In partnership with
Welcome to yet another insightful edition of Market Mosaic.
This week, we are pleased to announce The Desk, our AI tool that pulls together all the insights you need to make data-driven business decisions.
You can ask something like "Should rising freight rates change my Q4 shipping budget?" and get a sourced answer in seconds. And get an answer sourced from all editions of Market Mosaic.
Insights Team, Rwazi
Chart: Capex-to-R&D ratios at Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Apple, Q2 2026. Data visualization by Market Mosaic.
Microsoft now spends $3.58 on infrastructure for every $1 on research
Microsoft put $35.8 billion into property and equipment in the June quarter, compared with $10 billion in research, a ratio of $3.58 to $1. Alphabet came in at $2.47 of capex per research dollar, Meta at $1.39.
Apple sits at $0.21, spending close to 5 times as much on research as on physical assets. Meta's research bill grew 67% year over year to $21.7 billion, which holds its ratio below Alphabet's.
Key Insights
Capex converts to depreciation on a fixed clock while research compounds. Microsoft's $3.58 ratio commits it to filling that capacity fast, and Apple's $0.21 leaves it renting capacity it does not own. See how your own build-versus-buy split compares.
Finding data-driven market insights from Market Mosaic used to mean scrolling through weeks or months of newsletters.
The Desk pulls all the insights for you to make decisions. Ask a question and get an answer sourced from all editions of Market Mosaic.
Ask something like "Should rising freight rates change my Q4 shipping budget?" and get a sourced answer in seconds.
China now holds half the US debt it did a decade ago, while Britain keeps buying
The top 20 foreign holders of US government debt account for close to $8 trillion, near 20% of the more than $40 trillion outstanding. Japan leads at $1.117 trillion, and Britain follows at $940 billion.
China ranks 3rd at $633 billion, roughly half the $1.3 trillion it held in 2014, and Britain passed it in early 2025. Belgium and Canada follow, at $483 billion and $460 billion, respectively.
Key Insights
Allies now hold a bigger share of US debt while America's largest rival steps back. China's $633 billion is half its 2014 position, removing a lever it once held over US borrowing costs. See how your own currency exposure holds up.
The most frugal back-to-school shoppers are outspending everyone else by 14%
Households are spending $557 per child on school supplies this year, flat versus last year, even as 57% of parents expect the economy to worsen within 6 months, the gloomiest reading since 2020. 31% of parents now qualify as heavy value-seekers, using 4 or more cost-cutting tactics while shopping.
That value-seeking group isn't spending less: they're paying $610 per child, 14% above the average shopper. Planned clothing spending is up 22% this year, while planned tech purchases are down 16% as families defer device upgrades.
Key Insights
The shoppers working hardest to save are spending the most, likely trading down on tech to trade up on clothing that lasts. The total market still held at $30.4 billion despite the shift. See how your own customer base stacks up.
Container rates slipped 1% a week after jumping 4%
The global container index fell 1% to $4,473 per 40-foot box in the week to August 27, giving back part of the 4% gain a week earlier. Asia to Europe led the decline.
Shanghai to Rotterdam dropped 3% to $4,287, and Shanghai to Genoa fell 2% to $4,866. Transpacific held up better, with Shanghai to Los Angeles unchanged at $6,818 and Shanghai to New York easing 2% to $9,333.
Key Insights
Rates flipped direction in a week, so the level matters less than the volatility. Asia-to-Europe is softening while transpacific holds, which means a single blended rate will misprice at least one lane. See how your own shipping lanes compare.
Blu Dot surpasses 2,000% ROAS with self-serve CTV ads
Blu Dot used Roku Ads Manager to drive incredible results for its furniture sales event. Its strategy hinged on custom audiences and retargeting, where intent was strongest.
“Roku has been a top performer,” said Blu Dot’s Claire Folkestad. “We have seen…CPMs lower than any other CTV partner we've worked with.”
Stop prospecting. Start closing.
Apollo is the AI revenue engine for teams that are done leaving pipeline on the table. 230M+ verified contacts, automated outreach, and AI that does the busywork for you.
More pipeline, less chaos. All in Apollo.
How Jennifer Aniston’s LolaVie brand grew sales 40% with CTV ads
For its first CTV campaign, Jennifer Aniston’s DTC haircare brand LolaVie had a few non-negotiables. The campaign had to be simple. It had to demonstrate measurable impact. And it had to be full-funnel.
LolaVie used Roku Ads Manager to test and optimize creatives — reaching millions of potential customers at all stages of their purchase journeys. Roku Ads Manager helped the brand convey LolaVie’s playful voice while helping drive omnichannel sales across both ecommerce and retail touchpoints.
The campaign included an Action Ad overlay that let viewers shop directly from their TVs by clicking OK on their Roku remote. This guided them to the website to buy LolaVie products.
Discover how Roku Ads Manager helped LolaVie drive big sales and customer growth with self-serve TV ads.
The DTC beauty category is crowded. To break through, Jennifer Aniston’s brand LolaVie, worked with Roku Ads Manager to easily set up, test, and optimize CTV ad creatives. The campaign helped drive a big lift in sales and customer growth, helping LolaVie break through in the crowded beauty category.
