12 Stories Shaping the Markets Today 4-3-26

This is Scott Becker with the Becker Private Equity and Business and the Becker Business Podcast. Today's discussion, we're going to walk you through 12 different stories shaping the markets, and we'll see if you find this interesting. We're recording this on Thursday, so it'll come out on Friday. So bear with me if the market continues to gyrate. It's been up and down today so far, but we'll give you the gist of what we're watching in the world today. First, the markets are set on Thursday to give back a good deal of the gains they've had the last couple of days. Finally, the last couple of days they've recovered some from what's been a horrendous start of the year, but looking to give back some of that. Second, the markets fell as the president spoke last night, and maintain that the U.S. is going to continue to pummel Iran as diplomatic efforts are pursued as well. We'll see how that goes. I know that the markets want to see an end of the war, but at the same time have to win the war, is at least a perspective that I have, and so it is what it is, but a fasting perspective. The Jamie Dimon said it right, that's more important to win the war than the stock market could go up or down this week, but not everybody agrees with that. Third, is a great piece in the Wall Street Journal this week regarding nursing and healthcare jobs is a key means of strengthening the middle class in America. The article says, nursing is a surefire new path to American prosperity. It's used to say in the song, mama don't let your boys grow up to boy cowboys, let them be doctors and nurses and such. The old song was doctors and lawyers such, but doctors and nurses and such is probably correct today. There's some editorial license there from me. Fourth, Microsoft just had its worst quarter in 15 years or so. The stock is down 25% year to date. It is what it is. Fifth, Intel is up 30% year to date. It jumped nearly 9% yesterday, and it was prompted by news that they're going to buy back a stake in one of their chip plants in Ireland. So fast to watch what Intel is doing. Sixth, oil companies are on the rise this year as there's higher oil prices. ExxonMobil is up 33% year to date. Seventh, Bitcoin is now down 45% over the last six months. I've stopped trying to understand because I'm with Bitcoin, oh, I know it's down 45% over the last six months and I'm not a holder in it. Eighth, Figma is down 45% year to date. Ninth, Karna, which I am an investor in, of course, Sadwy, is down 54% year to date. Finally, tenth, I must have plugged into the search engine some requests for putting advice in the last week or something about putters because my feed has been inundated. For my slower friends, inundated means that it's getting filled with ads. I'm getting filled with ads for every putting device under the sun. Now, I realize that I have a problem. I admit I have a problem. I just don't know which any of these things might help my putting. The only thing I will tell you is I know that basic putting practice would probably help, but there's little that is more boring in life than putting practice. I also know that I can't buy any more putters. I'm done with that. Finally, P.S. will give a special shout out to immigrants in our country. Again, immigrants that moved to the U.S. and buy into the American dream are a huge part of the lifeblood and energy of our country. God bless us all. We really are a nation of immigrants. Most of us are immigrants at least within a few generations. Now, in contrast, and I'll agree with this wholly, immigrants who come here and hate our country and the politicians who pander to those that hate our nation are horrible. When I hear immigrants or anybody saying, death to America, I'm like, oh, my God, go find another country. That would be fantastic. In any event, anytime Scott Packer texts me with your thoughts on the podcast, 773-766-5322. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you.