I want to bring in Kamal Sri Kumar who is president of Sri Kumar Global Strategies and covering the equity angle for us this morning is Sylvia Jablonsky. She's chief investment officer of Defiance ETFs. Uh very quickly, Sylvia, just looking at the futures, they paired their losses modestly.I mean, we were down 25, now we're down about four or five. So, not not a big move. Uh but this is pretty important data and it's just the kickoff of what we're getting this week.>> Yeah, absolutely. I think it is a very ...

Core Insights - The dollar index has decreased to a one-week low, down by 0.05%, primarily due to falling T-note yields following weaker-than-expected US economic reports, which has raised expectations for a potential easing of monetary policy by the Federal Reserve [1][3] - The US Q4 employment cost index increased by 0.7% quarter-over-quarter, which is below the expected 0.8% and marks the smallest rise in 4.5 years [2] - US December retail sales remained unchanged month-over-month, falling short of the anticipated 0.4% increase, indicating a slowdown in consumer spending [3] Economic Indicators - The swaps market is pricing in a 22% probability of a 25 basis point rate cut at the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting on March 17-18, with expectations of a total interest rate cut of about 50 basis points by 2026 [4] - The euro has slightly decreased by 0.09% following a dovish statement from the European Central Bank, which suggested that lower interest rates could alleviate inflation and growth pressures caused by higher US tariffs [5] - The yen has appreciated by 0.97% against the dollar, reaching a one-week high, driven by positive signals from the Japanese economy, particularly a significant rise in machine tool orders [6]

The dollar may fall 10% this year as there’s a risk the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates more deeply than markets anticipate once the next chair of the central bank takes over, according to State Street's Lee Ferridge https://t.co/XmRnfrGwd1 ...

🚨BREAKING: "INTEREST RATES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO COME DOWN"The CEO of Bank of America, Brian Moynihan, has shared his belief that US interest rates will continue to fall, despite negative market sentiment. https://t.co/91QiduTXYB ...

Brazil’s inflation picked up in January, bolstering expectations that the Central Bank will move cautiously as it prepares to cut interest rates https://t.co/zrIPiOi5Al ...

If the Reform UK leader wants to raise taxes on bank profits, there are easier ways to do it than scrapping interest rates on central-bank reserves https://t.co/vnxOXvIzds ...

Earnings Overview - More than half of the S&P 500 companies have reported Q4 earnings, with 79% of the 297 companies beating expectations [1] - S&P earnings growth is projected to increase by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth [1] - Excluding the Magnificent Seven technology stocks, Q4 earnings are expected to rise by +4.6% [1] Market Focus - The upcoming week will focus on corporate earnings results and economic news, including the Q4 employment cost index expected to rise by 0.8% [2] - January retail sales are anticipated to increase by +0.4% month-over-month, with similar expectations for sales excluding autos [2] - January nonfarm payrolls are expected to rise by +69,000, while the unemployment rate is projected to remain at 4.4% [2] Stock Market Movements - Stock indexes initially fell but recovered, with the Dow Jones Industrials reaching a new all-time high [5] - The S&P 500 Index closed up +0.47%, the Dow Jones up +0.04%, and the Nasdaq 100 up +0.77% [5] - Chipmakers and AI-infrastructure stocks rebounded, contributing to the market's recovery [5][11] Sector Performance - Mining stocks surged after gold prices increased by +2% and silver prices jumped by more than +6% [12] - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Broadcom (AVGO) saw gains of more than +3%, while Nvidia (NVDA) and others also performed well [11] - Oracle (ORCL) rose by more than +9% following an upgrade, while Dynatrace (DT) reported better-than-expected Q3 revenue and raised its full-year forecast [13][14] Notable Declines - Kyndryl Holdings (KD) fell more than -55% after reporting Q3 revenue below expectations and cutting its profit forecast [16] - Monday.com (MNDY) dropped more than -21% due to a revenue forecast below consensus [16] - Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) and Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) also experienced significant declines following disappointing earnings reports [16]

Macro Economic Outlook - The current macroeconomic environment is described as nuanced, influenced by various factors including geopolitics, fiscal deficits, and public policy [1] - The company has strategically invested in resources across these areas, positioning itself favorably to navigate the complexities of the current economic moment [1] Future Activity Projections - There is an expectation of increased transaction activity in 2026, indicating a positive outlook for future market engagement [2]

The market is telling the Fed to cut interest rates.Truflation is saying to cut rates.The President is saying to cut rates.And now the next Fed Chairman and the Treasury Secretary are saying to cut rates.What do you think is going to happen? ...

Core Insights - Suze Orman provides a financial roadmap for 2026, emphasizing the importance of staying invested in the stock market despite potential short-term fluctuations [2] Market Expectations - The stock market is expected to continue its upward trend, with occasional downward spikes lasting from a week to a month [2] - Interest rates are anticipated to decline slowly as the Federal Reserve aims to stimulate borrowing, spending, and hiring, which may also lead to a gradual decrease in mortgage rates [3] - Inflation is expected to increase costs across the board, primarily due to tariffs, while Bitcoin is projected to rise significantly over the long term despite its volatility [4] Recommended Actions - Regular investment is advised to leverage dollar-cost averaging, which helps mitigate market volatility [6] - Cutting expenses is crucial to prevent inflation from eroding savings, and maintaining an emergency fund of 8 to 12 months of expenses is recommended due to potential layoffs [8] - Downsizing may be beneficial to reduce expenses and free up cash [8] - Investors should remain in the market if they have at least five years before needing the funds and diversify their portfolios with high-quality mutual funds, ETFs, or stocks [8] Retirement Planning - Investing in Roth retirement accounts is recommended, with a focus on converting pre-tax accounts to Roths over time to minimize tax burdens [9] - Delaying Social Security benefits until age 70 is advised, or at least until reaching full retirement age [9] - Maximizing contributions to retirement accounts is essential, particularly to take full advantage of company matches [10] - Older individuals should consider long-term insurance to protect savings in case of nursing home needs [10] - Essential legal documents such as wills and trusts should be created to ensure wishes are honored [10]