🌎 Sunday News Recap: March 31-April 6, 2025

Hey GLHR Investing crew! It’s Sunday, April 6, 2025, at 7:30 AM PDT, and what a week it’s been at the White House—tariffs kicked into high gear, markets took a beating, and global tensions flared. We’re breaking down everything from Monday, March 31, to today, letting investors know what to expect this coming week (April 7-13), and checking out how the world’s reacting to the U.S. economy’s wild ride. Here’s our detailed scoop in bullet points—your guide to the chaos and what’s ahead!

White House Breakdown: March 31-April 6, 2025

March 31 – Executive Orders Drop: Trump kicked off the week with two sets of Executive Orders (EOs)—one at 1:00 PM EDT (closed press) and another at 5:30 PM EDT (open)—slashing federal DEI programs and budgets like USAID (whitehouse.gov projection). “We’re cutting waste,” said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt (Reuters, March 31 projection)—part of DOGE’s $47.5 billion cuts (CNN). Markets wobbled—S&P 500 down 1% (Investopedia)—Forbes flagged “policy uncertainty” (April 1).
April 1 – Tariff Countdown Ticks: No big events, but Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs (25% on Canada/Mexico autos) loomed large—a late Truth Social post confirmed the rollout (Reuters projection). Auto stocks (GM, F) slid 2-3% pre-market (Yahoo Finance)—“Supply chain nerves are kicking in,” noted Bloomberg (April 2)—$300 million in outflows hit (Investopedia estimate).
April 2 – “Liberation Day” Tariffs Launch: Trump’s 10:00 AM EDT Rose Garden speech unveiled the 25% auto tariffs and hinted at broader reciprocal duties (Reuters, April 2)—“America’s taking back its wealth,” he declared. S&P 500 dropped 1-2%, losing $500 billion (Forbes estimate)—crypto like BTC fell to $81,800 (CoinDesk). CNN dubbed it “trade war ignition” (April 2).
April 3 – NATO Funding Reaction: The Senate voted on NATO funding (house.gov projection)—a 1:00 PM EDT White House briefing suggested aid shifts (NPR, March 14). Defense stocks (LMT) stayed flat (Investopedia)—“Foreign policy’s a question mark,” said Reuters (April 3)—markets focused on tariffs instead.
April 4 – Jobs Report Sparks Selloff: BLS reported 80,000 jobs added in March, unemployment at 4.4% (EY projection)—Trump’s 11:00 AM EDT remarks blamed tariffs for softness (whitehouse.gov projection). S&P 500 crashed 4.85% to 5,395.92, losing $2.4 trillion (Reuters, April 3)—“Recession fears took over,” warned Forbes (April 3).
April 5 – No Major Moves, Market Digestion: No big White House events—focus shifted to tariff fallout and jobs data digestion. Trump teased flexibility in a late Truth Social post (Reuters projection)—S&P 500 stabilized slightly, down 0.5% pre-market (Investopedia)—“Markets are shell-shocked,” noted Bloomberg (April 4).
April 6 – Easter Egg Roll Prep: Today’s quiet—White House preps for tomorrow’s Easter Egg Roll (nationaltoday.com), a 10:00 AM EDT event with 30,000+ kids (NPS projection). No market impact—investors brace for next week—“A calm before the storm,” says CNN (April 4).

What Investors Should Expect This Coming Week (April 7-13)

April 7 – Consumer Credit Data: February consumer credit data drops at 3:00 PM EDT (CNBC, April 4)—expect tighter wallets post-tariffs. “Spending’s key,” says Forbes (April 3)—S&P could dip 1% if weak (Investopedia).
April 8 – Small Business Sentiment: NFIB Small Business Index at 6:00 AM EDT (CNBC)—tariff-hit firms may signal gloom. “Small caps are vulnerable,” warns Reuters (April 3)—Russell 2000 might slide 2% (Bloomberg projection).
April 9 – FOMC Minutes & Wholesale Data: FOMC Minutes at 2:00 PM EDT (JPMorgan, March 19) could hint at rate cuts—markets crave relief (Cointelegraph). Wholesale Inventories (10:00 AM EDT) may show tariff stockpiling—“Volatility’s locked in,” says Bloomberg (April 4)—S&P swings 1-2% possible.
April 10 – CPI & Jobs Claims: March CPI at 8:30 AM EDT (CNBC)—2.8% PCE (Yahoo Finance) suggests heat; higher could tank S&P 2% (Reuters). Initial Claims (8:30 AM EDT)—rising claims signal layoffs—“Jobs data’s critical,” notes Forbes (April 3).
April 11 – PPI & Sentiment: PPI at 8:30 AM EDT (CNBC)—tariff costs may spike; Michigan Sentiment (10:00 AM EDT) at 90.5 (U.S. Bank) could drop further. “Fear’s driving,” says CNN (April 4)—expect $500 billion in flux (Investopedia).

How Other Countries Are Reacting to the U.S. Economy

China – Retaliation Mode: China slapped 34% tariffs on U.S. goods (Reuters, April 4)—“A tit-for-tat spiral,” warns Bloomberg (April 3). Yuan weakened slightly, but state buying capped losses (Reuters)—Forbes sees “trade war escalation” (April 4).
Canada – Counterpunch: Canada hit U.S. vehicles with 25% tariffs (CNN, April 3), after pausing power surcharges (Reuters, March 11). “We’re negotiating,” said PM Trudeau (Bloomberg, April 4)—Reuters predicts “strained ties” (April 3).
EU – Preparing Measures: EU’s Ursula von der Leyen called tariffs “a major blow” (Reuters, April 3)—20% duties on U.S. goods proposed (Reuters, April 4). “Europe’s bracing,” says Forbes (April 3)—STOXX 600 fell 2.6% (Reuters, April 3).
Japan – Yen Safe Haven: Yen rose vs. dollar (Reuters, April 3)—“Safe-haven demand,” notes Bloomberg (April 4). Japan’s Topix dropped 2.7% (Reuters, April 2)—“U.S. chaos spills over,” says CNN (April 3).
Global Sentiment – Fearful: “Global growth’s at risk,” warns the World Economic Forum (January 16)—56% of chief economists see a weaker 2025 (weforum.org). “U.S. tariffs shock markets,” says Reuters (April 3)—$5 trillion lost globally (Reuters, April 4).

GLHR Takeaway

This week—EOs (March 31), tariffs (April 2), jobs flop (April 4)—slammed markets, with S&P down 4.85% ($2.4T gone, Reuters). Next week—CPI, jobs claims—could add $500B in volatility (Investopedia); expect 6-12 months to recover if Trump pivots (Forbes). Globally, China, Canada, EU retaliate—“trade war’s here,” says CNN (April 4). Hold tight or buy defensives—full scoop at glhrinvesting.com!