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Markets: Bond markets are closed for Veterans Day but stocks will trade as usual — and there’s a lot for investors to digest this week. The aftermath of the presidential election will likely remain a factor even as new inflation data, remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and quarterly financial reports from major companies like Walt Disney and Home Depot are all coming down the pike.

Fix it yourself: Apple, along with many other companies in our high-tech age, has previously bristled at requests to allow customers and third-party service providers to repair its iPhone and other devices. With the release of the new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, however, certain parts will be available to make such repairs without handing the device over to Apple. Camera components start at $169, batteries cost between $99 and $119, and displays are expected to sell for $379. There’s also a $49 kit available to tackle an array of smaller repair jobs.

Putting on a show: This year’s Thanksgiving Day game will pit the Detroit Lions against their longtime rivals, the Chicago Bears. But the gridiron grudge match won’t be the only entertainment on the field that day. The Lions confirmed that Shaboozey will be the halftime performer and the musician reacted to the news in a statement of his own. “Thanksgiving football is an iconic tradition in this country and I’m hyped to be a part of it this year,” he said, going on to celebrate the Lions’ “pretty epic” season and the “crazy energy” of the team’s fans.

Healthy choices: Since aligning with the Trump campaign, former Democratic (and independent) presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been discussed as a possible presidential advisor on health-related topics. It’s not yet clear whether Kennedy will end up with an official role in Trump’s second term, but he is already weighing in with his thoughts about filling roles in the FDA and elsewhere. Kennedy recently unveiled his “Nominees For The People” program to solicit online input from the American people about staff decisions.

It’s in the cards: When it comes to vintage baseball cards, few players pique the interest of collectors like Babe Ruth. But there’s confusion about which of his many cards should be considered his rookie. A 1914 card by Baltimore News featured him as a minor-league player, but it wasn’t until 1916 that an MLB-backed card emerged. When these cards go up for sale, however, it’s clear which one is valued most by collectors. One of the older cards recently sold for $7.2 million and the newer one is expected to fetch $500,000 at auction later this month.

Whether you’re in the market for a $1.50 hot dog meal, a bulk supply of protein shakes, or a gold bar, Costco has long been known as the place to find exclusive deals on some pretty impressive products. But those savings come with a cost — namely the $65 annual fee associated with becoming a Costco Gold Star member.

If you know a few tricks, however, it’s possible to find coupons or promotions for almost anything … including a Costco card.

For a limited time

StackSocial is one of several platforms that cater to bargain-hunting consumers. And Costco membership promotions have been offered for a while, but the current deal might be the best one ever.

Prospective first-time members or those who just need to renew can lock into a limited-time deal offering the membership and a $45 digital gift card both for the price of just the membership. Essentially, that means the membership costs only $20 (because you know you’re going to spend at least $45 during your first Costco run anyway).

Earlier deals on StackSocial included gift cards for smaller amounts, but this offer is just the latest evidence that Black Friday offers are starting to show up much earlier than its post-Thanksgiving roots would suggest.

Reading the fine print

As with any discount, it’s important to understand exactly what you’ll get if you purchase your membership through StackSocial.

In addition to the same Gold Star-level card that everyone else would receive for $65, you’ll also receive an email within two weeks that includes a digital gift card.

The card can be used across multiple purchases at any of the hundreds of Costco locations nationwide and around the world. This promotion is scheduled to end on Black Friday.

Best Buy has a knack for picking the up-and-coming tech products that go on to dominate the market. Their early bets on household items like Ring (acquired by Amazon for $1.2B) and Nest (acquired by Google for $3.2B) have a proven record of paying off.

Now Best Buy is lifting the curtain on their latest find, launching RYSE’s SmartShades in over 120 retail stores. RYSE has already hit $9M+ in lifetime revenue with over 60,000 units sold, and the numbers are rising (along with the window shades).

RYSE shareholders have seen their value increase 40% year-over-year, with strong upside remaining as they scale into retail and high-volume B2B channels.

Invest in RYSE at just $1.75/share before it becomes a household name.

We’ve seen the powers of artificial intelligence harnessed to revolutionize several industries already, but one community you might not expect to embrace the latest technology — thrift shop enthusiasts — now has an AI app of its own.

A pair of industry insiders

Two men, both with impressive backgrounds in the tech industry, decided to join forces to create Encore. The AI-powered app is designed to make it easier for shoppers to find the secondhand items they’re looking for, a prospect that can be notoriously difficult given the constantly changing inventory many thrift shops and online resellers maintain.

But former Apple engineer Alex Ruber and former Twitter engineer Parth Chopra think they’ve found a solution. The two engineers discovered a common interest in thrifting and a common frustration with the state of online shopping and set out to work.

Encore’s founders say it can provide personalized prompts and responses to search queries of all types, whether basic or complicated. While the app won’t be able to comb through the racks at every neighborhood thrift shop, it will provide results from the biggest online platforms like Poshmark and eBay.

The model seems to be catching on, as evidenced by Encore’s growth statistics:

• The app processes more than 50,000 searches each month
• Its current monthly rate of growth for searches is about 26%
• Clicks on the platform are increasing by about 15% per month

Cashing in on a trend

Thrift shopping has gone from a cost-cutting necessity to a pastime with mass appeal in recent years, and Encore’s very existence is a testament to that trend.

Current projections indicate that the market will grow to $73 billion in the U.S. alone by the end of 2028. As early as next year, online sales are expected to make up half of those sales.

Things can change quickly and dramatically in college football rankings, so now that we’re 11 weeks into the season it’s worthwhile to take a look at which teams are headed in the right direction and which might need to reassess their strategies.

Starting at the top

Oregon continues to lead ESPN’s College Football Power Rankings on the strength of its undefeated season. Most recently, QB Dillon Gabriel helped propel the Ducks to a 39-18 victory against Maryland.

Fresh off a 45-0 win over Purdue, Ohio State is currently in the #2 position. Texas rounds out the top three after a commanding performance by QB Quinn Ewers against Florida cemented a 49-17 victory.

Rising and falling

A number of teams are making strides late in the season with hopes of making it to the playoffs, including Penn State, BYU, and Louisville.

Alabama and Ole Miss demonstrated a strong defense when they took on Georgia and LSU, respectively, and came away with wins that secured spots in the Power Ranking Top 10.

Georgia, on the other hand, had been ranked second prior to its loss to Ole Miss. That setback was the team’s second SEC loss and knocked the Rebels down to the #13 spot.

Rounding it out

Though they occupy the bottom two spots on the Power Rankings Top 25, both Missouri (#24) and Tulane (#25) have proven themselves to be worthwhile contenders in the playoff race. Missouri defensive end Zion Young showcased his athleticism in a last-minute play that gave his team a 30-23 win over Oklahoma.

Tulane continues ruling the AAC roost after demolishing Temple for a lopsided final score of 52-6. Running back Makhi Hughes led an effective offense backed up by the Green Wave’s defensive line.