MONEY MASTER

Wall Street rode another  volatile wave on Wednesday , swinging between gains and losses as traders weighed  renewed US-China trade tensions  against  strong corporate earnings  and  rate-cut optimism  from the Federal Reserve. Market Snapshot S&P 500 (.SPX.US):  +0.4%, recovered from intraday lows Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC.US):  +0.7%, lifted by chipmakers and tech giants Dow Jones (.DJI.US):  +0.3%, supported by bank earnings US 2-Year Treasury Yield:  near  2022 lows Gold Futures:  surged above  US$4,200/oz , hitting a new record Volatility Returns as Trade Tensions Flare After one of the best six-month stretches since the 1950s, Wall Street is showing signs of fatigue — but buyers continue to step in at every dip. The  S&P 500  swung more than 1.5% intraday before ending higher, underscoring investors’  buy-the-dip mentality  amid speculation that  Fed rate cuts  will extend the...

U.S. stocks traded mostly lower Monday despite a U.S.-E.U. trade deal, with individual names making big moves ahead of a jam-packed earnings week and key Fed decision. Winners Tesla (TSLA):  +3.6% after the EU-U.S. trade deal capped auto tariffs at 15%. CEO Elon Musk also confirmed a  $16.5B chip deal with Samsung  for next-gen AI chips at a Texas fab. AMD (AMD):  +4% to $173.14 after UBS raised its price target to $210, citing AI growth momentum. ASML (ASML):  +4% as European semiconductor stocks jumped post-trade deal. Nike (NKE):  +4% to $79.34 after J.P. Morgan upgraded the stock to Overweight and hiked the target to $93, forecasting a multi-year recovery. Cheniere Energy (LNG):  +1.2% after the EU agreed to buy $750B in U.S. energy, including LNG. Lockheed Martin (LMT):  +0.3% as the EU pledged large U.S. military equipment purchases. Boeing (BA):  +0.5% despite labor tensions after workers rejected a contract offer, triggering a potenti...

  Index Movements: Nasdaq Composite : ▲ +0.3% to 20,730.49 (New Record High) Dow Jones Industrial Average : ▲ +0.5% to 44,254.78 S&P 500 : ▲ +0.3% to 6,263.70 Macro Overview: Markets Rally on Tame Inflation and Trump’s Clarification U.S. equity markets ended higher Wednesday, led by another  record close for the Nasdaq Composite , as investors digested softer inflation data and  President Trump’s denial of plans to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell . Markets wobbled midday following reports that Trump asked Republicans about removing Powell due to dissatisfaction over interest rate policy. However, Trump later clarified: "We're not planning on doing it... unless he has to leave for fraud." Investors also welcomed  tamer wholesale inflation : June PPI  eased to  2.3% YoY , down from 2.7% in May, moving closer to the Fed’s 2% target. This bolsters the case for a  potential rate cut , lifting investor sentiment. Movers of the Day: Mega-Cap and Sector Actio...

Key Takeaway: ASML forecasts 8%-14% sales growth through 2030 , fueled by strong demand for its advanced EUV chip-making tools amid the AI boom. ASML, Europe’s largest tech company, announced expectations of steady annual sales growth between 8% and 14% over the next five years , targeting revenue between €44 billion and €60 billion by 2030 . The forecast aligns with ASML’s position as a leading supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools , essential for manufacturing advanced AI chips. CEO Christophe Fouquet highlighted that ASML’s EUV technology positions the company well to capitalize on the AI-driven chip demand expected to extend into the next decade. Analysts welcomed the guidance, especially after ASML’s recent third-quarter earnings fell short due to delayed orders from major clients like Intel and Samsung. ASML’s growth in China may be impacted by export restrictions on advanced EUV and deep ultraviolet (DUV) tools, limiting China’s share of ASML’s total sales ...

Traders pulled out of Nasdaq-100 futures at the fastest rate this year , driven by a significant selloff in chipmakers after ASML Holding NV unexpectedly lowered its 2025 guidance . This led to a massive contraction in futures holdings. Open interest in Nasdaq-100 futures fell by $5.7 billion , the biggest drop in 2024, according to Bloomberg data. Despite volume reaching 524,000 contracts , slightly above the 20-day average, traders moved out of the broader technology sector in response to ASML’s announcement, triggering declines across semiconductor shares . Globally, chipmakers lost $420 billion in value , with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index dropping 5.3% , the steepest fall since September. Major players like Nvidia Corp were caught in the wave of selloffs, as uncertainty around the chip market outlook extended beyond 2025.

U.S. stocks took a hit on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 dropping nearly 1% and the Nasdaq 100 slipping 1.4% , as semiconductor firms faced a sharp selloff. ASML Holding NV led the decline, with its U.S.-traded shares plunging 16% after the company cut its 2025 guidance . Additionally, Nvidia Corp sank 4.5% on concerns over U.S. government discussions about capping sales of AI chips to certain countries. This downturn came after a strong rally, with investors turning more bullish. A Bank of America survey indicated that allocations to equities surged , while cash levels in portfolios dropped , triggering a "sell signal" according to strategists. Some analysts believe the market has become overbought , prompting profit-taking as earnings season kicks into high gear. Despite solid earnings reports from Bank of America and Goldman Sachs , concerns over stretched valuations and uncertainties surrounding fiscal and monetary policy continue to weigh on sentiment. The...

Asian stocks are expected to track the US selloff after a disappointing outlook from Europe's largest tech firm, ASML Holding NV , and concerns about new US curbs on chip sales weighed heavily on the tech sector, which has driven much of the recent bull market. Futures for Tokyo , Hong Kong , and Sydney suggested declines, following the S&P 500’s 0.8% drop. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 fell 1.4% , driven by a 4.5% decline in Nvidia Corp due to discussions about capping sales of advanced AI chips to certain countries. Meanwhile, ASML plunged 16% after cutting its 2025 guidance . A survey by Bank of America Corp suggested that investors are increasingly bullish, signaling a potential sell-off in global stocks as allocations to equities surged, while bond exposure and cash levels dropped. In Asia , traders will be closely monitoring China's stocks after the housing minister announced a press briefing to provide more details about potential property sector support . US-...