Early Earnings & Portfolio Reviews (4/16/2025)
*****
Timeline:
0:00 – Market overview, futures vs. index values, Powell anticipation
2:08 – NASDAQ distortion, Magnificent Seven performance, MAS ETF
4:21 – Bounce calculations, technical levels, death cross
8:55 – Portfolio performance, hedging strategy, March recap
11:17 – Trump’s tariff escalation and its impact
13:04 – Global trust erosion, legal uncertainty, Boeing vs. Lockheed
18:27 – Lockheed investment, U.S. checks and balances, authoritarianism
26:58 – Powell on tariffs and inflation, market skepticism
30:00 – Inflation analogies, labor vs. commodities, USD weakness
37:43 – Trump-Russia economic ties, gold surge, Fed inaction
47:09 – Labor data, uncertainty, warning of further market drops
52:30 – Loss of global trust, U.S. reputation, historical comparisons
59:03 – Political dynamics, market rules rewritten under Trump
1:08:00 – Powell misread tariffs, no real trade talks
1:11:53 – Trade deficit analogies, Walmart, tariff consequences
1:24:43 – Breakdown of global trade system, post-WWII context
1:27:58 – Portfolio protection strategies, hypernormalism, future outlook
1:35:01 – Hedge rationales, Nvidia, risk of tariff reversals
1:47:03 – Consumer brands (Nike, Best Buy, Foot Locker) under pressure
1:54:00 – Deregulation bets (Northern Dynasty), retail adaptation
1:59:02 – Portfolio review (Apple, Exxon, Coca-Cola, etc.)
2:07:05 – Hedged crash opportunity, final warning for unhedged investors
*****
Summary by Phil at Phil’s Stock World:
This webinar is a wide-ranging and urgent discussion about current market conditions, the impact of aggressive, chaotic U.S. trade policy, and portfolio management strategy in the face of growing volatility. Phil begins with an overview of the major indices and futures, noting discrepancies between current index values and where futures suggest markets will land by quarter-end.
Phil discusses the outsized influence of the "Magnificent Seven" stocks, which dominate NASDAQ performance. Their sharp decline signals deeper problems in the market, particularly in light of emerging trade restrictions.
Phil argues that markets are likely to face further downside, with little technical support remaining.


