The first quarter of 2025 is ending with a whimper, not a bang. After a brutal Friday session, Monday picked up right where the market left off — straight down.
The S&P 500 dropped nearly 1% out of the gate, and the Nasdaq is off more than 10% from its highs. With investors nervous about tariffs, inflation, and a potential recession, fear is driving price action right now.
Here’s how the StocksToTrade Breaking News Chat is preparing subscribers as the selloff continues into April.
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Friday’s Wipeout Carries Over
The Dow fell 1.7%, the S&P 500 lost 2%, and the Nasdaq dropped 2.7% Friday — its fifth weekly loss in the past six. The Nasdaq 100 is now down 8.2% on the year, tracking for its worst quarterly performance since 2022.
The selloff is broad. Tech and consumer discretionary names are getting hit hardest, but there’s nowhere to hide. Even safe havens like mega caps and defensive sectors are facing pressure.
April’s Wild Week Ahead
There are two big macro events traders are bracing for this week:
April 2 is being called “Tariff Day” or Trump’s “Liberation Day.” The former president is expected to roll out 25% reciprocal tariffs on foreign autos and parts. A hardline stance could spark more selling. A softer tone could trigger a relief rally.
Check out my Trump tariff stock watchlist here!
April 4 brings the monthly jobs report. It’s a coin flip. A strong report could push back expectations for Fed rate cuts. A weak report could encourage the Fed to act sooner.
More Breaking News
- JetBlue Airways Making Waves: Time to Board?
- Morgan Stanley Shares Take a Dive: What Now?
- Is First Solar Stock Set for a Rebound?
The market is watching both closely, and volatility is likely to spike.
Sentiment Hits Lows Not Seen Since 2022
Consumer sentiment plunged in March. Fear is driving the market right now. Goldman Sachs cut its year-end S&P 500 target over the weekend, now projecting just a 2% upside from Friday’s close.
StocksToTrade’s Breaking News team is watching for a retest of key support levels.
For the S&P 500 (SPY), the 550 level is key. If we dip below and then reclaim it, that could trigger a short-term bounce.
For the Nasdaq (QQQ), watch for the same setup around 465.
Traders are looking for “flush and reclaim” patterns as potential reversal signals.
Momentum Moves in Small Caps
Despite the selling pressure in large caps, small caps are seeing pockets of momentum. These are the top early standouts from Breaking News Chat:
ICCT: +125% — momentum mover with no clear catalyst
CORT: +80% — met endpoint in pivotal Phase 3 ROSELLA trial
CTOR: +62% — strong premarket action
DOMH: +15% — rebranding as “American Bitcoin” in deal with Hut 8
TGL: +33% — updated agreement boosts sentiment
MLGO: +50% — continuation play from last week
Other notables include MULN, GL, and NWTG — all showing strong intraday spikes tied to news, court wins, or earnings momentum.
Big Names Under Pressure
Large-cap tech is getting slammed:
TSLA down 6.25%, NVDA off 4.65%, AMZN down 3.7%, META off 3.55%. The only relative outperformer so far is AAPL, down just 0.5%.
Keep an eye on my AI penny stocks to watch here!
Travel names are also struggling — DAL, CCL, RCL, and NCLH all fell after Virgin Atlantic warned of slowing U.S. demand.
PCVX collapsed 37% despite positive clinical data. Even good news isn’t enough in this market.
Gold Soars to New Highs
Gold ripped to an all-time high above $3,100 per ounce. Goldman Sachs now sees a path to $4,500 if tariffs continue escalating.
Energy is also firming up, with oil futures climbing 3.6% as WTI hits a five-week high.
This signals growing demand for safe havens as uncertainty builds.
Final Word: Stay Disciplined, Be Ready
With volatility spiking and sentiment breaking down, this is not the time to chase trades. The StocksToTrade Breaking News team is urging patience. Look for clear patterns, wait for confirmation, and manage risk tightly.
This kind of real-time intel is what makes the StocksToTrade Breaking News Chat so valuable. It’s curated by two former Wall Street analysts who cut through the noise and surface the stories that actually move stocks.
If you want to trade smarter and catch the news before the crowd, this is where to start.