The week ahead: New pope, old Powell

This week, groups of powerful old men (and a few old women) will hold secret meetings to make decisions that could affect your wallet — and maybe even your soul. From the Federal Reserve to the Vatican, here’s a look at the major events shaping the week ahead, and the Kalshi markets you can trade to stay ahead of the game.

The Papal Conclave begins Wednesday, but the speculation has already begun. Cardinals will soon be locked in the Sistine Chapel as ballots are cast in secret and the world waits for smoke. Will we see white this week? No clear Papal front-runner has emerged, but traders are circling. Expect fast swings — and early signals may leak from behind Vatican walls.

🟢 Related markets:

It's a big week for market-moving events, with reports expected from Ford, AMD, Lucid, Uber, Disney, AMC, and Coinbase. Ford is expected to provide an update on EV adoption, AMD on the semiconductor sector, and Lucid on the challenges faced by newer EV makers. Watch Uber, Disney, and AMC for insights into consumer behavior, and keep an eye on Coinbase for crypto market trends. And click on any of the links above to trade our Earnings Call Mention Markets.

Heads up: the FOMC meeting and Powell’s press conference are coming up on Wednesday, and things could get spicy. Rate markets might move a lot depending on what J-Pow says — expect some volatility. He recently mentioned the Fed’s job is to keep long-term inflation expectations anchored and avoid letting a one-time price jump turn into a bigger problem. Translation: he’s trying to make sure we don’t end up paying $12 for a sandwich again.

🟢 Related markets:

— Reuters

— Inc.

— World

— The FP

🌎 Kalshi x World: Trade the future

Kalshi has partnered with World — the identity and financial network co-founded by Sam Altman — to make prediction markets accessible to millions of verified crypto users. Through the new Kalshi Mini App inside World App, users can now claim Worldcoin ($WLD) and deposit it directly into Kalshi to start trading.

“I’m very excited to partner with Sam Altman & World to make access to prediction markets easier for millions of Americans,” said Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour.

With over 12 million verified users and counting, Kalshi is tapping into a fast-growing network of real humans, and bringing event trading to the most futuristic corner of crypto.

🚀 Stay ahead of the news — trade real-world events at Kalshi.com.

Follow Shannon Magiera on X: @weathershanFollow Terry Oldreal on X: @realOldTerryFollow Kalshi on X: @Kalshi

The opinions and perspectives presented in this article belong solely to the author, who is using a pseudonym and cannot trade on Kalshi. This is not financial advice. Trading on Kalshi involves risk and may not be appropriate for all. Members risk losing their cost to enter any transaction, including fees. You should carefully consider whether trading on Kalshi is appropriate for you in light of your investment experience and financial resources. Any trading decisions you make are solely your responsibility and at your own risk. Information is provided for convenience only on an "AS IS" basis. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Kalshi is subject to U.S. regulatory oversight by the CFTC.