Weekly Review 7-25-25
09/09/2025The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ pushed their record levels higher last week, adding 1.5% and 1%, respectively. That puts them at a positive 8.62% and 9.31% year-to-date (FactSet). That’s an impressive performance considering the current economic environment. It's even more remarkable when you consider that on April 8, just 3.5 months ago, the S&P 500 was down 15% and has now added 28%! (FactSet) As I type this and reread that sentence, I too can’t quite believe it. It’s frankly incredible considering all the headwinds we face with tariffs, GDP growth, inflation and so on.
The August 1 deadline set by the Trump administration is fast approaching, and we continue to closely track U.S. tariff negotiations with key trading partners. To be honest, I’ve been thinking about the breadth of the markets recovery on the back of what looked to be like a bunch of 90 day tariff pauses that may or may not amount to anything. I was beginning to worry that as the deadline approached, we hadn’t seen much progress. Yet, I can’t believe I’m saying this either, last Wednesday, stocks climbed to new all-time highs following an announcement from the White House regarding a trade agreement with Japan. Over the weekend, the White House further announced progress toward trade deals with the European Union. Add to this that a few weeks ago the USA and China announced a framework for a trade deal. With fingers crossed, im seeing enough pieces begin to shift into place that hope is beginning to feel justified….barely. Fingers crossed…
Looking Ahead
This coming week brings important economic updates. Wednesday’s initial estimate of second-quarter GDP will show whether the U.S. economy rebounded in the spring from the first quarter’s negative result. From January through March, GDP decreased at an annual rate of 0.5%, largely due to increased imports ahead of rising tariffs.
Additionally, the U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting will conclude on Wednesday, where the Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged. This is under incredible pressure from the president to drop interest rates dramatically. On Friday, the jobs report will provide insights into July’s employment growth, comparing it with June’s larger-than-expected gain of 147,000 jobs (bea.gov).
If you’ve only recently joined my email list, you’ve missed out on many insights and updates that I've been sharing each week. Be sure to visit my blog to explore past content that you might find valuable.
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Enjoy your week,
Jeremy Raffer, MBA
Director & Wealth Manager
Author “Financial Planning for Widows”
m. 201-747-2705
w. rafferwealthmanagement.com
e. [email protected]
Steward Partners
115 W. Century Rd, Suite 145
Paramus, NJ 07652.
The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Steward Partners or its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Keep in mind that individuals cannot invest directly in any index, and index performance does not include transaction costs or other fees, which will affect actual investment performance. Individual investor's results will vary. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Future investment performance cannot be guaranteed, investment yields will fluctuate with market conditions.
For index definitions, click here
AdTrax 8218254.1 Exp 10/25
The August 1 deadline set by the Trump administration is fast approaching, and we continue to closely track U.S. tariff negotiations with key trading partners. To be honest, I’ve been thinking about the breadth of the markets recovery on the back of what looked to be like a bunch of 90 day tariff pauses that may or may not amount to anything. I was beginning to worry that as the deadline approached, we hadn’t seen much progress. Yet, I can’t believe I’m saying this either, last Wednesday, stocks climbed to new all-time highs following an announcement from the White House regarding a trade agreement with Japan. Over the weekend, the White House further announced progress toward trade deals with the European Union. Add to this that a few weeks ago the USA and China announced a framework for a trade deal. With fingers crossed, im seeing enough pieces begin to shift into place that hope is beginning to feel justified….barely. Fingers crossed…
Looking Ahead
This coming week brings important economic updates. Wednesday’s initial estimate of second-quarter GDP will show whether the U.S. economy rebounded in the spring from the first quarter’s negative result. From January through March, GDP decreased at an annual rate of 0.5%, largely due to increased imports ahead of rising tariffs.
Additionally, the U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting will conclude on Wednesday, where the Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged. This is under incredible pressure from the president to drop interest rates dramatically. On Friday, the jobs report will provide insights into July’s employment growth, comparing it with June’s larger-than-expected gain of 147,000 jobs (bea.gov).
If you’ve only recently joined my email list, you’ve missed out on many insights and updates that I've been sharing each week. Be sure to visit my blog to explore past content that you might find valuable.
Want to receive these weekly? Subscribe here
Enjoy your week,
Jeremy Raffer, MBA
Director & Wealth Manager
Author “Financial Planning for Widows”
m. 201-747-2705
w. rafferwealthmanagement.com
e. [email protected]
Steward Partners
115 W. Century Rd, Suite 145
Paramus, NJ 07652.
The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Steward Partners or its affiliates. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Keep in mind that individuals cannot invest directly in any index, and index performance does not include transaction costs or other fees, which will affect actual investment performance. Individual investor's results will vary. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Future investment performance cannot be guaranteed, investment yields will fluctuate with market conditions.
For index definitions, click here
AdTrax 8218254.1 Exp 10/25