Protests and Pressure

Plus, vaporizing plastic.

The Flag

Good morning and Happy Wednesday! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:

  • US: Philadelphia Eagles deny endorsing Kamala Harris after fake ads pop up around Philly (NBC News)

  • World: Russian missile strike kills more than 50 people and wounds over 200 in Ukrainian city of Poltava, officials say (CBS News)

  • Business: Volkswagen braces for showdown with unions after warning of possible German plant closures (CNBC)

  • Technology: Halliburton confirms data was stolen in ongoing cyberattack (TechCrunch)

  • Sports: White Sox lose record 20th straight time in games started by Flexen (ESPN)

And of course, some good news: New Process ‘Vaporizes’ Plastic Bags and Bottles to Help Make Recycled Materials.

POWERED BY MASTERWORKS

Bank of America. UBS. J.P.Morgan. They’re all building (or have built) investments in one $2.1tn asset class (UHNWIs’ art & collectible wealth); but it’s not what you think. Not AI equities or crypto, but art. Why? Certain segments’ appreciation have outpaced traditional investments. Take blue-chip contemporary art - even with the market slowdown, it’s still outpaced the S&P by 64% over a longer horizon (‘95-‘23).*

Masterworks has given 65,000+ investors the opportunity to invest in this unique asset class. From 23 exits so far, investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8%, and +21.5% among assets held over one year.

Right: I'm a Democrat - And I'm Voting for Trump, Andrea Peyser, New York Post

Right: Trump Assassination Plot: Congress Must Force Disclosure, Editorial Board, Washington Times

ISRAEL

Protests and Pressure

Today’s Top Story: Nationwide protests and a general strike erupted in Israel following the discovery of six hostages' bodies, pressuring Prime Minister Netanyahu to negotiate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal as discontent grows among Israeli citizens over his hardline approach to Hamas.

Reporting from the Right: Netanyahu mourns deaths of six hostages recovered in Gaza, vows to 'settle accounts' with Hamas (Fox News)

Reporting from the Left: Israeli court orders end of nationwide strike called over handling of hostage talks (The Guardian)

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

There’s No Negotiating With Hamas

The Top Argument From The Right: Biden is wrong: ‘Negotiation’ won’t work with Hamas, Quinn Hillyer, Washington Examiner: “President Joe Biden and tens of thousands of protesting Israelis keep insisting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu do more to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas terrorists. They aren’t so clear about what exactly Netanyahu can do. The Israeli citizens at least can claim emotional stress for their lack of full reason. Biden’s backstabbing of Netanyahu, though, is despicable and inexcusable. Asked if Netanyahu was doing enough to secure the release of some 100 remaining hostages, Biden simply said “no.” He also is saying he expects to give both Hamas and Israel, equally, a “take it or leave it” proposal. But how, pray tell, can Israel negotiate with a terrorist network that refuses actually to accept any limits on its own murderousness? How can Netanyahu negotiate with thugs who have rejected every other ceasefire agreement for 11 months? How can anyone negotiate with monsters who don’t even care about their own people’s lives but whose entire reason for being is to wipe out the Jewish nation by every means foul and fouler?”

Honorable Mention #1: Israel’s Divisions Deepen, as Hostage Killings Set Off National Strike and Protests, Dov Lieber and Anat Peled, The Wall Street Journal.

Honorable Mention #2: Court orders striking Israeli protesters back to work as demonstrations rage on, Olivia Land, New York Post.

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

End of the Road for Netanyahu?

The Top Argument From The Left: As furious protesters take to the streets, Netanyahu may well have reached his political dead-end, Alon Pinkas, The Guardian: “Despondent and livid Israelis, exuding deep anger and fury, have taken to the streets. Once it became known on Saturday that Hamas had executed six hostages, Israelis staged the largest demonstration against the government since the war in Gaza began. Those hostages could have been saved had Benjamin Netanyahu assented to a hostage deal. But he didn’t. In fact, he actively undermined the possibility for months, evading and reneging constantly. … Immediately, the question of whether this was a political inflection point for Netanyahu was raised. The answer is possibly – but that depends on how sustainable these demonstrations are. Do they reflect a critical mass of disgust that would translate into political turmoil? … We can’t know for sure yet, but if so, Netanyahu will face a major political predicament, one that he has somehow managed to avoid for months. … However angry Israelis felt, the murder of the hostages was tragically predictable. … Yet Netanyahu never wanted a hostage deal that included a ceasefire. He does not want any deal that he cannot label ‘total victory’ – a bogus and unattainable goal he set to make sure the war lingers on.”

Honorable Mention #1: Will Israel’s protests shake Netanyahu’s hold on power? Justin Salhani, Al Jazeera.

FLAG THIS

Opposition Gaining Ground

Opposition leader Benny Gantz has edged out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the preferred candidate for the premiership, with 40% of Israelis supporting Gantz compared to 39% for Netanyahu, according to a recent Maariv poll.

The poll also indicates that if elections were held today, both Gantz’s National Unity party and Netanyahu’s Likud party would each secure 21 out of 120 Knesset seats, reflecting a shift where Likud lost one seat to National Unity.

Additionally, the poll suggests that the opposition bloc would win 59 seats, Likud would capture 51, and Arab lawmakers would take 10, leaving no party with the 61-seat majority needed to form a government (Anadolu Agency).

WATERCOOLER

Coast to Coast, Pack Hack, Ironic Ownership

On This Day in 1951, President Harry S. Truman’s opening speech before a conference in San Francisco is broadcast across the nation, marking the first time a television program was broadcast from coast to coast. Broadcast across 87 stations in 47 cities, this first-ever transcontinental TV broadcast presented Truman’s speech on the treaty ending America’s post-WWII occupation of Japan

POWERED BY MASTERWORKS

Bank of America. UBS. J.P.Morgan. They’re all building (or have built) investments in one $2.1tn asset class (UHNWIs’ art & collectible wealth); but it’s not what you think. Not AI equities or crypto, but art. Why? Certain segments’ appreciation have outpaced traditional investments. Take blue-chip contemporary art - even with the market slowdown, it’s still outpaced the S&P by 64% over a longer horizon (‘95-‘23).*

Masterworks has given 65,000+ investors the opportunity to invest in this unique asset class. From 23 exits so far, investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8%, and +21.5% among assets held over one year.

Investing involves risk. Past performance not indicative of future returns. See Important Regulation A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd. 

The content is not intended to provide legal, tax, or investment advice.

“Net Annualized Return” refers to annualized internal rate of return net of all fees and expenses, calculated from the offering closing date to the date the sale is consummated. For additional information regarding the calculation of IRR for a particular investment in an artwork that has been sold, a reconciliation will be filed as an exhibit to Form 1-U and will be available on the SEC’s website. Masterworks has realized illustrative annualized net returns of 17.6%, 17.8%, and 21.5% on works held longer than one year (not inclusive of works held less than one year and unsold works).

*Contemporary art data based on repeat-sales index of historical Post-War & Contemporary Art market prices from 1995 to 2023, developed by Masterworks. There are significant limitations to comparative asset class data. Indices are unmanaged and a Masterworks investor cannot invest directly in an index.

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