Consumer Fear, Who Else Owns SpaceX, and Walmart's Warning!

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Dear Money Master,

The American consumer is scared, and for good reason. Oil prices are surging, inflation is creeping back up, and confidence just hit its lowest point on record. Markets are watching every number like a hawk.

Meanwhile, the biggest IPO in years is quietly taking shape. SpaceX is going public, at a valuation that could rewrite the record books, so who else besides Elon Musk owns it? And Walmart just told investors the next few months are going to be tougher than expected.

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📰 Your Daily Financial Digest - May 25th, 2026

🌍 Economics:

America's Confidence Just Hit a Record Low. Here's What That Actually Means!📊 READ MORE

Consumer sentiment fell to 44.8 in May, the lowest reading ever recorded. That's down from 49.8 just last month. The University of Michigan survey, which tracks how Americans feel about their financial future, has now dropped for three straight months as fuel prices climb and war in the Middle East rattles supply chains.

Here's the concept worth understanding: consumer sentiment is essentially a national mood ring for spending. When people feel good, they buy cars, renovate kitchens, take vacations. When they feel anxious, they stop. Since consumer spending drives roughly 70% of the U.S. economy, a crashing sentiment index isn't just a headline, it's a potential slowdown in slow motion.

What makes this reading especially alarming is the inflation expectation embedded in it. Americans now expect prices to rise 4.8% over the next year, up sharply from 3.4% in February. That matters because inflation expectations can become self-fulfilling, when people expect prices to rise, they demand higher wages, companies raise prices faster, and the cycle feeds itself.

The Federal Reserve is watching this closely. If inflation expectations become unanchored, rate cuts get pushed further away, and borrowing costs stay high for longer.

💻 Technology:

SpaceX Is Going Public. Here's Exactly Who Owns It and Who Gets Rich.🚀 READ MORE

SpaceX has filed to go public at a whispered valuation of $1.7 trillion, with the IPO expected to raise $75 billion. That would make it the largest public debut in history. But before a single share trades on an open market, it's worth asking: who actually owns this company right now?

The concept to understand is equity, ownership stakes in a company, measured in shares. When SpaceX was a startup, it sold slices of itself to early investors in exchange for cash. Series A investors paid $1 per share. The most recent private investors paid $270 per share. That's not the IPO price, that's just the latest funding round price.

Elon Musk holds just over 6.4 billion shares, by far the largest stake. Through a dual-class share structure, his Class B shares carry 10 votes each, meaning he retains near-total control even after the IPO. COO Gwynne Shotwell, who has run daily operations since 2008, holds 12.6 million shares. Early backer Antonio Gracias holds over 503 million.

That gap tells you everything about how startup wealth actually works. The founder captures the most equity early, when the risk is highest and the valuation is lowest. By the time the public gets access, most of the compounding has already happened.

The IPO doesn't create the wealth. It just makes it visible.

💹Earnings:

Walmart Beat Sales Numbers, Then Warned Investors Anyway!🛒 READ MORE

Walmart reported $177.8 billion in revenue for the quarter, a 7% increase year-over-year, beating Wall Street estimates. But shares dropped after the company issued weaker-than-expected guidance for the rest of the year, forecasting earnings per share of $2.75 to $2.85 versus the $2.91 analysts expected.

This is a perfect lesson in how guidance drives stock prices more than results. Investors don't just reward what happened, they price in what's coming next. When Walmart's CFO said tax refunds artificially boosted Q1 spending and that fuel prices will create more pressure in Q2, the market immediately repriced the stock lower.

There's something deeper in the data worth noticing. Walmart's CFO said the average customer at their fuel stations is now filling up less than 10 gallons at a time, the lowest since 2022. He called it an "indication of stress." High-income shoppers are spending confidently. Lower-income consumers are stretching every dollar.

That gap, economists call it the K-shaped economy, is widening. It's a split recovery where some households are thriving while others are quietly falling behind. Walmart is winning market share because anxious shoppers are trading down to value. That's good for Walmart's top line, but it's a warning sign for the broader economy.

Day One Is for Headlines. Day 180 Is for Profits.

When SpaceX IPOs, day one will dominate headlines. But day 180 is where most IPO money is made — when insider lockup expires.

Our free Lockup Playbook covers the four post-lockup scenarios, volume signals to watch beforehand, and our position-sizing framework.

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To your financial empowerment, The Money Masters Team

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DISCLAIMER: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. The publisher does not accept any responsibility for any losses incurred as a result of actions taken based on the information provided. Always conduct your own research or consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.