Key Takeaways
- Nvidia’s $500B U.S. AI Investment Signals Long-Term Bet Amid Tariff Pressure
Despite a $5.5B hit from chip sales curbs to China, Nvidia plans to invest up to $500 billion in U.S.-based AI infrastructure over the next four years, underscoring its commitment to domestic scaling and AI leadership. - 2. Wall Street Turns to Asian Consumer Stocks as Tariff Hedge
Fidelity and Goldman Sachs are pivoting toward Asian consumer staples to reduce tariff exposure, lifting the MSCI Consumer Staples Index by 5% since April 2—an early sign of emerging market rotation. - 3. Deepening U.S.-China Trade War Hits Tech and Crypto Supply Chains
Trump’s tariffs triggered a $330M rush to relocate Bitcoin mining gear to the U.S., while Nvidia, Apple, and Tesla face revenue risks, exposing the fragility of global tech supply chains. - 4. DeepSeek Labeled a National Security Threat by U.S. Lawmakers
A bipartisan House panel warned that Chinese AI firm DeepSeek poses a “profound” threat to U.S. security, citing government ties and export control violations—fueling tech decoupling concerns. - 5. Trump’s Policy Overhauls Create Ripple Effects Across Global Diplomacy and Markets
From Iran uranium escalation and Powell firing speculation to Japan’s trade concessions and Macron’s upcoming UK visit, Trump’s aggressive foreign and economic stance is reshaping global alliances and market dynamics.
IPO’s in the week
- Haoxin Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: HXHX), a provider of temperature-controlled logistics and urban delivery services in China, completed its IPO on April 15, 2025, raising $7 million by offering 1,750,000 shares at $4.00 each.
- Everbright Digital Holding (Nasdaq: EDHL), offering digital marketing solutions including metaverse simulations, VR/AR design, and IP character creation, went public on April 17, 2025, raising $6 million through the sale of 1,500,000 shares at $4.00.
- Chagee Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: CHA), a premium tea beverage brand known for fresh tea-leaf extractions and dairy blends, raised approximately $411 million in its IPO on April 17, 2025, offering 14,683,991 shares at $28.00 each.
Markets this week
- S&P 500 Index closed at 5,282.70, down 159.26 points or 2.93% for the week.
- iShares Russell 1000 ETF closed at 288.89, down 9.25 points or 3.10% for the week.
- Russell 2000 closed at 1,880.62, down 10.04 points or 0.53% for the week.
- Russell 3000 closed at 3,001.15, down 82.45 points or 2.67% for the week.
- CBOE Volatility Index closed at 29.65, down 5.11 points or 14.70% for the week.
- Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 39,142.23, down 1,403.92 points or 3.46% for the week.
- NASDAQ Composite closed at 16,286.45, down 833.99 points or 4.87% over the week.
- Bitcoin (USD) closed at $84,450.80, up $756.28 or 0.90% during 5 trading days.
- Ethereum (USD) closed at $1,573.90, down $22.98 or 1.44% during 5 trading days.
- XRP (USD) closed at $2.0635, down $0.0567 or 2.67% during 5 trading days.
- Gold closed at $3,341.30, up $125.80 or 3.91% for the week.
- Silver closed at $32.545, up $0.745 or 2.34% for the week.
- WTI (West Texas Intermediate) closed at $64.45, up $2.75 or 4.46% for the week.
- Brent Crude Oil closed at $67.68, up $2.79 or 4.30% for the week.
- Fidelity and Goldman are backing Asian consumer stocks as a trade war hedge, lifting the MSCI Consumer Staples Index 5% since April 2.
- Tesla’s pivot toward conservative buyers is backfiring, with alienated core customers, a 45% drop in European sales, and a $150B loss in Musk’s net worth.
- China is open to talks with Trump if certain conditions are met, leaving markets watchful as hopes for a potential tariff deal hinge on meeting Beijing’s terms.
- Premier Li Qiang urged stronger support for China’s stocks and property market to offset U.S. trade tensions, as investor confidence wanes and Goldman cuts market targets.
- Trump’s tariffs sparked a $330M scramble to airlift Bitcoin mining gear from Southeast Asia to the U.S. before the deadline.
- Taiwan extended short-selling curbs, slashing the limit to 3% of average volume, to stabilize markets amid Trump tariff uncertainty.
- Amid Trump’s tariff uncertainty, investors are eyeing capital spending as firms cut back, signaling growing caution in key sectors like manufacturing and transport.
- Oil market volatility from Trump’s tariffs and OPEC+ plans has triggered $2B in outflows, pushing traders toward lower-risk spread strategies.
- Mark Zuckerberg, Safra Catz, and Jamie Dimon sold billions in shares ahead of Trump’s tariff-driven market rout. Zuckerberg alone offloaded $733M in Meta stock before its 32% drop.
- Emerging market local bonds are outperforming as Trump’s tariffs weaken the dollar and rate cuts loom, driving a 3.2% return so far this year.
- Trump’s tariffs threaten the 400,000 bpd U.S. propane trade with China, which buys 18% of exports. A 125% Chinese tariff has already driven U.S. prices down 15%.
- The chip industry’s AI-driven growth faces risks as Trump’s tariffs and weak demand in other sectors reveal overreliance. TSMC still expects AI chip revenue to double this year.
- Nvidia took a $5.5B hit after U.S. curbs on H20 chip sales to China, raising concerns about its ability to sustain growth amid trade tensions.
- Capital One’s $35B acquisition of Discover has been approved, giving it a card network and boosting assets to over $650B, pending resolution of Discover’s regulatory issues.
- A Boeing 737 MAX bound for China’s Xiamen Airlines returned to the U.S., highlighting escalating trade tensions under Trump’s tariffs.
Politics Weekly
- A draft Trump order proposes a major State Department overhaul, cutting offices on climate, refugees, and Africa. Marco Rubio called it “fake news.”
- IMF is set to cut growth forecasts and raise inflation outlooks after Trump’s April 2 tariffs, with G20 talks and new data to show early global impact.
- Exporters at China’s largest trade fair were told not to leave early, as organizers push to boost sales amid escalating U.S. trade tensions.
- Zelenskiy accused Russia of breaking Putin’s Easter truce, citing shellings and assaults. Russia denied it, claiming Ukraine violated the ceasefire instead.
- Trump is reviewing whether he can fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, after criticizing him for not cutting interest rates fast enough, according to top advisor Kevin Hassett.
- Iran can now produce bomb-grade uranium in under a week, following Trump’s 2018 deal exit. Talks resumed in April, but Trump is also reviving sanctions and threats.
- Trump may ease Russia sanctions to advance peace talks, but lifting key measures needs Congress and global support. Investors are watching closely.
- Trump is rolling back protections for Cuban migrants, leaving up to 500,000 recent arrivals facing possible deportation and ending decades of privileged U.S. immigration status.
- Japan is considering easing car safety standards and increasing rice imports to secure a trade deal with Trump, with tariff talks ongoing and a key meeting set for April 24.
- PM Modi visits Saudi Arabia to boost ties and expand $43B trade amid U.S. tariffs and domestic protests over a controversial property law.
- China is open to talks with Trump but insists the U.S. meet specific terms before any tariff deal negotiations begin, despite Trump’s push for a direct call.
- Pakistan’s Deputy PM is in Kabul for talks as tensions grow over Afghan refugee deportations and alleged Taliban support for militants.
- Macron will visit the UK in May ahead of Trump’s expected September trip, as Britain seeks closer ties with Europe.
- The Trump administration urged the Supreme Court to lift its deportation block on Venezuelans, calling the decision premature and lacking lower court review.
- India and China will soon resume the Mount Kailash pilgrimage, suspended for five years due to border tensions, signaling improving diplomatic and economic ties.
Technology Advancements this week
- Google’s AI-generated overviews have been found to reflect anti-abortion messaging, often aligning with narratives promoted by crisis pregnancy centers in search results related to abortion, according to a recent report.
- Netflix is bucking the broader tech downturn, emerging as a market safe haven thanks to its minimal exposure to tariffs and the continued growth of its advertising business.
- Perplexity AI Inc. is in talks with Samsung to integrate its virtual assistant into Samsung devices and has already secured a deal with Motorola, a Lenovo subsidiary, for a similar integration.
- A bipartisan U.S. House panel has labeled Chinese AI firm DeepSeek a “profound threat” to national security, citing its government ties and alleged efforts to bypass U.S. export controls.
- TikTok is testing a new feature called “Footnotes,” similar to community notes, aimed at providing additional context to posts that may contain misleading or inaccurate information
- Nvidia announced plans to invest up to $500 billion in AI infrastructure across the U.S. over the next four years, partnering with manufacturers to scale domestic production.
Don’t miss out on next week’s market insights and updates!
👉Keep the conversation going! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more insights, delivered straight to your inbox.