6A – Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

#1 Economic Opportunity - Here's One Major Sign That Markets Can Run Even Higher, According to the Head of the World's Biggest Money Manager

1. http://fortune.com/2018/01/25/stock-market-2018-larry-fink-blackrock-davos/
2. I believe an opportunity exists here due to the statistics this article shows. Many individuals are holding onto their savings in cash, instead of investing in the stock market or other investments.
3. The prototypical customer is most likely a working class adult individual across various industries. However, with our changing demographics across the United States, it could be a young adult who is looking to control his or her financial stability. He or she is someone who is concerned about the direction stock markets are heading and stays up-to-date on monetary and financial news.
4. I think this opportunity is relatively easy to exploit, but may be intimidating or scary for individuals who don’t want to take the risk of investing their money in risky investments they aren’t sure will make a return.
5. I saw this as an opportunity due to the increased growth in the stock market lately. I believe there is always risk associated with the stock market as one can never be too sure, but with the upward and consistent trend that analysts have seen, I think there is a lot of opportunity for individuals to take advantage.

#2 Economic Opportunity - Artificial Intelligence Stocks To Watch For In 2018 And Beyond

1. http://www.ibtimes.com/artificial-intelligence-stocks-watch-2018-beyond-2644649
2. I believe an opportunity exists because of the growth in the artificial intelligence industry over the past twenty years. It is incredible what the tech industries have been able to accomplish, and people who are interested in making money off of this prosperous field will have no problem doing so.
3. The prototypical customer is someone who has kept up with the latest AI developments and is looking for an industry to invest in with a proven success record. The customer is probably aged 20-50 and is knowledgeable about this field as well as stock market investments in general.
4. This opportunity is definitely easy to exploit due to its proven track record of success. The only issue here is getting in before the prices explode and soar higher than investors are willing to pay.
5. This industry has tons of room for growth. The first thing I thought of when I read this article was Sophia the social humanoid robot. If we have the technology and capability to develop something like that, then there is no telling the amount of opportunity investors will have in this field.

#3 Regulatory Changes - Stop the Importation and Trafficking of Synthetic Analogues Act would ban 13 of the most deadly synthetic drugs

1. https://govtrackinsider.com/stop-the-importation-and-trafficking-of-synthetic-analogues-act-would-ban-13-of-the-most-deadly-256e7ffb63d
2. I think there is an opportunity to make a huge impact on the drug addiction and synthetic drug crisis that is plaguing many Americans. Drug overdoses doubled from 2015 to 2016, and the DEA is trying to pass this bill in order to speed up the process by which substances can be added to the Controlled Substance Act.
3. The DEA and law enforcement officials will benefit from this bill being pass, as well as many Americans who are unfortunately caught up in drug addiction. Keeping these drugs off of the streets can prevent unnecessary deaths across the United States.
4. I believe this opportunity is easy to exploit, however, it requires enough support from both the House and the Senate. The bill has received enough votes from the House and is waiting for the Senate’s version to be passed.
5. Drug addiction is an issue that America has been facing for decades. Unfortunately, new drugs are introduced almost daily, and the DEA simply can’t keep up with the new strands and versions being sold on the streets. This bill will allow law enforcement to tackle this issue more quickly and efficiently than before.

#4 Regulatory Changes - The Minimum Wage in 2018: A Rates-Only Update

1. https://www.littler.com/publication-press/publication/minimum-wage-2018-rates-only-update
2. Minimum wage rates have been a topic for discussion over the past year, especially with the rising number of citizens relying on blue-collar jobs for income. Many people have been advocating for our government to raise minimum wage to make their standard of life better and more enjoyable.
3. Anyone who works in industries with minimum wage jobs, which according to data from 2016, is over 1.3 million Americans.
4. I believe this is a tricky topic to exploit. Increasing minimum wage will increase employer’s costs, which is the opposite of what they are trying to accomplish. However, it would increase the standard of life for many Americans who rely on these jobs for their family income.
5. I believe the wage increase should be distributed due to skill and labor. Certain low- and middle-income jobs require more attention than others, and I think wage should be a reflection of that. A higher minimum wage could help create jobs and grow our economy, as well as decrease the wage inequality between low and middle income workers.