China stands firm

China denies current trade talks with US, trade whiplash sinks world into ‘uncertainty’, corporate leaders don't want to hire or invest, Harvard to sell $1 billion of private equity stakes, and bank regulators pull back guardrails on bank crypto activities...

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Market Briefing
April 25, 2025

Good morning.

The Fast Five → China denies current trade talks with US, trade whiplash sinks world into ‘uncertainty’, corporate leaders don't want to hire or invest, Harvard to sell $1 billion of private equity stakes, and bank regulators pull back guardrails on bank crypto activities…

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Calendar: (all times ET) - Full Calendar

  • Today:
    Consumer sentiment (final), 10:00A

  • Monday:
    None scheduled

Your 5-minute briefing for Friday, April 25:

BEFORE THE OPEN

As of market close 4/24/2025.

Pre-Market:

US Investor % Bullish Sentiment:
↓ 21.94% for Week of April 24 2025

Previous week: 24.44%. Updates every Friday.

Market Wrap:

  • Futures: S&P +0.3%, Nasdaq +0.4%, Dow flat.

  • Alphabet +5% post-earnings beat; Intel -5% on weak guidance.

  • Major indexes up 3 straight days; tech rebound lifts markets.

  • China urges end to US tariffs; Trump says 145% rate will “come down.”

  • S&P +4% WTD, Dow +2%, Nasdaq +5%+

EARNINGS

Nothing watched today.

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HEADLINES

The Chinese government asserted Thursday that no talks are happening with the U.S. about de-escalating the trade war, and called on the Trump administration to make the first move.

The world’s finance chiefs flocked to Washington this week to see up close how Trump’s effort to overhaul the global economic order is shaking markets and eroding growth.

  • S&P 500, Nasdaq close higher for third straight day, fueled by tech gains (more)

  • US labor market holds steady for now; tariffs keep businesses on edge (more)

  • US durable goods orders soar on aircraft bookings in March (more)

  • Corporate leaders don't want to hire or invest (more)

  • March home sales drop to their slowest pace since 2009 (more)

  • Oil set for weekly loss with focus on US-China trade uncertainty (more)

  • Dollar drifts higher at end of volatile week of Trump backflips (more)

  • Asian stocks rise on trade talks, rate-cut hopes (more)

  • Alphabet sales beat estimates on Google search advertising (more)

  • Morgan Stanley to sell remaining $1.23B of X debt (more)

  • Harvard in talks to sell $1 bln of private equity stakes (more)

DEALFLOW

M+A | Investments

  • Eastern Bankshares to acquire HarborOne Bancorp for $490M

  • Merck KGaA in late-stage talks to acquire SpringWorks Therapeutics for $3.5B

  • Kimberly-Clark's $4 bln int’l tissue unit attracts acquisition bids

  • Apptegy, communication and brand management solutions for school districts, acquired AlwaysOn, an AI-powered K-12 chatbot solution provider

  • Reveleer, a value-based care technology platform, acquired Novillus, a provider of care gap management and provider engagement solutions

  • Centauri Health Solutions, a health information technology company, acquired MedAllies, a HISP and QHIN company

  • Cvent, a meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, acquired Prismm, a spatial event design technology company

  • Panorama Education, an education technology company, acquired Class Companion, an AI tool that increases educator efficiency

VC

  • Omnidian, a provider of comprehensive plans for residential and commercial solar and energy storage systems, raised over $87M in funding

  • Push Security, a cybersecurity company specializing in identity attacks in SaaS environments, raised $30M in Series B funding

  • Listen Labs, an AI-powered customer research startup, raised $27M in Seed and Series A financing

  • Alternative Payments, a B2B payments and checkout infrastructure provider, raised $22M in total funding

  • SquareX, a browser detection and response company, raised $20M in Series A funding

  • Araceli Biosciences, a biotech company specializing in high-content imaging and AI-powered analysis, closed $11.2M in Seed financing

  • Amplifier Security, an autonomous user security company, raised $5.6M in Seed funding

  • RTA, a provider of fleet maintenance management software, raised an undisclosed amount in Series A funding from Susquehanna Growth Equity

CRYPTO

  • US bank regulators pull back guardrails on bank crypto activities (more)

  • Crypto industry is hedging its bets on format and timing of US legislation (more)

  • Bitcoin miners get little relief from top cryptocurrency’s rally (more)

BULLISH BITES

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🤑 "Succession" creator Jesse Armstrong is back with a new movie about four billionaires living through an international crisis.

📺 YouTube Turns 20: A madly addictive history of some of the site's biggest moments.

DAILY SHARES

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