http://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/

Blake Alewelt, 5550 Wild Rose Lane #400, West Des Moines, IA (2026)

10/14/2026

Day 157 of this Investing Challenge, and We Just Broke $25,000!

Today, the market pulled back slightly as Q3 earnings season kicked into high gear and investors reacted to results from some of the country's biggest banks.

JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup all reported earnings today, and the reactions were mixed.

Citigroup actually beat expectations, with profit and revenue coming in stronger than analysts expected, but the stock still fell as investors focused on weaker trading activity and concerns about higher rates.

Goldman Sachs also beat expectations, helped by a huge jump in equities trading revenue, and its shares eventually moved higher after a volatile session.

Oil is still another major factor to watch.
Brent crude remains above $106 per barrel, keeping inflation and energy costs elevated as geopolitical tensions continue.

Though, there is at least one piece of better news.
The 10-year Treasury yield has eased from the 5.3% levels we saw last week to 5.215%, which could help relieve some pressure on borrowing costs if that trend continues.

Why do we watch the 10 year treasury yield?
It's because it is closely watched it influences:
Mortgage rates, Auto loans, Business financing, and even Stock valuations

For our challenge, though, nothing changes.
We are dollar cost averaging into the market every day it's open.

And now that we’ve officially crossed $25,000, we’re getting close to our next goal of $30,000.
If all this market volatility has you nervous about investing your hard earned money, there are still ways to put your cash to work with lower risk.

I made another video comparing options like:
1. High-Yield Savings Accounts
2. Money Market Funds
3. SGOV a short term treasury ETF.

Watch that video next, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 158!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

10/13/2026

Day 156 of Investing Every Trading Day, And Geopolitical Risk Is Heating Up Again

Our investing challenge is now worth $24,974.90 as we continue working toward our next goal of $30,000.

Today was a mixed day for the stock market:
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq finished lower, while the Dow managed to close higher.
One of the biggest stories came from the semiconductor sector.

Micron dropped about 3.9% after reports that Chinese competitor CXMT is making progress on next-generation memory technology, raising new concerns about competition in the global chip market.

At the same time, Salesforce moved higher after Bank of America double-upgraded the stock from Underperform to Buy and raised its price target from $160 to $285, citing improving confidence in Salesforce’s AI strategy.

But the bigger market story may be energy.
Brent crude climbed to around $106.65 per barrel as geopolitical tensions increased again.

A deadly Houthi attack on Riyadh’s international airport in Saudi Arabia killed multiple people and injured hundreds, adding another major risk to the Middle East conflict.

President Trump also said the United States may consider joining Saudi Arabia in strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, which could create another major geopolitical flashpoint for markets to watch.

And if all of this volatility makes you nervous about putting every dollar into the stock market, there are still ways to put your cash to work with lower volatility.

I made another video comparing options like:
1. High-Yield Savings Accounts
2. Money Market Funds
3. Treasury Bills
4. SGOV and other short-term Treasury ETFs

👉 Watch that video next, follow our road to $30,000, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 157!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

10/10/2026

Day 155 of this investing challenge, And We’re Now at $24,799.36!

Today the market bounced back as investors got a little relief from stabilizing Treasury yields and some potentially important developments in the global energy market.

One of the biggest stories came from President Trump, who announced that Russia agreed to immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to U.S. and global markets, with additional shipments planned afterward.

The goal is to help relieve tight fuel supplies and bring down diesel prices, which have remained extremely elevated because of the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.

But oil is still far from calm.
Attacks on vessels near the Strait of Hormuz recently hit their highest weekly level since the Iran war began, keeping major risks around global energy supplies.

So even with new fuel supplies coming into the market, we’re still watching:
1. Oil prices
2. Treasury yields
3. Federal Reserve expectations
4. Geopolitical risk

There was also a huge development in the technology and telecom world.

SpaceX is making another major move with Starlink.

SpaceX agreed to acquire a nationwide portfolio of low-band spectrum licenses that could help turn Starlink Mobile into a much bigger competitor in the U.S. wireless market.

The low-band spectrum would give Starlink Mobile better range and improved signal pe*******on through buildings and other obstacles, potentially putting it in more direct competition with companies like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.

That deal still requires regulatory approval, but it’s another example of how quickly SpaceX continues to expand beyond traditional satellite internet.

If you’ve been wanting to start investing, I made a step-by-step video showing how to open a Fidelity brokerage account and get your account set up.

Watch that video next, follow our road to $30,000, and I’ll see you next week for Day 156!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

10/09/2026

Day 154 of Investing Every Trading Day, And AI Stocks Just Got Hit Hard!!

Our investing challenge is now worth $25,515.39 as we continue working toward our next major goal of $30,000.

Today, the biggest story in the market was the selloff in AI and technology stocks.

A new report based on OpenAI investor documents showed that the company’s annualized revenue was around $20 billion lower than previously signaled, raising new concerns about the profitability and economics behind the AI boom.

That helped push several major AI-related stocks lower, including:
- Nvidia
- AMD
- Oracle
- Broadcom
- Micron

The Nasdaq finished sharply lower as investors questioned how quickly all of the massive spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure will translate into profits.

At the same time, oil remains another major source of uncertainty.

President Trump said the United States would not resume military strikes on Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, but that didn’t do much to calm energy markets.

Brent crude still surged above $100 per barrel, with prices around $103–$104 as tensions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to affect global oil supplies.

So right now investors are dealing with:
- AI valuation concerns
- Oil above $100
- Ongoing geopolitical risk
- Elevated interest rates
- Volatility in growth stocks

If all of that market noise makes you uncomfortable, that doesn’t necessarily mean your cash has to sit around earning nothing.

There are several places I use or research for money I’m not actively investing...

👉 If you want to see how I compare some of those options, check out the video linked below.

Follow our road to $30,000, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 155!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

10/08/2026

Day 153 of this investing challenge, and the Fed Just Gave Investors Something New to Think About!

Our investing challenge is now worth $24,440.03 as we continue working toward our next goal of $30,000.

Today, stocks pulled back from yesterday’s record highs as Treasury yields moved higher again.

One of the biggest numbers investors are watching right now is the 30-year Treasury yield, which climbed to around 5.7%, near its highest level in more than two decades.

The 10-year Treasury yield is also still battling around the 5.3% level, keeping borrowing costs elevated and putting pressure on parts of the stock market.

But the biggest story today came from the Federal Reserve.

The Fed released the minutes from its September meeting, where officials unanimously voted to raise interest rates by 0.25%.

Those minutes showed that while policymakers disagreed on exactly why rates needed to go higher, most officials still believed another rate hike before the end of 2026 would likely be appropriate.

Markets still don’t expect that hike to happen immediately.

Current pricing suggests only about a 17% chance of another increase at the October meeting, with expectations much more heavily tilted toward a possible move later in the year.

That matters because higher rates can mean higher borrowing costs for:
1. Mortgages
2. Auto loans
3. Credit cards
4. Business financing

But there can also be a positive side for savers.

If the Fed keeps rates higher, or raises them again, we could see competitive yields remain elevated for:
1. High-Yield Savings Accounts
2. Money Market Funds
3. Treasury Bills
4. Short-Term Treasury ETFs

👉 If you want some ideas for places to put your cash to work, check out my video comparing High-Yield Savings Accounts, Money Market Funds, SPAXX, SGOV, and other cash options. Follow our road to $30,000, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 154!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

10/07/2026

Day 152 of this investing challenge, and We’re Now at $24,336.42!

Today, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both closed at new record highs, helping push our portfolio higher again.

A few things helped the market today:
1. U.S. Treasury yields eased
2. Brent crude stayed near $100 per barrel
3. Technology and AI-related stocks remained strong

That combination helped reduce some of the pressure investors have been dealing with over the last few weeks.

Another major change is happening with the Federal Reserve outlook.

Just a few weeks ago, markets were pricing in a much higher chance of another rate hike at the Fed’s October meeting.

Now, after softer jobs data and easing inflation concerns, the market is increasingly expecting the Fed to hold rates steady rather than raise them again immediately.

That matters because lower expectations for future rate hikes can help support:
1. Stock valuations
3. Mortgage rates
3. Auto and business borrowing
4. Bond prices (VERY important to the economy)

At the same time, oil is still hovering near $100 per barrel, so inflation and geopolitical risk haven’t completely disappeared.

We’re now sitting at $24,336.42, with 63.618 shares of VTI and a total gain of about $1,479.75, or 6.47%.

If you’ve been wanting to start investing and want to see some of the index funds and ETFs I’m personally investing in and researching, check out the video linked below.

Watch that next, follow our road to $30,000, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 153!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

10/06/2026

Day 151 of Investing Every Trading Day, And We Just Broke $24,000!
Our investing challenge crossed another milestone.

And today’s market rally helped push us even closer to our next goal of $30,000.

A big part of today’s strength came from mega-cap stocks.
1. Nvidia
2. Microsoft
3. Meta

All moved higher as enthusiasm around artificial intelligence continued to support the Nasdaq, which closed at a new record high. Nvidia alone gained about 2.1% on the day.

Oil also gave investors some relief.
Brent crude fell back toward $100 per barrel as Middle East exports improved and additional fuel supplies were released into the market.

But there is still one major number I’m watching closely:
The 10-year Treasury yield
The yield climbed back above 5.3%, near levels we haven’t seen since 2002.

The 10-year Treasury is one of the most closely watched benchmarks in global finance because it can influence:
1. Mortgage rates
2. Auto loans
3. Business borrowing
4. Stock valuations
5. Bond returns

So while stocks rallied today and oil prices eased, borrowing costs are still creating plenty of uncertainty for investors.

That’s also why I don’t keep every dollar of cash sitting idle.
There are several lower-volatility places I use for money I’m not actively investing, including:
1. High-Yield Savings Accounts
2. Money Market Funds
3. Short-Term Treasury ETFs

If you want to see how I compare options like High-Yield Savings Accounts, SPAXX, Money Market Funds, and SGOV, check out the video linked below.

👉 Watch that next, follow the road to $30,000, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 152!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

10/03/2026

Day 150 of Investing Every Trading Day, And We’re Now at $23,848.52!
Our investing challenge keeps moving toward the next big goal: $30,000

Today the market rallied after a much weaker-than-expected September jobs report changed expectations for what the Federal Reserve may do next.

The U.S. economy added just 29,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate increased to 4.2%.

That was well below expectations and helped lower the market’s odds of another Fed rate hike in October to roughly 23% from over 50% a few days ago. So, stocks responded positively.
- Nasdaq: about +1.2%
- S&P 500: about +0.7%
- Dow: about +0.5%

But there are still a couple of major things keeping investors cautious.
1. The 10-year Treasury yield remains elevated near the highest levels we’ve seen in more than two decades.
2. Brent crude oil is still trading above $100 per barrel, keeping inflation concerns alive.

So while today’s jobs report helped cool expectations for another near-term rate hike, interest rates and energy prices are still major factors to watch.

At $23,848.52, we’re getting closer and closer to $30,000.
If we can keep this pace up, we should have a real shot at reaching that goal before the end of the year.

Do you think we can break $30,000 by Christmas?
Follow to find out.

If you’re looking to start investing and want some ideas on the index funds and ETFs I’m personally investing in and researching, check out the video linked down in the comments below.

👉 Watch that next, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 151!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

10/02/2026

Sorry for no video today, some family plans took longer than expected, but that doesn't mean we didn't miss out on the markets!

Day 149 of Investing Every Trading Day, And We’re Now at $23,572.18!
Our investing challenge continues moving toward the next big milestone of $30,000.

Today our portfolio finished at $23,572.18, with VTI closing around $375.18 per share.

We’re now about 78.6% of the way to $30,000, with roughly $6,428 remaining.

But today was much more interesting than the relatively small move in VTI would suggest:

The 10-year Treasury yield surged as high as 5.34% earlier in the day, its highest level since 2002. Higher Treasury yields can put pressure on stocks because investors can earn more from bonds while borrowing becomes more expensive throughout the economy.

But then something changed.

Treasury yields pulled back sharply later in the session, with the 10-year falling to around 5.24%, and stocks recovered from their early losses.

The S&P 500 ultimately finished about 0.2% higher, while the Dow and Nasdaq also closed slightly positive.

Technology stocks also got some help from the semiconductor sector after strong earnings from Micron, while investors lowered their expectations for another Federal Reserve rate hike in October.

Oil is still another major factor to watch.
Brent crude remained above $100 per barrel, keeping inflation concerns alive as geopolitical tensions continue to affect global energy markets.

If you want to start investing and want some ideas on the index funds and ETFs I’m personally investing in and researching, check out the video linked below.

👉 Follow the road to $30,000, and I’ll see you back here for Day 150!

10/01/2026

Day 148 of Investing Every Trading Day, We’re Closing In on $30,000!!
Our investing challenge is now worth $23,413.57.

And this is where the progress is starting to get really exciting. Just 23 trading days ago, we crossed the $20,000 mark. Now we’re already above $23,400 and working toward our next major goal:

We still have a little over $6,500 to go, but if we can keep consistently investing through the rest of the year, we have a real shot at crossing $30,000 before Christmas.

For this challenge, we’re investing consistently into broad-market index funds and ETFs while using our Averaging Down Strategy:
1. Invest a base amount every trading day
2. Invest again when the market dips

The biggest lesson from this challenge continues to be how quickly consistent investing can start adding up when you stick with it.

Want Some Ideas for Funds to Research?
I made another video breaking down several of the index funds and ETFs I’m personally investing in and researching, including options for different investing goals.

👉 Watch that video next, subscribe to follow the road to $30,000, and let’s see if we can break it before Christmas.

I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 149!

Blake Alewelt
Shieldline Financial and Bravo Ridge Group at eXp Realty
[email protected]
https://www.shieldlinefinancial.com/
West Des Moines, IA
Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Iowa

Blake Alewelt

10/14/2026

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