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Stocks slumped on Friday closing out a second week of losses for equities as traders grapple with… a stronger than expected economy and a reluctant-to-loosen-up Fed. But beware, according to University of Michigan Sentiment, confidence is slowly waning portending weaker growth.

Stocks declined yesterday after Producer Prices came in a bit hot – too hot for comfort. Retail Sales numbers missed their mark offsetting the troubling inflation news, but traders were not comforted.

Stocks rallied yesterday on news that inflation, still not gone… could have been worse 🤔. Tech stocks helped push the S&P500 to a fresh, all-time high.

Stocks opened the session in the red and desperately clawed its way higher, ultimately falling short of gains. Worries about today’s inflation figure kept the bulls on the sidelines opening the field for a rare outperformance of value stocks.

Stocks slipped on Friday, giving up solid, early gains, led into the red by NVIDIA on profit taking. Monthly employment figures showed a healthy labor market… but not too healthy, which should keep the Fed at ease.

Stocks rallied yesterday because Chairman Powell decided not to upset the rally – thanks Jay. The trade deficit got bigger in January because happy Americans are buying foreign goods, which is a sign of economic health, in case you wanted to know.

Stocks gained in a bumpety-bump session fraught with all sorts of “tape” noise. Powell gave us nothing new in his Capitol Hill testimony with more nothing new expected today.