The major US equity indices faced significant declines today due to rising inflation concerns and deteriorating consumer sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 1.7%, the S&P 500 dropped 2.0%, and the Nasdaq Composite saw a 2.7% decrease.

The core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, favored by the Federal Reserve as an inflation measure, increased by 0.4% in February, resulting in a 2.8% annual rise compared to 2.7% in January. Additionally, the final University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment survey decreased to 57.0 in March, indicating worsening expectations for personal finances, business conditions, unemployment, and inflation.

Negative corporate news also fueled the sell-off in equities. Lululemon Athletica (LULU, Financial) shares plummeted 14% after a disappointing earnings outlook.

Ten of the 11 S&P 500 sectors closed lower, led by communication services (-3.8%), consumer discretionary (-3.3%), and technology (-2.4%). The utilities sector was the only one to close higher, gaining 0.8%.

Treasury buying increased as economic concerns grew. The 2-year yield dropped nine basis points to 3.91%, and the 10-year yield fell 11 basis points to 4.26%. This leaves the 2-year yield four basis points lower this week, while the 10-year yield is up by one basis point.

Year-to-date performance of major indices:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: -2.3%
• S&P 500: -5.1%
• S&P Midcap 400: -6.6%
• Russell 2000: -9.3%
• Nasdaq Composite: -8.4%

Reviewing today's economic data:

• February Personal Income rose 0.8% (consensus 0.4%); previous revised to 0.7% from 0.9%. February Personal Spending increased 0.4% (consensus 0.6%); previous revised to -0.3% from -0.2%. February PCE Prices rose 0.3% (consensus 0.3%); previous 0.3%. February PCE Prices - Core increased 0.4% (consensus 0.4%); previous 0.3%.
  • The key takeaway is a positive income report, moderate spending, and concerning inflation with the core-PCE Price Index uptick. This mixed outlook might stir stagflation concerns, prompting the Fed to maintain a cautious approach, especially with potential near-term price adjustments due to tariffs.
• March University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment - Final 57.0 (consensus 57.9); previous 57.9.
  • The key takeaway is a more than 30% drop in the Expectations Index since November 2024, with a consensus across demographics and political affiliations pointing to worsening expectations for personal finances, business conditions, unemployment, and inflation.

Looking ahead, Monday's economic data will include the March Chicago PMI (previous 45.5) at 9:45 ET.

Guru Stock Picks

Hennessy Japan Fund has made the following transactions:

• Reduce in TSE:7733 by 12.7%
• Add in TSE:8591 by 4.08%

Hennessy Japan Small Cap Fund has made the following transactions:

• Reduce in TSE:7419 by 60.8%
• Sold out in TSE:6371
• Add in TSE:6268 by 15.42%
• New position in TSE:7366

Invesco EQV European Equity Fund has made the following transactions:

• Reduce in LSE:IGG by 6.69%
• Sold out in LSE:HAS
• Add in TEVA by 8.56%
• New position in MIL:AMP

Today's News

Lululemon Athletica (LULU, Financial) experienced a significant decline, with shares dropping 12.7% on Friday, leading a downturn in the Nasdaq-100 index. This decline was amid concerns over trade wars and inflation, impacting other stocks such as GlobalFoundries (GFS), KLA Corporation (KLAC), and MongoDB (MDB), which also saw notable decreases.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to cancel a major contract with Leidos Holdings (LDOS, Financial) and Oracle (ORCL, Financial), aiming to cut costs. The program was significantly over budget and behind schedule, affecting Oracle's cloud software and Leidos' support services.

Wolfspeed (WOLF, Financial) shares plummeted over 40% due to speculation about losing CHIPs Act funding. This funding was intended to support their operations in silicon carbide and gallium nitride technologies, which are crucial for electric vehicles and other devices.

CoreWeave (CRWV, Financial) concluded its IPO with shares closing flat at $40, raising $1.5 billion, less than anticipated. The company had to downsize its offering to attract investors, selling fewer shares than initially expected.

Palantir Technologies (PLTR, Financial) saw a positive shift as the U.S. Army decided to indefinitely hold its Data Platform 2.0 program, favoring Palantir's Vantage platform. This move is expected to secure significant revenue for Palantir over the next four years.

B2Gold (BTG, Financial) faced a setback with shares dropping 8.3% after revealing a new mine plan for the Goose project in Canada. The plan confirmed previous timelines and costs but showed a reduced resource estimate.

The Trump administration is considering allowing tax rates on the wealthy to rise if the 2017 tax cuts are not extended. This potential increase would revert the top income tax rate to 39.6% from the current 37%.

Private equity firms and Transdigm (TDG, Financial) are among the final bidders for Boeing's (BA, Financial) Jeppesen navigation business, which is expected to sell for over $8 billion. The sale includes interest from multiple high-profile bidders.

A new investigation by the FCC into Walt Disney (DIS, Financial) and its ABC network has been launched, focusing on their DEI practices. Concerns have been raised about potential violations of equal employment opportunity regulations.

Oxford Lane Capital (OXLC, Financial) announced a monthly dividend of $0.09 per share, maintaining its previous payout level. The company also declared a $150 million share repurchase program.

GuruFocus Stock Analysis

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