It is hard to believe the S&P 500 reached its all-time high on February 19, only 14 trading days ago. Since then, the index has traded lower in 10 of those 14 sessions, though today, it bounced exactly where expected—at the 10% correction level and the first key Fibonacci support (see highlighted purple boxes in the table below).
Nasdaq Doji Candlestick Also of note is today’s Doji candlestick in the Nasdaq composite. Today’s long lower wick indicates that sellers initially drove prices down, but buyers later stepped in to push the price back up to close near the opening level. This suggests that bearish momentum may be waning, and a potential reversal or consolidation phase could be forthcoming.
However, market liquidity remains weak, and price action has been poor.
That said, stocks are deeply oversold, and if a tradable bounce materializes, the first key resistance is today’s high at 5636.30, followed by Monday’s high at 5705.37. A breakout above these levels could bring the 200-day moving average at 5738.94 into play.
RSI Below 30 The S&Ps Relative Strength Index (RSI) closed at 28.35 today. When an asset is oversold (RSI < 30), it often indicates that the selling pressure has been excessive, and a reversal or bounce could be near. However, oversold conditions don’t guarantee an immediate reversal. The market could continue moving lower in the short term if there are strong fundamental pressures, which, given the policy lunacy in Washington, is certainly the case.
Downside Support Levels On the downside, today’s low at 5528.41 serves as immediate support. Below that, an “air pocket” could accelerate selling toward the thin support line at 5400 and the next Fibonacci support at 5132.90.
A full 20% correction at 4917.94 would officially mark bear market territory, which we believe is much more likely than what the market expects.
Staying cautious, keeping risk controls in place, and looking to sell at higher levels.
Major U.S. indices declined significantly due to tariff uncertainties.
The euro currency spiked after Germany announced a massive fiscal spending package.
Germany’s new budgetary strategy caused historic bond yield increases.
ECB lowered rates amid slowing inflation and substantial uncertainty.
Japan’s bond yields reached the highest levels since 2008.
China’s fiscal stimulus aims to combat deflationary pressures.
Employment and manufacturing indicators in the U.S. signal economic moderation.
Markets: U.S. and Global U.S. markets experienced considerable volatility this past week as Trump’s shifting tariff policies caused uncertainty among investors. The announcement of 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports and an additional 10% on Chinese goods led major indices, including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite, to suffer their sharpest declines since September. The S&P 500, after penetrating key support, managed to rally into the Friday close.
Global markets echoed this instability, with European stocks ending a 10-week winning streak and Japanese markets showing mixed results amidst yen appreciation and rising bond yields. Chinese markets, conversely, rallied modestly after signals of further fiscal stimulus.
Economics: Domestic and International Domestically, the inconsistency of tariff decisions has started to influence U.S. economic performance negatively, evidenced by sluggish manufacturing growth and increased concerns reported in the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book. Internationally, Trump’s policies prompted significant reactions: Europe’s strategic fiscal expansion, notably Germany’s EUR 500 billion infrastructure and defense spending, marked a historic policy shift resulting in dramatic rises in bond yields and Euro valuation. Japan is facing rate hikes due to inflationary pressures partly linked to trade uncertainties, and China faces ongoing growth headwinds despite new stimulus measures, highlighting broad global economic implications.
The Week Ahead Attention will shift towards upcoming economic indicators, particularly the U.S. employment report, following signs of moderating job growth and rising unemployment. Germany’s fiscal announcement, causing a spike in European bond yields, will remain a focal point, alongside the appreciation of the Euro. Investors will closely monitor these developments as they navigate the ongoing financial market volatility stemming from Trump’s unpredictable trade stance.
As Trump seems to want to isolate and cut President Zelensky out of the peace negotiations while siding with Putin’s Russia, it conjures up an image of the Big Three – Putin, Xi, and Trump — carving up the world as they see fit. We sure hope not.
The Trump administration has, however, embarked on a significant departure from traditional U.S. foreign policy, emphasizing unilateralism over alliances and prioritizing economic negotiations over geopolitical stability. This shift mirrors historical instances such as the Yalta Conference of 1945, where great power negotiations reshaped European borders, and the treaties following World War I that rewrote the borders in the Middle East and beyond and attempted—often unsuccessfully—to enforce a lasting peace.
Trump’s approach to Ukraine, Europe, and global alliances reflects an emerging pattern of prioritizing national interests over multilateral commitments, raising concerns about the potential reordering of global power structures.
The Trump Doctrine: A New Yalta?
At Yalta in 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to secure a postwar order based on democratic principles but had to compromise with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, resulting in Eastern Europe falling under Soviet domination. This decision was widely criticized as a betrayal of smaller nations in favor of great power pragmatism. A similar theme emerges in Trump’s handling of Ukraine. By shifting away from unwavering support for Kyiv and normalizing relations with Russia, the Trump administration appears willing to sideline Ukrainian sovereignty in pursuit of broader strategic objectives.
Trump’s treatment of Ukraine aligns with the concept of “great power deals,” reminiscent of the U.S. and Soviet agreement at Yalta. The difference is that Roosevelt operated within a multilateral framework, whereas Trump has abandoned such structures in favor of direct power negotiations. This reorientation represents a radical rethinking of U.S. commitments, raising concerns among European allies who fear becoming bargaining chips in a new geopolitical settlement.
Economic and Military Implications: The European Response
Europe’s reaction to Trump’s foreign policy echoes the aftermath of World War I when European nations struggled to establish an independent security architecture after U.S. disengagement. The Treaty of Versailles and subsequent treaties placed the burden of European security on fragile alliances, which ultimately collapsed with the onset of World War II. Similarly, Trump’s approach to Ukraine and NATO suggests a U.S. retrenchment that may leave European nations more vulnerable.
European leaders now face a stark choice: to assert their geopolitical independence or risk being sidelined. A recent analysis indicates that defending Europe without U.S. military support would require at least 300,000 additional troops and an annual defense spending increase of €250 billion. This suggests that European nations must urgently develop self-reliant defense mechanisms, mirroring past efforts to create European security structures in the interwar period.
The Economic Reordering: Parallels to the Interwar Period
Trump’s foreign policy also recalls the economic consequences of post-World War I diplomacy. The punitive economic measures of the Versailles Treaty fueled nationalist resentment and economic instability, leading to World War II. Similarly, Trump’s imposition of tariffs on European allies and his transactional approach to international relations risk disrupting global trade.
His administration’s proposed “economic reordering” aims to restructure the global economy in favor of U.S. interests, pushing European nations to align with Washington’s new trade and security frameworks. However, as history has shown, economic isolationism can backfire, as it did in the 1930s when protectionist policies deepened the Great Depression and undermined international cooperation.
Conclusion
Trump’s foreign policy represents a break from the multilateral traditions of the post-World War II order, favoring direct negotiations and economic leverage over alliance-based diplomacy. This shift echoes the compromises made at Yalta and the fragile peace efforts after World War I, both of which had long-term geopolitical consequences. If European nations do not take proactive steps toward greater autonomy in defense and diplomacy, they risk becoming passive participants in a new great power realignment. The historical lesson is clear: in an era of shifting alliances, European nations must assert their sovereignty or risk being dictated by external forces once again.
So, here’s the deal: Putin gets Ukraine and…Xi gets Taiwan, and Trump gets Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal? God help us.
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has successfully touched down on the Moon, making it only the second privately built spacecraft to achieve this milestone. The Texas-based company developed the robotic lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, supporting the Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the Moon.
Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Blue Ghost spent two weeks orbiting before its hour-long descent to the lunar surface, landing this morning at 3:36 a.m. ET. The control room in Austin, Texas, erupted in celebration, marking another step in the growing private-sector involvement in lunar exploration.
The lander is carrying 10 NASA science instruments to study the Moon’s surface and interior. Among its tasks, it will:
Probe the Moon’s interior up to 700 miles deep.
Capture X-ray images of Earth’s magnetic field interactions.
Analyze lunar soil and dust adhesion.
Use lasers to measure Earth-Moon distance.
While in orbit, Blue Ghost also captured stunning imagery of the Moon’s south pole and far side, providing valuable data for future missions.
This landing follows Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus mission in February 2024 and kicks off a wave of lunar expeditions. Another Intuitive Machines lander is set to land around March 6, while a Japanese ispace lander, launched alongside Blue Ghost, is on a longer trajectory, arriving in May or June.
NASA awarded Firefly $101.5 million for this mission, reinforcing private-sector contributions to lunar exploration and future human landings.
Check out the video of Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander, which captures stunning 10x-speed footage of the Moon’s far side and its thruster maneuvers from 100 km above the surface. Stunning.
This video image of our home from the moon never gets old. I have a framed print of Earthriseabove my desk, which was taken by Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders.
Global Macro Monitor 