boeing's efforts to stabilize its supply chains and resolve production issues after a series of safety incidents.

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