Alternative Investing Report - December 9, 2025

*as of 12/8; Sources: S&P, BTC, FTSE, DJRE, CL50

Private credit investment platform Percent announced it is launching a new secondary market feature for investors, starting with a set of specific deals that can be traded before expanding further. This will allow investors to place bids on existing deals or set terms to sell stakes in deals they already own, essentially introducing a liquidity option to a previously illiquid asset.

➨ TAKEAWAY: One of the biggest hang-ups investors have had with private credit is the lack of liquidity and having to hold onto an asset until the loan matures. This new feature could potential be a game-changer if it entices enough deal volume to function as an effective marketplace. No one is expecting real-time trades — or even quick transactions — at first, but if the feature allows buyers to get into desirable deals and sellers to liquidate their positions, it will give new flexibility to private credit investors.

📉 Layoffs continue to rise: Through November, the number of layoffs in the U.S. are the highest since 2009, outside of the pandemic-influenced 2020. The pace of hiring has also declined to its lowest point in 15 years.

🤖 Meta & the metaverse: Despite renaming itself after the metaverse, the company formerly known as Facebook is shifting its priorities towards AI, cutting metaverse funding by 30% and pouring more money into its AI-enabled glasses and wearables.

🏢 Class A rents rising: The highest quality apartments have seen a 1.4% gain in rents year-over-year versus a 0.6% decline for Class B apartments and a 3.2% decline for Class C apartments. Occupancy rates for Class A assets are lagging though, as renters seek more affordable options.

👜 Birkin owned by Birkin: A Hermès Birkin Voyageur bag that once belonged to and is signed by Jane Birkin sold for $2.8 million at Sotheby’s, more than five times its high estimate of $440,000.

🚀 Pet-related startup funding: A once-hot startup segment has seen its overall funding stay flat compared to last year and is down significantly from its peak in 2021, even as consumer spending on their pets continues to grow.

🎬 Propstore Winter auction: More than 1,400 lots of film and television memorabilia sold over the weekend, with highlights including Boba Fett’s rifle from the Empire Strikes Back (~$611K), Indiana Jones’ fedora from Temple of Doom (~$486K), and Buddy the Elf’s costume from Elf (~$318K).

A one-acre oceanfront property on Oahu in a coastal community called Waimānalo, less than thirty minutes from Honolulu, recently hit the market for just under $25 million. The 2-lot property has 152 feet of ocean frontage, 28 solar panels, tropical fruit trees, and four different buildings - a main house, guest house, caretaker’s cottage, and a studio. The buildings total 8,600 square feet of living space across 10 bedrooms, 8.5 bathrooms, and boast top-end finishes throughout. But the biggest perk for some could be the famous neighbors - Barack and Michelle Obama’s Hawaii compound is just six doors down.