Today is all about new podcast releases, with two podcasts that will really appeal to those among you who want to take your market knowledge and experience to new heights.

Let's start with ep2 of The Trader's Handbook, my exciting collaboration with IG Markets South Africa. I'm having a lot of fun in my demo account, I must be honest. To listen to the episode (or read the transcript) and figure out whether trading might be for you, click here.

There's also a brand new Magic Markets that you don't want to miss, with international geopolitical expert Dimitri Zabelin as our guest. Topics included the US jobs numbers (and why you can't trust them), general geopolitical trends and what they mean for defense stocks - and of course, a discussion on the tech sector and some interesting trade ideas. You'll find it here.

This is the joy of Ghost Mail, for me at least. There's something in here for everyone, no matter where you are on your journey in the markets. It's all about giving you exposure to growth opportunities that will give you the confidence to build wealth in the markets. On that note, you still have time to register for the Unlock the Stock property session at midday today, featuring highly regarded property analyst Keillen Ndlovu. Have you always wondered about the quality of analysis that insitutions get to see? Wonder no more. Just register here and see for yourself.

In Ghost Bites today, you'll find insights from a great presentation released by Vukile Property Fund, so that might get you in the mood for Unlock the Stock later. You'll also find a production update from BHP, as well as another twist in the Ascendis tale in the form of the High Court setting aside the TRP ruling. Get it here.

And if you aren't in the mood for so much financial content today, Dominique Olivier's most recent piece on the truth behind innovation is a great read. All you need to do is find someone else's idea and tweak it a little bit. That's what all the famous people do anyway, as she discusses here.

Have fun in the markets today!

We take a break from banking today, as Darden Restaurants (a company we recently researched in Magic Markets Premium) is acquiring Chuy's Holdings in a $605 million transaction. Acquisitions are nothing new for Darden, with the full-service restaurant group regularly mopping up chains that fit the strategy.

The biggest exposure in Darden is Olive Garden, which is an Italian format. They also have various steakhouse and other brands. Chuy's is a Tex-Mex concept, with each restaurant supposedly styled in a unique way. I haven't been in one before so can't comment on that. What I can comment on is that Darden really is a rare beast - a full-service restaurant format at scale, as opposed to the quick-service restaurant format (e.g. McDonald's) that is much easier to roll out globally.

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

Increased trade uncertainty amidst a more likely Trump election win is seeing the US tech sector lead a sell-off on the S&P500 and Nasdaq100 indices.

Asian and European benchmarks are trading mixed this morning and we are expecting a flat to slightly lower start for the JSE All-Share Index.

The dollar has softened as markets anticipate more spending and increased tax cuts should Trump win the upcoming US election. The rand continues to trade in a narrow range between levels R18/$ and R18.30/$.

Oil prices have rebounded on news of lower than expected US inventory levels.

Gold continues to trade near all-time highs as the dollar remains weakened.

Key Indicators: USD/ZAR R18.20/$ | US 10yr 4.17% | Gold $2,470/oz | Platinum $1,020/oz | Brent Crude $82.71

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