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Wally Funk: the female trailblazer who’s the oldest person to go to space

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Earlier today, Wally Funk became the oldest person to ever go to space, aboard the historic New Shepard space flight. But who is Wally Funk?

Earlier today, Wally Funk was among the crew that blasted into space aboard Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard. The Amazon founder was also onboard, alongside his brother Mark and the 18-year old son of Somerset Capital Partner’s CEO. At 82, Funk is the oldest person to ever go to space.

While the focus of the historic flight has mainly been on Bezos as the second billionaire to go to space, it was also a momentous occasion in space travel. More specifically, who is allowed to venture beyond earth.

The much-anticipated trip marked a number of milestones, including the first un-piloted suborbital flight with an all-civilian crew. It was also the first crewed launch for Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. As well as the oldest, the crew also included the youngest person to ever reach space.

After landing Funk said, “I’ve been waiting a long time to finally getting up there.”

I loved it,” she said. “I want to go again, fast!”

Wally Funk is the oldest person to ever go to space at 82 years old. She missed out on going to space during the 60s because she’s a woman.

A long-delayed dream

After the flight, Funk described feelings of gratitude for finally seeing her long-delayed dream come true. However, she said that the aircraft didn’t quite go high enough to see the world.

“I saw darkness, I thought I was going to see the world, but we weren’t quite high enough,” she said. However, she didn’t seem too phased by this, saying the flight was “great”.

“I felt like I was just lying down, just lying down — and I was going into space.”

“I’ve done a lot of astronaut training through the world, Russia, America, and I could always beat the guys on what they were doing because I was always stronger, and I have always done everything on my own,” she said.

A lifetime of achievements

By the age of 22, Funk had earned top grades in aviation college and was a certified pilot. She was the first female civilian flight instructor at a US military base at a time when it systematically excluded women.

Funk’s lifetime goal was to become one of the first female astronauts. She was actually one of the was one of the 13 female pilots who trained to go to space in the 60s’, but she missed the chance back then due to her gender. At 24, she was the youngest of these ‘Mercury 13 women’.

She excelled across the board during her training with NASA, sometimes even surpassing the men who were selected. During one test, Funk was placed in a sensory deprivation tank. She remained there for more than 10 hours before the researchers finally brought her out, because they wanted to go home.

Natasha is an Associate Producer at ticker NEWS with a Bachelor of arts from Monash University. She has previously worked at Sky News Australia and Monash University as an Online Content Producer.

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Inflation rise reduces chances of Reserve Bank rate cut

Inflation spikes, drastically reducing chances of a Reserve Bank rate cut amid economic pressures and rising costs

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Inflation spikes, drastically reducing chances of a Reserve Bank rate cut amid economic pressures and rising costs

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In Short:
– Rate cut likelihood by the Reserve Bank has decreased due to a rise in annual inflation to 3.2 per cent.
– Significant price increases in housing, recreation, and transport are raising concerns for the Reserve Bank.

The likelihood of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank has decreased significantly after a surge in annual inflation.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that inflation for the year ending September rose to 3.2 per cent, reflecting a 1.1 per cent increase.

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Trimmed mean inflation, a crucial measure for the Reserve Bank, was recorded at 1 per cent for the quarter and 3 per cent for the year. The bank anticipates inflation to reach 3 per cent by year-end, while trimmed mean inflation is expected to slightly decrease.

The quarterly rise of 1.3 per cent in September exceeded expectations. Governor Bullock noted that a deviation from the Reserve Bank’s projections could have material implications.

Financial markets reacted promptly, with the Australian dollar rising against the US dollar, while the ASX200 index fell.

The most significant price increases were observed in housing, recreation, and transport, indicating widespread price pressures that concern the Reserve Bank.

Despite the unexpected inflation rise, some economists believe the Reserve Bank may still consider rate cuts in December, viewing current price spikes as temporary due to the winding back of subsidies.

Economic Pressures

Broad-based economic pressures suggest that the Reserve Bank may not reduce interest rates at its upcoming meeting. Analysts highlight the need for ongoing support for households facing cost-of-living challenges.


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Wall Street hits record highs on low inflation

Wall Street hits record highs on cool inflation and strong earnings ahead of key Federal Reserve interest rate decision

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Wall Street hits record highs on cool inflation and strong earnings ahead of key Federal Reserve interest rate decision

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In Short:
– U.S. stocks rose to record highs on Friday due to lower inflation and strong corporate earnings.
– Key earnings reports from major companies are expected next week, influencing market trends.
U.S. stocks rose to record highs on Friday due to lower-than-expected inflation data and positive corporate earnings.The S&P 500 and Nasdaq achieved their largest weekly gains since August. The Dow saw its biggest jump from Friday to Friday since June.

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The Labor Department reported that the Consumer Price Index was slightly cooler than analysts’ predictions, easing concerns about inflation impacts from tariffs. This development suggests a likely interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve at its upcoming meeting.

Ryan Detrick from Carson Group noted the positive inflation news may facilitate forthcoming Fed rate cuts. Despite the ongoing government shutdown affecting data releases, this CPI report provided much-needed clarity.

Earnings reports are continuing, with 143 S&P 500 companies having reported results. Growth expectations for third-quarter earnings have risen to 10.4%. Detrick indicated a strong opening to the earnings season with a significant percentage of companies exceeding expectations.

This coming week, key earnings will be reported from Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Apple, alongside industrial companies like Caterpillar and Boeing.

The Dow rose 472.51 points to 47,207.12. The S&P 500 increased by 53.25 points to 6,791.69, while the Nasdaq gained 263.07 points, reaching 23,204.87.

Alphabet gained 2.7% following a deal expansion with Anthropic. Coinbase saw a 9.8% increase from a JPMorgan upgrade. In contrast, Deckers Outdoor’s shares fell 15.2% after lowering sales forecasts.

Market Trends

Advancing stocks on the NYSE outnumbered decliners by 2.18 to 1. The S&P 500 had 34 new highs, with the Nasdaq recording 124.

Trading volume was 19.04 billion shares, lower than the average of the past 20 days.


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US stocks face tests from Tesla, Netflix earnings

US markets brace for Tesla and Netflix earnings amid rising volatility and delayed inflation data

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US markets brace for Tesla and Netflix earnings amid rising volatility and delayed inflation data

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In Short:
– Earnings reports from Tesla and Netflix might affect U.S. stock performance next week amid high inflation concerns.
– Increased market volatility arises from U.S.-China trade tensions and fewer S&P 500 stocks in an uptrend.
This coming week, earnings reports from companies including Tesla and Netflix are anticipated to impact U.S. stock performance.
Investors are also awaiting delayed U.S. inflation data, which could test market stability as it remains near record highs.Recent trading activity has shown increased volatility, influenced by ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions and concerns regarding regional bank credit risks. The CBOE volatility index has seen a rise, indicating increased market uncertainty.

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The S&P 500 entered its fourth year of growth amidst these fluctuations, having previously experienced a period of calm. Experts suggest market risks are intensifying as valuations reach peak levels.

Market Volatility

Concerns regarding U.S.-China trade relations escalated last week when the U.S. threatened to raise tariffs by November 1 over China’s rare-earth export policies. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping in two weeks to discuss these issues.

Despite these challenges, major stock indexes gained ground over the week, with the S&P 500 up 13.3% year-to-date. However, a noticeable decline in the number of S&P 500 stocks in an uptrend raises caution among investors about underlying market weaknesses.

The upcoming third-quarter earnings will be closely monitored, especially as the government shutdown halts economic data releases. Companies like Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, RTX, and IBM are due to report. The delayed U.S. consumer price index is also expected to provide crucial insights ahead of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy meeting on October 28-29.


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