Good morning from the Cape of Storms, where the angle of the rain is helping kids learn what 90 degrees looks like. To all my readers impacted by these storms, stay safe out there.

There's even a substantial pothole on my street now from all the rain. Inspired by the fancy names people choose for their yachts, I've named it Spirit of Joburg. It reminds me of my last few years of living in my place of birth before I relocated to a beautiful city that named its rugby team after the weather. That was probably a lead indicator of the wind.

Moving on, you would've seen that the IG collaboration has kicked off properly now. The first podcast in The Trader's Handbook series is available to help you dip your toes into trading as part of your broader love of investing. To nurture your understanding of CFDs (the instruments you would be trading at IG), there's a great article on CFD trading vs. investing that you can read here>>>

In Ghost Bites this morning, there are great numbers from Alphamin that are worth paying attention to. For property sector enthusiasts, the news of another capital raise by Sirius Real Estate is an encouraging sign of improving sentiment for REITs. Don't miss out on the Tharisa news as well.

I'll see you later on Unlock the Stock, featuring the management teams of Attacq and Capital Appreciation. You still have time to register here to attend the event at 12pm today. Remember, if you aren't at the live event, you are missing out on the chance to ask your questions.

Enjoy the rest of your Ghost Mail and have a great day!

Costco is famous for its $1.50 hotdogs. It's also famous for its membership model, where you pay a monthly fee to be able to shop at Costco and then you claw that back (in theory) by doing much of your shopping there at discounted prices. It's a great study in consumer psychology.

Every few years, Costco puts up the price of the membership and the headlines go crazy. The basic tier is now $65 for an annual membership, up from $60. America's problem with obesity is then given great assistance by the number of hotdogs consumed to try make back that fee.

And just like at Netflix, they are having to crack down on membership sharing. Just take my card baby...and I'll have extra ketchup!

Jokes aside, Costco has been an astonishing investment story. Refer to the chart below...

If you want to become a better stock picker, Magic Markets Premium is perfect for you. We covered Acushnet last week and we are digging into Tesla this week. To get access to this research and the rest of the vast library, subscribe to the platform here.

The S&P500 and Nasdaq100 have extended gains into all-time high territory once, again led by the US tech sector.

More dovish commentary from Fed Chair Jerome Powell has provided impetus to the move, increasing the likelihood of a rate cut to follow in September.

The dollar has softened along with US Treasury Yields on the news. The moves do however come ahead of US CPI inflation data out later today.

European futures and Asian equity benchmarks are following the lead of the US, trading in positive territory this morning. The JSE All-Share Index is expected to follow suite as well with a firmer start to the day.

The rand continues to trade at its best levels against the dollar in roughly nine days.

Oil prices have rebounded following the improved demand outlook suggested by OPEC members.

Gold is trading firmer as the dollar weakens.

Key Indicators: USD/ZAR R18.10/$ | US 10yr 4.28% | Gold $2,381/oz | Platinum $995/oz | Brent Crude $85.35

The macroeconomic update is based on IG's morning call update