Market Brief 4 April, 2025

Good evening, investors and traders! The markets are experiencing significant volatility today, with the S&P 500 Index (GSPC) down by -5.9% to 5,068.7 and the Nasdaq 100 Index (NDX) down by -6.08% to 17,374.1. President Trump's tariffs have sparked fears of a global recession, leading to a sell-off across major indices and a surge in gold prices. The Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged the potential for higher inflation and slower growth due to the tariffs, but indicated that the Fed is well-positioned to wait for greater clarity before considering policy adjustments. The U.S. economy added 228,000 jobs in March, exceeding expectations, but the unemployment rate rose to 4.2%. Despite the market turmoil, Bitcoin has shown resilience, rising above $84,000.