Headline: Markets Roundup: Housing Discounts Deepen, Tokenized Hotel Funding Advances, Dow Sells Off
A choppy session across asset classes underscored a cautious tone in U.S. markets. Homebuilders leaned on price cuts and incentives to stimulate demand, factory data sent a mixed signal on investment, and a bold tokenization plan grabbed attention as equities slid on renewed risk concerns.
Homebuilder sentiment remains stuck below the neutral 50 mark, with 41% of builders cutting prices and 65% offering incentives to lure rate-weary buyers back to the market. While U.S. factory orders rose 1.4% in August, core capital expenditure growth slowed, highlighting persistent pressure from tariffs and elevated financing costs. Consumer data continued to show a K-shaped economy: McDonald’s reported a 10% drop in visits from lower-income customers, even as affluent spending rose 10%, and luxury shares outperformed with LVMH jumping 12%.
In capital markets, Dar Global is pursuing a tokenized financing structure for a Trump-branded Maldives hotel, targeting up to 70% of the project’s funding via crypto tokens and engaging with the SEC on potential access for retail investors. Futures trading sent mixed signals, with certain CME contracts edging higher into late 2025 while early 2026 contracts slipped; sugar markets were similarly uneven as March 2026 advanced and October 2027 steadied, amid lighter volume and attention on open interest. Equities weakened broadly, with the Dow Jones down roughly 500 points as Home Depot fell on a trimmed outlook and cloud-related names retreated following a recent outage, adding to concerns about broader market risk.
Key Points: – Homebuilder confidence stays below 50; 41% of builders cut prices and 65% offer incentives as buyers stay on the sidelines. – U.S. factory orders up 1.4% in August, but core capex growth slows, reflecting tariff and financing headwinds. – Consumer split widens: lower-income traffic at McDonald’s down 10% while higher-income spending rises 10%; LVMH gains 12%. – Dar Global targets up to 70% tokenized funding for a Maldives Trump hotel, with SEC discussions and potential retail participation. – CME futures mixed: late-2025 contracts edged up while early-2026 contracts softened; sugar futures also showed a divided tone with lighter volume. – Stocks fell broadly; Dow dropped about 500 points as Home Depot cut its outlook and cloud-focused names slid after an outage.
