OP Wire 3/25 (OP – Lite)

By Steve

Trump’s Tariff Plans: Narrower Scope Than Expected

Both Bloomberg News and the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Trump’s April 2 tariff announcementwill be more targeted than previously expected.

🔹 No tariffs on the automotive, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical sectors—at least not yet.
🔹 Trump confirmed that auto tariffs are still on the table but won’t necessarily be part of next week’s rollout.
🔹 The White House hinted that some countries may be granted exemptions, easing investor concerns about the broader economic impact.
🔹 On Tuesday, the EU trade commissioner is set to meet with U.S. officials in Washington, potentially influencing the final tariff structure.

However, Trump is escalating trade tensions elsewhere:

🔸 The U.S. will impose 25% tariffs on any country importing oil and gas from Venezuela, further tightening global oil supplies.
🔸 This move directly impacts China, Venezuela’s largest buyer, and could lead to higher energy prices globally.

Geopolitical Watch: U.S.-Russia Talks & Ukraine Developments

🔹 Delegations from the U.S. and Ukraine are meeting in Saudi Arabia following discussions between Washington and Moscow earlier this week.
🔹 Talks are centered on a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea, potentially setting the stage for broader peace negotiations.
🔹 Trump has signaled a willingness to repair relations with Russia, taking a more diplomatic stance compared to his predecessor.

Oil Prices Surge on Tariff Announcement

Following Trump’s tariff decision, oil prices climbed for the second consecutive session:

🔸 Brent crude: +0.7% to $72.86/barrel
🔸 WTI crude: +0.7% to $69.61/barrel

The additional tariffs on Venezuelan oil buyers could lead to a significant tightening of the global oil supply, further boosting prices.

Stock Market Highlights

Some big moves in premarket and early trading:

📈 Tesla (TSLA) +1.9% – Despite a 40% drop in European sales, Tesla is holding up against increased competition and CEO Elon Musk’s controversial political involvement.

📉 McCormick (MKC) -2.9% – Earnings missed expectations, dragging the spice and flavoring giant lower.

📉 KB Home (KBH) -8% – Homebuilder slashes 2025 revenue guidance after missing both earnings and revenue estimates.

📉 UniFirst (UNF) -10% – Dropped after Cintas (CTAS) ended talks to acquire the uniform rental company.

📉 American Electric Power (AEP) -1.8% – Planning a $2 billion secondary stock sale, weighing on shares.

📈 Cloudflare (NET) +6.1% – Bank of America double-upgraded the cybersecurity stock to “Buy,” citing strong AI and network security growth.

📈 Alcon (ALC) +0.9% – Upgraded to “Buy” by Bank of America, noting the company is on the verge of an earnings growth cycle due to new product launches.

📈 Carvana (CVNA) +5.5% – Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to “Overweight,” seeing the recent pullback as a buying opportunity.

📉 Core & Main (CNM) -5.1% – Water infrastructure company missed profit estimates for Q4.

OptionsPlayers Trade Recap & What’s Next

🔥 Congrats, OP! Yesterday’s cash register rang loud with wins on last week’s plays:

✅ DIS, PSTG, TGT, MU, and AAPL – all delivered.

🎯 Looking ahead: I’ll be watching BABA and TGT for new opportunities today.

📢 See you all in chat—let’s stack those gains! 💰🚀

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