If the Treasury yield curve continues to steepen this year, it would make it harder for long-term borrowers to feel the full impact of any 2026 rate cuts by the Fed. ...

You've given us a great summary of the performance of the economy, how it's performing, what is likely to how it's likely to inform, what's your policy outlook. And maybe you can go back to December when you had to project for the year, which makes it somewhat independent of the arrival of a new chair. What do you think the policy picture.How many rate cuts, for example, in 2026. So for me, I didn't have any luck. To me, I think we have so much momentum in the economy that we need to keep our policy rate in ...

Company Performance - Apple reported a record-breaking first quarter with revenue of approximately $143.8 billion and earnings per share of $2.84, exceeding expectations due to strong iPhone demand and overall market strength [2] - iPhone revenue increased by roughly 23% to an all-time high, while services also reached a record as Apple's installed base surpassed 2.5 billion active devices [2] - CEO Tim Cook indicated strong growth prospects with guidance for double-digit revenue expansion in the next quarter, despite challenges from memory chip cost pressures and supply constraints [3] Market Reactions - The nomination of Kevin Walsh as the new chair of the Federal Reserve led to a strengthening of the dollar and a significant drop in gold prices, reflecting market expectations regarding future Fed policy [5] - The memory sector is experiencing significant growth, with companies like Sandisk and Western Digital reporting triple-digit gains and benefiting from tight supplies and high demand driven by AI and data centers [8] Upcoming Earnings and Expectations - Alphabet is expected to report earnings per share of $2.60, a 20% increase from last year, with revenue projected at $94.7 billion, focusing on search and YouTube ad revenue, AI monetization, and cloud growth [12] - Amazon's earnings per share is anticipated to be $1.98, with rising revenue of $211.53 billion, while investors will closely monitor AWS growth amid strong competition in the retail sector [13] Economic Indicators - Upcoming economic data releases include global manufacturing PMIs, ISM reports, and ADP job numbers, which will be crucial for market reactions and future rate cut expectations [16]

President Donald Trump just nominated Kevin Warsh to chair the Federal Reserve. Warsh has spent years criticizing easy money, bloated balance sheets and inflation as "a choice.†He resigned from the Fed in 2011 over QE2. He called the $7.5 trillion balance sheet "a relic of crisis-era thinking.†Now he would be working for a president who wants rate cuts, market booms — and no pushback. ...

Well, tech earnings set to kick off this week. Investor focus seems to be broadening beyond the big cap names. The Russell 2000 has been outperforming the S&P 500 over the last six months, driven by valuations and rate cut expectations.Our next guest thinks this trend will continue. Joining us now is Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Chief Portfolio Manager Matt Stucky. Matt, great to have you with us.>> Thanks for having me. >> So, you're you're into the Russell 2000 move. You think this is durable.Wel ...

Core Insights - Economists anticipate that the upcoming report will indicate core PCE remaining steady at 2.8%, which is expected to reinforce a cautious approach from policymakers regarding interest rate cuts [1]

Group 1: Gold Market Dynamics - Gold prices experienced a significant decline, dropping as much as 1.7%, following President Trump's comments regarding the nomination of Kevin Hassett as Federal Reserve chair, which raised doubts about the Fed's future leadership [1][2] - The uncertainty surrounding the new monetary chief is expected to keep gold prices supported, but concerns about the Fed potentially not lowering borrowing costs as much as anticipated are negatively impacting non-yielding gold [3] - Gold has continued its rally into 2025, driven by renewed attacks on the Fed's independence and expectations of monetary easing [2] Group 2: Federal Reserve Insights - Recent inflation and unemployment data have led several Federal Reserve officials to indicate a willingness to pause rate cuts, citing a stabilizing labor market and ongoing inflation pressures [4] - Five regional Fed bank presidents have suggested that the central bank is well-positioned to wait for more data before making further policy decisions [4] Group 3: Silver Market Developments - Silver prices fell significantly, with spot silver declining as much as 6% after a previous modest decline, influenced by regulatory actions in China that limited trading positions and high-frequency trading [5][6] - The Shanghai Futures Exchange has implemented measures to reduce volatility by removing high-frequency trading servers and lowering the maximum number of intraday opening positions for silver futures [6]

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) fell 0.53% to 6,926.60 as it again failed to hold the 7,000 mark. The Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) slid 1.00% to 23,471.75 on tech weakness, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDEX: ^DJI) edged down 0.09% to 49,149.63 in a risk-off session. Market movers Mega-cap tech dragged the tape, with Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) falling 1.44% to $183.14 and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) shedding 2.40% to $459.38. Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) sank on mixed earnings and regulatory worries.  Ex ...

Inflation, he said, is still the main reason many households feel under pressure. ...

Group 1 - In 2025, investors could have achieved 42% returns by investing in the top 10 performers of 2024, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 16% gain [2] - Hindsight investing can lead to significant losses, as seen with Signature Bank and Ford Motor Co. in 2022, where they experienced declines of 63% and 42% respectively [3] - Current trends that drove growth in 2024 and 2025 are becoming less reliable, prompting a need for investors to adapt to new trends in the next 60 to 90 days [5] Group 2 - The anticipated trend of rate cuts in 2026 may be underestimated, with betting markets suggesting at least three cuts, which could benefit Rocket Cos. Inc. (RKT) [8][9] - Rocket Cos. is positioned to capitalize on potential refinancing activity if mortgage rates fall below 6%, following a recent upgrade to an "A" grade in the Stock Grader system [12][13] - Gene editing technologies are emerging as a significant trend, with Crispr Therapeutics AG (CRSP) being a leading company in this space, expected to see substantial revenue growth from its sickle-cell therapy [14][20] Group 3 - Evolv Technologies Holdings Inc. (EVLV) is positioned to benefit from increased demand for security solutions, particularly in public spaces, as it offers advanced weapon detection technology [22][24] - Evolv has shifted to a subscription model and improved its operations following a scandal, which may lead to better-than-expected growth in 2026 [25][26] - The overall market is showing signs of potential downturns, with historical parallels to previous market collapses, indicating that current optimism may be misplaced [27][28]