"Rolling in the Dough!"

Hi There! As I celebrate the milestone of reaching the Rhoda Report’s 75th issue, I am filled with immense gratitude for each of you. Thank you for being an integral part of this journey, for your unwavering support, and for hanging with me through every up and down in the markets. Your engagement and loyalty have been the backbone of each issue, making every one more meaningful than the last. However, the journey doesn't end here. I urge you not to keep all this valuable information to yourselves. Help me extend the impact of our collective financial education by sharing the Rhoda Report with your family, friends, and co-workers. Encourage them to subscribe and join our growing community. Together, let's spread knowledge, empower others, and continue to grow.

Alright, let’s dig in!

Last week's trading session concluded with a modest rally on Friday, buoyed by positive economic indicators from the U.S. government. However, the overall sentiment remained bearish as all three major indexes ended the week in the red. Here's a breakdown:

• Major Indexes: Despite Friday's gains, the Dow experienced its worst week of the year, plummeting by 2.27%. The S&P 500 wasn't spared either, dropping 0.95%, while the Nasdaq Composite decreased by 0.8%.

• Federal Reserve's Stance: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's latest comments did little to alleviate investor concerns, as he remained elusive about the timing of anticipated rate cuts. This stance underscores a broader apprehension about persistent high interest rates.

• Tech Sector Movements: Notable tech giants faced turbulence; AMD saw a near 5% drop, while Tesla experienced a rollercoaster week due to speculative news around its Model 2 EV and a subsequent rally after Elon Musk announced a robotaxi debut.

• Oil Prices Surged: U.S. crude and Brent crude witnessed a 'golden cross' (when the 50-day moving average outpaces the 200-day moving average), signaling potential for further increases. Rising oil prices, partly fueled by geopolitical tensions, are expected to reignite inflationary pressures and potentially dampen corporate earnings prospects.

• Employment Data: The labour market showed unexpected strength with 303,000 jobs added in March, and a slight decrease in the unemployment rate to 3.8%, adding to the conundrum faced by the Federal Reserve regarding interest rate decisions.

 Here are other key highlights from last week:

• Central banks to explore tokenization of cross-border payments

• Base saw explosive growth with 6 million users

• Coachella launched Avalanche NFT at music festival

• Sony Bank to experiment on stablecoins through Polygon

This week in the financial markets is packed with key events and data:

• Monday: The week started with the Spring Enforcers Summit in Washington, D.C., highlighting the focus on competition enforcement with participation from key figures like FTC Chair Lina M. Khan, DOJ Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, and SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

• Wednesday's Key Developments:

  • U.S. CPI Inflation: Surpassed expectations, increasing to 3.5% year-over-year, signaling persistent inflationary pressures. This led to a drop in stock futures, a rise in the U.S. Dollar, and soaring bond yields.

  • Fed FOMC Minutes: Revealed a consensus towards a potential policy shift to less restrictive measures later in the year, despite current inflation challenges. Discussions highlighted concerns over financial pressures on low-income households and the need for a cautious approach to economic growth and inflation.

• Rest of the Week:

  • Thursday: Market eyes will be on U.S. PPI Inflation and Initial Jobless Claims data for further economic indicators.

  • Friday: Consumer Sentiment data will provide insights into consumer perspectives on the economic climate.

• Fed Speeches: Varied viewpoints from FOMC members throughout the week, with Fed Kashkari making notable remarks about Bitcoin and potential rate cuts, reflect the Fed's complex balancing act between controlling inflation and supporting economic growth.

The most anticipated earnings releases this week are outlined in the chart below.

Key Global Economic Events:

• Interest rate decisions from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) and the Bank of Canada (BoC).

• New Loans, CPI, and PPI data from China shed light on the health of the world's second-largest economy.

• The Euro Area Monetary Policy Statement and the ECB's Press Conference are highly anticipated, with potential implications for global financial markets.

• The release of the UK GDP figures will provide an update on the economic recovery in the post-Brexit landscape.

Trading Tip: April is the 2nd best month for the S&P 500!

Week 3/31/24 - 4/06/24 Recap

Special Tools and Strategies

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In essence, Decrypt University significantly enhances the Decrypt platform by offering a well-structured and comprehensive educational experience tailored to beginner investors. By tapping into its vast array of explainer articles, videos, glossary, and courses, beginners are not just educated on blockchain and cryptocurrencies' fundamental aspects but also kept in the loop with the most recent market trends and technologies. This all-encompassing educational approach ensures that beginners are thoroughly equipped to navigate the digital asset space and make well-informed investment decisions.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is strictly educational. The information this report provides does not constitute investment, financial, trading, or any other advice. You should not treat any of the report’s content as such. Please be careful and do your research.