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Friday, Feb 21, 2025

Global Markets Update: U.S. Stocks Decline Amidst Disappointing Corporate Earnings, Gold Prices Soar.

Falling indices and unsatisfactory earnings from major firms stand in stark contrast to a robust rise in gold, alongside varied signals from global markets.
U.S. stock indices saw significant drops as investors responded to a wave of corporate earnings announcements and policy changes.

Prominent banks and retailers exerted downward pressure on Wall Street, with some shares declining by more than four percent, while gold prices surged nearly one percent, approaching three thousand dollars per ounce.

This rise in gold is attributed to increased investor interest amidst recent trade and fiscal policy tensions.

In early trading, Walmart's stock fell six percent after it projected lower annual earnings and anticipated a slowdown in profitability.

The retail behemoth posted quarterly revenues of around one hundred eighty billion dollars and slightly exceeded profit expectations, yet investors remain wary.

Meanwhile, the leading big data analysis firm, Planetary, saw a sharp decline of fourteen percent on Monday after a ten percent drop the previous day.

The company's market value decreased substantially, influenced in part by its CEO's announcement of a plan to sell nearly ten million shares by mid-September, valued at approximately one point two billion dollars at recent closing prices.

Additional strain arose from expected reductions in U.S. defense spending, a critical revenue source for the company.

In the banking sector, major firms exhibited mixed outcomes.

Shares of institutions like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America fell between one and a half to over four percent.

The pressure on bank stocks coincided with broader market weakness as investors processed various mixed economic data releases.

In related corporate updates, a Chinese e-commerce titan reported quarterly revenues of around thirty-eight and a half billion dollars with a net profit of about six and a half billion dollars.

The company surpassed market expectations and emphasized growth in cloud and AI-related offerings, indicating ongoing strategic transformations in its core operations.

In commodities, gold prices advanced by one point two percent, surpassing the three thousand dollar mark per ounce.

The rise in gold occurred alongside slight declines in U.S. futures for the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq indices.

Global markets presented a mixed picture during early trading.

In Europe, performances varied with the German DAX index edging down slightly, while the British and French indices showed minimal variations.

Asian markets finished lower, with significant drops noted in Tokyo and Hong Kong, particularly among technology and automotive stocks.

In Tokyo, major banks and tech firms reported declines, and in Hong Kong, key Chinese tech and semiconductor companies also experienced losses.

The People’s Bank of China kept its lending rates unchanged, aligning with market expectations.

In Australia, employment data indicated strong job growth, with new job additions well above forecasts and the unemployment rate remaining stable.

Overall, these events highlight a day of broad market adjustment amid ongoing corporate, economic, and policy-related factors.
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