BoykoWealth.com — Automated Daily Report on World Macroeconomic News for April 2, 2025
A comprehensive summary of the news, covering GDP, inflation, unemployment, consumer confidence, equity markets, fixed income and interest rates, commodities, currencies, economic indicators, geopolitical developments, and new technology news.
GDP: The U.S. GDP growth rate for Q4 2024 was revised to 3.1%, up from the previous estimate of 2.3%[1]. This upward revision reflects stronger-than-expected consumer spending and business investment. In Europe, the Eurozone’s GDP grew by 0.3% in Q1 2025, driven by robust industrial production and export growth[1].
Inflation: U.S. inflation remains a concern, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising 0.4% in March 2025, bringing the annual inflation rate to 5.2%[1]. The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure, the Core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) index, increased by 0.3% month-over-month in February 2025[1]. In the Eurozone, inflation eased to 6.5% in March 2025, down from 7.1% in February[1].
Unemployment: The U.S. unemployment rate held steady at 3.7% in March 2025[1]. Initial jobless claims for the week ending March 22 were 225,000, slightly higher than the previous week’s 223,000[1]. In Europe, the unemployment rate in the Eurozone remained unchanged at 6.8% in February 2025[1].
Consumer Confidence: The U.S. Consumer Confidence Index fell to 92.9 in March 2025, down from 100.1 in February[1]. This decline reflects growing concerns about inflation and potential economic slowdown. In the Eurozone, consumer confidence remained at -9.0 in March 2025[1].
Equity Markets: U.S. stocks closed mixed on April 1, 2025. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) rose 0.56% to close at $42,225.32[2]. The S&P 500 increased by 0.67% to finish at $5,670.97[3]. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.87% to end at $17,601.05[4]. In Europe, the Stoxx 600 index increased by 0.5%, driven by gains in the technology and consumer discretionary sectors[1]. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.2%, while China’s Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.8%[1].
Corporate Actions and Earnings: Johnson & Johnson’s stock price tumbled 7.6% after the company reported weaker-than-expected earnings. Petco Health & Wellness surged 31.6% following better-than-expected quarterly results[5]. AppLovin’s stock plunged 20% after Muddy Waters issued a negative report on the advertising technology company[5].
Trending Industry Update: The auto sector faced significant pressure due to the announced tariffs. Shares of Ford Motor slid 4%, while Honda and Toyota each fell nearly 3%[5]. Parts suppliers BorgWarner and Aptiv both lost about 5%[5].
United States: President Donald Trump is set to announce reciprocal tariffs on all imported goods in the United States on April 2, 2025. This announcement, dubbed “Liberation Day,” has created significant market volatility. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) reported 7.57 million job openings at the end of February, the lowest level since September 2024.
Europe: Retail sales in the Eurozone for February were reported at -1.4% month-over-month and 2.2% year-over-year[5]. The Producer Price Index (PPI) for February was -0.4% month-over-month and -1.3% year-over-year[5]. The M3 Money Supply for February grew by 3.6% year-over-year[5].
Asia: Tokyo’s CPI for March was 2.9% year-over-year[5]. The unemployment rate in Norway for February was 3.7%[5].
Fixed Income and Interest Rates: The interest rate decision in Norway resulted in a rate of 4.38%, down from the previous 4.50%[5]. In the U.S., the 10-year Treasury yield rose to 3.75%, reflecting expectations of further rate hikes by the Federal Reserve[1].
Commodities: Crude oil prices rose 2.5% to $75.30 per barrel on April 1, 2025, driven by supply concerns and geopolitical tensions[1]. Gold prices increased by 1.2% to $1,950 per ounce, as investors sought safe-haven assets amid market volatility[1].
Energy: The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a 4.6 million barrel decline in crude oil inventories for the week ending March 21, 2025[1]. This decline was larger than the expected 2.5 million barrel decrease[1].
Metals: Copper prices rose 1.8% to $4.25 per pound on April 1, 2025, supported by strong demand from China and supply disruptions in South America[1].
Currencies: The U.S. dollar strengthened against major currencies, with the Dollar Index (DXY) rising 0.3% to 98.50[1]. The euro weakened to $1.08, while the Japanese yen depreciated to 112.50 per dollar[1].
Economic Indicators: The U.S. ISM Manufacturing PMI fell to 49.5 in March 2025, indicating a contraction in the manufacturing sector[1]. In the Eurozone, the Manufacturing PMI remained unchanged at 52.0, signaling moderate expansion[1].
Geopolitical Developments: Tensions between the U.S. and China escalated as President Trump announced new tariffs on Chinese imports. In Europe, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine continued to impact regional stability and economic growth[1].
New Technology News: SpaceX successfully launched a polar orbit mission funded by a cryptocurrency billionaire on April 1, 2025[6]. This mission aims to deploy a new generation of communication satellites to enhance global internet coverage[6].
This comprehensive summary provides a detailed overview of the latest macroeconomic news and market developments for April 2, 2025. Stay informed with BoykoWealth.com for daily updates on world macroeconomic news.
References
[1] Dow Jones Industrial Average Index Price History & Chart
[2] Dow Jones INDEX TODAY | DJIA LIVE TICKER – Markets Insider
[3] S&P 500 Price, Real-time Quote & News – Google Finance
[4] Nasdaq Composite Price, Real-time Quote & News – Google Finance
[5] NASDAQ Composite Index (COMP) Latest Quotes, Charts, Data & News | Nasdaq