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Anna's Markets Recap

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Saturday, 5:25 AM

June 14, 2025

Good morning news friend! Here is a quick recap of what happened in the markets this week. 📰🌟

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What Moved Markets Last Week

It was a week of two halves. The market started strong, with the S&P 500 climbing above 6,000 for the first time since February. Good news on trade talks with China and soft inflation data fueled the rally. Investors were feeling confident, and it looked like the major indices were on track for a third straight week of gains.

But everything changed on Friday. News of an Israeli airstrike in Iran sent a shockwave through the markets. The Dow dropped over 700 points, wiping out all the week's gains. Investors moved to safety, buying up U.S. dollars and government bonds. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.36%. It was a stark reminder of how quickly geopolitical events can shift the market's mood.

Tech and Growth

The tech sector followed the market's sharp reversal, but there were some interesting stories.

• Apple (AAPL) kicked off its big developer conference and unveiled "Apple Intelligence." But investors weren't wowed, and the stock fell over 1% after the announcement. The market wants to see how these new AI features will make money, and Apple hasn't made that clear yet.

• Microsoft (MSFT), on the other hand, hit a new all-time high on Wednesday. Its AI strategy is clearly paying off, with strong revenue growth in its Azure cloud business.

• Tesla (TSLA) was the week's biggest surprise. After a rough prior week, the stock staged a huge rally. This was less about fundamentals and more about the options market. On Friday, when almost every other growth stock was down, Tesla closed up nearly 2%. It shows how technical factors can sometimes overpower the big-picture news.

• Other big tech names like NVIDIA (NVDA), Broadcom (AVGO), Alphabet (GOOGL), and Meta Platforms (META) were up for most of the week but sold off with the rest of the market on Friday.

Banks and Financials

The big news for financials came on Friday. A report that Walmart and Amazon are looking into creating their own stablecoins hit the payment stocks hard.

This is a potential threat to the business models of Visa (V) and Mastercard (MA). If the retail giants create their own payment systems, they could bypass the card networks and their fees. The market reacted instantly. Visa shares dropped almost 5%, and Mastercard fell over 4.5%. While some analysts think the sell-off was overblown, it's clear that investors see this as a real long-term risk.

Big banks like JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Bank of America (BAC) were down with the broader market, but their declines were more about the general move away from risk.

Consumer Goods and Healthcare

This sector is usually a safe bet, and some companies lived up to that reputation. But there was also plenty of drama.

• Eli Lilly (LLY) continued to be a standout performer. The stock climbed all week, driven by booming sales of its diabetes and weight-loss drugs.

• UnitedHealth Group (UNH) is still in a tough spot. The stock is down about 38% this year amid a government investigation and leadership changes. But someone is betting on a comeback. On Monday, a big institutional player made a massive $6.2 million bet that the stock will be much higher by the end of next year. It's a classic battle between a negative story and "smart money."

• Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) held up well, ending Friday with a small gain after announcing positive clinical trial news.

• Retailers like Walmart (WMT) and Costco (COST) were down, caught in the market sell-off and the stablecoin news.

Energy and Industrials

Friday's geopolitical news created a clear split here.

• Exxon Mobil (XOM) rallied 2.14% on Friday. Fears that a wider conflict in the Middle East could disrupt oil supplies sent crude prices soaring over 8%, and Exxon's stock rose with them.

• Home Depot (HD), however, fell 2.39%. The same uncertainty that helped Exxon hurt Home Depot. The prospect of a recession and higher energy prices is not good for consumer spending on home improvement.

Commodities

Gold and oil were the big winners. Gold surged past $3,400 an ounce, closing the week at a new high. It benefited from both the hope for lower interest rates earlier in the week and the flight to safety on Friday. WTI crude oil jumped to over $73 a barrel on fears of supply disruptions.

Did you know we also write in-depth deep dives? They are long, packed with insights, and have received rave reviews. If you’re up for a detailed, action-packed read, check them out:

• The U.S. Debt Trajectory, Assessing the Risks of a $36 Trillion Liability

• Private Equity, Unpacking the Engine Room of Modern Capitalism

• Ethanol: Hype, Hope or the future of Fuel?

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Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️