Monday Morning Must-Knows - April 21, 2025

Monday Morning Must-Knows by Trading Academy

April 21, 2025

Will Tariff Fears Spark a Spending Surge?

Markets were mostly down last week, with the Russell 2000 the lone gainer in a shortened holiday week. The dominant theme remains trade war uncertainty—tariff negotiations with China, Japan, and Europe, and the unpredictable nature of political headlines and tweets could spark volatility at any moment. 

This week also brings a heavy earnings calendar, with 684 companies reporting. Notable names include Tesla, SAP, GE, Verizon, IBM, Boeing, Alphabet (Google), PepsiCo, and AbbVie. 

Meanwhile, the ongoing standoff between Trump and Fed Chair Jerome Powell continues, with Powell insisting on a data-driven approach. 

Key economic data includes global services and manufacturing PMI reports on Wednesday and the U.S. durable goods orders report on Thursday, expected to rise to 1.5%. However, any boost in spending may be frontloaded due to tariff fears. These developments could significantly impact market sentiment this week. Stay alert—headline risk is high, and economic data may carry more weight than usual.

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