empty
14.04.2025 09:45 AM
The Market Wants to, But Hesitates

Do you have a plan, Mr. Donald Trump? Some believe what's happening is masterful diplomacy — they hope that once serious proposals from other countries reach the White House, tariffs will be lifted, GDP will accelerate to 3%, and the S&P 500 will hit new record highs. Others are convinced that import tariffs will drive the U.S. economy into a recession, causing the broad stock index to resume its decline. One thing is clear: investors are tired of uncertainty and hope that clarity regarding the new trade regime will enable them to buy stocks. But not so fast.

Following the announcement of sweeping tariffs, we witnessed ten days of historic turbulence in financial markets. The S&P 500's market cap plunged by $5.8 trillion only to surge again by $4 trillion. The White House alternated between imposing tariffs and announcing postponements. One day, it raised the stakes against Beijing to 145%; the next, it exempted $100 billion worth of popular Chinese electronics from duties — about 23% of total imports from China. Is it any surprise that the VIX surged to its highest levels since March 2020? Is fear still ruling the market?

U.S. Stock Market Volatility Dynamics

This image is no longer relevant

Yes and no. There's an aversion to American assets due to the White House's constantly shifting tone and decisions. At the same time, we're seeing a resurgence of FOMO — the "buy or miss out" strategy. Indeed, the pullback in the S&P 500 has left investors stuck in a "tempted but cautious" state of mind.

This historic volatility has made safe-haven assets the winners: gold, the Japanese yen, and the Swiss franc. At first glance, the euro's strength might seem illogical, but considering that German bonds have become beneficiaries of the White House's erratic decisions — as opposed to U.S. Treasuries — it all starts to make sense.

Asset Performance During Days of Historic Market Volatility

This image is no longer relevant

Investors are confident that Europe and China will stimulate their economies to counteract the negative impact of tariffs and trade wars. Meanwhile, Trump's loosening grip on the European Union has accelerated the outflow of capital from the US to the EU, putting pressure on the S&P 500.

This image is no longer relevant

Furthermore, Wall Street Journal experts have raised the probability of a U.S. recession within the next 12 months from 22% to 45%. The GDP forecast for 2025 has been downgraded from 2% to 0.8%, with some analysts expecting a 2% contraction this year. Others, however, are betting on a swift tariff rollback and GDP expansion to 3%. The first scenario appears more likely — suggesting the stock market is not out of the woods yet. The rough patch is far from over.

From a technical perspective, an inside bar was played out on the S&P 500's daily chart, allowing for the formation of long positions. Now it's time for the second phase of the previously announced strategy: profit-taking on long positions and selling on pullbacks from resistance at 5500 and 5600.

Marek Petkovich,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

Trade War as Part of Global Confrontation

Many may believe that the trade war initiated by Donald Trump is simply a tool to reduce the budget deficit and national debt. However, it becomes clear upon closer examination

Chin Zhao 01:06 2025-05-07 UTC+2

May FOMC Meeting: A Preview

We'll learn the results of the Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting on Wednesday. On one hand, it's a routine event with a predetermined outcome. On the other hand, the currency

Irina Manzenko 00:32 2025-05-07 UTC+2

The Euro Holds Its Ground

Trade wars matter more than politics. Friedrich Merz's proposal to revise Germany's fiscal brake rule laid the foundation for EUR/USD's upward trend. Theoretically, his failure to become chancellor should have

Marek Petkovich 00:32 2025-05-07 UTC+2

Australian Dollar Hits New Highs

The Australian dollar updated its five-month high against the USD at the start of the new week. NAB (National Australia Bank) revised several of its forecasts concerning the Australian economy

Kuvat Raharjo 00:32 2025-05-07 UTC+2

The Euro Ends Its Consolidation and Prepares to Rise Again

Inflation in the eurozone remained at 2.2% year-on-year in April, slightly above the expected decline to 2.1%. Meanwhile, core inflation rose from 2.4% to 2.7%, significantly exceeding the forecast

Kuvat Raharjo 19:08 2025-05-06 UTC+2

USD/JPY. Analysis and Forecast

The Japanese yen is attracting buyers following a recent decline, owing to its status as a safe-haven asset in times of uncertainty. The anticipated recovery of the yen is supported

Irina Yanina 18:47 2025-05-06 UTC+2

EUR/USD. Analysis and Forecast

The EUR/USD pair is struggling to establish a clear short-term direction, trading within a multi-day range as markets await decisive news from the upcoming FOMC meeting regarding the interest rate

Irina Yanina 11:05 2025-05-06 UTC+2

USD/CAD. Analysis and Forecast

Today, the USD/CAD pair remains positive within a familiar range, without showing strong buying momentum. The strengthening of the U.S. dollar following a two-day decline is attributed to the positive

Irina Yanina 11:03 2025-05-06 UTC+2

The Market Took a Step Back

The longest winning streak of the S&P 500 in two decades has come to an end. But who's responsible? The Federal Reserve, which plans to keep rates unchanged

Marek Petkovich 10:16 2025-05-06 UTC+2

Markets Anxiously Await the Fed's Monetary Policy Meeting (Potential for Renewed Growth in Bitcoin and #NDX)

Markets remain tense. The U.S. Dollar Index and the cryptocurrency market are stagnating, caught between opposing forces. Investors are tensely awaiting the outcome of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting

Pati Gani 10:02 2025-05-06 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.