Key Takeaways
- Fed Holds Rates, Markets Watch for Signals – The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates steady, with Chair Powell signaling a readiness to adjust if needed amid market volatility.
- Wall Street Tumbles on Trump’s Trade Moves – Stocks fell 2% despite a rebound as Trump’s tariffs fuel market uncertainty, with volatility surging to levels unseen since the Fed’s inflation fight.
- China Stocks Surge Amid Xi’s Economic Push – The MSCI China Index is up nearly 20% in 2025, widening its lead over US equities as optimism grows over China’s economic expansion and tech investment.
- Trump Orders Military Strikes in Yemen – Trump launched attacks on Houthi-controlled sites after months of Red Sea shipping disruptions, linking the strikes to Houthi support for Hamas.
- G-7 Drops Two-State Solution to Secure Russia Sanctions Deal – G-7 foreign ministers agreed to tighten sanctions on Russia but only after allies dropped references to a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine at US insistence.
IPO’s in the week
- Marwynn Holdings, Inc., a Nevada-based company specializing in supply chain management for food, non-alcoholic beverages, and home improvement products, is set to go public. The company plans to offer 2,000,000 shares at a price of $4.00 each, listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol MWYN. This IPO is scheduled for March 13, 2025, presenting an opportunity for investors to participate in the growth of a company that focuses on optimizing supply chain efficiencies across various sectors.
Markets this week
- The S&P 500 lost 66.43 points (-1.16%) during the week.
- The Russell 1000 lost 2.40 points (-0.77%) during the week.
- The Russell 2000 lost 13.99 points (-0.68%) over the week.
- The CBOE lost 2.93 points (-11.86%) over the five days of trading.
- Bitcoin USD gained $3,371.95 (4.18%) during five trading days.
- Ethereum USD lost $105.96 (-5.26%) during five trading days.
- Gold gained $83.50 (2.87%) during the week.
- Silver gained $1.60 (4.88%) over the week.
- WTI (West Texas Intermediate) gained $0.08 (0.12%) during the week.
- Brent Crude Oil lost $0.37 (-0.53%) over the week.
- The Fed is expected to hold rates, with Powell signaling readiness to adjust if needed amid market volatility.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sees market corrections as “healthy” and remains optimistic, citing tax policy, deregulation, and energy security as drivers of long-term growth.
- Apple’s Siri chief Robby Walker called AI delays “ugly and embarrassing,” acknowledging setbacks in feature rollouts.
- Chinese stocks surge on optimism over Xi’s economic push, with the MSCI China Index up nearly 20% in 2025.
- Wall Street tumbles amid Trump’s tariff chaos, with stocks down 2% despite a rebound. Market volatility surges to levels unseen since the Fed’s inflation fight.
- Traders monitor market liquidity as the S&P 500’s decline continues steadily, avoiding major volatility amid ongoing trade tensions.
- Big Tech valuations have dropped but remain above past lows, with the Magnificent Seven trading at 26 times projected earnings, leaving room for further declines.
- The US tariff dispute has boosted trading on Canada’s TMX Group, with volumes surging in rates futures and ETF options. Volatility in Canada’s benchmark index hit its highest level since 2022.
- Ethiopian Airlines and AfDB are building Africa’s largest $7.8 billion airport to boost passenger capacity to 60 million by 2040.
- Corporate debt demand drops amid trade wars as markets price in recession, junk spreads widen, and volatility rises.
- BlackRock Inc. and other investors are providing at least $15 million to help Razor Group, a German e-commerce aggregator, address a liquidity crisis. This funding is part of efforts to stabilize the company, which has raised over $1.3 billion but is now exploring a potential merger with Infinite Commerce Inc.
- Coinbase Global Inc. has registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit, enabling it to launch retail trading services in India later this year. This marks Coinbase’s second attempt to enter the Indian market, following a brief 2022 initiative involving the Unified Payments Interface that was quickly suspended.
Politics Weekly
- President Trump may speak with Putin this week as the US pushes for a Ukraine ceasefire. Putin rejected an immediate truce, while Ukraine agreed to terms.
- SpaceX’s Dragon capsule docked at the ISS, bringing a new crew and paving the way for stranded astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to return home.
- Australia minimizes its potential role in a Ukraine peacekeeping force as allies push for a ceasefire, says PM Anthony Albanese.
- Trump orders strikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen after months of Red Sea shipping disruptions. He cites the Houthis’ attacks on vessels as justification, linking them to support for Hamas.
- UK PM Keir Starmer says 25 allied leaders agreed to intensify economic pressure on Russia to push Putin toward ceasefire talks in Ukraine.
- Trump signs an order to reduce eight federal agencies, cutting non-statutory functions.
The move is part of his effort to downsize the US government. Affected agencies include the Minority Business Development Agency and Arctic Research Commission. - The Senate confirmed billionaire Stephen Feinberg as Deputy Secretary of Defense in a 59-40 vote. Feinberg, co-founder of Cerberus Capital Management, brings management expertise to the Pentagon. He aims to address longstanding issues under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- At the G-7 meeting, US allies sought clarity on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s stance amid Trump’s trade moves. Rubio navigated tensions over 25% tariffs on steel, 200% tariffs on European alcohol, and Trump’s push for Canada as the 51st state.
- G-7 foreign ministers agreed on a joint statement backing more Russia sanctions if it rejects a ceasefire.
- The deal came after allies conceded to the US by dropping references to a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine.
- China and Russia backed Iran in rejecting US sanctions and urged reviving the nuclear deal Trump abandoned. In a joint statement, they called for ending unilateral restrictions and resuming nuclear talks.
- Trump shifts to a $200 million self-deportation campaign as mass raids stall. The “Stay Out and Leave Now” effort includes ads, a self-reporting app, and warnings of permanent bans.
Technology Advancements this week
- The newly released iPhone 16e, priced at $599 and replacing the $429 iPhone SE, is outselling its predecessor. However, it faces challenges in China where it struggles to compete against more affordable Android alternatives.
- UK and US officials are discussing a resolution after the UK requested Apple to provide access to encrypted data, prompting Apple to disable a major encryption feature. This move has drawn criticism from US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who has called for an inquiry, citing privacy concerns and cybersecurity risks.
- Apple Inc. is set to introduce a live translation feature for AirPods that translates conversations in real-time. This update, linked to the upcoming iOS 19, is expected later this year.
- House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan is requesting information from Apple, Microsoft, and other tech firms about their AI initiatives and any possible collaboration with the Biden administration on censoring free speech. Jordan’s inquiry aims to inform legislation aimed at protecting civil liberties amid advancements in AI technology.
- Alibaba Group has upgraded its Quark AI assistant app with the new Qwen reasoning model to enhance features like chatbot functionality, deep thinking, and task execution. This update positions Quark to compete with rivals like ByteDance’s Doubao, offering capabilities such as image generation and travel planning. Alibaba demonstrated these features in a new video, showcasing tasks like article writing and meeting minute generation.
- Alphabet Inc.’s Google DeepMind has introduced two new AI models, Gemini Robotics and Gemini Robotics-ER, aimed at enhancing robot dexterity and spatial understanding. This development enhances training for robots to manage unfamiliar scenarios, positioning Google as a competitor to Meta and OpenAI in robotics AI.
- Lyft Inc. is set to release “Lyft Silver,” a simplified app version tailored for elderly riders, later this year. This new feature, designed to enhance usability and support for seniors, will include options to share ride details and use digital gift cards. Lyft has also established a waitlist for updates on the launch in various markets.
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