The Market's Rollercoaster: April's Ups and Downs

The stock market has been on a wild ride in April. It started with President Trump's big tariff announcement. Then, he took back some of the toughest parts. This back and forth caused stocks to swing up and down like a rollercoaster. The S&P 500 even briefly entered a bear market. That's when stock prices fall by 20% or more from their recent highs. It happened on April 7th. Since then, the S&P 500 has bounced back a bit. But it's still struggling to break through some key levels. This means investors are still a bit nervous. They're waiting to see what happens next. The market's ups and downs have been driven by a mix of factors. One big factor is the trade talks between the U. S. and China. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China needs to step up and lower the tariffs. He thinks the U. S. has the upper hand in these talks. That's because China sells a lot more to the U. S. than the other way around. Bessent also mentioned that the U. S. is making progress on other trade deals. He thinks a deal with India could be one of the first to come through. Investors are also keeping a close eye on earnings reports. This week is the busiest time for first-quarter earnings. More than 180 S&P 500 companies will release their results. Some big names will be reporting too. Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft are all set to release their quarterly reports. So are Visa, Coca-Cola, and Eli Lilly. So far, earnings have been pretty good. About 73% of companies have beaten analysts' estimates. That's slightly below the 5-year average. But Wall Street is lowering its expectations for the second quarter and the full year. That's because companies are giving uncertain guidance. They're not sure how the tariffs will affect their business. This week is also packed with important economic data. There will be multiple reports on the labor market. Plus, key data on inflation and economic growth will be released. The big event is Friday's nonfarm payrolls release. That's when the government reports how many jobs were added or lost in the economy. Also, the first-quarter gross domestic product will be out on Wednesday. That's a measure of the economy's total output. The Fed's preferred inflation gauge will be released then too. The market's volatility has made it a tough time for investors. They're trying to figure out what's next. Some experts think the market could be at a turning point. Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial, said the recent rebound off key support levels implies investors should stay alert. They should be ready for a potential shift back toward risk-on leadership. That means investors might start feeling more confident and willing to take on more risk.