What’s News in Markets: The War Trade, Megadeals and a Sneaker Slowdown

Key takeaways

Markets showed resilience with major indexes finishing the week higher despite mixed signals.
Oil prices and oil stock performance diverged significantly this week.
Record activity in mergers and acquisitions could indicate a trend, but some companies are facing shareholder regrets.
Tech stocks demonstrated a positive rebound after a previous downturn.
Nike's ongoing sales struggles in China may greatly affect its financial outlook.
The anticipated SpaceX IPO could reshape market dynamics, potentially raising a significant amount of capital.

Summary

Market Overview

The podcast kicks off with a brief market overview, noting that the major stock exchanges were closed for Good Friday, leading to a short trading week. Major stock indexes finished the week in the green, with the NASDAQ seeing a notable 4.4% rise by Thursday, while both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones added approximately 3% by week's end.

Oil Prices vs. Oil Stocks

A significant theme is the contrasting movements of oil prices and oil stocks. Brent Crude surged nearly 8% to close at $109 a barrel, but energy stocks in the S&P 500 dropped over 5%. This discrepancy is attributed to investor concerns about long-term supply despite the rise in commodity prices.

Mergers and Acquisitions Activity

The podcast highlights a record start for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in 2026, with 22 deals of over $10 billion announced. However, this surge in M&A has led to apparent buyer's remorse among shareholders, particularly for companies like McCormick and Cisco, which saw significant share price drops following their big acquisitions.

Tech Stock Rebound

Another focal point is the rebound of major tech stocks, such as Mehta (Facebook) and parent company Alphabet (Google), both of which surged by approximately 8-9%. This recovery follows a tumultuous week where both companies faced legal liabilities concerning their platforms.

Nike's Poor Performance and Upcoming IPO

Nike was highlighted as the biggest loser in the S&P 500 after shares fell nearly 14% due to disappointing sales forecasts in China. Additionally, there is a discussion around the potential IPO of Elon Musk's SpaceX, which could become one of the largest in history, expected to raise up to $80 billion.

Show notes

Why are oil prices and oil stocks moving in opposite directions? And are megadeals a recipe for buyer’s remorse? Plus, get ready for one of the biggest IPO of all time. Host Imani Moise discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them.

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