Lithium Universe (LU7:AU) has announced Interview with Executive Chairman
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Lithium Universe (LU7:AU) has announced Interview with Executive Chairman
Download the PDF here.
South Korea has recently been hit by another surge of lovebugs.
But romance is certainly not in the air for residents of Seoul and neighboring Incheon city, who have been plagued by these pesky insects in recent weeks, as rising temperatures due to climate change spur their spread.
On Friday, dozens of government workers were sent to Gyeyangsan, a mountain west of the capital, to manage an “extremely severe outbreak,” the country’s environment ministry said in a statement.
Videos on social media earlier this week showed scenic hiking trails along the peak transformed into buzzing corridors of chaos.
Footage shows hikers thrashing through swarms of thumbnail-sized bugs, with one person engulfed by the black-winged creatures and another scooping thousands of tiny carcasses from the trail.
In a YouTube video, a man collected thousands of the insects and took them home to make them into hamburgers, which he then appeared to eat.
Lovebugs, known scientifically as Plecia longiforceps, get their nickname from their mating behavior when they fling into each other while flying.
They are found in the subtropics including southeastern China, Taiwan, and Japan’s Ryukyu Islands. They also occur in parts of Central America and the southern United States, including Texas and Florida.
First detected in South Korea in 2015, they are believed to have arrived there from southern China, according to the environment ministry. Since 2022, they have appeared in and around Seoul, particularly port areas, between June and July, it added.
Experts say climate change and warming temperatures are helping drive lovebugs northward into areas such as Seoul and Incheon.
While global warming is a planet-wide issue, scientists have identified Seoul as an area where temperatures are rising at a faster pace than in other parts of the world.
This is worsened by the city’s heat-island effect, where temperatures are much higher than in nearby rural areas due to man-made structures absorbing and holding more heat.
“With climate change increasing ecological instability, we must remain vigilant throughout the summer,” Kim Tae-o, director of the environment ministry, said.
Lovebugs do not transmit diseases or sting humans. However, there have been increasing public complaints about them sticking to car windows and the walls of houses, restaurants and subway trains.
So far, officials have advised local workers and residents to combat swarms by spraying water or using sticky pads instead of chemical pesticides.
Populations are expanding in the northwest of South Korea, however any further potential spread remains unknown.
“Compared with the past two years, the number of lovebugs sharply surged last weekend at the mountain,” Gyeyang district official Wang Hyeon-jeong said on Tuesday.
Areas with a warm, humid climate could attract them, being favorable conditions for their survival and reproduction.
The city government of Seoul views the lovebugs as “ecologically beneficial,” posing no health risk to humans and helping pollinate flowers as their larvae convert plant materials into organic components.
However, local media reports that complaints to the city have more than doubled, increasing from 4,418 in 2023 to 9,296 last year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
On Friday, environment ministers agreed to strengthen and invest more in response procedures after the latest outbreak, which it described as “extremely severe.”
“We will closely monitor the situation and work with local authorities from the early stages of any outbreak,” Kim said.
But natural population control is reportedly setting in, as birds such as sparrows and magpies learn to eat the bugs, causing their numbers to fall.
Two female tourists in Zambia were killed by an elephant Thursday while on a walking safari in a national park, police said.
Eastern Province Police Commissioner Robertson Mweemba said the victims – 68-year-old Easton Janet Taylor from the United Kingdom and 67-year-old Alison Jean Taylor from New Zealand – were attacked by a female elephant that was with a calf.
Safari guides who were with the group attempted to stop the elephant from charging at the women by firing shots at it, police said. The elephant was hit and wounded by the gunshots. The guides were unable to prevent the elephant’s attack and both women died at the scene, police said.
It happened at the South Luangwa National Park in eastern Zambia, around 600 kilometers (370 miles) from the capital, Lusaka.
Female elephants are very protective of their calves and can respond aggressively to what they perceive as threats.
Last year, two American tourists were killed in separate encounters with elephants in different parts of Zambia. In both cases, the tourists were also elderly women and were on a safari vehicle when they were attacked.
Russia launched a record number of drones at Ukraine overnight into Friday, striking multiple buildings and residential areas, hours after US President Donald Trump said he had made “no progress” towards a ceasefire deal in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
At least 23 people were wounded in the attack, which lasted 13 hours, according to Kyiv city and military authorities. Ukraine intercepted 476 out of a record 539 Russian drones, according to the country’s air force. It said Russia also launched 11 cruise and ballistic missiles.
Thousands of residents spent the night in shelters, including in subway stations or underground parking lots, as explosions and the sound of drones echoed through the city in the early hours of Friday morning.
“Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv. One of the worst so far,” said Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it “one of the most large-scale air attacks” the country had seen.
“Notably, the first air raid alerts in our cities and regions yesterday began to blare almost simultaneously with media reports discussing a phone call between President Trump and Putin,” Zelensky said. “Yet again, Russia is showing it has no intention of ending the war and terror.”
The strikes sparked fires in buildings and structures across several city districts, and partially destroying multi-story buildings, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. They also destroyed part of Kyiv’s railway, and damaged five ambulances that were responding to calls from those wounded.
In recent weeks, Russia has launched near-nightly air attacks on Ukraine involving hundreds of missiles and drones. Earlier this week Ukraine’s foreign minister said that in June alone, Russia launched over 330 missiles, including nearly 80 ballistic missiles, 5,000 combat drones, and 5,000 gliding bombs against Ukraine.
Before Friday, the last record-setting night of attacks came just five days ago – when Russia fired 537 drones and missiles at Ukraine.
On Thursday, Trump held a nearly hour-long call with Putin and voiced frustration afterward about the stalled ceasefire negotiations.
“We had a call. It was a pretty long call. We talked about a lot of things, including Iran and we also talked about, as you know, the war with Ukraine,” Trump said. “I’m not happy about that.”
Asked if he felt he made progress with Putin on a deal with Ukraine, Trump said firmly: “No.” He added, “I didn’t make any progress with him today at all.”
Trump said he would speak with Zelensky early Friday morning, saying he was “very disappointed” with his conversation with Putin, whom he believes is “not looking to stop” the war.
The strikes come as the Trump administration pauses some weapons shipments to Ukraine, including air defense missiles, following a review of military spending and American support to foreign countries.
Trump acknowledged said that the decision had been made to protect US stockpiles.
The US has been the biggest single donor of military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, supplying Ukraine with air defense systems, drones, rocket launchers, radars, tanks and anti-armor weapons, leading to concerns over dwindling US stockpiles.
But the balance of aid to Ukraine has changed significantly since Trump returned to power, casting doubt over the future of US support for Kyiv.
Trump and Putin did not discuss the pause in shipments to Ukraine during their call, according to Russian state media TASS, citing a Kremlin aide. However, Trump brought up ending the war “as early as possible” – to which Putin responded that Russia would not “back down” from its war goals in Ukraine, according to TASS.
Two alleged fraudsters accused of swindling an elderly woman out of tens of thousands of dollars in cash have been arrested by Australian police investigating a spate of “Chinese blessing scams.”
Chinese blessing scams have been reported worldwide for the last 25 years or so, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand.
Offenders typically target elderly Asian women and convince them that a member of their family is cursed or in danger. Victims are told the only way to ward off negative spirits is to have their wealth blessed.
“It’s a robbery by stealth. These offenders swarm these vulnerable victims, usually Asian, older females. They swarm like a pack of hyenas,” said New South Wales Police Detective Superintendent Guy Magee.
A 63-year-old woman was detained at Sydney International Airport Thursday after “extensive inquiries” by Strike Force Sentinel, a special task force formed in April to investigate 80 reports of the scams, involving the alleged theft of 3 million Australian dollars ($2 million). She’s been charged with a number of offenses.
Her alleged accomplice, a 63-year-old man, was detained Friday at Brisbane Airport as he attempted to leave Australia on a flight to China. He’s expected to be charged soon.
Detective Superintendent Magee said Friday the alleged perpetrators of Chinese blessing scams are targeting the entire east coast of Australia.
“They’ll fly in. They’ll prey on the vulnerable in their own community. They’ll capitalize on the vulnerabilities of that community around superstition,” he said.
Typically, the elderly victim is taken to someone purporting to be a spiritual healer, who tells them to put their money and valuables in a bag.
“They will convince them that it’s been blessed, and they’ll tell them not to open that bag for a period of time, up to months. And if they do, they will come across bad fortune,” said Magee.
“Unfortunately, the victims are opening those bags to find their money and jewelry is simply not in there. It’s disgraceful.”
The two suspects arrested this week are accused of defrauding a 77-year-old woman of cash and jewelry worth 130,000 Australian dollars ($85,000) in the western Sydney suburb of Parramatta in June.
NSW Police say they believe 50 people are involved in the scam, and they’ve identified 25 suspects by name. Another 25 people have been seen on camera allegedly taking part. Eleven arrest warrants have been issued.
“It’s like a role play. There’s nothing by chance in what they do, they all have deliberate roles,” said Magee.
He said police believe the crime is “profoundly underreported” due to the victims’ embarrassment and shame about being conned. The number of cases is “probably double” police estimates, he added.
Last November, New Zealand Police arrested three Chinese nationals as they attempted to leave the country on flights to China after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars.
Police allege the trio arrived in the country that October and within days started targeting elderly members of the community.
The alleged scammers conned two victims out of about 30,000 New Zealand dollars ($18,000) in cash and jewelry, police said in a statement.
A “substantial amount” of money was retrieved, they added.
NSW Police issued advice to the community to beware of people asking directions to a Chinese herbal doctor or spiritual healer.
“Do not bring strangers home,” the advice said. Do not hand any valuables to strangers and “do not put money or jewellery in a bag for any blessing ritual,” it added.
Constellation Brands on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that missed analysts’ estimates as beer demand slid and tariffs on aluminum weighed on its profitability.
Still, the brewer reiterated its forecast for fiscal 2026, showing confidence that it can hit its financial targets despite the weaker-than-expected quarterly performance and higher duties.
Shares of the company fell less than 1% in extended trading on Tuesday evening but rose 3% during morning trading on Wednesday after the company’s conference call.
The stock has shed more than 20% of its value this year, fueled by concerns about how the higher duties imposed by President Donald Trump would affect demand for its beer.
Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:
The report, which covers the three months ended May 31, includes the start of Trump’s tariffs on canned beer imports in early April. He also hiked trade duties on aluminum to 25% in mid-March and to 50% in early June.
Both imported beer and aluminum are crucial to Constellation’s beer business, which accounts for roughly 80% of the company’s overall revenue. Constellation’s beer portfolio only includes Mexican imports, like Corona, Pacifico and Modelo Especial, which overtook Bud Light as the top-selling beer brand in the U.S. two years ago.
Constellation reported fiscal first-quarter net income of $516.1 million, or $2.90 per share, down from $877 million, or $4.78 per share, a year earlier. Constellation’s operating margin fell 150 basis points, or 1.5%, in the quarter, in part driven by higher aluminum costs.
Excluding items, the brewer earned $3.22 per share.
Net sales dropped 5.8% to $2.52 billion, fueled by weaker demand for its beer and the company’s divestiture of Svedka vodka.
Constellation is still facing softer consumer demand, CEO Bill Newlands said in a statement. He attributed the weaker sales to “non-structural socioeconomic factors.” Constellation’s beer business saw shipment volumes fall 3.3%, caused by weaker consumer demand.
Last quarter, Newlands said Hispanic consumers were buying less of the company’s beer because of fears over Trump’s immigration policy. Roughly half of Constellation’s beer sales come from Hispanic consumers, according to the company.
But on Wednesday, Newlands demurred when asked about Hispanic consumer sentiment, saying that all shoppers are concerned about higher prices.
“When you see a fair amount of change, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic consumers are concerned about inflation and about cost structure,” Newlands said.
He added that consumers aren’t going out to eat as much and hosting fewer social occasions, which means they are drinking less beer. Still, he maintained that consumer interest in drinking beer hasn’t waned; while shoppers’ overall spending on beer has fallen, their relative spend on beer compared with their total grocery bill has held steady.
For fiscal 2026, Constellation continues to expect comparable earnings per share of $12.60 to $12.90. The company is projecting that organic net sales will range from declining 2% to rising 1%.
In a year when the U.S. consumer has been weighed down by economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and inflation, Black entrepreneurs are eager to get to the Essence Festival of Culture to connect with their core customers.
“Essence Fest is like my Black Friday,” said Rochelle Ivory, owner of beauty brand On the Edge Baby Hair. “It is my biggest sales weekend of the year. It’s where I make all the capital I reinvest in my business.”
Essence Fest kicks off on Friday, with roughly 500,000 people attending the event in New Orleans. It generates around $1 billion in economic activity, according to organizers.
“It’s the cannot-miss event for us,” said Brittney Adams, owner of eyewear brand Focus and Frame. She said this year Essence Fest is even more important because she’s seen Black consumers pulling back on spending.
“I would say the uncertainty of just the economic and political climate — that’s giving people a little bit of hesitancy. Should they save the money? Should they buy the things they want?” Adams said.
Ivory said her sales are down roughly 30% year over year, but she’s hopeful people come to New Orleans looking to spend their time and money in the festival marketplace.
“This could make or break some of us,” she said. “It’s one of the few places where Black women, Black founders can really come together and be seen.”
The Global Black Economic Forum aims to bring visibility and create solutions for Black business owners at Essence Fest. This year speakers include Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Last year, then-Vice President Kamala Harris spoke.
“We intentionally curate a space that allows leaders to preserve, build and reimagine how we can collectively increase economic opportunity to thrive,” said Alphonso David, CEO of the GBEF.
While many Black Americans express economic anxiety, the data is less clear.
In the first quarter of this year, according to Federal Reserve data, the median weekly salary for Black workers was $1,192 a 5% increase year over year. Black unemployment stood at 6% in the most recent jobs report, a historically low number, but still higher than the national average of 4.2%.
However, the data doesn’t appear to fully reflect the sentiment for many Black Americans who are concerned about the political, cultural and economic shifts that have taken place since President Donald Trump’s election.
“Never let a good crisis go to waste,” said John Hope Bryant, founder and CEO of Operation Hope, one of the nation’s largest non-profits focused on financial education and empowerment.
Bryant said he sees the concerns of Black Americans as an opportunity in the second half of 2025.
“This president has done something that hasn’t been done since the 1960s, which is unify Black America. Wealth was created in the early 20th century because Blacks were forced to work together. But instead of Black Lives Matter, let’s make Black capitalist matter,” he said.
Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church has galvanized Black consumers with an organized boycott of Target that began in February in response to the retailer’s decision to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Bryant said he is in discussions with Target but is ready to organize a longer-term boycott if the retailer does not fulfill the promises it made to the Black community after the killing of George Floyd. He is urging Black Americans to use the estimated $2.1 trillion dollars in spending power forecast by 2026 to drive economic and political change.
“I would dare say that ‘pocketbook protests’ are a revolutionary activity,” said Bryant.
“I think we have to be very selective in light of the ‘Big Ugly Bill’ that just passed and how it will adversely affect our community,” he said, referencing Trump’s megabill that passed through Congress this week.
Invest Fest, an event that blends commerce and culture created by financially focused media company Earn Your Leisure kicks off in Atlanta in August.
Co-CEOs Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings said the event will remain focused on financial literacy, but this year they are emphasizing the urgent need for education and entrepreneurship in technology.
“It’s definitely now or never, the time is now,” said Bilal.
“The important thing this year is the way technology is going to disrupt a lot of career paths and the businesses, and we have to prepare for that, which is why AI is at the forefront of the conversation, crypto is at the forefront of the conversations, real estate as always and entrepreneurship,” said Millings.
New this year is a partnership with venture capital firm Open Opportunity and a pitch competition where an entrepreneur can win $125,000 in funding to scale their business.
“We need more businesses that can reach $100 million valuation to a $1 billion valuation, get on the stock market. The pathway to that 9 times out of 10 is technology,” Bilal said.
The National Black MBA Association Conference in Houston in September will have a similar tone. The event is known for its career fair where the nation’s largest companies recruit as well as for networking and vibrant social activities.
This year, interim CEO Orlando Ashford is working to establish artificial intelligence education and financial literacy as pillars of the event.
“Doing business as usual is not an option,” Ashford told CNBC. “AI is something I literally refer to as a tsunami of change that’s on its way. All of us will be forced to pivot in some ways as it relates to AI. Those of us that are out in front, that embrace it and leverage it actually can turn it into a tremendous and powerful opportunity. Those that wait and ignore it will be overtaken by the wave.”
This week, Frank analyzes recent technical signals from the S&P 500, including overbought RSI levels, key price target completions, and the breakout potential of long-term bullish patterns. He examines past market breakouts and trend shifts, showing how overbought conditions historically play out. Frank also walks through a compelling mean-reversion trade idea in Apple, emphasizing its lagging performance and potential rebound based on past patterns.
This video originally premiered on July 2, 2025.
You can view previously recorded videos from Frank and other industry experts at this link.
Stocks keep notching record highs. If you’re like most investors, you’re probably wondering, “Should I really chase these prices or sit tight and wait for a pullback?”
Instead of overthinking and ending up in Analysis-Paralysis land, however, it may be worth exploring other avenues — and maybe even something you’ve never thought of.
Enter bearish counter-trend options strategies. Yup, it sounds crazy, especially when the S&P 500 ($SPX) and Nasdaq Composite ($COMPQ) closed at fresh highs. But here’s the reality: a well-planned put strategy has the potential to generate some revenue while you wait for the market to slow down or pull back. I got the idea after watching a recent video that dives into these strategies (worth watching if you haven’t).
If you click the OptionsPlay Strategy Center tab on your StockCharts Dashboard (OptionsPlay Add-On for StockCharts required), choose the Bearish Counter Trend or Bullish Counter Trend categories (depending on whether the market is bullish or bearish), and then select the Bear Put Spread strategy, you’ll see all the stocks that meet the criteria. Since stocks are in a bullish trajectory, I decided to look at stocks in the Bearish Counter Trend list. I also chose the 45-day timeframe, a balanced risk profile, and $2,500 max risk. I sorted the list based on IV rank. Walt Disney Co. (DIS) made it to the top of the list.
A couple of points to consider:
However, looking through the other charts on the list, DIS appeared to be the most likely to pull back in the near term.
Here’s where the beauty of options comes into play. They’re extremely flexible, and you can tweak the strategies to give you a risk/reward that’s more desirable.
With that in mind, let’s dive into Disney’s stock chart and consider how low the stock could go.
Looking at the daily chart of DIS, the stock price has pulled back a bit, and momentum, although relatively high as indicated by the relative strength index (RSI) and percentage price oscillator (PPO), is showing signs of slowing down. If momentum continues to weaken, DIS could move lower and fall to around the $120 level (dashed blue horizontal line).
FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF DISNEY STOCK. DIS has been rising after its early May gap up. It’s now pulling back, and Disney’s stock price closed today at $122.98.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.
If you click the Options tab below the chart, you’ll see three strategies you could apply. Since I have a bearish bias, I clicked the Bearish button. The three optimized strategies that came up:
Looking at the risk curve for the put spread — buying 1 Aug 15 125 put and selling 1 Aug 15 110 put (see below) — you’re risking $471 for a potential reward of $1029. This is slightly better than a 0.6 to 1 risk/reward ratio. The breakeven level is $120.29, which aligns with the support level on the price chart. At least there’s a high probability of breaking even, although you want to do better than that. DIS could fall below the $120 level. I would consider placing this trade.
FIGURE 2: RISK CURVES FOR THREE OPTIMAL STRATEGIES FOR TRADING DIS STOCK. The put vertical spread has the best score, defined-risk, and an attractive payoff.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.
Options are dynamic, and if you decide to put on the trade, monitor your open positions regularly. With options, it’s not just about price. Time decay and volatility can change the premiums. If these variables change significantly, consider adjusting your trade.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.
Roblox Corporation (RBLX), the company behind the immersive online gaming universe, has been on a strong run since April. This isn’t the first time the stock demonstrated sustained technical strength: RBLX has maintained a StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) above 90, aside from a few dips, since last November.
Currently, RBLX is showing up on a few scans that may signal an opportunity for those who are bullish on the stock. It currently ranks among the SCTR Report Top 10, but also appeared on a few cautionary scans, including the Parabolic SAR Sell Signals and Overbought with a Declining RSI scans (both of which are available in the StockCharts Sample Scan Library).
So here’s the question: Is RBLX a strong stock that’s about to undergo a buyable dip?
Before we explore that question, let’s take a look at a weekly chart for a broader perspective.
FIGURE 1. WEEKLY CHART OF RBLX. The stock is barely above halfway between its three-year lows and highs. If it delivers the growth investors expect, you could see another leg higher once the pullback completes.
The weekly chart shows RBLX trading in a broad range from late 2022 to late 2024, repeatedly failing to clear resistance near $47–$48. When it finally broke out in November, the stock’s technical strength was reflected in its SCTR score, which held a sustained position above the 90 line save a few declines.
Breaking above the $47–$48 resistance was a key move, as that level turned into support in December and again in April, where RBLX established a base ahead of its current rally. The subsequent move up was sharp, arguably even parabolic, peaking at $106.17 before pulling back.
If you look closely, you’ll see a swing high at around the $125 level (December 2022). This marks a technical level that happens to align with several Wall Street price targets. The blue line at $140 marks RBLX’s all-time high. Both levels can serve as potential price targets and are also likely to act as resistance.
RBLX is a technically strong stock that is fundamentally robust, despite remaining unprofitable on a GAAP basis. With strong user engagement, accelerating revenue growth, and plenty of free cash flow, it’s a favorable growth stock. However, it’s overbought. So, for those looking to get in, what are the key levels to watch out for?
Let’s shift over to a daily chart.
FIGURE 2. DAILY CHART OF RBLX. Although the stock is currently overbought, there are plenty of support levels below. If you’re bullish on the stock, now’s the time to add RBLX to your ChartLists and set price alerts.
The strength of RBLX’s current surge is highlighted by the Bollinger Bands. The stock has been “walking the band” over the past two months. Now that it has pulled back, it appears to be bouncing off the middle band, suggesting that investors are still accumulating the stock.
As far as the pullback is concerned, the Money Flow Index (MFI), a volume-weighted Relative Strength Index (RSI), shows that RBLX entered overbought territory in May and began declining in late June, revealing a divergence between MFI and price—an early signal that RBLX was about to pull back. That pullback materialized on Tuesday. Whether it continues in the coming sessions is something we’ll have to see. In contrast, the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF), a measure of volume-based momentum, suggests that buying pressure is still relatively strong.
Whether RBLX continues advancing or pulls back in the near term, keep an eye on the Bollinger Bands for potential support. You may also encounter a bounce and favorable entry point at $92.50, a “local” swing low.
Another stronger support level sits near $75, aligning with the February and April swing highs. HOWEVER, that’s a huge drop; if the price falls toward this level, you’d have to reevaluate the stock’s momentum, volume, market sentiment, and the broader economic factors that may be driving such a decline.
If you’re bullish on the stock, RBLX is something you’ll want to monitor in the days ahead. Add it to your ChartLists and observe how it acts within the context of the Bollinger Bands. If the stock declines further, you may want to set a price alert at $92.50 to see how price responds to this recent swing low. As mentioned above, further declines would warrant a re-evaluation, so keep a close eye on the price action.
RBLX’s surge reflects growing optimism about the company’s future growth prospects. While it isn’t profitable yet by GAAP standards, its strong performance relative to analyst expectations and its strong free cash flow have made it something of a Wall Street darling. For now, the technicals are the proof in the pudding. If it is what growth investors seek, the price action should provide evidence before the fundamentals validate it in the coming earnings quarters.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.