Good Morning. This is the Investor Lookout with the daily digest.

Here’s what we got today:

• 🏨 Shocking Blast Outside Trump Hotel

• 🍏 Apple’s Weekend On the House

• ⚚ When Walmart Clutches a Birkin: The Dupe Debate

Shocking Blast Outside Trump Hotel

Ever seen a Vegas stunt go wrong? One person died and seven were injured on Wednesday after a Tesla Cybertruck caught fire and exploded near the Trump International Hotel. The blast is under investigation as a possible terror act, with authorities referencing a related incident in New Orleans earlier that day. Elon Musk said Tesla ($TSLA) is examining the event, and the Trump Organization confirmed it happened in the hotel’s porte cochère. No other threat has been reported.

• Local roads were blocked for hours as investigators gathered evidence.

• Officials have not released the identity of the deceased occupant.

Apple’s Weekend On the House

Apple is throwing a streaming bash this weekend—no cover charge! From Jan 3–5, Apple ($AAPL) is waiving AppleTV+’s $9.99 monthly fee, letting viewers check out hits like “Ted Lasso” and “The Morning Show.” The platform, launched in 2019, has cost Apple billions, with “Severance” alone rumored to hit $20 million per episode. Yet AppleTV+ remains a small slice of the streaming pie. Apple lumps its streaming revenue with other services, which soared to $24 billion in Q4. For this weekend, though, the star is free content.

• Apple spent roughly $20 billion on original content since 2019.

• AppleTV+ accounted for 0.2% of US TV viewing earlier this year.

When Walmart Clutches a Birkin: The Dupe Debate

Spotted: The “Walmart Birkin” giving Hermès a run for its money—minus the brand name. Meanwhile, counterfeits are flooding secondhand markets, complete with fake receipts and advanced knockoffs. Authentication pros say hardware is often a giveaway, while hi-tech tools spot subtle grain differences. Hermès’ ($RMS) iconic bags rank high on the “most-faked” list, but any popular style can be copied. Demand for luxury keeps “dupe culture” alive.

• The RealReal blocks about 5,000 suspicious items monthly.

• Hermès Birkins start at $10,000 and can cost six figures.

#1

News of a deadly explosion involving a Tesla vehicle could temporarily shake investor confidence, as Tesla’s stock has historically been sensitive to negative press around its vehicles.

#2

By waiving fees temporarily, Apple might lock in first-time viewers who then stay for the paid service.

#3

Rising counterfeit activity boosts demand for authenticators like The RealReal.

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