Microsoft Stocks

Key events: USA - Core PCE Price Index (MoM) (Dec) USA - Core PCE Price Index (YoY) (Dec) USA - Chicago PMI (Jan) The S&P 500 ended Thursday on a positive note, although gains remained limited due to a pullback in Microsoft following its latest earnings report, which indicated slower cloud growth.

Key events: USA - ADP Nonfarm Employment Change (Dec) USA - Initial Jobless Claims USA - Crude Oil Inventories USA - 30-Year Bond Auction USA - FOMC Meeting Minutes The S&P 500 ended significantly lower on Tuesday, dragged down by tech stocks as rising Treasury yields sparked fresh concerns over persistent inflation. This dampened expectations for additional Federal Reserve rate cuts.

As we enter 2025, the investment landscape reflects a year of impressive gains and notable trends across various asset classes. 2024 saw global stock markets reach new heights, with advancements in AI driving growth, while precious metals, base metals, and other assets delivered solid returns. However, with market dynamics continuing to evolve, it’s crucial to understand the factors that will shape financial markets in 2025.

Navigating the financial markets requires a keen understanding of how earnings reports impact stock performance. These reports, which reveal a company’s financial health and operational efficiency, are critical indicators for investors seeking to identify promising investment opportunities. Earnings reports are more than just a snapshot of a company’s past performance; they offer forward-looking insights into its potential for growth and profitability.

Key events: UK - Employment Change 3M/3M (MoM) (Aug) UK - Unemployment Rate (Aug) USA - FOMC Member Daly Speaks Wall Street moved higher on Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones reaching new intraday record highs as technology stocks rallied ahead of a week filled with corporate earnings reports and key economic data. The influx of earnings results from major US companies will provide investors with insights into the economy's strength and whether stock valuations, which are at elevated levels, can be sustained.

Key events: UK - BoE Interest Rate Decision (Aug) USA - Initial Jobless Claims USA - S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI (Jul) USA - ISM Manufacturing PMI (Jul) USA - ISM Manufacturing Prices (Jul) The S&P 500 experienced its largest gain since February on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates unchanged, hinting at a possible rate cut in September.

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Key events: Eurozone - Eurogroup Meetings Global stock indices tumbled on Friday as a widespread cyber outage disrupted operations across various industries, shaking investor confidence. Concurrently, the dollar strengthened and Treasury yields rose. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq experienced their most significant weekly percentage drops since April.

Key events: UK - GDP (MoM) (May) USA - Core CPI (MoM) (Jun) USA - Initial Jobless Claims USA - 30-Year Bond Auction The S&P 500 closed above 5,600 for the first time on Wednesday, propelled by tech stocks and continued hopes for an earlier rate cut as Fed Chair Jerome Powell delivered his second day of testimony before Congress, a day ahead of new inflation data.

Key events: USA - Durable Goods Orders (MoM) (Mar) USA - Crude Oil Inventories Tuesday saw another positive close for the S&P 500, marking its second consecutive daily increase fueled by generally upbeat quarterly earnings as anticipation builds for the Magnificent 7's financial reports, with Tesla scheduled to unveil its figures after market hours. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged by 263 points, or 0.7%, while the S&P 500 climbed by 1.2%, and the NASDAQ Composite soared by 1.6%.