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One Year After Liberation Day — S&P 500 Down 7% YTD but Markets Have Defied the Crash Predictions

Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of President Trump's April 2, 2025 Liberation Day tariff announcement, and despite a rocky 12 months that saw the Supreme Court strike down IEEPA tariffs and a replacement 15% global baseline imposed, the S&P 500 has not crashed — but it has underperformed dramatically, down 7% year-to-date as global investors reassess American exceptionalism.

February PCE Inflation Eases to 2.3% — Core Holds at 2.6%, Fed Stays Patient

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released February's Personal Consumption Expenditures price index Friday, showing headline PCE inflation eased to 2.3% year-over-year from 2.5% in January while core PCE held steady at 2.6%. Both readings landed in line with consensus, reinforcing a Federal Reserve on hold through mid-year as incoming auto tariff risks threaten to stall the final mile of disinflation.

S&P 500 Posts Slim Q1 2026 Gain as Tariff Uncertainty and Fed Patience Cap Upside

The S&P 500 closed out Q1 2026 with a modest gain of approximately 2.1%, masking a turbulent quarter defined by persistent tariff escalation, a hawkish-leaning Federal Reserve, and wide sector-level dispersion. Technology and financials led, while consumer discretionary and materials lagged on trade policy headwinds. The quarter ends with investors cautiously positioned ahead of what promises to be a pivotal Q1 earnings season.

U.S. GDP Growth Confirmed at 2.4% for Q4 2025, Beating Initial Estimate

The Bureau of Economic Analysis on Thursday confirmed U.S. GDP expanded at an annualized rate of 2.4% in Q4 2025, topping the advance estimate of 2.3% and reinforcing economic resilience heading into 2026. Upward revisions to consumer spending and nonresidential fixed investment drove the beat, tempering stagflation concerns.

Nvidia Expands Blackwell Ultra GPU Production to Meet Record AI Infrastructure Demand

Nvidia announced a major ramp-up in Blackwell Ultra GPU production, citing record orders from hyperscalers and sovereign AI programs worldwide. The company indicated Q1 2026 data center revenue is on pace to surpass the prior quarter's record, driving renewed momentum across the semiconductor supply chain from TSMC to Micron.

Powell Shocks Markets With Hawkish Peterson Institute Speech — Rate Hike Odds Surge to 68%

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivered a sharply hawkish address at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, signaling the Fed retains all tools to combat inflation. Rate hike odds for October surged to 68 percent as the S&P 500 fell 1.4 percent and 2-year Treasury yields jumped 18 basis points to 4.92 percent.

Adobe Q1 2026 Earnings Beat Estimates — Firefly AI Drives 18% Digital Media ARR Growth

Adobe Inc. reported fiscal Q1 2026 results Wednesday evening that exceeded analyst expectations across all key metrics, with Firefly AI generative credit monetization delivering 18.3 percent Digital Media ARR growth versus the 15.9 billion consensus. The stock surged 9.2 percent in extended trading, recovering more than half of its year-to-date decline.

Bitcoin Surges to $92,000 as Spot ETF Inflows Hit $890M Single-Day Record on Stagflation Fears

Bitcoin surged to $92,000 Wednesday as a record $890 million of single-day inflows into U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs reinforced the cryptocurrency's role as a liquid stagflation hedge. The catalyst was paradoxically Powell's hawkish Peterson Institute speech, which confirmed the stagflation scenario driving institutional allocators toward hard assets.

Oil Holds Above $118 as Pentagon Confirms Further Gulf Deployments; S&P 500 Futures Signal Cautious Open

Crude oil held firm above $118 per barrel in early Tuesday trading as the Pentagon confirmed additional naval deployments to the Persian Gulf, while S&P 500 futures pointed to a cautious open after Monday's session failed to reclaim the 200-day moving average, leaving investors weighing whether the worst of the selloff is priced in or whether further deterioration lies ahead.