Remy: We trade. Let's go out to Chicago to see what Seboat traders are watching. Wolf and tech TV correspondent Mark Payton is live from Sebo's trading floor. Good morning, Mark. Thank you so much for joining us. So here we are smack dab in the middle of the week. What are you tracking in the pre-market today?
Mark Payton: Good morning, Remy. Yes, we're looking at a pretty calm start for markets this Wednesday morning. The S&P 500, the futures are basically flat right now and here at the CIO, the VIX is sitting around 14. And remember, the VIX measures how much volatility traders expect the S&P 500 over roughly the next 30 days. So we're reading around 14 is relatively low, basically telling us that despite every Happening geopolitically, traders aren't expecting major market swings right now. We're also keeping an eye on the Russell 2000 in small caps this morning, currently in the green, and then there's the bond market. The 10 year Treasury yield is right around 4.98%. So we're once again knocking on the door of that 5% level. That will be very interesting to watch today. And then oil is another big. Part of the picture, as you mentioned, WTI is trading around $90 a barrel while Brent remains below $100 as traders continue to watch developments in the Middle East and we're really seeing oil and Treasury yields moving together recently, so that's something to keep an eye on. So overall a relatively calm setup heading toward the opening bell again. The VIX around 14, the 10 year Treasury knocking on the door at 5%, and oil relatively low right now.
Remy: I I do want to shift our focus over to the golden arches. So McDonald's is spending up to $8.5 billion on restaurants as well as menu upgrades as well as trading. So I don't know if you've had breakfast, Mark, but this is making me hungry. So break this down for us. And are Seafood traders also paying attention?
Mark Payton: Yes, Remy, they definitely are. And of course McDonald's is one of the biggest corporate names here in Chicago. The big picture is that McDonald's is trying to improve the restaurant experience and get customers coming back more often. That means remodeling restaurants, improving employee training and service, and putting more emphasis on food quality. They're also making a bigger push into chicken and beverages. Those are two areas where the company believes it still has room to gain market share. Now technology is another big piece of this, including More use of AI and automation to make restaurants faster and easier to operate, and there's a lot of money behind this. McDonald's says it plans to provide about $8.5 billion in support to franchisees through 2036 to help fund these changes. So yes, traders are paying attention because this isn't just about new restaurants or a new menu item. It's really about whether McDonald's can use all of these investments to bring in more customers, improve margins, and create stronger growth over the next several years, Remy.
Remy: Well, Mark, always appreciate your time as well as all of your insights. Thank you so much for joining us this morning from the Slebo.
Mark Payton: Thank you.
