🗓️ This Week in The Markets
Macro/Market News
On Wednesday, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell announced another 0.25% cut to the federal funds rate - the third consecutive cut!
President Trump signed an AI regulation order that blocks states from enforcing their own AI regulations.
It’s rumored that OpenAI won’t be the only trillion-dollar IPO in the near future. According to Bloomberg, SpaceX is eyeing a potential $1.5T IPO that would raise more than $30B!
Company Specific News
Google’s Waymo (Ticker: GOOG) has recently surpassed 450k weekly autonomous taxi rides.
According to Reuters, Tesla's domestic vehicle sales have hit a 4-year low, as the automaker’s sales dropped by 23% year-over-year.
A first of it’s kind deal was inked between OpenAI and Disney, with the entertainment giant licensing roughly 200 characters to OpenAI for use in Sora.
🛒 What the Haul?
Out of 514 TikTok hauls analyzed, these companies appeared the most:
Zara - 40 Appearances (7.78%)
Victoria's Secret - 36 Appearances (7%)
Ugg - 35 Appearances (6.81%)
H&M - 33 Appearances (6.42%)
Lululemon - 32 Appearances (6.23%)
Sephora - 31 Appearances (6.03%)
Garage - 23 Appearances (4.47%)
Brandy Melville - 22 Appearances (4.28%)
Aritzia - 21 Appearances (4.09%)
Hollister - 21 Appearances (4.09%)
Pacsun - 20 Appearances (3.89%)
Nike - 19 Appearances (3.7%)
Target - 18 Appearances (3.5%)
Skims - 16 Appearances (3.11%)
Bershka - 16 Appearances (3.11%)
Aerie - 16 Appearances (3.11%)
Louis Vuitton - 15 Appearances (2.92%)
Hello Kitty - 15 Appearances (2.92%)
Charlotte Tilbury - 14 Appearances (2.72%)
Adidas - 14 Appearances (2.72%)
Edikted - 13 Appearances (2.53%)
Urban Outfitters - 13 Appearances (2.53%)
Pink - 12 Appearances (2.33%)
Rhode - 12 Appearances (2.33%)
Bath & Body Works - 11 Appearances (2.14%)
Primark - 11 Appearances (2.14%)
Alo - 15 Appearances (2.92%)
Chanel - 10 Appearances (1.95%)
Eos - 9 Appearances (1.75%)
Dior - 8 Appearances (1.56%)
Touchland - 7 Appearances (1.36%)
Free People - 7 Appearances (1.36%)
Abercrombie & Fitch - 6 Appearances (1.17%)
American Eagle - 6 Appearances (1.17%)
Sol De Janeiro - 6 Appearances (1.17%)
Marshalls - 6 Appearances (1.17%)
Fashion Nova - 6 Appearances (1.17%)
Makeup By Mario - 6 Appearances (1.17%)
Levi's - 6 Appearances (1.17%)
Cider - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Old Navy - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
New Balance - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Apple - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Wild Fable - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Balenciaga - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Coach - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Dove - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Native - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Juicy Couture - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Five Below - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Ross - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
New Yorker - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Abercrombie - 5 Appearances (0.97%)
Key Takeaways
Victoria's Secret (Ticker: VSCO) remains a very prevalent brand within halls. People love the deals that they have been putting out specifically on pajamas and their famous undergarments.
Nike (Ticker: NKE) has been a bit of a rising star lately as the brand begins to regain some of the popularity that it lost in recent years among young people. Their signature Dunk and Air Force 1 shoes remain incredibly popular despite all of the headwinds that the brand has faced.
As we outlined in our Black Friday issue of the newsletter, Target (Ticker: TGT) was incredibly popular this year for all the wrong reasons. Their highly anticipated gift bags were a major disappointment to customers, as expectations and reality were in completely different galaxies.
🎯 Weekly Deep Dive: Garage Clothing (Ticker: GRGD)
This week's haul video analysis revealed Garage as a standout performer among fast-fashion retailers targeting Gen Z consumers. The Canadian-based brand, owned by Groupe Dynamite alongside sister brand Dynamite, appeared across 23 haul videos in our dataset, with sentiment running overwhelmingly positive. What's particularly notable: Garage isn't just getting mentioned. It's generating genuine enthusiasm and repeat purchases from a loyal customer base.
What Are People Saying About the Brand?
The consumer sentiment around Garage is remarkably consistent across haul videos: comfort, quality, and value. One creator summed up the prevailing view when describing Garage's workout clothes as "the best" due to their softness and materials that aren't "uncomfortable to wear." This theme of comfortable, sensory-friendly clothing appeared repeatedly, with one Quebec-based creator specifically noting that Garage items don't trigger her sensory sensitivities. That's a testament to the fabric quality that resonates with younger consumers.
Perhaps the strongest endorsement came from a new Garage employee who filmed her first haul with her discount. Her reasoning for taking the seasonal job? "I actually love shopping at Garage, so why not work at Garage and get a discount?" This organic brand advocacy, where consumers become employees, signals the kind of authentic connection that drives sustainable growth.
Multiple creators highlighted that Garage items were specifically on their "Christmas wishlists" before they purchased them during Black Friday sales, indicating strong pre-existing brand awareness and desire. The brand's "tall girl friendly" sizing also received specific praise, with one creator enthusiastically noting that sweatpants actually reach her ankles. That addresses a common pain point for taller consumers that many fast-fashion brands ignore.
What Are People Buying from the Brand?
Three product categories dominated Garage purchases across our haul sample: activewear, cozy basics, and camisoles/tanks.
Activewear & Loungewear
The Ultra Fleece collection emerged as a clear winner, particularly the cargo sweatpants and straight-leg fleece pants. These appeared in multiple hauls, with creators specifically praising the "no front seam" design on leggings. That detail shows Garage understands what actually matters to active consumers. Matching hoodie-and-sweatpant sets were another frequent purchase, with the black matching set receiving particular enthusiasm. The "BBL pants" were mentioned as a must-try item that "works," suggesting Garage has successfully tapped into the flattering-fit trend.
Basics & Layering Pieces
Long-sleeve tops in various colors (green, navy, brown, burgundy) appeared consistently, with multiple creators noting they purchased these items specifically because the colors complement their complexions. The "sleek scoop cami" was described by one creator as something she'd "always been wanting," while another jokingly pleaded with friends to return a borrowed dark blue Garage camisole. Zip-up hoodies with the embroidered Garage logo on the arm were purchased both for personal use and as work-appropriate layering pieces.
Denim & Bottoms
Low-rise baggy jeans received enthusiastic reviews, with one creator specifically praising the fit on her tall frame and long torso. The light wash denim was particularly popular, and creators appreciated finding extended sizing options that actually fit well.
What Does the Alternative Data Say?
The qualitative sentiment from haul videos is strongly corroborated by quantitative web traffic data, which shows accelerating momentum for both Garage and its sister brand.
Garage Web Traffic
November 2025 traffic was up 33% year-over-year. The full Q4 picture shows sustained growth: September was up 19% YoY, October up 24% YoY, and November delivered the strongest comparative performance. This isn't just holiday seasonality. The year-over-year improvements are accelerating as the quarter progresses.
Dynamite Web Traffic
The sister brand tells a similar story. November 2025 was up 12% year-over-year. September showed the strongest relative growth at 29% YoY, with October up 16% YoY. The combined Groupe Dynamite portfolio shows healthy traffic trends across both demographics, with Garage targeting younger consumers and Dynamite serving an older cohort.
Google Trends & TikTok Presence
Search interest for Garage is trending upward, aligning with increased TikTok visibility. The brand's frequent appearance in Black Friday haul content suggests strong promotional timing and deal structures that resonate with value-conscious Gen Z shoppers. Multiple creators mentioned specific promotions like "buy one get one 50% off," indicating effective promotional strategies that drive both traffic and conversion.
The Bottom Line
Garage is hitting on the key drivers that matter for fast-fashion success with Gen Z: comfort-forward design, inclusive sizing, strong value perception, and authentic social proof. The brand's appearance across haul videos isn't just promotional. Creators are genuinely enthusiastic about their purchases, from the sensory-friendly fabrics to the flattering fits. Combined with double-digit web traffic growth and rising search interest, Garage appears to be capturing meaningful market share in a competitive space. For investors watching the fast-fashion sector, Groupe Dynamite's dual-brand strategy (Garage for younger consumers, Dynamite for older) provides diversified exposure to improving consumer sentiment.
Unfortunately, though, this stock has already returned nearly 650% from the April lows. However, it is important to note that once we see an inevitable slowdown in the Garage and/or Dynamite brands. Then this could present the perfect short opportunity. Although we may be a little too late to the party in terms of the long opportunity, the short opportunity may be equally as lucrative. So it'll be important to pay attention to this company's metrics as it is trading at a rather rich valuation of roughly a 42 PE (Next 12 Months). If and when sentiment changes around the brand, that could present the perfect short opportunity.
🤖 This Week in AI
OpenAI released GPT 5.2 much earlier than anticipated, seemingly surpassing many of the record-setting scores that Google’s Gemini 3 set just a couple of weeks ago.
Shopify (Ticker: SHOP) is working on overhauling its platform after releasing more than 150 new AI features, including Agentic Storefronts and a system that creates digital customers to browse your site. This allows sellers to run A/B tests without live traffic.
MindSync Neurtech closed a $15M seed round to expand its brain-computer interface research.
