March Recap & Looking Ahead to April
March in Review: When Data and Headlines Collide
Here’s what shaped the month:
Tariffs Are Back: April 2 marks the start of new reciprocal tariffs announced by former President Trump. The move has rattled markets, with fears of rising input costs and retaliatory action from major trade partners.
(Source: NY Post, March 31, 2025)Inflation Pressure Persists: The Fed’s preferred inflation measure, Core PCE, increased again in March, signaling that inflationary pressures remain sticky.
(Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, March 29, 2025)Consumer Confidence Slides (Again): March marked the fourth straight month of declining consumer confidence. Consumers are feeling the weight of inflation and policy uncertainty.
(Source: Conference Board, March 26, 2025)Fed Holds Steady: In its March meeting, the Fed kept rates unchanged at 4.25%–4.50%, while acknowledging increased uncertainty on both the inflation and employment fronts.
(Source: Federal Reserve, March 19, 2025)
Markets React: Roughest Month in Over Two Years
The S&P 500 dropped more than 4% in March—its worst monthly showing since September 2022. The Dow and NASDAQ weren’t far behind.
Tech and consumer discretionary stocks led the decline, with investors growing cautious about both margins and macro policy.
(Source: MarketWatch, March 30, 2025)
For us, this is why we don’t chase headlines. The Gather & Preserve model is built around a data-driven process that prioritizes confirmation and clarity over speculation. It’s not about predicting what happens next—it’s about staying aligned with the trends and working to preserve what you’ve gathered.
April Outlook: Eyes on Earnings and Economic Signals
A few things we’re watching:
Tariff Fallout: We’ll be paying attention to earnings calls and economic data to assess how tariffs are affecting supply chains, costs, and guidance.
Earnings Season: Q1 reporting begins mid-April. We expect volatility around outlooks—especially from companies with global exposure.
Inflation & Fed Talk: There’s no Fed meeting this month, but speeches and data releases could still move markets quickly.
No Guesswork—Just Data, Discipline, and Adjustments When Warranted
Our job isn’t to predict the next move. It’s to remain clear-eyed, stay responsive to what the data shows, and manage risk intentionally. The Gather & Preserve model isn’t reactive—it’s prepared.
If you have friends or family who are feeling the stress of a volatile market, we’re here to help. We’d be glad to walk them through our process and what it means to build a plan rooted in data and guided by discipline.