To The Moon

Stocks wrapped up the week with gains, snapping two-week losing streaks for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, even as inflation concerns and tariff threats remained in focus.

Inflation

Key Market Moves:

• $S&P 500(.SPX)$ : 🔼 +1.5% on the week, just shy of a record high

• $NASDAQ(.IXIC)$ : 🔼 +2.6% on the week, best performance since December $NVIDIA(NVDA)$ $Alibaba(BABA)$ $Tesla Motors(TSLA)$ $Apple(AAPL)$

• Dow Jones: 🔼 Slight gain, driven by strong earnings & easing bond yields

What’s Driving the Market?

✅ Earnings Strength 💰

• 77% of S&P 500 companies have reported Q4 earnings, with profits up 16.9% YoY—the best growth in three years (FactSet).

✅ Falling Bond Yields 📉

• 10-year Treasury yield fell 0.16 percentage points over two days, easing market pressure.

✅ Retail Sales Disappoint 🚨

• January retail sales: 🔽 -0.9% MoM (vs. 0% expected).

• Factors: Post-holiday spending pullback, LA wildfires, Southern winter storms.

Inflation & Tariffs: What’s Next?

📊 Hot CPI Report

• Inflation came in higher than expected, raising doubts about Fed rate cuts anytime soon.

🌎 Tariff Drama Continues

• Trump teased "RECIPROCAL TARIFFS" in a social media post but later walked back immediate action.

• Commerce Dept. studying tariffs on a country-by-country basis, report expected by April 1.

Commodities & Global Markets

🛢 Energy & Oil Outlook

• OPEC projects 1.45 mbd growth in oil demand for 2025.

• US oil production to hit record levels (13.59 mbd by 2025).

• Volatility: Brent & WTI crude fell 2% midweek on inflation fears & Russia-Ukraine talks.

🥇 Base Metals & Gold Shine

• Copper: 🟢 Hits 3-month high at $9,511/ton (tight supply & China demand).

• Gold: 🟢 $2,240/oz, safe-haven demand amid inflation & tariff concerns.

Looking Ahead

📅 Key Events Next Week:

• Markets closed Monday (Presidents Day 🇺🇸).

• Walmart earnings Thursday (stock up 85% in the past 12 months).

• Feb. 28: PCE inflation report (Fed’s preferred metric).

Despite inflation’s stubborn persistence, strong earnings and easing bond yields kept markets afloat. With the tariff wildcard still in play, the focus now shifts to macro trends and Fed policy in the coming weeks. 🚀

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This summary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investors should conduct their own research before making investment decisions.