HERE IS THE MARKET TODAY....if you missed it: Tesla surges 9%, S&P 500 gains for 4th-straight day in longest win streak since January https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live...ngest-win-streak-since-january-200035649.html
Here is what is important for next week. "Big week ahead with more tech earnings on tap Investors will get another round of earnings next week as more Big Tech companies prepare to announce their quarterly results. Software giant Microsoft (MSFT) will report on Wednesday, along with social media platform Meta (META). Tech giant Apple (AAPL) and e-commerce platform Amazon (AMZN) will also post earnings next Thursday after the bell. Shares of EV maker Tesla (TSLA) and Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG) were leading Tech and Consumer Discretionary higher on Friday as Wall Street prepared to wrap up a week of solid market gains." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live...ngest-win-streak-since-january-200035649.html
I LOVE the recent gains. They have replenished my portfolio and put me down in the 8% LOSS range in this little correction. BUT.....at the same time the markets are screwing me. I will be buying one share of PLTR and one share of NVDA on April 28 when I pay my bills. I dont have any big chunk of cash to buy anything....but.....I can at least buy these couple of shares each month when I pay bills. A MINI version of "paying myself first". Of course....in classic market fashion.....the really cheap prices have been taken away from me......just in time for this purchase.
I have my orders in for the open on Monday. One share of NVDA and one share of PLTR. Next week will be hit and miss for my posting. My week starts tomorrow. I have to drive to Dallas.....attend an event for about 1.5 hours....and drive back. I have a board meeting late morning on Tuesday....which will go into the afternoon. I will be in the studio again all day on Wednesday. Thursday afternoon I will be at my wife's cataract surgery appointment. Friday morning I will miss the mid morning markets with the surgery follow-up. It is a good thing I am not a trader.....my portfolio will not require my attendance in order to do what it does.
Not a bad open for me today. I am starting out with six of nine in the green. BUT....IRRELEVANT....both to the day and to the long term. At least it is nice to see the markets acting somewhat NORMAL. I assume that my BUY of 1 share of PLTR and NVDA went through at the open today.....but I have not looked.
Sounds like good news to me....but....I still dont like IBM as an investment. All of these announced investments here in the USA are a very good thing....but....they need to actually happen to create the benefits. We are seeing a potential FLOOD of money and activity in the TECH sector here in the USA. I consider this good news for owners of those stocks. IBM to invest $150 billion in US over next five years to aid quantum push https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ibm-invest-150-billion-us-123618948.html "(Reuters) -IBM will invest $150 billion in the U.S., including on facilities for quantum computer production, over the next five years, the latest American technology company to back the Trump administration's push for local manufacturing. The company's announcement on Monday follows similar pledges by tech giants such as Nvidia and Apple, both of which have said they would spend about $500 billion each in the country over the next four years."
HERE are the markets so far today. Of course the HUGE events this week will be multiple BIG CAP MONSTER company earnings. S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq steady to start huge week of Big Tech earnings, economic data https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live...ig-tech-earnings-economic-data-133112899.html (BOLD is my opinion OR what I consider important content) "Stocks were little changed on Monday to begin a big week of earnings reports and macroeconomic data that will continue to paint an early picture of the US economy's response to President Trump's tariffs. The S&P 500 (GSPC) rose more than 0.3%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) fell 0.2%. Wall Street is coming off a rebounding run last week, with the S&P 500 notching its longest daily positive streak since January. The gains came as Trump eased pressure on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, as well as hinted at light at the end of the tunnel for 145% tariffs on China. Wall Street looks positive, yet skittish, with plenty of room for growth before closing out the last trading week of what has been an eventful April. Earnings are the highlight of the week ahead, with 180 S&P 500 companies expected to report quarterly financial results. Big Tech leads the way, as Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Meta (META), and Microsoft (MSFT) are all due in the coming days, alongside Coca-Cola (KO), Eli Lilly (LLY), and Chevron (CVX). Broader economic news will flavor the coming days, as investors eye Wednesday's release of the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumer Expenditures (PCE) index, to see the impact of tariffs on the general public's "core" expenses. The April jobs report is also in sight, as the labor market has remained resistant to signs of economic slowdown. Economists expect the US economy added 133,000 nonfarm payroll jobs last month, with the unemployment rate remaining at 4.2%." MY COMMENT A pretty BIG news week to come. Big tech earnings and inflation data.
Here is the driver of NVDA today. Nothing but a drama-queen story to me.....but.....that is just how things work in the short term in the modern world of media and investing. Nvidia stock falls as China's Huawei reportedly readies AI chip after Trump's export ban https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nvid...i-chip-after-trumps-export-ban-135156741.html
Here are the key days this week.....today and tomorrow are NOT on the list. ..."Microsoft (MSFT) is set to report, (WEDNESDAY) with investors zeroing in on the performance of its Intelligent Cloud segment after a softer showing last quarter.... ...Meta Platforms (META) will also release earnings the same day, (WEDNESDAY) even as it continues to battle an ongoing antitrust lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission."... AND ..."Apple shares rebounded last week after reports suggested certain tech products might be exempt from the new tariff policies.... ...Amazon (AMZN) will also report on Thursday, shortly after analysts at Raymond James downgraded the stock due to concerns over its exposure to Chinese markets.... ..."Meta Platforms (META) will also release earnings the same day, even as it continues to battle an ongoing antitrust lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission."... AND ..."The April jobs report, set for release Friday, will show whether the labor market is holding up amid ongoing trade tensions.... ...Another major highlight is the March Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report, which the Fed closely watches for inflation trends.... ...First-quarter GDP numbers, set for Wednesday, will give a broader view of economic momentum after disappointing growth at the end of 2024."... AND ..."In crypto markets, Bitcoin (BTC) continues to show resilience, holding steady around $94,200 as of Monday morning."... https://www.ccn.com/news/business/key-economic-indicators-tech-earnings-bitcoin-in-focus/ MY COMMENT A perfect week for the media to actually focus on FACT and ANALYSIS. There is much significant data that will be involved in all of the above. BUT.....in reality every bit of this data is....HINDSIGHT.
As the markets struggle for direction today....my stocks have now filpped on me. I started the day with six of nine GREEN.....I now have six of nine RED. LOL....WHATEVER. It is hard to care much about this day to day "stuff". BUT.....I have early morning time to kill and I like to watch......"the short term"......happening.
AND....just past 12:30.....I am ALL red in my stocks. BUMMER. Although today and tomorrow are meaningless. The real week starts on Wednesday.
We are seeing some good short term news for inflation today....since....much of inflation that we see now is based on oil and housing costs. Oil Slumps as Traders Await Next Moves in China, Economic Data https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-ticks-higher-trade-war-232631428.html "West Texas Intermediate fell by as much as 2.4% to trade below $62 a barrel, as US equities weakened amid a selloff in big tech and a report showed that manufacturing activity hit the lowest since May 2020. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that “all aspects” of the US government are in contact with China but that the onus is on Beijing to begin de-escalating the tariff fight with the US."
AND....here is some "indirect" good news. Google Parent Alphabet Leads US High-Grade Issuance Rush https://finance.yahoo.com/news/google-parent-alphabet-sell-high-124140163.html "Companies are looking to sell the most high-grade bonds in one day since March, with 15 corporations including Alphabet Inc. preparing blue-chip note sales on Monday, another sign that debt markets are stabilizing after the turmoil brought by tariff announcements early this month."
At least my losses moderated significantly in the last few hours. I even ended up with four stocks in the green. But....NVDA being one of my red stocks today my loss was pretty much set in stone. I also got beat by the SP500 by 0.77%. The good news.....the SP500 ended the day with a gain. That is five days in a row.
"CHURNING"....is the perfect word for the markets today.....or....treading water. Stocks Churn as Busy Earnings Week to Test Rally https://finance.yahoo.com/news/asian-investors-eye-china-trade-233327069.html (BOLD is my opinion OR what I consider important content) "(Bloomberg) -- Wall Street traders bracing for a deluge of corporate earnings and key economic data sent stocks churning on Monday as they awaited more insights on the impacts of President Donald Trump’s trade war. Following its longest winning run since January, the S&P 500 wavered. Investors this week will search results from Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. for signs of how they’re being affected by tariff developments. News that Huawei Technologies Co. is set to test a new chip to rival Nvidia Corp.’s weighed on the shares. Short-term Treasuries outperformed. The dollar fell. From jobs to inflation and economic growth, the pace of data will be just as strong. A widely followed measure of Texas manufacturing activity weakened significantly as executives used words like “chaos” and “insanity” to describe the tariff turmoil, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. “This will be one of the busiest weeks of the year,” said Anthony Saglimbene at Ameriprise. “Ongoing trade headlines, an economic calendar filled with key releases and the peak week of the earnings season, including several Magnificent Seven companies reporting results, should keep investors’ heads spinning.” With a jittery April near a close, several market pros see little reason to think volatility is in the rearview mirror. For equities to keep rallying, investors would need to see the White House follow through on the “dovish pivot” toward trade with China, according to Chris Larkin at E*Trade from Morgan Stanley. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC the US has put China to the side for now as it seeks trade deals with between 15 to 17 other countries, while indicating it’s up to Beijing to take the first step in de-escalating the tariff fight. “Underneath the surface, key risks persist — trade tensions, recession worries, and monetary policy uncertainties are very much alive,” said Fawad Razaqzada at City Index and Forex.com. In the corporate world, International Business Machines Corp. plans to invest $150 billion in the US over the next five years. Alphabet Inc. led a US high-grade bond issuance rush. While many executives have declined to predict how tariffs might impact their bottom lines, Wall Street has been doing its own math. Based on a 22% tariff rate modeled by Bloomberg Economics, lower gross margins could result in a net income contraction of about 7% in 2025 for the S&P 500, compared with the current consensus estimate of nearly 12% growth, wrote Bloomberg Intelligence chief equity strategist Gina Martin Adams. Morgan Stanley’s Michael Wilson says the weak dollar will support US corporate earnings, helping the American stock market to outperform the rest of the world. Yet Wilson expects the S&P 500 to remain in the 5,000 to 5,500 range. A more substantial increase would require a tariff deal with China, clear rebound in earnings estimates and the possibility of easier monetary policy, he wrote. “We expect a choppy market in the intermediate term that could be rangebound until clarity is achieved on what effect tariffs have on corporate earnings, which as of now remains very unclear,” said Brian Buetel at UBS Wealth Management. Meantime, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s trading desk is turning tactically bullish on US equities, predicting that tailwinds including Big Tech earnings and trade deal announcements will continue to lift stocks after the recent rout. Still, the bank was quick to emphasize in a note to clients Monday that the rally’s momentum could fade within weeks, with the negative impacts of US tariffs poised to begin dragging on the economy in the months ahead." MY COMMENT My opinion.....EARNINGS will be just fine.....now and over the rest of the year. YES......there will be NO recession. At some point the FED will do some rate cuts. The maximum fear, panic, and drama from the media on tariffs is now over....at least in terms of investors caring. Everyone is now adapted to it....as always happens. SO......NO.....I dont care at all about all the short to medium story-lines and drama-queens. Oh yes....i nearly forgot. As to the statement above that the SP500 "wavered following it's longest winning streak since January".....SORRY......NOT true, the SP500 finished in the GREEN.
My PLTR is killing it again. it hit a bottom on April 4 and tried to re-test it on April 8.....about the same as the SP500 bottom on April 7/8. Since that time it has gone up to within about $10 of the stocks all time high. The April 4 bottom represents the HUGE doom and gloom and massive media fear mongering frenzy that followed the events of April 2. Palantir is soaring while its tech peers are sinking. Here’s why https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/28/palantir-tech-stocks.html (BOLD is my opinion OR what I consider important content) "Key Points Palantir is up 45% this year, bucking the broader downward trend in the technology sector. The company’s government business and focus on efficiency are responsible for the stock’s outperformance. Palantir has set itself apart in the software world for its AI-enabled tools, gaining recognition for its defense and software contracts with key U.S. government agencies. Tech stocks have struggled in 2025, as recession and trade war fears sap investor appetite for riskier assets. Palantir is the exception. Against a volatile market backdrop, the software maker’s stock has gained 45% and is the best performer among companies valued at $5 billion or more, according to FactSet. The closest tech names are VeriSign, up 33%, Okta, up 30%, Robinhood, up 29%, and Uber, up 29%. President Donald Trump’s frenzy of government department overhauls is partially to thank for the pop. “When you think about macroeconomic concerns, you as a company need to be more efficient, and this is where Palantir thrives,” said Bank of America analyst Mariana Pérez Mora. Palantir has set itself apart in the software world for its artificial-intelligence-enabled tools, gaining recognition for its defense and software contracts with key U.S. government agencies, including the military. In the fourth quarter, its government revenues jumped 45% year-over-year to $343 million. Companies have faced immense volatility in 2025 as tariffs threaten to jeopardize global supply chains and halt day-to-day manufacturing operations by hiking costs. Those fears have brought the broad market index down about 7% this year, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite has slumped 11%. Tech’s megacap companies — Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Tesla — are all down between 7% and 31% so far this year. At the same time, the Trump administration has clamped down on government spending, giving Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency freedom to slash public sector costs. Some administration officials have touted shifting dollars from consulting contracts to commercial software providers like Palantir, said William Blair analyst Louie DiPalma. “Palantir’s business model is highly aligned with the priorities of the Trump administration in terms of increasing agility and being very quick to market,” he said. That’s put Palantir in the league with major contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, which have outperformed in this year’s downdraft. Many companies in the space are also looking to partner with the firm and tend to flock to defense during recessionary times, DiPalma said. Palantir vs. the Nasdaq Composite CEO Alex Karp has also been a vocal supporter of American innovation and the company’s central role in helping prop up what he called the “single best tech scene in the world” during an interview with CNBC earlier this year. Karp also told CNBC that the U.S. needs an “all-country effort” to compete against emerging adversaries. But the ride for Palantir has been far from smooth, and shares have been susceptible to volatile swings. Shares sold off nearly 14% during the week that Trump first announced tariffs. Shares rocketed 22% one day in February on strong earnings. Its inclusion in more passive and quant funds over the years and the growing attention of retail traders has added to that turbulence, DiPalma said. Last year, the company joined both the S&P and Nasdaq. Palantir trades at one of the highest price-to-earnings multiples in software and last traded at 185 times earnings over the next twelve months. That puts a steep bar on the stock. “There really is no margin for error,” he said." MY COMMENT Well this is NOT very shocking....at least to me. Imagine....a company that is outright supportive of it's country. The rest of the big cap world....especially tech....could learn a lot from this company when it comes to supporting and working for the good of.....GASP.....your own country. If our big tech companies focused on being there and supporting the USA.....they might be in the same situation. A very refreshing attitude and business strategy from PLTR which is paying off big time. Bottom line.....just old fashioned good management and company values.
