News Recap • Week 11 2025

Check the news below and make sure to visit my latest Market Recap as well.

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Macro

• The latest consumer sentiment survey from the University of Michigan added to the list of worrying signs for the US economy. The March reading showed 57.9, down 10.5% from February and below the consensus estimate for 63.2. It was also the lowest level since November 2022. Both the current conditions index and expectations measure for the future fell as well, while inflation fears jumped.
• The US Consumer Price Index, both headline and core, increased by 0.2% in February. On an annual basis, the two came in at 2.8% and 3.1% respectively. Both were 0.1% percentage point below expectations. It also marked the lowest core CPI reading since April 2021, although its still a ways off from the 2% target.
• The Producer Price Index was flat in February after jumping 0.6% in the prior month. Core PPI decreased for the first time since July, down 0.1% for the month. Both were expected to increase by 0.3%. The year-over-year measures came in at 3.2% and 3.4% respectively, well down from January’s numbers but still far above the Fed’s 2% target. Furthermore, it wasn’t all positive under the surface though.
• US job openings surprised to the upside in January, a welcome sign of a stable economy after a series of negative data points.
• The UK economy contracted by 0.1% in February, while economists had expected it to expand by 0.1%.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed his interest in a ceasefire with Ukraine, albeit with requirements of further negotiations before a potential deal. This came after Ukraine agreed to a deal.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed what President Trump has been saying a few times: The administration is focused on the long-term health of the real economy, not short-term fluctuations in the market.
• President Trump threatened to put 200% tariff on French Champagne and other European spirits.
• The US budget deficit totaled a record $1.15 trillion in the first five months of fiscal 2025.
• Argentina’s inflation rate accelerated from 2.2% in January to 2.4% in February, in line with expectations.
• Japan’s wholesale inflation came in at 4% in February, in line with expectations but still well above the 2% target. The sticky inflation increases the likelihood of more rate hikes to come from Bank of Japan.
• The average listing price of new houses in Tokyo increased 2.4% to a record 78.59 million yen ($534,000) in February.
• Inflation in India landed at 3.61% in February, lower than the 3.98% forecast and the country’s 4% target.

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Other

• Intel appointed Lip-Bu Tan as CEO three months after Pat Gelsinger resigned from the role. Shares rallied 14.6% after the announcement on Thursday.
• Klarna officially filed for its IP on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol KLAR.
• Novo Nordisk shared disappointing trial results, sending shares down by 8% on Monday.

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Earnings

• Adobe delivered a solid beat on both the top and bottom lines but saw its stock drop almost 14% on Thursday on some AI growth concerns.
• Oracle reported fiscal Q3 revenue and earnings below expectations. Shares fell 3.1% after the report on Tuesday but recovered all losses the following day.