💰 Maniac Minute: The Trump Put Strikes Again

In partnership with

Good morning, Maniacs!

Markets roared back last week, clawing out of the tariff hole and reminding investors that earnings—and a little Washington pivot—still matter.

After a rocky Monday in the red, it was risk-on for four straight days, with tech leading the charge. The Nasdaq jumped nearly 7%, and even Bitcoin finally woke up.

This week? It’s a heavyweight lineup. Over 180 S&P 500 companies report earnings, including four of the Magnificent 7 and Berkshire Hathaway. Plus, we’re getting a full check-up on jobs, inflation, and consumer spending.

And if you’re not sold on a full U.S. comeback just yet, we’ve got a guide below on how to tap into global markets.

Let’s dive in!

Market Recap 📈

Markets snapped back hard this week, clawing back almost everything lost since the April 2nd tariff shock.

The S&P 500 surged over 4%, the Nasdaq jumped nearly 7%, and even Bitcoin finally joined the party. Meanwhile, 10-year Treasury yields and oil prices pulled back—both good signs for inflation—and gold held firm near its highs.

At the heart of the rebound? A one-two punch of strong earnings and a pivot from Washington.

So far, 36% of S&P 500 companies have reported Q1 results. Only 73% have beaten earnings estimates—slightly below the 5- and 10-year averages—but those that are beating are smashing expectations by 10% on average, well above typical levels.

In other words: fewer but bigger beats. It's driving positive momentum—and reminding investors that not every company is caught in the tariff crossfire.

Meanwhile, President Trump said he has “no intention” of firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell and hinted that tariffs on China could ease. All traders heard was “Trump Put” and sprinted back into risk assets.

Even China extended a small olive branch, exempting some U.S. goods like pharmaceuticals from its steep retaliatory tariffs. Despite Beijing denying that negotiations are underway, the move offered a sliver of hope for a trade deal.

As Piper Sandler’s chief investment strategist put it: “We don’t think we're out of the woods”—but markets are starting to see a clearing.

Apple's New Smart Display Confirms What This Startup Knew All Along

Apple has entered the smart home race with its new Smart Display, firing a $158B signal that connected homes are the future.

When Apple moves in, it doesn’t just join the market — it transforms it.

One company has been quietly preparing for this moment.

Their smart shade technology already works across every major platform, perfectly positioned to capture the wave of new consumers Apple will bring.

While others scramble to catch up, this startup is already shifting production from China to its new facility in the Philippines — built for speed and ready to meet surging demand as Apple’s marketing machine drives mass adoption.

With 200% year-over-year growth and distribution in over 120 Best Buy locations, this company isn’t just ready for Apple’s push — they’re set to thrive from it.

Shares in this tech company are open at just $1.90.

Apple’s move is accelerating the entire sector. Don’t miss this window.

Act Fast- Apple’s Halo effect is coming

_{Past performance is not indicative of future results. Email may contain forward-looking statements. See US Offering for details. Informational purposes only.}

Winners & Losers 🚀

From robotaxis to battlefield AI, this week was all about future bets—and a few very real stumbles in today’s earnings reports.

Winners

1. Palantir ($PLTR) – Market Cap: $253.6B (+20.3%)

Defense stocks love a good government deal—and $PLTR ( ▲ 6.95% ) just landed two. NATO announced it will deploy Palantir’s new AI system for real-time battlefield planning. Plus, the company partnered with Google Cloud to supercharge its FedStart platform for U.S. agencies.

Momentum traders are betting the stock could reclaim its February high around $125. But at an absurd 570x price-to-earnings ratio, there's still plenty of "priced for perfection" risk baked in.

2. Tesla ($TSLA) – Market Cap: $917.8B (+18.1%)

Despite one of the worst quarterly earnings reports in its history, $TSLA ( ▲ 2.39% ) notched its best weekly gain since November—thanks to a flurry of good news.

First, investors cheered Elon’s promise to refocus on Tesla, a welcome shift after his brand-damaging stint at DOGE. Then, the Department of Transportation unveiled a new regulatory framework for self-driving cars, opening the door for Tesla’s robotaxi plans to accelerate.

Losers

1. T-Mobile ($TMUS) – Market Cap: $298.0B (-11.2%)

T-Mobile $TMUS ( ▲ 0.76% ) beat estimates, raised guidance, and still got slammed. Why? Because the bar was already on the floor.

Revenue sank 5% year-over-year, and earnings slid alongside it. Postpaid subscriber growth, the lifeblood metric for telecom stocks, also came in lighter than expected.

Making matters worse, the CEO warned that any new tariffs on phones would be passed onto customers, a move that could further dent demand.

2. Fiserv ($FI) – Market Cap: $97.9B (-14.9%)

Payment processor Fiserv $FI ( ▲ 0.74% ) , best known for running systems like Clover, was the biggest drag on the S&P 500 this week.

Profits beat expectations, but slowing merchant activity and weaker revenue growth crushed the stock. Even the announcement of a shiny new fintech acquisition in Brazil couldn’t stop the bleeding.

Going Global: How to Invest Beyond U.S. Borders 🌍

America’s still a powerhouse, but whispers of “the end of U.S. exceptionalism” have many investors eyeing opportunities overseas.

If you’re looking to diversify, or just understand how global shifts could impact your portfolio, here’s how to cross the border from your brokerage account:

🇯🇵 Country-Specific ETFs
Want to bet on Japan’s comeback, India’s demographic boom, or China’s AI advances? Country-focused funds like $EWJ ( ▲ 1.01% ) for Japan, $INDA ( ▲ 0.69% ) for India, and $MCHI ( ▲ 3.55% ) for China give you targeted access to single economies.

Thesis: With U.S. stocks remaining pricey, undervalued markets like Japan or fast-growing ones like Vietnam could draw attention.

💱 Currency ETFs
Think the dollar’s due for a dip? Currency ETFs like $FXE ( ▲ 0.13% ) for the Euro or $FXY ( ▲ 0.43% ) for the Yen let you bet on forex moves without trading forex directly.

Thesis: If the U.S. dollar weakens (say, due to Fed rate cuts or debt concerns), currencies like the euro, yen, or even the Chinese yuan could appreciate on a relative basis.

🌐 Regional & Emerging Market ETFs
Want broader exposure? Consider ETFs like $VWO ( ▲ 2.68% ) for emerging markets, $BKF ( ▲ 2.13% ) for BIC countries (Brazil, India, and China), or $VEA ( ▲ 1.82% ) for non-U.S. developed countries.

Thesis: If global growth picks up, emerging market funds could shine. Meanwhile, developed regions like Europe are still trading at discounts to the S&P 500.

📉 International Bond ETFs
Chasing yield? Look abroad. Funds like $EMB ( ▼ 0.27% ) for emerging market bonds and $BNDX ( ▼ 0.22% ) for non-U.S. developed markets offer income and diversification—sometimes with juicier payouts than Treasuries.

Thesis: If the Fed cuts U.S. rates, international bonds could attract yield hunters.

⚠️ Heads Up
If your international ETF isn’t currency-hedged, your gains (or losses) will depend partly on exchange rates. Selling means converting back to USD—so a strong dollar can eat into returns, while a weaker one could give you a boost.

Also, international funds tend to carry higher fees and thinner liquidity, so check the fine print before you hop on board.

Bottom Line
The U.S. isn’t the only game in town. Whether you're betting on faster growth, a falling dollar, or simply trying to spread your risk, international ETFs can help you go global—no passport required.

Worth The Read 📚

💵 Americans are tipping less—and eating out less—as frustration with added fees and service quality hits a boiling point.

🥈 Missed gold’s rally? Watch silver. History suggests silver tends to follow gold’s breakout runs, and it could be primed to outperform from here.

🖥️ 12 undervalued tech stocks to watch. Morningstar’s top picks reveal which battered names analysts think could outshine the market from here.

🏦 Hedge funds spark new systemic fears. As shadow banking balloons to $250T globally, some worry heavily-leveraged funds could trigger a 2008-style crisis.

📉 New Fed research explores the disconnect between gloomy consumer sentiment and strong spending, raising questions about how inflation perception skews the data.

🚛 How tariffs could trigger a summer slowdown. Apollo’s data shows supply chains, shipping, and corporate orders are already flashing warning signs.

🗣️ Trump’s first 100 days interview. From tariffs to immigration, Trump defends his expansion of presidential power—and hints the real economic battle is just beginning.

Take From the Rich, Give to the People, Big Data’s Robinhood

Big tech uses our data to pad their pockets. Facebook alone makes $42B a year. But modern-day Robinhood, $MODE, allows everyone to share in the profits. 45M+ users and $60M+ in revenue later, Mode prepares for an IPO.

Join 41,000+ shareholders and invest at $0.30/share today.

_{*An intent to IPO is no guarantee that an actual IPO will occur. Please read the offering circular and related risks at invest.modemobile.com.
*The Deloitte rankings are based on submitted applications and public company database research.}

The Week Ahead 🔍

More than 180 S&P 500 companies report earnings this week, including four of the Magnificent 7 and Berkshire Hathaway. Plus, new data on jobs, spending, and inflation will offer a full check-up on the economy.

Monday

• Earnings from Waste Management and Domino’s Pizza

Tuesday

• Earnings from Visa, Coca-Cola, Novartis, Astrazeneca, HSBC, Booking, S&P, Honeywell, Pfizer, Spotify, Altria, Starbucks, Mondelez, UPS, Sherwin-Williams, PayPal, Royal Caribbean, Hilton, FICO, General Motors, Kraft Heinz, Super Micro, First Solar, Snap, SoFi, and Logitech

• February Case-Schiller Home Prices (est. 4.8% YoY)

• March JOLTs Job Openings (est. 7.5M)

Wednesday

• Earnings from Microsoft, Meta, Qualcomm, Caterpillar, ADP, Canadian Pacific, Aflac, MetLife, Allstate, Public Storage, Robinhood, Yum! Brands, Garmin, Prudential, Humana, eBay, Stellantis, Sprouts, and Etsy

• Q1 GDP Growth Rate (est. 0.4% QoQ)

• March PCE Price Index (est. 0.0% MoM, 2.2% YoY)

• March Core PCE Price Index (est. 0.1% MoM, 2.5% YoY)

• March Personal Income (est. 0.4% MoM)

• March Personal Spending (est. 0.4% MoM)

Thursday

• Earnings from Apple, Amazon, Eli Lilly, Mastercard, McDonald’s, Shell, Amgen, KKR, MicroStrategy, CVS, Airbnb, Monster, Roblox, Atlassian, Block, Hershey, Live Nation, Rocket, GoDaddy, Estee Lauder, Reddit, Duolingo, Twilio, Hyatt, Moderna, Roku, SiriusXM, Shake Shack, Wayfair, and Peloton

• April ISM Manufacturing PMI (est. 47.9)

Friday

• Earnings from Berkshire Hathaway, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Cigna, and Apollo

• April Non-Farm Payrolls (est. 130K)

• April Unemployment Rate (est. 4.2%)

• April Labor Participation Rate (est. 62.5%)

That’s a wrap! See you next Monday with all the market insights and money tips you need to stay ahead.

Keep stacking,
The Money Maniac 💸

P.S. Have feedback, burning questions, or just want to say hi? Reply directly to this email!

DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets. All opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change without notice. Please do your own research or consult with a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.