The German DAX is up 33% over the past year, outpacing the S&P 500’s total performance. The largest stock market in the Euro Area is a total return index, so dividends are included. While the performance has been strong over the past year, we’ve seen aFreelance Financial Writer | Investments | Markets | Personal Finance | RetirementI create written content used in various formats including articles, blogs, emails, and social media for financial advisors and investment firms in a cost-efficient way. My passi ...

U.S. Stock Market Performance - U.S. stocks traded lower, with the Dow Jones down approximately 1.5% on Friday, closing at 43,488.38, while the NASDAQ fell 2.38% to 20,620.55 and the S&P 500 dropped 1.76% to 6,227.60 [1] - Consumer staples shares increased by 0.9%, while consumer discretionary stocks decreased by 3.4% on the same day [1] Amazon Financial Results - Amazon.com Inc. shares fell around 8% after reporting second-quarter net sales of $167.7 billion, which is a 13% year-over-year increase, surpassing the Street consensus estimate of $161.9 billion [2] Commodity Market Trends - Oil prices decreased by 2% to $67.86, while gold prices increased by 1.4% to $3,396.30. Silver rose by 0.6% to $36.945, and copper increased by 1% to $4.3995 [5] European Market Performance - European shares declined, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 falling 1.79%, Spain's IBEX 35 Index down 1.83%, London's FTSE 100 down 0.80%, Germany's DAX 40 declining 2.36%, and France's CAC 40 falling 2.73% [6] Asian Market Performance - Asian markets closed lower, with Japan's Nikkei 225 down 0.66%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng down 1.07%, China's Shanghai Composite down 0.37%, and India's BSE Sensex down 0.72% [7] Notable Stock Movements - Tenon Medical, Inc. shares surged 75% to $1.7500 following the acquisition of sacroiliac joint-specific assets from SiVantage [9] - Performant Healthcare, Inc. shares increased by 114% to $7.59 after an acquisition agreement for $670 million [9] - Alphatec Holdings, Inc. shares rose 26% to $13.36 after raising FY2025 sales guidance above estimates [9] - Fluor Corporation shares dropped 31% to $39.35 after reporting second-quarter results below estimates and lowering FY25 adjusted EPS guidance [9] - Silexion Therapeutics Corp shares fell 35% to $9.75 after announcing the exercise of warrants for $1.8 million gross proceeds [9] - Insperity, Inc. shares decreased by 23% to $45.98 after reporting worse-than-expected quarterly results and issuing weak guidance [9] Economic Indicators - U.S. construction spending declined by 0.4% to an annualized rate of $2.136 trillion in June [11] - The ISM manufacturing PMI fell to 48 in July from 49 in June, missing market estimates of 49.5 [11] - The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index slipped to 61.7 in July from a preliminary reading of 61.8 [11] - The S&P Global manufacturing PMI was revised higher to 49.8 in July from a preliminary reading of 49.5 [11]

Market Performance - The stock market experienced a bullish day with the Dow increasing by 229 points (+0.52%), the S&P 500 rising by 33 points (+0.54%), the Nasdaq gaining 153 points (+0.74%), and the Russell 2000 leading with a rise of 27 points (+1.22%) [1] - Year-to-date performance shows the Dow up +4.56%, S&P 500 up +7.07%, Nasdaq up +8.15%, and Russell 2000 up +1.07% [1] Bond Market - Bond yields moderated after rising due to strong economic reports, with the 10-year yield at +4.46%, the 2-year at +3.91%, and the 30-year above +5.01% [2] Economic Indicators - Business Inventories for May remained flat at 0.0% for the second consecutive month, with only one negative month in the past year [3] - Homebuilder Confidence for July reached 33, slightly above the previous month's 32 [3] Company Earnings - Netflix reported Q2 earnings of $7.19 per share, exceeding estimates of $7.07, with revenues of $11.08 billion, close to the expected $11.09 billion [4] - Netflix raised its full-year revenue guidance to $44.8-45.2 billion and marked its sixth consecutive quarterly earnings beat, despite a slight decline in shares [5] - Interactive Brokers reported Q2 earnings of 51 cents per share, beating estimates by 5 cents, with revenues of $1.48 billion, surpassing the expected $1.36 billion [6] - Interactive Brokers' shares rose nearly +5% in after-hours trading following its earnings report [6] Upcoming Economic Data - Upcoming reports include Housing Starts and Building Permits for June, expected to show slight increases, and a preliminary Consumer Confidence reading for July, anticipated to rise to 61.8 from 60.7 [7] - The Q2 earnings season continues with reports expected from companies like 3M, Schlumberger, and American Express, with major companies like Alphabet, Intel, and Tesla reporting next week [8]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the potential impact of President Trump's tariff strategies on the stock market, particularly the S&P 500 Index (SPX), highlighting the risks associated with his shifting stance as the market recovers from previous declines [1][9]. Market Performance - The SPX is currently trading above its year-end 2024 close of 5,882, the 2024 Election Day close of 5,783, and the pre-Inauguration Day close of 5,995, reaching an all-time high above the February closing high of 6,144 [8]. Tariff Strategies - Evidence suggests that Trump's tariff strategies may become bolder as the SPX recovers, with threats to double tariffs on several countries and impose 50% levies on Canada [5][7]. - The administration's approach to tariffs is closely linked to stock performance, with a potential increase in tariffs expected when stocks are performing well [9][10]. Volatility and Market Sentiment - The Cboe Market Volatility Index (VIX) is at multi-month lows, indicating a calm market despite increasing tariff threats, which may embolden Trump to escalate tariffs further [11]. - A premium of over 15% in the 30-day VIX futures contract compared to the VIX suggests potential underperformance in the market in the following weeks [12]. Short Interest and Trader Optimism - Total short interest on SPX components has increased by 5%, indicating a highly shorted market, yet the SPX has managed gains despite this headwind [16][18]. - Trader optimism is rising, as evidenced by a low VIX reading and a National Association of Active Investment Managers (NAAIM) survey score of 86 out of 100, up from 50 at the SPX trough earlier this year [19]. Support Levels - Potential support levels for the SPX are identified at the former all-time closing high of 6,144 and the rising 30-day moving average, projected to be around 6,130 by the end of the week [20].

Market Performance - NASDAQ rose 52% under Trump's administration in the first half [1] - NASDAQ experienced an 18% surge in 2024 under Biden's administration [1]

Market Overview - Global headlines regarding a thwarted attack from Iran on a U.S. Air Force base in Qatar were perceived positively by market participants, contributing to gains in equity markets [1] - The Dow closed up 384 points (+0.90%), the S&P 500 increased by 0.96%, the Nasdaq rose by 224 points (+1.03%), and the Russell 2000 gained 1.05% [2] - Bond yields remained steady, with the 10-year yield at 4.34% and the 2-year yield at 3.85% [2] Oil Market - Oil prices decreased significantly, with WTI spot crude prices falling by 8% to $67.67 per barrel and Brent dropping by 6.3% to $67.73 per barrel [3] - The potential for a warlike shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles 20 million barrels of petroleum products per day (nearly 30% of the world's oil trade), appears unlikely [3] Company Performance: KB Home - KB Home reported Q2 earnings of $1.50 per share, beating estimates by five cents, but down from $2.15 per share in the same quarter last year, with quarterly sales of $1.53 billion, exceeding the $1.50 billion consensus [4] - Full-year revenue guidance was lowered to a range of $6.30-6.50 billion from the previously anticipated $6.64 billion, despite the company outperforming earnings estimates in nine of the last ten quarters [5] - KB Home shares are down approximately 20% year-to-date [5] Economic Indicators - The S&P flash Services PMI for June registered at 53.1, slightly above expectations, though down from 53.7 in May, indicating strong domestic demand for services [6] - The S&P flash Manufacturing PMI for June matched the previous month's level at 52.0, with factory production rising for the first time in four months [7] - Existing Home Sales for May exceeded forecasts at 4.03 million units, surpassing the expected 3.95 million, with gains primarily in the Northeast, Midwest, and South, while the West saw a decline of 5.4% [8]

Political Instability - Thailand's Prime Minister faces uncertainty due to a leaked phone call criticizing the army, leading to opposition calls for her resignation and street protests [1][2][4] - A key coalition party, Bhumjaithai Party, exited, leaving the ruling coalition with a slim majority in Parliament [3] - The Prime Minister apologized for her comments, claiming they were part of her negotiation tactic [5] - The current government previously lost a prime minister due to an ethics violation [6] Economic Impact - Foreign investors had already withdrawn $23 billion (23 亿) from Thai stock markets this year, viewing Thailand as vulnerable in the ASEAN region [8] - The political turmoil is seen as a distraction from implementing key economic reforms [9] - The Thai stock exchange is currently the worst-performing market globally this year [10]

Market Analysis - The acronym TINA (There Is No Alternative) is used to justify disappointing stock market performance because other asset classes offer even worse returns [1]

Core Viewpoint - The content emphasizes the importance of conducting personal due diligence and consulting competent advisors before making any financial decisions, particularly in the context of investments and trading [1]. Group 1 - The website provides general news, publications, and personal analysis intended for educational and research purposes [1]. - It explicitly states that the information does not constitute any recommendation or advice for investment actions [1]. - Users are advised to consider their financial situation and needs before relying on the information provided [1]. Group 2 - The website includes information about complex financial instruments such as cryptocurrencies and contracts for difference (CFDs), which carry a high risk of losing money [1]. - It encourages users to perform their own research and understand the risks involved before making investment decisions [1].

Market Overview - U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, with the Dow Jones index gaining over 400 points following the release of jobs data [1] Analyst Ratings and Insights - Benzinga's Analyst Ratings API provides high-quality stock ratings through partnerships with major sell-side banks, displaying overnight rating changes daily [2] - Analyst insights from Benzinga Pro subscribers have been shown to outperform the stock market as trading indicators [2] Top Analyst Picks - Benzinga offers access to the latest analyst ratings, allowing traders to sort by analyst accuracy [3] - The most accurate Wall Street analysts include Trevor Walsh and Alexander Paris [3] Recent Analyst Ratings - **CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (CRWD)**: JMP Securities maintained an Outperform rating with a price target of $500, indicating a 6% upside [5] - **HealthEquity, Inc. (HQY)**: Barrington Research maintained an Outperform rating and raised the price target from $112 to $125, indicating a 12% surge potential [5] - **Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)**: JP Morgan maintained an Overweight rating and increased the price target from $225 to $240, indicating a 12% upside [5] - **LGI Homes, Inc. (LGIH)**: Wedbush maintained a Neutral rating and cut the price target from $100 to $93, indicating a 90% upside [5] - **Broadcom Inc. (AVGO)**: An analyst reiterated a Buy rating and boosted the price target from $267 to $295, indicating a 20% upside [6] Company News - CrowdStrike's CEO expressed confidence in the company's financial practices amid a Department of Justice inquiry [5] - HealthEquity reported better-than-expected first-quarter adjusted EPS results and raised its FY26 guidance [5] - Amazon cut jobs in its books division, including roles at Goodreads and Kindle [5] - LGI Homes reported 416 home closings in May [5] - Broadcom reported second-quarter revenue of $15 billion, exceeding analyst estimates of $14.99 billion [6]