Equities a Bit of a Bloodbath as Shift on Trade, Tariffs Looms (E208)

DoubleLine Portfolio Manager Eric Dhall and Fixed Income Asset Allocation Strategist Ryan Kimmel recap the week of March 24-28, with markets reacting to new macro prints and a tariff regime scheduled to be unveiled by the White House on April 2, which President Donald Trump has dubbed “Liberation Day.” Stocks were down, roiled by tariff talk; bonds were no place to hide (2:11); gold continued to shine, flirting with crossing the $3,100 mark (3:30); and commodities were up, lifted by precious metals (3:49). Over in Macro Land (5:56), the week included a PMI mixed bag, manufacturing contractionary/services expansionary; the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index for March, with outlook deteriorating (6:53); an upside surprise in durable goods orders (7:55); and the week closed with a sticky PCE inflation number that raises questions about interest rate cuts (9:23). Friday also delivered the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, which expresses a lot of anxiety about recession risk and inflation levels (14:34). Next week will bring Liberation Day, and a possible reordering of the global trade regime, as well as Friday’s jobs report (16:40).