Price pressures eased more than expected in March, offering significant relief to concerns over the front-loading effects of trade tariffs and further fueling investor risk-on sentiment following President Donald Trump&#8216;s surprising 90-day <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/forex/25/04/44730411/asia-and-europe-markets-rally-after-trumps-tariff-u-turn-gold-nears-record-high-global-markets-today-while-us-slept">tariff pause on Wednesday. </a>



The annual inflation rate fell to 2.4% in March, the lowest level in six months, down from 2.8% in February, according to data released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.



The figure was below economist expectations of 2.6%. On a monthly basis, the Consumer Price Index contracted by 0.1%, slowing from the 0.2% increase seen the previous month and below expectations of a 0.1% increase.



It marks the lowest monthly inflation reading since May 2020.



A 6.3% drop in gasoline prices was more than offset by increases in electricity and natural gas indexes. In contrast, the food index rose 0.4% in March, driven by a 0.5% increase in food at home and a 0.4% rise in food away from home.



Shelter costs, which make up nearly a third of the consumer basket, edged up just 0.2%—the smallest monthly increase since August 2021.



Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, was up 2.8% year-over-year, the lowest since March 2021.



The outcome was lower than the expected 3% and down from 3.1% in February. Month-over-month, core inflation increased by 0.1%, declining from February's 0.2% pace and below estimates of 0.3%.



Ahead of the March inflation report, traders had priced in a 16% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut by the Federal Reserve at its upcoming May 7 meeting. By June, markets had factored in a 75% chance of a rate cut.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><thead><tr><th>Measure</th><th>March 2025</th><th>Consensus</th><th>February 2025</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Inflation Rate MoM</td><td>-0.1% (Lowest since May 2020)</td><td>0.1%</td><td>0.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Inflation Rate YoY</td><td>2.4% (Lowest since September 2024)</td><td>2.6%</td><td>2.8%</td></tr><tr><td>Core Inflation Rate MoM</td><td>0.1% (Lowest since June 2024)</td><td>0.3%</td><td>0.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Core Inflation Rate YoY</td><td>2.8% (Lowest since March 2021)</td><td>3%</td><td>3.1%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Market Reactions</h2>



S&amp;P 500 futures were down 1.6% as of 8:35 a.m. in New York, paring steeper overnight losses following the benign inflation report.



On Wednesday, the index – as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) – closed 10.5% higher, notching the strongest one-day gain since 2008. 



Futures on the Nasdaq 100 were 1.7% lower. A day earlier, tech stocks – tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) – rocketed 12%, the largest jump since October 2008. Shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) – the world&#8217;s largest company by market capitalization – were down 3.5% during the premarket trading Thursday after closing 15% higher a day earlier, setting their best day since January 1998. 



Yields on 2-year Treasury notes – which are more sensitive to interest rate expectations – fell by nearly 10 basis points. 



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44723376/goldman-sachs-scraps-recession-call-after-trumps-surprise-tariff-pause-as-wall-street-marks-strongest-day-since-2008">Goldman Sachs Scraps Recession Call After Trump&#8217;s Surprise Tariff Pause As Wall Street Marks Strongest Day Since 2008</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Equities

Large Cap

Bonds

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Econ #s

Federal Reserve

Tech

ETFs

AAPL

March Inflation Rate Cools Far More Than Expected, Raises Hopes For Near-Term Fed Rate Cuts

U.S. stock futures were lower on Thursday after staging a stellar recovery on Wednesday after a tariff pause. Futures of major benchmark indices were down in premarket.



President Donald Trump attributed the tariff pause to negotiation efforts by roughly 75 non-retaliating nations in a Truth Social post.



Amid investor anxiety regarding trade barrier impacts on the economy, the investors will keep an eye on the upcoming Consumer Price Index data. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell emphasized last week that there is &#8220;no rush&#8221; to lower rates.



Economists&#8217; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44716504/sink-or-swim-why-this-weeks-inflation-report-is-crucial-for-markets">median forecast anticipates</a> a 2.6% annual increase in the overall CPI for March 2025, a moderation from February&#8217;s 2.8% and the smallest inflation figure since October 2024. Monthly price growth is projected to be a mere 0.1%. 



The core CPI, excluding volatile food and energy prices, is expected to ease slightly to a 3.0% year-over-year rate, compared to February&#8217;s 3.1%. However, the monthly core CPI is predicted to rise to 0.3%, an increase from the previous month&#8217;s 0.2% pace.



The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.29% and the two-year bond was at 3.85%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a>&#8216;s projections show markets pricing a 79.8% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its May meeting.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-1.73%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-2.23%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-2.55%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-2.92%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were lower in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was down 3.04% to $531.92, while the QQQ declined 2.53% to $454.20, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From Last Session:



Fueled by President Trump&#8217;s unexpected 90-day tariff pause for non-retaliating nations, U.S. stocks soared on Wednesday, with consumer discretionary, information technology, and communication services sectors leading the charge.



The S&amp;P 500 recorded its largest single-day gain since 2008. Notable individual movers included Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) up over 15%, Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) surging around 19%, and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) leaping more than 22%, although a subsequent Truth Social post from Trump threatened a 125% tariff hike on Chinese goods.



Additionally, U.S. mortgage application volumes saw a significant 20% weekly increase in early April.



The Dow Jones index surged 2,963 points or 7.87% to 40,608.45, whereas the S&amp;P 500 index skyrocketed 9.52% to 5,456.90. Nasdaq Composite jumped to end 12.16% higher at 17,124.97, and the small-cap gauge, Russell 2000, leaped 8.66% to 1,913.16.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>12.16%</td><td>17,124.97</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>9.52%</td><td>5,456.90</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>7.87%</td><td>40,608.45</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>8.66%</td><td>1,913.16</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



Charlie Bilello from Creative Planning said in an X post that the S&amp;P 500 logged its third-biggest one-day gain since 1950 on Wednesday.



After logging the biggest one-day gains in the past, the &#8220;Stocks moved substantially higher over the next 1, 3, 5 years every time,&#8221; he added.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The S&amp;P 500 was up 9.5% today, the 3rd biggest 1-day gain since 1950. What has happened in the past following the biggest 1-day gains? Stocks moved substantially higher over the next 1, 3, 5 years every time.<a href="https://t.co/l5IYmkeySJ">https://t.co/l5IYmkeySJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmUhOp6KOu">pic.twitter.com/jmUhOp6KOu</a>&mdash; Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) <a href="https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1910072767388451291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Ryan Detrick from Carson Research cited historical data and concluded that after the S&amp;P 500 index gains over 5% in one day, the returns on the next day and in the next week are &#8220;fairly weak.&#8221;



On average, after such a gain, the S&amp;P 500 index falls by 0.7% the next day and by 1.7% in the next five days. However, the yearly gains after such a day are usually 26.9%.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Wow, this is interesting. 23 times the S&amp;P has gained at least 5% in one day. The next day and a week out = fairly weak returns. But a year later? Up 26.9% on avg and higher more than 91% of the time. Don&#39;t shoot the messenger here. <a href="https://t.co/aHMuRqIwmK">pic.twitter.com/aHMuRqIwmK</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1910169404366635319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Detrick also highlighted that 93.96% of all the stocks on the NYSE advanced on Wednesday, which was the most since May 10, 2010. &#8220;Yeah, that might classify as a buying thrust,&#8221; he said.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">93.96% of all the stocks on the NYSE advanced today. That is the most since 94.57% on 5/10/10. In other words, a couple days after the Flash Crash. Yeah, that might classify as a buying thrust.&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1910170984860000324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Bridgewater Associates&#8217; billionaire founder, Ray Dalio, in an X post, praised Trump&#8217;s move to shift from escalating tensions to negotiation, calling it &#8220;a much better way,&#8221; and then pressed the President to finalize a trade agreement with China and reduce the fiscal deficit to 3% of GDP.



Dalio proposed a China deal featuring &#8220;appreciating the RMB against the dollar,&#8221; achievable through &#8220;Chinese selling dollar assets while also easing their fiscal and monetary policies to stimulate their demand.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This is a great time for all involved to reconsider their approaches!  There are better and worse ways of handling our problems with unsustainable debt and imbalances, and President Trump&#39;s decision to step back from a worse way and negotiate how to deal with these imbalances is…&mdash; Ray Dalio (@RayDalio) <a href="https://twitter.com/RayDalio/status/1910166431053815819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures">How to Trade Futures</a> 



Upcoming Economic Data



Here&#8217;s what investors will keep an eye on Thursday:



<ul>
<li>The initial jobless claims data for the week ended April 5 and the headline and core consumer price index data for March will be announced by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Fed Governor Michelle Bowman will testify to the Senate, while Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid will speak at 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Also, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee will both speak at noon.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>March&#8217;s monthly U.S. federal budget data will be out by 2:00 p.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Carmax Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KMX#NYSE">KMX</a>) fell 2.57% in premarket on Thursday as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect a quarterly earnings of 65 cents per share on revenue of $5.96 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Lovesac Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOVE#NASDAQ">LOVE</a>) was 0.19% lower as Wall Street expects it to report earnings of $1.87 per share on revenue of $233.95 million before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Northern Technologies International Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTIC#NASDAQ">NTIC</a>) jumped 12.83% as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect a quarterly earnings of 6 cents per share on revenue of $20.20 million.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Amtech Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASYS#NASDAQ">ASYS</a>) dropped 7.98% as it cut its revenue forecast for the second quarter from $21 million-$23 million to $15 million-$16 million.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Richardson Electronics Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RELL#NASDAQ">RELL</a>) advanced 3.98% after posting better-than-expected earnings for its third quarter, while sales missed estimates.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STZ#NYSE">STZ</a>) tumbled 3.75% after the Corona beer maker forecasted its annual profit below estimates due to the tariff hit.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Occidental Petroleum Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OXY#NYSE">OXY</a>) slid 2.59% after flagging higher prices for oil and gas production in the first quarter.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>ReShape Lifesciences Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RSLS#NASDAQ">RSLS</a>) surges 76.65% after entering an exclusive U.S. distribution agreement with Motion Informatics to import and distribute neuromuscular rehabilitation devices.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXPL#NASDAQ">NXPL</a>) climbed 20.24% after its subsidiary, Global Telesat Communications, secured a deal from a central UK Government department to provide Iridium Push-To-Talk devices and recurring airtime services.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Damon Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DMN#NASDAQ">DMN</a>) plunged 49.59% as it faces Nasdaq delisting after its stock plummeted 99.5% in a year to $0.01, triggering a delisting notice for trading below $0.10 for ten days straight.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 3.50% to hover around $60.17 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar advanced 0.73% to hover around $3,105.70 per ounce. Its fresh record high stood at $3,168.04 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was lower by 0.61% at the 102.2750 level.



Asian markets were mostly higher on Wednesday except for India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex index. China&#8217;s CSI 300, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, Japan's Nikkei 225, Australia's ASX 200, and South Korea's Kospi index advanced. European markets were also higher in early trade.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44728276/spy-qqq-call-volumes-spiked-minutes-before-tariff-pause-announcement-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-demands-disclosure-from-congress-members">SPY, QQQ Call Volumes Spiked Minutes Before Tariff Pause Announcement: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Demands Disclosure From Congress Members</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Earnings

News

Economics

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

Trading Ideas

ASYS

LOVE

NTIC

NVDA

NXPL

RELL

RSLS

TSLA

US Stocks Likely To Open Lower Ahead Of March Inflation Release: Expert Highlights 'Fairly Weak Returns' After 5%+ Gains In S&P 500

CNBC&#8217;s Jim Cramer has weighed in on pre-market decline, attributing downward pressure to the &#8220;profit-takers&#8221; who bought the dip amid the ongoing selloff.



What Happened: In a recent post on X, the host of &#8220;Mad Money&#8221; also shed light on the crucial decision facing short sellers as they evaluate their next moves on prominent technology stocks like Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>).



Cramer&#8217;s commentary suggests that after a surge in these heavily watched stocks on Wednesday, investors who bought in earlier are now looking to lock in their profits, naturally leading to some selling pressure before the trading day begins.



However, the tweet also delves into the strategic considerations of short sellers. These investors, who bet on stock prices declining, are currently at a crossroads. They are actively &#8220;trying to figure whether to operate on Nvidia, AVGO, AAPL all over again,&#8221; said Cramer.



The factors considered by short sellers to short a company&#8217;s stock include;



<ul>
<li>Assessment of the fundamental reasons for a negative outlook on these companies and whether they still hold true.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Are there new catalysts for a potential price decline?</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Or, have the stocks demonstrated enough underlying strength to make further shorting a risky endeavor?</li>
</ul>



Cramer hints at the complexities facing the shorts, suggesting it might be &#8220;too difficult&#8221; to initiate or add to short positions as President Donald Trump paused the tariffs for 90 days on Wednesday. While Thursday&#8217;s decline could just entail profit taking, the short sellers need to beware of a possible &#8216;short squeeze&#8217; in the event of a further advance in these stocks, after the tariff pause move.



Cramer indicated that clarity on this dynamic would emerge relatively quickly, stating, &#8220;We will know by mid-morning.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">So now the profit-takers come in and the shorts are trying to figure whether to operate on Nvidia, AVGO, AAPL all over <a href="https://t.co/1AHRVjG6xe">https://t.co/1AHRVjG6xe</a>.&#8211;or it is too difficult and it is time to cover and move on,, We will know by mid morning&#8230; Watch the club ten minute broadcast at…&mdash; Jim Cramer (@jimcramer) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimcramer/status/1910265126713700434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44730455/bearish-sentiment-hits-7-week-high-mimicking-35-year-old-record-which-marked-the-bottom-of">Bearish Sentiment Hits 7-Week High, Mimicking 35-Year Old Record Which Marked The Bottom Of The October 1990 Bear Market</a>



Why It Matters: Tech giants have been hit the hardest in 2025, and Trump&#8217;s decision to levy tariffs on U.S. trading partners has further exacerbated a decline in these stocks.



Here is how the Magnificent 7 stocks performed on a year-to-date basis and after yesterday&#8217;s recovery.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Stocks</td><td>Thursday&#8217;s Premarket</td><td>Wednesday&#8217;s Performance</td><td>YTD Performance</td></tr><tr><td>Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)</td><td>-2.97%</td><td>18.72%</td><td>-17.34%</td></tr><tr><td>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)</td><td>-2.38%</td><td>15.33%</td><td>-18.45%</td></tr><tr><td>Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)</td><td>-1.24%</td><td>10.13%</td><td>-6.71%</td></tr><tr><td>Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>)</td><td>-1.97%</td><td>11.98%</td><td>-13.22%</td></tr><tr><td>Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>)</td><td>-1.38%</td><td>9.88%</td><td>-15.51%</td></tr><tr><td>Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)</td><td>-2.45%</td><td>14.76%</td><td>-2.25%</td></tr><tr><td>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)</td><td>-3.05%</td><td>22.69%</td><td>-28.23%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Price Action: The market rebounded on Wednesday as the Nasdaq 100 climbed out of bear market territory, although it remained 13.85% below its prior peak of 22,222.61 points. The S&amp;P 500 was still in a correction, sitting 11.23% lower than its record high of 6,147.43 points, while the Dow Jones was 9.91% down from its 52-week high of 45,073.63 points.



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were lower in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was down 2.40% to $535.43, while the QQQ declined 1.81% to $457.56, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44728276/spy-qqq-call-volumes-spiked-minutes-before-tariff-pause-announcement-alexandria-ocasio-cor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SPY, QQQ Call Volumes Spiked Minutes Before Tariff Pause Announcement: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Demands Disclosure From Congress Members</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by s_bukley on Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Analyst Ratings

General

AMZN

AVGO

GOOG

MSFT

Jim Cramer Says Pre-Market Slide Driven By Profit-Takers: 'Shorts Are Trying To Figure Whether To Operate On Nvidia, AVGO, AAPL'

Despite a weekly decrease in negative sentiment, the latest American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) survey showed bearishness still leading bullish and neutral views at 58.9% this week.



What Happened: Investor pessimism in the latest <a href="https://www.aaii.com/sentimentsurvey">AAII survey</a>, conducted weekly from Thursday to Wednesday, has lessened. The percentage of individual investors with a negative short-term view of the stock market declined by 3%, moving from 61.9% down to 58.9%.



The bearish sentiment continues to be above 50% for the seventh straight week. Last week, at 61.9%, the bearish sentiment had hit a 16-year high since March 2009.



Whereas with the seven-week-long streak currently, it matched a 35-year-old record. According to Subu Trade, the last time bearish sentiment was above 50% for seven straight weeks was in October 1990, which was also the bottom of that bear market.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">AAII Bears is now at 58.9% This is the 7th straight week with over 50% bears — matching the record in October 1990, which was the bottom of that bear market. <a href="https://t.co/WmQEl1cOXp">pic.twitter.com/WmQEl1cOXp</a>&mdash; Subu Trade (@SubuTrade) <a href="https://twitter.com/SubuTrade/status/1910197280944108011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The historical average of bearish sentiments stood at 31%, which was nearly half of the current pessimism among the participants of the AAII survey.



Meanwhile, the bullish sentiment rose to a seven-week high at 28.5%, the highest since the week ending Feb. 19, when it stood at 29.2%.



The neutral sentiment shrank from 16.3% to 12.5% this week.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44729384/trump-pauses-tariffs-after-yields-surge-bond-vigilantes-hit-another-homerun-experts-point-to-bond-market-panic-fo">Trump Pauses Tariffs After Yields Surge: &#8216;Bond Vigilantes Hit Another Homerun,&#8217; Experts Point To Bond Market Panic For Reversal</a>



Why It Matters: While seven weeks of high bearish sentiments above 50% represented the bottom of the bear market in October 1990, this week could possibly be the same, owing to the pause on tariffs by President Donald Trump, announced on Wednesday.



He cited the negotiation attempts by nearly 75 countries without any retaliation as the reason for the pause. However, experts believed that a spike in Treasury yields was the major contributor to the change in stance.



The market rebounded on Wednesday as the Nasdaq 100 climbed out of bear market territory, although it remained 13.85% below its prior peak of 22,222.61 points. The S&amp;P 500 was still in a correction, sitting 11.23% lower than its record high of 6,147.43 points, while the Dow Jones was 9.91% down from its 52-week high of 45,073.63 points.



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were lower in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was down 2.40% to $535.43, while the QQQ declined 1.81% to $457.56, according to Benzinga Pro data.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44728276/spy-qqq-call-volumes-spiked-minutes-before-tariff-pause-announcement-alexandria-ocasio-cor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SPY, QQQ Call Volumes Spiked Minutes Before Tariff Pause Announcement: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Demands Disclosure From Congress Members</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Government

Market Summary

Futures

Bearish Sentiment Hits 7-Week High, Mimicking 35-Year Old Record Which Marked The Bottom Of The October 1990 Bear Market

Amid several theories on why President Donald Trump paused the tariffs hours after they went into effect, experts have been pushing the bond market turmoil as the major contributor to the decision.



What Happened: After the 10-year Treasury yields rose 34 bps from below 4.0% last week to nearly 4.34% on Wednesday, experts are pegging Trump&#8217;s reaction to pause the tariffs on the spike in yields.



Ed Yardeni from Yardeni Research said, &#8220;Bond vigilantes hit another homerun.&#8221; A bond vigilante is a bond market investor who protests against monetary or fiscal policies considered inflationary by selling bonds, thus increasing yields.



Yardeni resurfaced his 1983 quote after the yield spike and said, &#8220;Bond investors are the economy&#8217;s bond vigilantes. … So if the fiscal and monetary authorities won't regulate the economy, the bond investors will. The economy will be run by vigilantes in the credit markets."



Meanwhile, economist Craig Shapiro said, &#8220;China, just by threatening to sell USTs, basically blew up the bond market and forced the admin to backtrack.&#8221;



However, Trump, in his Truth Social post, said he decided to pause the tariffs based on the negotiation attempts by 75 countries without any retaliation. But Shapiro added in his tweet, &#8220;He didn&#8217;t admit the bond market had anything to do with this. He said he&#8217;s been thinking about it for days. Whatever. It was a flawed rollout.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">He didn&#39;t admit the bond market had anything to do with this. He said he&#39;s been thinking about it for days. Whatever. It was a flawed roll out China, just by threatening to sell USTs, basically blew up the bond market and forced the admin to backtrack. I think folks are…&mdash; Craig Shapiro (@ces921) <a href="https://twitter.com/ces921/status/1910142119538262219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Gary Black, the managing partner, the Future Fund LLC said, &#8220;In the end, Trump's stunning about face on tariffs was driven by chaos in the bond market including soaring 10yr and 30yr treasury yields; the prospect of huge Republican losses in next year's midterm elections; and pressure by Trump's billionaire supporters (Dimon, Ackman) who convinced him his tariff plan could cause a severe recession.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">In the end, Trump's stunning about face on tariffs was driven by chaos in the bond market including soaring 10yr and 30yr treasury yields; the prospect of huge Republican losses in next year's midterm elections; and pressure by Trump's billionaire supporters (Dimon, Ackman) who…&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1910163509557842166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



According to Spencer Hakimian, the founder of Tolou Capital Management, a Japanese hedge fund that was 60 times levered to the U.S. 10-year Treasury bond was responsible for the spike in yields, which indirectly influenced the decision for a tariff pause. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Round of applause to the Japanese hedge fund that was 60x levered 10Y UST's that blew up last night to save the world from the Great Depression. We will not forget your sacrifice brother &#x1fae1;&mdash; Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerHakimian/status/1910078058503283138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44728276/spy-qqq-call-volumes-spiked-minutes-before-tariff-pause-announcement-alexandria-ocasio-cor">SPY, QQQ Call Volumes Spiked Minutes Before Tariff Pause Announcement: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Demands Disclosure From Congress Members</a>



Why It Matters: President Trump levied reciprocal tariffs on U.S. trading partners last week on Wednesday, which followed a heavy selloff in the market, pushing the Nasdaq into a bear market, whereas the S&amp;P 500 and the Dow Jones were nearing bear territory.



The Trump administration claimed that he was thinking about a tariff pause since Sunday, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporter on Wednesday that "He and I had a long talk.&#8221; He added, "This was his strategy all along."



Before announcing the pause in a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114308272725981913">post</a> around 1:18 p.m. ET, Trump posted the same morning that &#8220;THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT&#8221; Trump transferred his entire stake in Truth Social owner, Trump Media &amp; Technology Group Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DJT#NASDAQ">DJT</a>) to a revocable trust ahead of his inauguration.



Price Action: The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, surged on Wednesday. SPY rose by 10.50%, whereas QQQ advanced 12.00%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



After a period of decline, the Nasdaq 100 climbed out of bear market territory, although it remained 13.85% below its prior peak of 22,222.61 points. The S&amp;P 500 was still in a correction, sitting 11.23% lower than its record high of 6,147.43 points, while the Dow Jones was 9.91% down from its 52-week high of 45,073.63 points.



On Thursday, the futures of Dow were down by 0.49%, and the futures of S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 index were 0.78% and 1.21% lower, respectively.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/44709538/shapiros-treasury-market-dysfunction-warning-hits-home-buying-more-gold-as-fed-put-may-be-on-the-table">Shapiro&#8217;s Treasury &#8216;Market Dysfunction&#8217; Warning Hits Home: &#8216;Buying More Gold&#8217; As Fed Put May Be On The Table</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Trump Pauses Tariffs After Yields Surge: 'Bond Vigilantes Hit Another Homerun,' Experts Point To Bond Market Panic For Reversal

On Wednesday, April 9, U.S. markets closed higher in a powerful rebound. The S&amp;P 500 soared 9.5%—its largest single-day gain since 2008—after President Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for many countries with a 10% reciprocal Tariff on all except China, offering relief to anxious investors.



The rally was further fueled by strong demand in a U.S. Treasury auction, upbeat earnings from Delta Air Lines, and broad-based buying interest. Yet uncertainty remains over future policy shifts, inflation risks, and the upcoming earnings season.



On the economic front, mortgage applications surged 20% in the first week of April, reflecting renewed consumer activity.



All 11 sectors in the S&amp;P 500 finished in positive territory, with consumer discretionary, information technology, and communication services posting the strongest gains.



Related: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44726524/us-futures-edge-higher-nikkei-surges-8-as-trumps-90-day-tariff-pause-triggers-historic-wall-street-rally-gold-gains-slightly" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Futures Edge Higher, Nikkei Surges 8% As Trump&#8217;s 90-Day Tariff Pause Triggers Historic Rally, Analyst Warns &#8216;We&#8217;re Not Out Of The Woods Yet&#8217;</a>



The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 7.87% to 40,608.45, the S&amp;P 500 rose 9.52% to 5,456.90, and the Nasdaq Composite surged 12.16% to close at 17,124.97.



Asia Markets Today



<ul>
<li>On Thursday, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 jumped 8.99% to close at 34,564.00, marking its biggest single-day gain since 2008. The rally was driven by sharp rebounds in the Real Estate, Banking, and Textile sectors following U.S. President Trump&#8217;s surprise 90-day tariff pause. Investor sentiment surged, with nearly all stocks advancing, led by strong gains in tech and retail.</li>



<li>Australia&#8217;s S&amp;P/ASX 200 was up 4.54% and closed at 7,375.00, led by gains in the IT, Gold, and Metals and mining sectors.</li>



<li>India markets were closed for the Mahavir Jayanti holiday.</li>



<li>China&#8217;s Shanghai Composite rose 1.16% to 3,223.64, and Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 increased 1.31% to 3,735.12.</li>



<li>Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng Index gained 2.06% to 20,681.78.</li>



<li>China&#8217;s consumer and producer inflation fell more than expected in March, highlighting weak domestic demand and mounting trade war pressures. CPI dropped 0.1% year-on-year, while PPI shrank for a 30th consecutive month.</li>
</ul>



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44727311/china-warns-citizens-over-us-travel-after-trumps-tariff-hike-triggers-retaliation-cites-deteriorating-relations-and-rising-security-risks" rel="noreferrer noopener">China Warns Citizens Over U.S. Travel After Trump&#8217;s Tariff Hike Triggers Retaliation, Cites&#8217; Deteriorating&#8217; Relations And Rising Security Risks</a>



Eurozone at 05:45 AM ET



<ul>
<li>The European STOXX 50 was up 5.10%.</li>



<li>Germany&#8217;s DAX gained 5.02%.</li>



<li>France&#8217;s CAC 40 rose 4.73%.</li>



<li>U.K.&#8217;s FTSE 100 index traded higher by 3.78%.</li>



<li>European stocks rallied strongly after President Trump announced a 90-day pause on most new U.S. tariffs, with major indices in Germany, France, and the U.K. posting significant gains amid investor relief.</li>
</ul>



Commodities at 05:45 AM ET



<ul>
<li>Crude Oil WTI was trading lower by 2.53% at $60.78/bbl, and Brent was down 2.50% at $63.84/bbl.</li>



<li>Oil prices dropped as escalating tensions in the U.S.-China trade war reignited fears of a global economic slowdown, overshadowing the temporary relief from Trump&#8217;s 90-day tariff pause. The sharp tariff hike on Chinese imports and Beijing&#8217;s retaliatory duties fueled concerns about weaker crude demand from the world&#8217;s top importers.</li>



<li>Natural Gas fell 3.28% to $3.691.</li>



<li>Gold was trading higher by 1.54% at $3,126.60, Silver was up 1.27% to $30.807, and Copper rose 3.55% to $4.3413.</li>



<li>Gold prices surged in Asian trading, nearing record highs, as investors sought safety amid escalating U.S.-China trade tensions. This geopolitical instability boosted demand for gold as a safe-haven asset, while a weaker U.S. dollar further supported prices.</li>
</ul>



U.S. Futures at 05:45 AM ET



Dow futures were down 1.44%, S&amp;P 500 futures declined 1.83% and Nasdaq 100 futures slid 2.13%.



Forex at 05:45 AM ET



<ul>
<li>The U.S. Dollar Index declined 0.73% to 102.23, USD/JPY was down 1.14% to 146.07, and USD/AUD gained 0.13% to 1.6266.</li>



<li>The U.S. dollar weakened broadly Thursday as traders reacted to Trump&#8217;s tariff decision, falling against safe-haven and risk currencies alike.</li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock

Asia

Emerging Markets

Eurozone

Commodities

Forex

ADIV

AGOV

ASHR

BBEU

BOIL

CQQQ

EEMA

FLAX

IEMG

IEUR

KDIV

SPEM

USDU

Asia And Europe Markets Rally After Trump's Tariff U-Turn, Gold Nears Record High - Global Markets Today While US Slept

Following President Donald Trump&#8216;s global tariffs, a leading tech analyst has predicted that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) iPhones could see a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/04/44720209/apple-faces-up-to-90-cost-surge-on-iphones-if-us-tariffs-stick-analyst-looks-at-possible-shift-to-india-price-increase">significant price hike</a> if manufacturing shifts to the U.S.



What Happened: Dan Ives, the global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, suggests that iPhones manufactured in the U.S. could cost more than three times their current price, reaching around $3,500. This is due to the necessity to recreate the complex production ecosystem that currently exists in Asia.



&#8220;You build that (supply chain) in the U.S. with a fab in West Virginia and New Jersey. They&#8217;ll be $3,500 iPhones,&#8221; Ives told <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/09/tech/apple-iphones-cost-tariffs-impact-intl-hnk/index.html">CNN</a> on Wednesday. He also stated that it would cost Apple roughly $30 billion and three years to move just 10% of its supply chain to the U.S.



Since Trump took office, Apple&#8217;s shares have fallen over 10% due to tariff-related concerns impacting its extensive supply chain, which is heavily dependent on China and Taiwan. Approximately 90% of iPhones are assembled in China.



See Also: <a href="https://benzinga.com/25/04/44644765/tom-lee-predicts-a-market-rebound-after-april-9-as-absurd-tariffs-could-spur-potential-negotiations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tom Lee Predicts a Market Rebound After April 9 As &#8216;Absurd&#8217; Tariffs Could Spur Potential Negotiations</a>



Despite Apple&#8217;s announcement in February to invest<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43910982/apple-commits-500-billion-in-us-investment-for-ai-push-boost-us-manufacturing-tech"> $500 billion</a> in the U.S. over the next four years to expand production outside China and avoid Trump&#8217;s tariffs, tech analysts concur that iPhone prices are likely to increase, even if supply chains remain in their current locations.



Why It Matters: In his latest Truth Social post, Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44720006/markets-take-off-as-trump-announces-90-day-tariff-pause-for-non-retaliating-nations-slaps-china-with-125-duty">lashed out at China,</a> accusing the country of displaying &#8220;a lack of respect&#8221; toward the United States. He announced a sharp escalation in trade tensions, unveiling a 125% tariff on Chinese imports effective immediately. "At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable," he said.



Trump praised the more than 75 countries that, according to him, &#8220;have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape, or form.&#8221; As a gesture of goodwill, he said these nations would receive a temporary 10% reciprocal tariff and a 90-day freeze on any new duties.



Meanwhile, the potential rise in iPhone prices <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/media/25/04/44679666/apple-customers-flock-to-stores-as-tariffs-threaten-to-drive-iphone-prices-up-by-45-report">has triggered a surge</a> of customers flocking to Apple Stores to buy new devices before the hikes take effect.



Apple also reportedly planned to shift more of its <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/04/44677880/apple-reportedly-plans-to-move-more-iphone-production-to-india-amid-trump-tariff-fearscould-this-solve-the-300-price-hike-on-550-hardware">iPhone production to India</a> to mitigate the financial impact of Trump&#8217;s escalating tariffs on Chinese goods, potentially offsetting the projected price increase on its device. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Read Next: <a href="https://benzinga.com/article/17109647" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MARL 5G Accelerator Announces Fall 2020 Cohort Portfolio Startups </a>



Image via Shutterstock

Trump's Tariffs Could Push Apple iPhone Prices To A Staggering $3,500, Says Top Analyst

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed easing in the overall fear level, while the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Fear&#8221; zone on Wednesday.



U.S. stocks settled sharply higher on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones index jumping more than 2,900 points during the session.



The S&amp;P 500 also jumped 9.52% to record its biggest single-day surge since 2008 as investors cheered a surprise announcement from President Donald Trump: a 90-day pause on tariffs for countries that have not retaliated against U.S. trade measures.



However, Trump&#8217;s latest Truth Social post slammed China for showing "a lack of respect" and declared an immediate 125% tariff hike on Chinese goods.



Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) shares jumped over 15%, while Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) surged around 19% on Wednesday. Shares of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) also jumped more than 22% during the session.



On the economic data front, U.S. mortgage application volumes climbed by 20% from the previous week during the first week of April.



All sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with consumer discretionary, information technology, and communication services stocks recording the biggest gains on Wednesday.



The Dow Jones closed higher by around 2,963 points to 40,608.45 on Wednesday. The S&amp;P 500 jumped 9.52% to 5,456.90, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 12.16% to 17,124.97 during Wednesday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from CarMax Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KMX#NYSE">KMX</a>), The Lovesac Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOVE#NASDAQ">LOVE</a>), and Northern Technologies International Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTIC#NASDAQ">NTIC</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 16.5, the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Fear&#8221; zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 3.4.



The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44710375/top-2-materials-stocks-that-may-fall-off-a-cliff-this-quarter">Top 2 Materials Stocks That May Fall Off A Cliff This Quarter</a> </li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock

S&P 500 Records Biggest Surge Since 2008 As Trump Pauses Tariffs: Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Fear' Zone

Leading coins maintained positive momentum Wednesday overnight after pro-cryptocurrency Paul Atkins was confirmed as SEC Chairman.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 8:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>7.60%</td><td>$82,319.38</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>11.98%</td><td>$1,645.63</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>10.69%</td><td>$0.1579</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin soared beyond $82,000, while Ethereum topped $1,600, spurring gains in the broader market and erasing some losses from last week&#8217;s &#8216;Liberation Day&#8217; measures.



Over $370 million in short positions was wiped out from the market in the last 24 hours, including $194 million in Bitcoin alone.



The dramatic reversal followed President Donald Trump's surprise announcement of a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/04/44720006/markets-take-off-as-trump-announces-90-day-tariff-pause-for-non-retaliating-nations-slaps-china-with-125-duty">90-day pause on tariffs for countries</a> that have not retaliated against U.S. trade measures.



Later in the day, the confirmation of Atkins as the new SEC chairman boosted sentiment. Atkins had previously stated that building a regulatory framework for digital assets <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/25/03/44531654/trumps-sec-pick-paul-atkins-says-his-top-priority-will-be-rational-crypto-regulations-marking-shift-from-gary-genslers-approach">would be his top priority</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">I&#39;m pleased Paul Atkins is confirmed as Chairman of the SEC. I sat down w/ Mr. Atkins to discuss digital asset legislation, empowering Wyoming's blockchain future &amp; implementing reforms to the regulatory rulemaking process. I&#39;m confident his leadership will bring positive change. <a href="https://t.co/1cpGrNjSrg">pic.twitter.com/1cpGrNjSrg</a>&mdash; Senator Cynthia Lummis (@SenLummis) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenLummis/status/1910117597078512069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Bitcoin&#8217;s Open Interest soared 9.65% in the last 24 hours, signaling a revival in speculative interest and an influx of new money into the derivatives market.



However, the majority of Binance traders flipped from bullish to bearish positioning for the apex cryptocurrency, according to the Long/Short ratio, implying expectations of a pullback.



The market sentiment improved from "Extreme Fear" to &#8220;Fear,&#8221; according to the Crypto Fear and Greed Index.



Top Gainers (24-Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 8:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Fartcoin (FARTCOIN)</td><td>45.41%</td><td>$0.7705</td></tr><tr><td>Flare (FLR)</td><td>29.40%</td><td>$0.01457</td></tr><tr><td>Sonic (S)</td><td>22.70%</td><td>$0.4868</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.62 trillion, following a jump of 7.81% in the last 24 hours.



Stocks made a historic comeback Wednesday following days of turmoil. The Dow Jones Industrial Average exploded 2,962.86 points, or 7.87%, to end at 40,608.45, marking its biggest gain since March 2020. The S&amp;P 500 skyrocketed 9.52% to 5,456.90, its best day since October 2008, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lifted 12.16%, ending at 15,267.91.



See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>



Analyst Notes: Popular on-chain analytics firm Santiment cautioned against the surge in optimism following the 90-day pause announcement.&nbsp;



The number of bullish comments for Bitcoin and Ethereum sharply exceeded bearish takes on social media.



"Crypto may rally for a bit as retail catches up with the news, but beware of the high level of FOMO and buying on &#8216;kick the can down the road&#8217; news on a topic that has remained unresolved," Santiment stated.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&#x1f973; Trader sentiments have predictably flipped bullish with the US 90-day pause on tariffs. Crypto may rally for a bit as retail catches up with the news, but beware of the high level of FOMO and buying on &#39;kick the can down the road&#39; news on a topic that has remained unresolved. <a href="https://t.co/u7hhIfhpvA">pic.twitter.com/u7hhIfhpvA</a>&mdash; Santiment (@santimentfeed) <a href="https://twitter.com/santimentfeed/status/1910051636573323334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst Ali Martinez noted Bitcoin's breakout from a range.&nbsp;



"If the $80,700 support holds, we could see an upswing to $84,000 or even $87,000," the analyst projected.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> is breaking out of a channel! If the $80,700 support holds, we could see an upswing to $84,000 or even $87,000! <a href="https://t.co/HXSS8mGwaZ">pic.twitter.com/HXSS8mGwaZ</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1910032876977914272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo by SvetlanaParnikova on Shutterstock



Read Next:    



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44697841/raoul-pal-says-crypto-market-nowhere-near-covid-19-peak-fear">Raoul Pal Says Crypto Market Nowhere Near COVID-19 &#8216;Peak Fear&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

Cryptocurrency

Movers

$BTC

$DOGE

$ETH

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Surge Amid Trump Tariff Pause, Paul Atkins SEC Confirmation: Analyst Anticipates BTC's Continued March To $87,000

U.S. stock futures edged higher on Wednesday evening following President Donald Trump&#8216;s unexpected 90-day reprieve on reciprocal tariffs that triggered Wall Street&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44720903/nasdaq-100-eyes-strongest-day-since-2008-as-magnificent-seven-add-15-trillion-in-historic-market-rally">strongest rally since 2008</a>.



What Happened: S&amp;P 500 futures rose 0.5% to 5,488.00, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gained 280 points, or about 0.7%, to 40,966.00. Nasdaq-100 futures traded up 0.2% to 19,203.50.



In global markets, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 jumped 8.29% on Thursday morning. Oil prices declined with WTI crude falling 0.79% to $61.86 per barrel, while gold inched up 0.21% to above $3,090 per ounce amid ongoing trade tensions.



The Dollar Index fell 0.23 points, or 0.22%, to 102.67.



The major indexes posted historic gains Wednesday, with the S&amp;P 500 tracked by SPDR S&amp;P 500 (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) surging 9.52% and the Nasdaq 100 tracked by Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rocketing 12.2% — both marking their strongest one-day gains since October 2008. The Magnificent Seven tech stocks <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44720903/nasdaq-100-eyes-strongest-day-since-2008-as-magnificent-seven-add-15-trillion-in-historic-market-rally">collectively added $1.85 trillion</a> in market capitalization.



Gene Munster, Managing Partner at Deepwater Asset Management, cautioned that despite the market rally, "we're not out of the woods yet," as Trump's effort to "right-size China… will take time and involve some negative headlines." Still, he sees potential for a resolution within three months and believes "revenue and earnings should improve in the back half of the year." 



On a longer horizon, Munster said, "The substance of AI will exceed the hype," predicting 2–3 more years of an AI-fueled bull market before a potential bubble burst.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Interrupting today&#39;s market euphoria with my thoughts on the next three months and three years: • Three Months: Fun to see the move in the market today, but we're not out of the woods yet. Trump's real goal is to right-size China, which will take time and involve some negative…&mdash; Gene Munster (@munster_gene) <a href="https://twitter.com/munster_gene/status/1910045213680153013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44726187/kevin-oleary-isnt-satisfied-with-trump-raising-china-tariffs-to-125-the-shark-says-this-isnt-about-politics-its-about-fairness">Kevin O&#8217;Leary Isn&#8217;t Satisfied With Trump Raising China Tariffs To 125%: The Shark Says, &#8216;This Isn&#8217;t About Politics, It&#8217;s About Fairness&#8217;</a>



Why It Matters: The pause comes after Trump&#8217;s administration implemented sweeping tariffs that briefly went into effect before the announcement. Trump said the reprieve <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/44721874/trumps-tariff-pause-saves-market-from-edge-of-the-cliff-dan-ives-says-biggest-wild-card-still-remains">applies immediately to non-retaliating countries</a>, while China faces steeper 125% tariffs due to &#8220;lack of respect&#8221; for global markets.



&#8220;This was the news we and everyone on the Street was waiting for,&#8221; Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/44721874/trumps-tariff-pause-saves-market-from-edge-of-the-cliff-dan-ives-says-biggest-wild-card-still-remains">noting the announcement</a> &#8220;pulls stocks and the market from the edge of the cliff.&#8221;



Goldman Sachs quickly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44723376/goldman-sachs-scraps-recession-call-after-trumps-surprise-tariff-pause-as-wall-street-marks-strongest-day-since-2008">scrapped its recession forecast</a> following the announcement, reverting to a non-recession baseline with projected GDP growth of 0.5% for 2025 and a 45% recession probability.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44720127/bitcoin-hits-82000-as-president-trump-announces-90-day-pause-on-reciprocal-tariffs-for-all-countries-but-china">Bitcoin Hits $82,000 As President Trump Announces 90-Day Pause On Reciprocal Tariffs For All Countries But China</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

US Futures Edge Higher, Nikkei Surges 8% As Trump's 90-Day Tariff Pause Triggers Historic Rally, Analyst Warns 'We're Not Out Of The Woods Yet'

The U.S. and Vietnam have launched trade negotiations after President Donald Trump paused the implementation of a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/43858129/as-trump-pushes-for-reciprocal-tariffs-vietnam-looks-to-increase-us-farm-product-imports-to-ease-trade-risks">46% tariff on Vietnam&#8217;s exports</a>, a move that could bolster the country&#8217;s growing tech manufacturing sector.



What Happened: On Thursday, the Vietnamese government announced that it would begin trade talks with the U.S., following the temporary halt of a hefty tariff on Vietnamese goods, reported Reuters.



The 90-day pause, which came after discussions between U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Vietnam&#8217;s Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc, signals a potential shift in the two nations&#8217; economic relations.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44703618/microsoft-fires-employee-protestors-who-disrupted-50th-anniversary-event-you-have-shown-no-remorse-f">Microsoft Fires Employee Protestors Who Disrupted 50th Anniversary Event: &#8216;You Have Shown No Remorse For The Effect That Your Actions Have&#8217;</a>



Why It Matters: Vietnam had a $123 billion <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44650903/trump-reveals-vietnam-trade-talks-as-nike-stock-rallies-on-surprise-turnaround">trade surplus</a> with the U.S. last year, meaning Vietnam exported way more to the U.S. than it imported. 



The Southeast Asian nation serves as a vital manufacturing base for major U.S. companies such as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google.



These tech giants have been expanding their operations in Vietnam, driven by cost-efficiency, access to skilled labor, and the need to mitigate the risk of higher tariffs on Chinese-made goods.



Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.



Apple, for instance, has been leveraging Vietnam as a key production site for products like MacBooks and AirPods, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/11/41705954/apple-supplier-foxconn-plans-80m-vietnam-chip-plant">with suppliers like</a> Foxconn and Luxshare establishing factories in the country. Apple shares are down 18.45% year-to-date, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



Nvidia has also chosen Vietnam as the location for its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/12/42347647/nvidia-partners-with-vietnam-government-to-develop-advanced-ai-and-more">third global AI research hub</a>, while Google has reportedly shifted its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37253133/google-follows-apples-lead-set-to-begin-making-smartphones-in-this-asian-country">Pixel production to avoid</a> potential tariffs on Chinese imports.



Intel is also producing semiconductor components in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/02/30851197/intel-explores-ramping-chip-investment-in-vietnam-report">Vietnam as part of its broader</a> manufacturing strategy. The company stated last month that its Vietnam operations are central to the IDM 2.0 initiative, employing around 6,000 people in advanced tech roles.



Since launching its assembly and testing facility there, Intel has invested $1.5 billion and generated more than $90 billion in total export value from the site.



Last month, it was reported that Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pledged to expedite the licensing process for Elon Musk's companies, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Starlink, as part of a pilot initiative. Tesla is down 28.23% this year.



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43589437/bill-gates-on-musk-and-bezos-space-obsession-im-not-a-big-mars-person-its-not-a-very-hospitable-place" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bill Gates Would Rather Save Earth Than Colonize Mars — Unlike Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos: ‘I&#8217;m Not a Big Mars Person… It&#8217;s Not a Very Hospitable Place&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

GOOGL

INTC

Vietnam, A Hub For US Tech Giants Like Apple And Nvidia, Wants To Talk Trade After Trump Pauses 46% Tariff

In a stunning U-turn, Goldman Sachs has officially withdrawn its call for an outright U.S. recession, issued just hours before President Donald Trump stunned markets with a surprise announcement of a 90-day tariff pause for countries that have not retaliated <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tariffs">against U.S. trade measures.</a>



The move underscores the immediate and far-reaching implications of Trump's announcement, which caught Wall Street experts off guard.



&#8220;We are reverting to our previous non-recession baseline forecast, with GDP growth of 0.5% and a 45% probability of recession." Goldman Sachs chief economist Jan Hatzius wrote in a late day note.



Goldman now sees 0.5% U.S. GDP growth in 2025 and a 45% probability of recession—down from the full recession baseline forecast it published earlier that same day.



The bank still expects three 25-basis-point Fed &#8220;insurance cuts&#8221; in June, July and September but sees a less dire macro trajectory, thanks to the tariff pause and signs of trade stabilization.



The revised forecast reflects Trump's differentiated strategy: escalate pressure on China while opening a negotiation path for allies who've held fire.



Trump announced a 10% minimum reciprocal tariff for non-retaliating nations; sector-specific tariffs of up to 25% are still expected. He confirmed that tariffs on Chinese imports will be 125%.



Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed the scale of the pivot, writing on X that he and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were with Trump as he drafted the announcement, calling it "one of the most extraordinary Truth posts of his presidency."



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Scott Bessent and I sat with the President while he wrote one of the most extraordinary Truth posts of his Presidency. The world is ready to work with President Trump to fix global trade, and China has chosen the opposite direction. <a href="https://t.co/wNvg8NBnSR">pic.twitter.com/wNvg8NBnSR</a>&mdash; Howard Lutnick (@howardlutnick) <a href="https://twitter.com/howardlutnick/status/1910022477373227166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



To reporters outside the White House, Trump was blunt. "Somebody had to do it. It had to stop because it's not sustainable. Last year, China made $1 trillion off trade with the United States. Now I've reversed it."



Trump also floated the idea of tariff exemptions for certain U.S. companies and added that "China wants to make a deal.&#8221;



Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman hailed Trump's maneuver as "brilliantly executed," adding: "Every U.S. company that sources products in China is now finding alternative suppliers. Supply chains are sticky. Tick tock."



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Markets Soar In Historic Day</h3>



The Dow Jones closed up by nearly 3,000 points to 40,608 points, up 7.9%. 



The S&amp;P 500 – as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) – soared 9.5%, the largest one-day gain since October 2008.



The index surged more than 10% between its intraday low and high—marking the largest single-day swing on record.



The Nasdaq 100 – tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) – rocketed 12.2%, also the strongest one-day jump since October 2008. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Magnificent Seven – Daily Gains</h3>



<ul>
<li>NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) surged 18.72%, adding $439.87 billion in market cap, closing at $114.33.</li>



<li>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) jumped 15.33%, gaining $397.05 billion, closing at $198.85.</li>



<li>Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) rose 10.13%, increasing market value by $267.01 billion, closing at $390.49.</li>



<li>Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) advanced 11.98%, up $216.66 billion, closing at $191.10.</li>



<li>Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) rallied 14.76%, adding $190.88 billion, closing at $585.77.</li>



<li>Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) climbed 9.88%, boosting market cap by $175.29 billion, closing at $161.06.</li>



<li>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) soared 22.69%, gaining $161.91 billion, finishing at $272.20.</li>
</ul>



Total market cap addition: $1.85 trillion



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44720903/nasdaq-100-eyes-strongest-day-since-2008-as-magnificent-seven-add-15-trillion-in-historic-market-rally">Nasdaq 100 Set For Strongest Rally Since 2008 As Magnificent 7 Add $1.5 Trillion In Historic Surge</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Macro Economic Events

Regulations

Goldman Sachs Scraps Recession Call After Trump's Surprise Tariff Pause As Wall Street Marks Strongest Day Since 2008

Wedbush's Dan Ives&nbsp;believes the 90-day tariff pause was exactly what the stock market was waiting for. Despite the strong rally in markets, the analyst cautioned that a &#8220;key obstacle&#8221; is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44720006/markets-take-off-as-trump-announces-90-day-tariff-pause-for-non-retaliating-nations-slaps-china-with-125-duty">still on the table</a>. 



What To Know: President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on tariffs in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114309144289505174">post</a> on Truth Social. 



The announcement comes less than a day after Trump&#8217;s sweeping reciprocal tariffs went into effect. The tariff pause will be effective immediately for non-retaliating countries, while China will face a steeper 125% tariff due to the &#8220;lack of respect&#8221; the country has shown for global markets.



Trump said more than 75 countries reached out to U.S. officials to begin negotiations in response to the tariff announcement. The Trump administration will maintain a 10% baseline tariff across the board. 



&#8220;This was the news we and everyone on the Street was waiting for as the pressure on Trump took on a life of its own and the eye popping rise of the 10-year yield was ultimately too much to hold his line on the self-inflicted Armageddon tariff unleashed at midnight,&#8221; Ives said in a new note to clients.



Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44720903/nasdaq-100-eyes-strongest-day-since-2008-as-magnificent-seven-add-15-trillion-in-historic-market-rally">Nasdaq 100 Set For Strongest Rally Since 2008 As Magnificent 7 Add $1.5 Trillion In Historic Surge</a>



The Wedbush analyst expects &#8220;massive negotiations&#8221; to start to pick up over the coming months as attention turns toward a longer-term solution. Ives noted that China will be &#8220;front and center&#8221; for markets as the &#8220;biggest wild card.&#8221;



&#8220;For tech stocks, this was much needed relief and pulls stocks and the market from the edge of the cliff, although China remains the biggest X variable related to Apple and the broader supply chain,&#8221; Ives said.



Ives referred to the past several days as a &#8220;twilight zone week&#8221; for investors. Although real damage has already been inflicted on the economy, markets should see some relief as attention turns to negotiations and the ongoing trade war with China, which will be a &#8220;key obstacle&#8221; for U.S. tech stocks, the analyst said. 



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), which tracks the S&amp;P 500, was up 8.74% at $539.86 at the time of publication Wednesday. The Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which tracks the Nasdaq-100, was up 11.2% at last check, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44720127/bitcoin-hits-82000-as-president-trump-announces-90-day-pause-on-reciprocal-tariffs-for-all-countries-but-china">Bitcoin Hits $82,000 As President Trump Announces 90-Day Pause On Reciprocal Tariffs For All Countries But China</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock.

Politics

Trump's Tariff Pause Saves Market From 'Edge Of The Cliff,' Dan Ives Says 'Biggest Wild Card' Still Remains

United States Steel Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/X#NYSE">X</a>) shares are getting crushed in Wednesday&#8217;s after-hours session after President Donald Trump suggested he doesn&#8217;t want to see the company get <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/25/04/44679320/us-steel-gains-16-as-trump-orders-review-of-nippon-steels-blocked-acquisition-amid-national-security-concerns">acquired by Nippon Steel</a>.



What Happened: In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr9AeMFXzpY">press conference</a> from the Oval Office late Wednesday, Trump said he wants U.S. Steel to remain a U.S. company. 



&#8220;We don&#8217;t want to see it go to Japan. You know, we love Japan, but U.S. Steel is a very special company,&#8221; Trump said. 



The news comes just a day after U.S. Steel shares surged after Trump ordered a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/25/04/44679320/us-steel-gains-16-as-trump-orders-review-of-nippon-steels-blocked-acquisition-amid-national-security-concerns">national security review</a> of the company&#8217;s takeover deal with Nippon Steel, which was blocked by the Biden Administration. 



U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel filed lawsuits in January in response to what the companies said was &#8220;wrongful interference&#8221; with Nippon's proposed $14.9-billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, originally announced at the end of 2023.



The Biden administration said last year that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39613777/amid-opposition-from-biden-and-workers-nippon-steel-vc-returns-to-discuss-us-steel-acquisition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">it was &#8220;vital&#8221;</a>&nbsp;that U.S. Steel remained a domestically operated American steel company. The proposed acquisition had become a major topic of discussion leading up to the&nbsp;presidential election in November.



X Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/X">U.S. Steel shares</a> were down 11.39% after-hours, trading at $39.98 at the time of publication Wednesday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44723376/goldman-sachs-scraps-recession-call-after-trumps-surprise-tariff-pause-as-wall-street-marks-strongest-day-since-2008">Goldman Sachs Scraps Recession Call After Trump&#8217;s Surprise Tariff Pause As Wall Street Marks Strongest Day Since 2008</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock.

Global

After-Hours Center

US Steel Stock Tumbles As Trump Says 'We Don't Want To See It Go To Japan'

Wall Street staged one of its most powerful rallies in history on Wednesday, as a dramatic shift in U.S. trade policy ignited an aggressive risk-on surge across <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44720006/markets-take-off-as-trump-announces-90-day-tariff-pause-for-non-retaliating-nations-slaps-china-with-125-duty">every corner of the market.</a>



At the heart of the rally was President Donald Trump's unexpected announcement of a 90-day tariff pause for countries that have not retaliated against the U.S., coupled with a renewed hardline stance on China. 



The twin messaging—conciliatory toward allies, confrontational toward Beijing—was seen by investors as a calculated move to reset trade negotiations and de-escalate uncertainty.



Trump decided to impose universal 10% tariffs on countries that have not retaliated against U.S. duties, announcing a three-month window for fine-tuning negotiations. He also opted to keep duties on China as high as 125%.



The reaction was immediate and overwhelming.



The Nasdaq 100 – as tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) – soared 11% by 2:40 p.m. ET, on track for its strongest one-day gain since October 2008, during the height of the global financial crisis. 



The S&amp;P 500 jumped 8.7%, its best session since March 2020, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 7.3%, also notching a post-COVID record. 



Meanwhile, the Russell 2000, which tracks domestic-focused small caps, rocketed 9.1%, nearing one of its best sessions since the index&#8217;s inception in 1987.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mega-Cap Stocks Skyrocket </h3>



The Magnificent Seven stocks added a combined $1.44 trillion in market capitalization in a single session, in what is shaping up to be one of the largest single-day gains in aggregate market value ever recorded for the U.S. tech titans.



<ul>
<li>NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) jumped 15.88%, adding $373.12 billion in market capitalization.</li>



<li>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) rallied 11.72%, gaining $258.23 billion.</li>



<li>Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) rose 8.17%, up $215.33 billion.</li>



<li>Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) climbed 9.64%, increasing its market value by $174.34 billion</li>



<li>Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) advanced 10.05%, adding $152.22 billion.</li>



<li>Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) surged 7.82%, with a $138.74 billion boost.</li>



<li>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) soared 18.60%, gaining $132.73 billion.</li>
</ul>



The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#NASDAQ">MAGS</a>) soared 11%, its largest one-day jump since the fund&#8217;s inception in 2023.



"This was brilliantly executed by Donald Trump. Textbook, Art of the Deal," hedge fund titan Bill Ackman posted on X, reflecting the enthusiastic reactions from investors.



Economist Mohamed El-Erian noted that while speculation centered on who might have pressured the White House—Congress, CEOs, or courts—it was likely the government bond market that forced the administration's hand: "How close it gets to the line that separates wild price volatility from market malfunctioning," he wrote.



Before Trump's announcement, U.S. Treasuries had come under heavy pressure, with yields climbing amid growing investor skepticism toward American assets.



Market experts saw the move as a potential inflection point. 



"Markets are breathing a loud sigh of relief after President Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs and a reduction of certain ones," said Chris Brigati, CIO at SWBC. "The market&#8217;s move upward is violent, and speaks to how badly the market was looking for clarity."



Gina Bolvin, president of Bolvin Wealth Management, called this "the pivotal moment we've been waiting for," adding that the timing, just ahead of earnings season, may give companies a steadier backdrop for forward guidance.



Still, some warned the euphoria may prove temporary. "Uncertainty looms over what happens after the 90-day period," Bolvin said. "This underscores the importance of staying fully invested, particularly in a market as reactive and headline-driven as this one."



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44716555/thomas-peterffy-greatest-buying-opportunity-tariffs-roil-markets">Don&#8217;t Panic, Billionaire Thomas Peterffy Says: Tariffs Present &#8216;Greatest&#8217; Buying Opportunity</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

MAGS

Nasdaq 100 Set For Strongest Rally Since 2008 As Magnificent 7 Add $1.5 Trillion In Historic Surge

The Symbol KY was not found. Here are some similar symbols and popular symbols to consider.

KY Page Not Found - Benzinga

Symbol Similar to: KY

Top Gaining Stocks

Notizie

PARTENAIRE / CONTRIBUTEUR

BENZINGA MONDIAL