All posts by PARKERYL

Well, last week was another wild ride in the markets.

Stocks continued their downward trend in the front half of the week. But on Wednesday, President Trump announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for all U.S. trading partners except China, the markets soared. The S&P 500 rallied 9.5%, the Dow jumped 7.9% and the NASDAQ surged 12.2%.

This was the single best day for the market since 2008. But unfortunately, due to the escalating trade war with China, this rally was short-lived, and stocks traded lower again on Thursday.

Now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the volatility continue this week. I should note that the markets will be closed for the Good Friday holiday, but there is still a lot going on that we need to keep an eye on.

To help make sense of everything, we are joined by a very special guest in this week’s Market Buzz: economist Dr. Ed Yardeni. In this exclusive interview, he answers some of the most pressing economic questions, including why “bond vigilantes” have hit a homerun, whether China and the U.S. can come to an agreement soon, whether China will need to devalue its currency and much more. You don’t want to miss this!

Click the image below to watch now!

If you aren’t already a subscriber to Navellier Market Buzz, click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Also, if you like Ed as much as I do, you can learn more about him and subscribe to his research here. You can also purchase Ed’s book, Predicting the Markets, here.

Using AI During Market Volatility

As the recent market volatility continues, you’ll want to be nimble with your investing strategy.

That’s where our friends at TradeSmith come in. They just released a brand-new update to their AI

trading tool that you don’t want to miss…

In short, their analytical engine utilizes a custom-fit algorithm that can tell you which stocks are poised to bounce like fresh tennis balls… and which ones could drop like a rock over the next 21 days.

Case in point: Back on March 12, weeks before Liberation Day took an axe to the tech market, it forecasted that Palantir Technologies (PLTR) would drop by -6.79% over the next 19 trading days.

With the window closed on April 8, PLTR had indeed fallen -7.57%.

That’s not just a one-off, either, folks. Over the past two years, the projection has called PLTR’s directional move (up or down) correctly 75% of the time. And 89.84% of the time, the stock price hit the exact price forecast within the 19-day window.

Now, imagine being able to do this not just for Palantir or other popular tech stocks, but for thousands of stocks – and with stocks you already own in your portfolio.

The ramifications of this breakthrough are clear. And in a wild market like this one, you can’t afford to miss learning more about it.

That’s why, on Wednesday, April 16 at 8 p.m. Eastern, TradeSmith CEO Keith Kaplan will tell you everything you need to know about this tool in an event called The AI Predictive Power Event.

Make sure and reserve your spot now while you can. And, as a special bonus for signing up, you’ll receive five bearish forecasts to help you sidestep disaster in your portfolio.

Click here to claim your spot now!

Sincerely,

Louis Navellier

Editor, Market 360

The Editor hereby discloses that as of the date of this email, the Editor, directly or indirectly, owns the following securities that are the subject of the commentary, analysis, opinions, advice, or recommendations in, or which are otherwise mentioned in, the essay set forth below:

Palantir Technologies, Inc. (PLTR)

​Ethereum has been struggling to keep up lately, with recent Ethereum news highlighting a drop below $1,500 and signals of deeper weakness in both demand and network activity. A similar trend is playing out in the Polkadot (DOT) price, which just hit a five-year low after losing key support levels.

But while these established names face headwinds, BlockDAG (BDAG) is heading in the opposite direction. Its beta testnet is officially live, and to kick things off, the team is offering $60,000 in rewards to 30 users—based on mining activity, wallet use, and coin balances.

Add to that the return of its Chest Boost bonus system, where each purchase unlocks higher multipliers, and it’s easy to see why the presale has already topped $214 million ahead of the upcoming Token Generation Event.

Ethereum News: Value Under Pressure from ETF Outflows

Recent Ethereum news is drawing attention as ETH slips below the $1,500 mark, weighed down by weak ETF demand, bearish on-chain metrics, and fading network activity.

Analysts point to Ethereum trading beneath its realised price—a sign of potential capitulation among holders. Investment flows into spot Ethereum ETFs have also reversed, with over $90 million withdrawn in recent weeks. 

At the same time, key metrics like open interest in futures and user activity on the network continue to decline. According to recent Ethereum news, some projections now place a possible price bottom near $1,000 if current conditions persist.

Polkadot Value Hits 5-Year Low: Is Short-Term Rebound Next?

The Polkadot (DOT) price reached a five-year low of $3.25 on April 9, dipping below its long-standing $3.70 support zone. This decline confirms a breakdown from both horizontal and ascending support levels, with technical indicators—like a falling RSI and negative MACD—signaling ongoing bearish pressure.

However, the daily chart shows a potential for a short-term recovery. A completed five-wave pattern and bullish divergence in the MACD suggest that a rebound could follow. If a breakout occurs, analysts project the Polkadot price might climb toward the $6.50–$7.50 range before any longer-term trend resumes.

BlockDAG Offers $60K & 5X Rewards as TGE Countdown Begins

BlockDAG’s Beta Testnet launch is pulling serious weight thanks to a $60,000 incentive campaign that rewards real network activity ahead of its official debut. The setup is simple but smart: $2,000 in BDAG will go to each of the top 10 miners, the 10 most active wallets, and the 10 wallets holding the highest testnet balances.

This structure gives participants a reason to dig in and interact with mining, staking, and wallet functions—all while pressure-testing the system before the Token Generation Event. It’s a hands-on way to validate the network under real-use conditions.

At the same time, BlockDAG has brought back its popular Chest Boosts system. It kicks off with an automatic 5X reward on the first purchase. These rewards escalate with each purchase, unlocking up to four increasingly rewarding chests. Every new purchase brings a bigger multiplier, turning early support into a kind of progression game. This reward style has caught fire, creating stronger momentum across the community and helping drive the project’s already fast-growing presale totals.

The BDAG coin presale stats tell the story: over $214 million raised, 19.2 billion coins sold, and a value increase of 2,380% from $0.001 to $0.0248 by batch 27. With the TGE approaching, these entry prices are nearing their final stretch.

Analysts now rank BlockDAG among the crypto coins to watch, citing its active community, strong development roadmap, and potential for substantial returns up to 30,000X ROI. As the project shifts closer to public listing, the opportunity to buy BDAG at this low presale price will soon become part of its early history.

Final Takeaway

Ethereum’s outlook remains cautious, with recent Ethereum news pointing to lingering weakness unless key metrics reverse course. The Polkadot price may find short-term relief, but long-term recovery hinges on breaking past resistance.

Meanwhile, BlockDAG is in an entirely different lane. Its beta testnet is live, $60K in rewards are flowing, and the presale is surging past $214 million. With prices already up 2,380% and the chest bonuses active—for a limited time—there’s a clear sense that this early phase won’t last much longer.

As the Token Generation Event draws closer, BlockDAG is quickly becoming one of the best crypto coins to watch. However, once the presale ends, current entry points will disappear for good.

Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network

Website: https://blockdag.network

Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial

Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu ​

Disclaimer: The views and opinions presented in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CoinCheckup. The content of this article should not be considered as investment advice. Always do your own research before deciding to buy, sell or transfer any crypto assets. Past returns do not always guarantee future profits.

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our
editorial policy.

Don’t forget: Tax returns are due tomorrow.

Filers must send their returns on time or get an extension to avoid paying a penalty. According to the latest information from the IRS, more than 101.4 million people filed their taxes as of April 4, and 67% got a refund.

This year, taxpayers received an average of around $100 more in refunds than last year. About $211.1 billion has been refunded, with the average amount being $3,116. That is likely a welcome check for many Americans who have been squeezed by stubbornly high inflation and elevated borrowing costs.

Earlier in the tax season, survey respondents reported that they plan to use their refunds on necessities, such as rent, groceries, and credit card debt. According to a separate survey, nearly half of tax filers said their refund would affect whether they could afford essentials.

But before counting your money, here are some tips to follow if you’ve waited until the deadline to file.

Tips to File Your Tax Refund On Time

Taxpayers who do not have an extension and fail to submit their 2024 tax return by April 15 will have to pay a penalty of 5% of the tax due each month the filing is late, up to 25%. There are additional penalties if you owe the government money and fail to pay.

The IRS provided some tips on how to file your taxes last minute, including:

• Utilize free filing services, such as IRS Direct File and IRS Free File. However, be aware that these services are only available to certain tax filers.
• You can access free IRS resources, including interpretation services, telephone and local assistance, and free help from IRS-certified volunteers.
• Some tax law questions can be answered by the IRS’ Interactive Tax Assistant tool.
• If you don’t think you’ll be able to file your taxes by the deadline, apply for an extension that gives you until Oct. 15. However, you still have to pay what you owe by the April deadline.
• Avoid common mistakes and errors on your tax return, such as misspelling names or providing inaccurate Social Security numbers.

Meta (META) went to court Monday against the Federal Trade Commission in a landmark antitrust case that could force the social media titan to sell off Instagram or WhatsApp.

The FTC’s complaint, originally filed in 2021, alleges Meta engaged in an “illegal buy-or-bury scheme to maintain its dominance” and “acquired innovative competitors with popular mobile features that succeeded where Facebook’s own offerings fell flat or fell apart.”

If the trial ends in the FTC’s favor, Meta could be forced to break up its social media holdings by selling off apps such as Instagram or the social messaging platform WhatsApp. 

Meta CEO Zuckerberg Seeks Trump Administration’s Help To Resolve Case

The trial comes a couple weeks after Zuckerberg reportedly visited the White House to seek President Donald Trump’s help to resolve the FTC case, according to reporting from the New York Times.

The Meta CEO has also looked to the administration for help in fighting against looming fines from the European Commission, according to reports.

In a statement over the weekend, Meta Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Newstead said, “it’s absurd that the FTC is trying to break up a great American company at the same time the Administration is trying to save Chinese-owned TikTok.”

Shares of Meta slid about 2% in recent trading Monday. The stock is down 9% so far in 2025.

The states with the cheapest 30-year new purchase mortgage rates Friday were New York, Florida, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Tennessee. The seven states registered averages between 7.03% and 7.12%.

Meanwhile, the states with the highest Friday rates were Alaska, Washington, D.C., North Dakota, West Virginia, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The range of averages for these states was 7.19% to 7.25%.

Mortgage rates vary by the state where they originate. Different lenders operate in different regions, and rates can be influenced by state-level variations in credit score, average loan size, and regulations. Lenders also have varying risk management strategies that influence the rates they offer.

Since rates vary widely across lenders, it’s always smart to shop around for your best mortgage option and compare rates regularly, no matter the type of home loan you seek.

National Mortgage Rate Averages

Rates on 30-year new purchase mortgages have surged 44 basis points over the last five days, rising to a 7.14% national average. The last time rates were this high was May 2024.

Last month, in contrast, 30-year rates sank to 6.50%, their cheapest average of 2025. And back in September, 30-year rates plunged to a two-year low of 5.89%.

National Averages of Lenders’ Best Mortgage Rates
Loan Type	New Purchase
30-Year Fixed	7.14%
FHA 30-Year Fixed	7.04%
15-Year Fixed	6.31%
Jumbo 30-Year Fixed	7.15%
5/6 ARM	7.22%
Provided via the Zillow Mortgage API

Calculate monthly payments for different loan scenarios with our Mortgage Calculator.

What Causes Mortgage Rates to Rise or Fall?

Mortgage rates are determined by a complex interaction of macroeconomic and industry factors, such as:

• The level and direction of the bond market, especially 10-year Treasury yields
• The Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy, especially as it relates to bond buying and funding government-backed mortgages
• Competition between mortgage lenders and across loan types

Because any number of these can cause fluctuations simultaneously, it’s generally difficult to attribute any change to any one factor.

Macroeconomic factors kept the mortgage market relatively low for much of 2021. In particular, the Federal Reserve had been buying billions of dollars of bonds in response to the pandemic’s economic pressures. This bond-buying policy is a major influencer of mortgage rates.

But starting in November 2021, the Fed began tapering its bond purchases downward, making sizable monthly reductions until reaching net zero in March 2022.

Between that time and July 2023, the Fed aggressively raised the federal funds rate to fight decades-high inflation. While the fed funds rate can influence mortgage rates, it doesn’t directly do so. In fact, the fed funds rate and mortgage rates can move in opposite directions.

But given the historic speed and magnitude of the Fed’s 2022 and 2023 rate increases—raising the benchmark rate 5.25 percentage points over 16 months—even the indirect influence of the fed funds rate has resulted in a dramatic upward impact on mortgage rates over the last two years.

The Fed maintained the federal funds rate at its peak level for almost 14 months, beginning in July 2023. But in September, the central bank announced a first rate cut of 0.50 percentage points, and then followed that with quarter-point reductions in November and December.

For its first meeting of the new year, however, the Fed opted to hold rates steady—and it’s possible the central bank may not make another rate cut for months. With a total of eight rate-setting meetings scheduled per year, that means we could see multiple rate-hold announcements in 2025.

How We Track Mortgage Rates

The national and state averages cited above are provided as is via the Zillow Mortgage API, assuming a loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of 80% (i.e., a down payment of at least 20%) and an applicant credit score in the 680–739 range. The resulting rates represent what borrowers should expect when receiving quotes from lenders based on their qualifications, which may vary from advertised teaser rates. © Zillow, Inc., 2025. Use is subject to the Zillow Terms of Use.

UBS downgraded Stellantis’ stock and slashed its price target for the Jeep and Chrysler parent nearly in half on Monday.

The Netherlands-based automaker will facer greater headwinds from U.S. tariffs than Detroit-based “Big Three” automakers Ford (F) and General Motors (GM), UBS analysts wrote. UBS downgraded the stock to “neutral” from “buy” and reduced its target price to 8.80 euros ($9.98) from 16.00 euros ($18.15).  

About 35% of Stellantis vehicles sold in the U.S. are imported, UBS said, and therefore subject to 25% import taxes. It estimates that annual car sales in the U.S. will fall about 9% due to tariffs.

“After several quarters of severe market share loss, Stellantis’ aggressive plan to regain market share in a likely shrinking US market … has now a lower likelihood of success,” analysts said, adding that “without the perspective of a successful US turnaround, a core element to our Buy thesis no longer exists.”

Stellantis shares slipped Monday morning but reversed course and recently traded up 3%. Still, they have lost about 30% of their value in 2025 and 65% over the past 12 months.

Editor’s Note: In times like these – when markets can swing from calm to chaos overnight – every investor is left wondering: What’s the smartest move right now?

When the future feels increasingly uncertain, it’s the near-term opportunities that can make all the difference. That’s where our partner TradeSmith enters the picture, with a powerful new tool designed for today’s unpredictable landscape: An-E (short for Analytical Engine).

It’s a cutting-edge AI system that forecasts the one-month price movements of thousands of stocks, ETFs, and funds. Unlike generic models, An-E crafts a unique forecast for each asset – trained on 1.3 quadrillion data points and more than 50,000 backtests. And this Wednesday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m. EST, the folks at TradeSmith will be debuting this powerful system at The AI Predictive Power Event. (You can click here to reserve your seat now).

This isn’t about making wild bets on where the market will be a year from now. It’s about acting on precise, high-confidence projections over the next 30 days, helping investors adapt faster, limit losses, and position themselves for gains no matter the macro backdrop.

With volatility shaking even the most seasoned traders, knowing what’s likely to fall – or rise – in the short term can be a critical edge. That’s why today, we’re joined by TradeSmith CEO Keith Kaplan to explore how AI is reshaping the way we navigate market turmoil… and seize opportunities others might miss.

It felt like the world was ending. 

Almost exactly five years ago, as the COVID-19 virus amplified from a concentrated contagion to a full-blown pandemic, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) – aka, the market’s “fear index” – closed at the highest level ever seen. 

At the same time, the S&P 500 saw its third-largest one-day percentage drop in history: a whopping -11.98% loss. 

We all had similar feelings this week, following the 10% nosedive – a record $5 trillion loss – in the S&P 500 after President Trump’s tariff announcement on Wednesday, April 2. 

The market has since rebounded following the president’s decision to pause reciprocal tariffs on countries other than China. 

But as we learned back in 2020, when the uncertainty is extremely high rather than running for the hills, all we have to do is adjust how we trade. 

And our latest breakthrough at TradeSmith may provide the ideal solution…

With a technology we’ve heard about nonstop for the past two years: artificial intelligence.

Protect and Profit With AI – Even in Panic

A lot of today’s chatter about artificial intelligence is about “the future” – about AI’s potential, and the great things this technology can achieve. 

But at TradeSmith, we don’t have to visualize too far into the future. 

For us, that “future” is already here.

We’ve figured out how AI can deliver market-beating wealth – and not just on the easy, good days. 

What we’ve created can help you thrive even in the worst market conditions.

And that means recognizing opportunities, yes, but also sidestepping danger. That’s where TradeSmith’s proprietary AI trading algorithm – An-E, short for analytical engine – comes in. 

What sets An-E apart from the crowd is that it can forecast stock prices one month into the future… and many of these forecasts are incredibly accurate. 

And it’s not just useful for stocks that are set to go up… An-E also zeroes in on the losers, too. 

Because as we’ve well learned, playing defense in today’s volatile market can be just as valuable as offense – and An-E does both.

Take Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY), for example. 

• Price at the Time of Projection: $46.21
• Projected Price: $49.23 by April 2, 2025
• Confidence Level: 70%

On March 3, 2025, An-E projected that the stock would rise from $46.21 to $49.23 within 21 trading days – a projected gain of 6.53%, backed by a 70% confidence level, signaling An-E’s strong conviction in the forecast. 

And the result? By April 1, 2025, OXY

just about hit that target at $49.19 – locking in a gain of 6.44% in just 20 trading days. 

A modest gain, but when you repeat that rhythm over a year the results can really add up. 

But there’s so much more to An-E than just picking winners when market conditions are calm…

On March 4, 2025, An-E projected that Light & Wonder Inc. (LNW) would fall from $106.60 to $92.52 in 21 trading days – a projected drop of 13.20%. That confidence gauge came in at a 63%.

And as projected, by April 2, 2025, LNW dropped to $91.95 for an actual loss of 13.74%. 

Think about it. If you’d seen that one of the stocks you were thinking about buying had a 63% chance of dropping in the next month, would you still buy it? I don’t think so. 

And in market conditions like these, avoiding the losers can be just as valuable than finding the winners – if not more.

Sony (SONY) has raised PlayStation 5 prices in international markets including the Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, citing a “challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.”

The cost of a PS5 Digital Edition is now 429.99 pounds ($567) in the U.K. and 499.99 euros ($568) elsewhere in Europe, increases of 40 pounds and about 50 euros, respectively, the BBC reported. In Australia and New Zealand, the price of both PS5 Digital Edition and Standard PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive consoles increased.

Sony did not specifically address the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs, which included an initial 24% import tax on goods from Sony’s home country of Japan when announced on April 2. That has since been paused and replaced with a 10% baseline tariff. Video-game consoles are also not currently subject to recently announced tariff exemptions for smartphones, computers, and semiconductors, according to industry tracker Eurogamer.

Sony did not immediately respond to an Investopedia request for comment on whether it plans to increase PS5 prices in the U.S. as well. U.S-listed shares rose 2.2% in recent trading and are up 40% over the past 12 months.

Shares of Intel (INTC) surged Monday morning after the chipmaker said it agreed to sell 51% of its programmable chip business Altera to private equity firm Silver Lake.

The deal values Altera at $8.75 billion, and will leave Intel with the remaining 49% ownership stake, the companies said Monday. Intel said that Raghib Hussain will be CEO of Altera, effective May 5, joining the company from his role as president of Products and Technologies at Marvell (MRVL).

“Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to sharpening our focus, lowering our expense structure and strengthening our balance sheet,” Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said.

The companies expect the deal to close in the second half of this year. Altera’s results will be removed from Intel’s quarterly consolidated financial statements once the deal is closed. The unit recorded revenue of $1.54 billion and adjusted operating income of $35 million in fiscal 2024.

The news follows speculation of a possible deal for a stake in Altera and other parts of Intel’s business earlier this year.

Intel shares were up about 6% in recent trading. The chipmaker is set to report first-quarter results after the market closes on April 24.