WallSt007

Weekly Recap & Market Forecast $SPX (Feb 18th β†’Feb 23rd)

SP:SPX   S&P 500 Index
**Weekly Market Recap 🌐**

Hello Investors! 🌟 This week's market activities were dominated by earnings reports and pivotal US inflation data, with markets closely monitoring the Federal Reserve's response. πŸ“ˆ

**Market Overview:**

- Despite unsettling inflation data and mixed earnings reports, US indices hovered near record highs, buoyed by expectations of continued disinflation.
- Fed officials acknowledged recent strong data but maintained a stance suggesting policy normalization later in the year.

**Stock Market Performance:**

- πŸ“‰ S&P 500: Down 0.4%
- πŸ“‰ Dow Jones: Down 0.1%
- πŸ“‰ NASDAQ: Down 1.3%

**Economic Data and Policy:**

- January's CPI and PPI data indicated persistent inflationary pressures, complicating the Fed's path to achieving its 2% inflation target.
- Retail sales for January underperformed, hinting at softer consumer spending, while international data pointed towards economic slowdowns in the UK and Japan.

**Corporate Highlights:**

- **Hospitality and E-commerce:** Marriott and AirBnB signaled caution for the upcoming quarters, while Shopify's strong performance highlighted resilience in e-commerce.
- **Tech Sector:** Cisco Systems adjusted its outlook due to challenges in Asia, contrasting with Applied Materials' positive guidance fueled by cloud investment.
- **M&A Activity:** Speculation around Walmart's potential acquisition of Vizio underscored ongoing interest in strategic deals.

**Commodity Markets:**

- Grain prices reached three-year lows, reflecting larger crop inventories and reduced global demand for US agricultural products.

**Reflecting on Key Themes:**

- **Inflation Concerns:** The hotter-than-expected CPI and PPI readings have intensified debates around the Fed's interest rate policies.
- **Consumer Spending:** The notable decline in retail sales suggests a recalibration of consumer behavior, potentially impacting economic growth.
- **Agricultural Commodities:** The downturn in grain futures highlights shifting dynamics in the agricultural sector, with implications for food prices and inflation.

---

As we navigate through the complexities of 2024, the interplay between inflation data, corporate earnings, and central bank policies continues to shape the investment landscape. If you have any specific areas you'd like to focus on for next week's recap or any questions, feel free to ask. Here's to a year of informed and successful investing! 🌟

If you appreciate my technical analysis and want to tip me
---> www.patreon.com/WallSt

Also don't forget to check my other pages beacons.ai/diywallst
Disclaimer

The information and publications are not meant to be, and do not constitute, financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice or recommendations supplied or endorsed by TradingView. Read more in the Terms of Use.