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US markets closed sharply lower yesterday after another wave of confusing tariff headlines. Sentiment is so shaky that even Trump's decision to delay tariffs on Mexico and Canada failed to spark a rebound. This is one of those days when we need to remind you that you own actual companies, not just a collection of share prices. Take heart.

In company news, Broadcom shares are up 12.8% after-hours as the chip company boosted investor confidence with an optimistic revenue forecast, signalling that AI-related spending remains strong. Elsewhere, OpenAI and Oracle are gearing up to bring their $100 billion Stargate project online, starting with a massive AI data center in Texas. The facility will be powered by tens of thousands of Nvidia chips, with deployment set to begin in the coming months. Lastly, Kroger raised its sales outlook, trying to reassure investors amid uncertainty following its CEO's sudden departure.

Izolo, the JSE All-share was up 0.62%, but the S&P 500 slid 1.78%, and the Nasdaq sank by 2.61%. No man.

US markets bounced back last night as Trump granted a one-month auto tariff exemption for Mexico and Canada. It's a clown show folks. Tech stocks led the charge, while Ford, GM, and Stellantis all rallied over 5%.

In company updates, Disney is cutting 6% of its news and entertainment staff, nearly 200 jobs, with ABC News and politics-focused site 538 taking the biggest hits. Elsewhere, Moderna (+15.9%) got a shot in the arm from its CEO, who bought $5 million worth of shares this week. Lastly, Grindr missed fourth-quarter earnings and 2025 margin forecasts, sending its stock 7.7% lower. They'll have to grind hardr in future.

At the close, the JSE All-share was up 1.14%, the S&P 500 rose by 1.12%, and the Nasdaq bounded 1.46% higher. Ok, let's build on this, please.

US markets were all over the map yesterday, with wild swings keeping traders on edge. The S&P 500 dropped back to pre-election levels as fears of a trade war rattled investors.

Old-school automakers sank as investors worried that the higher costs of parts from Canada and Mexico will cut profits: Ford fell 2.9%, General Motors dropped 4.6%, and Stellantis sank 4.4%. But after hours, reports that Trump may be considering a tariff compromise with those two countries sparked a rally. It's a circus out there!

In other company news, CrowdStrike delivered a solid earnings report, but the stock tumbled 9% as its outlook for the first quarter of 2025 came in weaker than expected. Elsewhere, Google is reportedly lobbying the Trump administration's Justice Department to reconsider efforts to break up the company, arguing that such a move could pose national security risks.

At the close, the JSE All-share was down 0.95%, the S&P 500 fell 1.22%, and the Nasdaq was 0.35% lower.

US markets took a hit yesterday, with the S&P 500 posting its worst drop of the year. The selloff came after the US president ruled out tariff exemptions for Mexico and Canada, and imposed another 10% on trade with China. On top of that, weak manufacturing data weighed on sentiment. The vibes are not good at the moment.

The market has been on a rollercoaster ride, with the S&P 500 swinging by at least 1.5% in both directions for three straight sessions, something we haven't seen since March 2020.

In company news, Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) is ramping up its US expansion plans with an additional $100 billion investment in new chip plants. Elsewhere, AbbVie announced a $2.2 billion deal to buy a next-gen obesity drug from Danish biotech firm Gubra. Finally, grocery company Kroger fired their CEO Rodney McMullen due to problems with his "personal conduct" not involving any colleagues. What did he do?

Yesterday, the JSE All-share was up 1.89%, but the S&P 500 fell 1.76%, and the Nasdaq was 2.64% lower. A nasty flop.

US markets ended Friday on a positive note, which is just as well because it was a horrible week. The PCE inflation index showed its slowest annual rise since early 2021 at 2.6% year-on-year. Consumer spending dropped 0.5%, which is a little concerning. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq gained, with all sectors closing in the green, helping to ease February's losses.

In company news, Rocket Lab has pushed back the launch of its Neutron rocket to the second half of the year and issued a first-quarter revenue forecast that missed expectations. It's down 20% so far this year, one might say coming down to earth? Monster Beverage was looking caffeinated on Friday, up 5.3% after strong sales of energy drinks pushed revenue above analyst expectations last quarter.

On Friday, the JSE All-share was down 1.58%, but the S&P 500 rose 1.59%, and the Nasdaq was 1.63% higher. Phew.

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has been a Vestact recommended stock since 2012. Over those 13 years it has returned around 150%, underperforming the S&P500 which was up 316% in the same period. Thanks to multiple lawsuits, a lack of innovative products and a complacent corporate culture, the J&J share price has even underperformed inflation over the last 5 years. We can do better.

We suggest you sell your J&J and use the proceeds to buy Eli Lilly. Eli Lilly seems to be doing everything right - they have new and innovative products, are growing fast and investing strongly in the future.

Please respond to this email and let us know if you are happy to make the switch. If you already have a large Eli Lilly position we may suggest you add to something else.

US markets had a bad day yesterday, with high-growth stocks bearing the brunt of the selloff. The S&P 500 wiped out all of its 2025 gains after Donald Trump stated that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico are set to take effect on March 4, alongside plans for an additional 10% tax on Chinese imports.

In company news, Dell Technologies slipped 1.2% after-hours, despite delivering a bullish outlook. Elsewhere, Tesla is moving to secure approval for ride-hailing services in California, marking a key step toward carrying paying customers. Finally, Apollo Global is in talks to lead a $35 billion financing package for Meta Platforms to fund data centre development in the US.

At the close, the JSE All-share was down 1.13%, the S&P 500 fell 1.59%, and the Nasdaq was 2.78% lower. Disappointing, but not a calamity.

US markets emerged back into the sunshine yesterday, ending higher after a four-day losing streak. The gains were modest because afternoon trading was negatively affected by yet another tariff-related shock. This time Trump floated plans for a 25% tariff on the European Union. I suppose he's having fun?

Chipmakers led the charge, with Broadcom (+5.1%) and Nvidia (+3.7%) posting strong gains. After the closing bell Nvidia delivered another set of stellar results, beating both sales and profit expectations and issuing an upbeat outlook on its cutting-edge Blackwell AI server systems. The stock price will open at around $130 per share today, for reference purposes.

In other company news, Taser manufacturer Axon Enterprise rose 15.3% on strong forward-looking guidance. Elsewhere, Instacart tumbled 12.3% after the food and groceries delivery company reported weaker-than-expected fiscal guidance.

All in all, the JSE All-share was up 0.65%, the S&P 500 rose a tiny 0.01%, and the Nasdaq was 0.26% higher. Ah, that's better.

Sloppy conditions continued in the US last night, as markets slipped back from the all-time highs reached last week. Consumer confidence data was published yesterday, and it slid to a level last seen in August 2021. The tech-heavy Nasdaq extended its losing streak to four days. Nvidia dipped 2.8% but has its earnings release tonight. We are excited!

In company news, Eli Lilly rose another 2.3%, cresting $900 per share after launching a cheaper, single-vial version of Zepbound, its blockbuster obesity drug, to fend off copycats. Elsewhere, Krispy Kreme plunged 21.9% to a new record low after disappointing sales of doughnuts.

Here's the lowdown, the JSE All-share was up 0.38%, but the S&P 500 got clipped by 0.47%, and the Nasdaq sagged by another 1.35%. On we go.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both stumbled midway through the trading session and ended in negative territory. Markets were pained by President Trump saying that tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico "will go forward" next week. We shall see.

In company news, Berkshire Hathaway closed up 4% after it reported good operating earnings in the fourth quarter, thanks to a solid performance from their insurance business. Elsewhere, Domino's Pizza's US sales fell short of expectations, underscoring the growing challenge of attracting budget-conscious consumers. Finally, Nike had a good day, up 4.9% after Jefferies analysts said it was "a good turnaround investment". It's about time.

At the end of the trading day, the JSE All-share was down 1.68%, the S&P 500 fell 0.50%, and the Nasdaq was 1.21% lower. Eish.

After a good start to the week, US markets took a hit on Friday, with Wall Street logging its worst session of 2025 so far. There was no particular reason for the decline, so pundits waffled about concerns like weak consumer sentiment and sluggish housing and services data. Cyclical sectors like transportation and small caps were particularly hard hit, and even the star-studded Magnificent Seven weren't spared, falling 2.5%.

In company news, payment company Block had a rough day, plunging 17.7% after missing fourth-quarter profit and revenue estimates. Elsewhere, Booking.com crushed last quarter's forecasts thanks to a busy holiday season, proving that wanderlust is still alive and well. The stock price is hovering near all-time highs.

On Friday, the JSE All-share was up 0.05%, but the S&P 500 fell 1.71%, and the Nasdaq was 2.20% lower. Oof.

US markets closed in the red last night, as stocks pulled back from all-time highs. An oddly disappointing forecast from Walmart (after releasing a stellar earnings report for 2024) raised concerns about the economy's main engine, consumer spending. Banking shares also weighed on the market, with JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs sliding over 4%.

In company news, German footwear company Birkenstock fell 4.7% after announcing faster sales of its high-end sandals and clogs, but not raising its financial targets. Elsewhere, Shake Shack rose 11.2% on strong hamburger sales and juicy margins. AppLovin flopped 8.9% after being targeted in a scathing report by short-seller Edwin Dorsey.

Izolo, the JSE All-share was up 0.60%, but the S&P 500 fell 0.43%, and the Nasdaq was 0.47% lower. It's ok, we'll live.

US markets ended the day in positive territory, with the S&P 500 inching to another record high. Healthcare stocks like Eli Lilly and Merck led the way, while most other sectors were mixed. Oil traders held their breath as meetings between the US and Russia commenced.

In company news, Prada is reportedly exploring a bid for Versace, working with advisers to assess the brand's value. Meanwhile, shares of craft goods retailer Etsy dropped 10% as it fell short of expectations in its fourth-quarter results. Finally, Palantir fell by 10.1% on reports that the White House has ordered the Pentagon to prepare for sweeping budget cuts.

In summary, the JSE All-share was down 0.81%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.24%, and the Nasdaq was 0.07% higher. A slow burn, but a win nonetheless.

US markets closed in the green last night, with chip stocks leading the charge to new all-time highs. The S&P 500 broke its January record, ending at 6 129.58 points. US-Russia talks fuelled optimism for a possible resolution in Ukraine, although the exclusion of Europe and the Kyiv administration from the process is baffling.

In company news, Nike (+6.2%) scored a slam dunk with its latest collab with Kim Kardashian's SKIMS. The sportswear giant is launching NikeSKIMS, a fresh activewear brand about empowering women to get moving. Elsewhere, Constellation Brands rose 3.95% after Berkshire Hathaway revealed an increased stake in the maker of Corona and Modelo beer. Lastly, medical device maker Medtronic fell 7.26% after missing revenue expectations in its last quarterly results.

Here's the lowdown, the JSE All-share was up 0.75%, the S&P 500 rose 0.24%, and the Nasdaq was 0.07% higher. Splendid!

US markets were closed for Presidents' Day yesterday, so there wasn't much going on. Defence shares rallied across Europe after leaders met in Paris to discuss beefing up support for Ukraine. UK PM Keir Starmer signalled a willingness to send peacekeeping troops to that country, while Germany hinted at a similar commitment.

In company news, TSMC is considering taking a controlling stake in Intel's factories at the request of Trump officials. The move aims to boost US manufacturing and tech leadership. Elsewhere, Moderna posted a quarterly loss as vaccine sales declined, and it took a hit from an unexpected charge on a cancelled manufacturing contract.

In short, the JSE All-share was down 0.36%. That's all.