MONEY MASTER

Wall Street closed lower Wednesday , led by a retreat in tech stocks as investors turned cautious ahead of the  Fed’s Jackson Hole symposium . 🔻 Tech-Led Pullback After fueling the post-April rebound,  tech stocks took a breather : Nvidia : -2.8% AMD : -3.0% Intel & Micron : -6% Apple : -1.4% Meta : -2.3% This pause follows concerns about  stretched valuations  and growing  government involvement , including possible equity-for-grant deals under the Chips Act. “A pullback after such a strong run is normal,” said Adam Sarhan, CEO of 50 Park Investments. “But deeper selling could shift flows to small-caps or defensive sectors like healthcare.” 🧭 Fed in Focus: Jackson Hole Looms The market is bracing for potential monetary policy clues from: FOMC Minutes (July)  — due 2:00pm ET Jackson Hole Symposium (Aug 21–23) Fed Chair Powell's speech  — scheduled Friday While traders are pricing in a  25-basis-point rate cut in September , the Fed’s messagi...

Several high-profile names posted bullish opening gaps, with  Best Buy (BBY) ,  Palo Alto Networks (PANW) , and  Diageo (DEO)  standing out for both  price momentum  and  volume confirmation : Best Buy (BBY)  jumped  +3.20%  amid optimism for stronger back-to-school demand and improving electronics retail data. Palo Alto Networks (PANW)  climbed  +3.06%  on growing investor confidence in enterprise cybersecurity spend despite macro headwinds. Diageo (DEO)  gained  +3.10% , driven by improving consumption trends in premium alcohol categories, particularly across Asia. Stellantis (STLA)  and  Logitech (LOGI)  also posted moderate gains with  positive technical follow-through . Notable Gap-Downs: MUFG and Home Improvement Under Pressure Conversely, the downside gap list was led by financials and home improvement retailers: Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG)  gapped lower following soft ea...

The S&P 500 has been climbing to record highs, but this week could decide if the rally keeps going. Four of the world’s biggest tech companies –  Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Amazon  – are reporting earnings, and together they’re worth a massive  US$11.3 trillion . Their results matter because these companies make up  one-fifth of the S&P 500 index . If they perform well and give strong forecasts, the market could keep rising. If they disappoint, the rally may stall. So far, this earnings season has been strong, with about  82% of S&P 500 companies beating profit estimates . But with high expectations and ongoing worries about tariffs and consumer spending, all eyes are now on Big Tech. Another key focus is  AI investment . Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet are spending over  US$317 billion  this year on AI infrastructure. Investors now want to see actual returns, not just promises of future growth. Bottom line:  This week’s ea...

Global markets got a boost Monday after the  US and European Union  struck a trade agreement, easing fears of a deeper trade war. The deal imposes a  15% tariff on most EU goods —half the previously threatened rate—and requires Europe to purchase more US energy and military equipment. The EU agreed to avoid retaliatory tariffs, providing businesses with some much-needed clarity. Market Reaction European futures:  Up more than 1% S&P 500 futures:  +0.5% Nasdaq futures:  +0.6% Euro:  Strengthened against the dollar, sterling, and yen Oil:  Brent and WTI crude both gained 0.5% Gold:  Fell to a near two-week low as demand for safe havens eased “This is a big win for the US,” said Prashant Newnaha of TD Securities. “Markets see this as stability and predictability returning to trade policy.” Asia-Pacific Performance MSCI Asia-Pacific index (ex-Japan): +0.32%, near a 4-year high Hong Kong’s Hang Seng: +0.5% Japan’s Nikkei: -1% after last week’s...