M360 Roundup - Volume 72
January 27th - 31st, 2025

Cole LaCour
Earnings momentum is expected to remain strong in 2025, with forecasts predicting nearly 15% growth
The U.S. economy ended 2024 on solid ground, with preliminary data showing Q4 real GDP growth at an annualized 2.3%, just shy of the expected 2.4%
The S&P 500 is down 0.82%, the Nasdaq is down 2.02%, and the Dow Industrials is up 0.78% WTD
Crude oil prices increased 0.45% to a current $73.81/bbl while bitcoin decreased 0.40% to a current $102,584.XX/coin
The U.S. economy grew at a 2.3% annualized rate in Q4, slowing from 3.1% in Q3, with 2024 GDP growth reaching 2.5% [WSJ]

Investors should focus on the White House over the Fed when considering bond purchases, as rising Treasury yields—driven by policy uncertainty and deficit concerns—keep borrowing costs high, with experts divided on future rate movements [WSJ]

Despite strong bank stocks and a favorable economic backdrop, U.S. banks (especially regional lenders) face sluggish loan growth, raising concerns about economic weakness or shifts away from traditional bank lending [WSJ]

Trump Media is launching a financial services venture, Truth.Fi, investing $250 million into crypto and other assets to promote the "Patriot Economy," amid conservative concerns about big banks, with plans for new financial products pending regulatory approval [WSJ]

AI investment concerns pressured Nvidia’s stock and Ranpak surged 47% after Amazon’s stake, highlighting a shift toward sustainable packaging
Despite Microsoft and Meta significantly increasing capital spending on AI infrastructure, concerns over AI efficiency gains, particularly from DeepSeek, have pressured Nvidia’s stock, while Microsoft’s weaker-than-expected cloud revenue and guidance further fueled investor uncertainty [WSJ]

Despite Nvidia’s stock drop amid AI efficiency concerns, individual investors eagerly bought the dip, betting on long-term AI growth and Nvidia’s continued dominance in the market [WSJ]

Ranpak's shares surged 47% after announcing Amazon's stake acquisition, reflecting a broader shift towards sustainable paper packaging in e-commerce [WSJ]

Recent developments across four key industries highlight lower U.S. natural gas stockpiles, SoftBank's Masayoshi Son planning a $43 billion OpenAI investment, and studies reaffirming the MMR vaccine’s safety
Energy & Natural Resources
A deep freeze led to a major natural gas withdrawal, pushing U.S. stockpiles below the five-year average for the first time in two years, though prices are falling as winter subsides [WSJ]

Exxon and Chevron saw lower annual profits in 2024 due to weak natural gas prices and refining margins but achieved record oil output and investor payouts, with both companies focusing on cost-cutting and cash flow amid shifting market conditions [WSJ]
U.S. crude inventories rose by 3.5 million barrels for the first time in 10 weeks due to lower exports and refinery capacity use, while gasoline stocks increased and distillate fuel stocks declined amid higher demand [WSJ]
Technology, Media, & Telecommunications
SoftBank's Masayoshi Son plans to invest up to $43 billion in OpenAI and its cloud infrastructure, securing Sam Altman a deep-pocketed backer amid competition with China and tensions with Microsoft, marking Son’s biggest bet yet in AI [WSJ]
AI’s investment boom mirrors past tech frenzies, with firms like Amazon and Microsoft expected to spend trillions on data centers, while financiers navigate risks, as seen in Blue Owl Capital’s billion-dollar backing of OpenAI’s Stargate project [WSJ]
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Despite RFK Jr.'s skepticism, extensive research confirms the MMR vaccine is safe and does not cause autism, with large-scale studies debunking past claims and highlighting its crucial role in preventing measles, mumps, and rubella [WSJ]
The FDA approved Novo Nordisk's Ozempic to reduce kidney disease risks in adults with type 2 diabetes, expanding its medical use and making it the most broadly indicated GLP-1 drug [WSJ]
Financial Services
Commerzbank posted a record €2.68 billion profit in 2024, boosting shareholder returns with a €400 million buyback and increased dividends, while UniCredit nears a 29.9% stake [WSJ]