In the past week:
- Gold spiked on a soft dollar and tariff threats. The Federal Reserve defended a pause in rate cuts due to anticipated tariff-driven inflation. The Dow tumbled late in the week.
- Intel became a potential takeover target. Defense stocks got a boost from hopes for a ceasefire in Ukraine. xAI released its Grok 3 AI model. Meta boosted executive bonuses.
- Alibaba stock popped after an earnings beat. Walmart shares pulled back after soft guidance, but it hiked its dividend. Rivian results beat low expectations, and Mercedes announced cost cuts.
- Southwest Airlines and KFC announced layoffs, and the latter said it would move its headquarters from Kentucky.
- Target faced a backlash for rolling back DEI programs. EV maker Nikola filed for bankruptcy. Shareholders approved a Capital One-Discover merger.
- Buffett took a new stake in Constellation Brands and exited its stake in Ulta Beauty in the fourth quarter.
- Homebuilder sentiment fell to a multimonth low. Mortgage rates fell for the fifth straight week. Consumer sentiment soured.
The stock market is near all-time highs, but economic uncertainty abounds. Boomers looking toward retirement may want to consider putting some of their funds into a high-yield savings account. It is one of the best ways to protect assets by reducing vulnerability to market corrections.
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