Trump’s trade moves, rate cuts, and US stocks surges

Bitcoin experienced a wild ride last week. The digital asset surged to a record $110,000 ahead of Trump’s inauguration, only to plummet when his early executive orders made no mention of crypto. However, the tide turned on Thursday when Trump revealed plans to establish a US crypto reserve and develop a regulatory framework for the sector.

The key question now is: Can Bitcoin maintain its bullish momentum, or will uncertainty continue to keep traders on edge?

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The S&P 500 surged to an all-time high above 6,100, with the Dow and Nasdaq 100 following suit, inching closer to their respective records. However, the Russell 2000, which tracks mid-cap stocks, lagged behind, down 6% from its peak—a potential warning sign for the broader market. 

Treasury yields pulled back, offering equities a boost, while the Dollar Index fell 2.5% as Trump backed away from his “Day 1” tariff threats. Earnings season is off to a strong start, but with the Fed meeting on Wednesday and Trump’s call for rate cuts, expect more market drama ahead.

This week brings a flurry of economic data and central bank decisions, keeping traders on their toes. The action starts with China’s PMI figures and Germany’s business sentiment survey, which was quickly followed by US home sales and durable goods orders.

Chinese markets will pause for the Spring Festival, but global markets will keep moving.

Key events to watch this week include Australia’s CPI data, central bank decisions from the Bank of Canada and the US Federal Reserve, and the European Central Bank’s rate announcement.

The week includes US GDP, Core PCE inflation (the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge), and a slate of personal spending and income data.

Monday:

• AT&T

• Brown & Brown

• Nucor

• WR Berkley

• Ryanair

• SoFi Tech

• Graco

• Western Alliance Bancorp

• Crane Co

Tuesday:

• SAP

• RTX Corp

• Stryker Corp

• Boeing

• Lockheed Martin

• Chubb

• Starbucks

• General Motors

• Kimberly-Clark

• Sysco

• Synchrony

Wednesday:

• Microsoft

• Meta Platforms

• Tesla

• ASML Holdings

• T-Mobile

• ServiceNow

• IBM

• Danaher

• ADP

• Lam Research

• Waste Management

• MSCI

• Hess Corp

• Raymond James

Thursday:

• Apple

• Visa

• Mastercard

• Blackstone

• Thermo Fisher

• Shell

• Caterpillar

• Comcast

• Sanofi

• UPS

• Marsh & McLennan

• Sumitomo

• Intel

• Altria

• Northrop Grumman

Friday:

• Amazon

• ExxonMobil

• AbbVie

• Novartis

• Eaton Corp

• Colgate-Palmolive

• Charter Communications

• WW Grainger

• Ford Motor

• Symbotic

• American Express

• Verizon Communications

• NextEra Energy

• HCA Health

• Ameriprise Financial

• Rockwell Automation

• Archer-Daniels-Midland

• Teradyne

• Stifel Financial

• Hess Midstream

• Robert Half