NEWS
Powell Presser Powers The Bulls

Source: Tenor

The market’s rebound continued, led by tech and other “risk-on” sectors. While the Fed’s updates and commentary were not super dovish, they were neutral enough to keep the bulls betting on a continued comeback. With most earnings out of the way, macro uncertainty and geopolitics remain the key risks for investors. 👀 

Today’s issue covers how bulls interpreted today’s Fed move, a landmark crypto battle ending, and more from a busy day on Wall Street. 📰

Here’s the S&P 500 heatmap. 11 of 11 sectors closed green, with consumer discretionary (+1.92%) leading and consumer staples (+0.01%) lagging.

Source: Finviz

And here are the closing prices: 

POLICY
Bulls Find Hope In The FOMC Meeting 🙏 

Reading the Federal Reserve’s statements from January through March feels like getting the same dish twice, with just a pinch more salt. 🧂 

In January, it kept its target range at 4.25%–4.50%, noted stable unemployment, and declared inflation “somewhat elevated.” Growth, in their words, was “solid,” though they slipped in the line about uncertainty to keep us on our toes.

Fast-forward to March, and they kept rates unchanged again. The old phrase “risks to the outlook roughly in balance” got upgraded to “uncertainty around the outlook has increased,” which might as well be economist-speak for “who knows?”

For the updated economic projections, Powell hedged slightly around the Fed’s “dot plot,” which maps out policymakers’ expectations for the path of interest rates. Powell noted that it’s “an admittedly challenging exercise” in the current environment. Still, almost all Fed officials see risks to the downside on growth and upside risks to their unemployment and inflation forecasts. ⚠️ 

That last part may seem a bit confusing, given that slower economic growth and higher unemployment would typically put downward pressure on prices. However, the current environment of uncertain fiscal policy is creating a “crisis of confidence” among consumers, businesses, investors, etc., while certain policies, like tariffs, put upward pressure on prices.

For Powell’s press conference, tens of thousands of retail investors and traders tuned in on Stocktwits to listen to his comments live. The conclusion, however, was mixed. Powell’s comments were as measured as always, though it was interesting to see him navigate questions about fiscal policy and potential threats to Fed independence given the recent FTC firings and court ruling. 🤔 

Source: Stocktwits

Nevertheless, the lack of major surprises from the Fed helped the bulls maintain their newfound momentum as they look to claw back recent losses. Consumer discretionary, technology, financials, and other “risk-on” market areas led to the upside today. Many traders view that as a positive sign that the momentum is set to continue into the weekend. They’ll just need tariff talks to remain subdued.

P.S. if you’re not already using Stocktwits for live market events like the FOMC Press Conference, Nvidia’s GTC Conference, or earnings calls of your favorite companies, you are missing out. Add the stocks you care about to your watchlist to be notified when one of these major events occurs, and never miss a beat! 👀 

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STOCKS
Other Noteworthy Pops & Drops 📋️ 

Boeing ($BA +7%): At the Bank of America investor conference, CFO Brian West presented an upbeat outlook for the airplane manufacturer. West indicated that Boeing’s cash burn is easing in the current quarter, and its factories are improving as the company emerges from its several manufacturing and safety crises.

Tesla ($TSLA +6%): On Tuesday, the electric vehicle maker received a transportation-charter-party carrier permit (TCP) from a California state regulator, marking the initial step toward launching a robotaxi service in the state.

Apollo ($APO +4%): The global alternative asset manager announced that funds managed by its affiliates would acquire a majority stake in OEG Energy Group.

Fiserv Inc. ($FI +2%): The financial services technology company acquired payments solution provider CCV to drive its growth in the European market.

Tonix Pharmaceuticals ($TNXP -20%); Reported fourth-quarter revenue and earnings that missed estimates, even as CEO Seth Lederman expressed optimism about launching a new drug for Fibromyalgia patients’ pain management.

CERo Therapeutics ($CERO +2%): Announced an agreement with the University of California Davis to manufacture its lead compound, CER-1236, which will be used in the company’s Phase 1 clinical trial for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

Black Diamond Therapeutics ($BDTX +9%): Entered a licensing agreement with Servier, a French pharma group, to develop and commercialize its treatment.

STOCKTWITS PRODUCT UPDATE
🚨 New Feature Launch: Why It’s Trending? 📈

Source: Stocktwits

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How can you access this? Visit any of the trending stocks shown in the trending bar. Once on the symbol page, hover or click the trending icon next to the symbol name to reveal why it’s trending.

CRYPTO
A Landmark Crypto Battle: SEC vs. Ripple 🧑‍⚖️ 

The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit against Ripple in December 2020 sparked a years-long legal battle over whether XRP was an unregistered security. The case became a defining moment for crypto regulation, exposing inconsistencies in the SEC’s approach and setting a major legal precedent. Today, the SEC dropped that case’s appeal, a landmark moment in the crypto industry. 🤯 

Below is a timeline of 5 key events that led up to today’s decision.

• December 2020: The SEC sues Ripple, causing XRP to crash 70% as major exchanges delist the token.

• July 2023: A major court ruling declares XRP is not a security when sold on exchanges, leading to a 70% price surge and mass relistings.

• October 2023: The SEC drops charges against Ripple’s executives, a sign its case is unraveling.

• August 2024: Ripple receives a modest $125M fine—far less than the SEC’s demanded $2B—cementing its legal win.

• March 2025: The SEC declines to appeal, officially closing the case as Ripple claims total victory.

So, why does it matter? This case reshaped the crypto industry by challenging the SEC’s enforcement tactics and pushing for clearer regulations. Ripple’s win set a precedent for digital assets, proving that regulatory battles can be fought—and won.

I won’t pretend to understand all the intricacies of this situation, but luckily for you, our Senior Crypto Writer Jonathan Morgan has you covered. To stay on top of the industry’s biggest trends, subscribe to our daily crypto newsletter (The Litepaper), which is read by over 250,000 investors and traders. 🤩 

What’s next remains to be seen. But according to Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, the future is bright, so we’ll all need shades. You can check out his video below. 😎 

This is it – the moment we’ve been waiting for. The SEC will drop its appeal – a resounding victory for Ripple, for crypto, every way you look at it.

The future is bright. Let’s build.

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse)
1:05 PM • Mar 19, 2025

WHAT’S ON DECK
Tomorrow’s Top Things 📋

Economic data: Bank of England Rate Decision (8 am), Current Account (8:30 am), Jobless Claims (8:30 am), Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing (8:30 am), South Africa Rate Decision (9 am), Existing Home Sales (10 am), CB Leading Index (10 am). 📊

Pre-Market Earnings: PDD Holdings ($PDD), 22nd Century Group ($XXII). 🛏️

After-Hour Earnings: Micron Technology ($MU), Nike ($NKE), FedEx (FDX), Luminar Technologies ($LAZR), Planet Labs ($PL), Lennar ($LEN), Darden Restaurants ($DRI), Accenture ($ACN). 🎧

P.S. You can listen to all of these earnings calls and more straight from the Stocktwits app or website. You’ll find them on the calendar page and individual symbol pages once they’re set to begin! We’ll see you there. 👍

Links That Don’t Suck 🌐

💊 UnitedHealth eases rules on renewing some prescription drugs

🧑‍💼 Microsoft announces new HR executive, company veteran Amy Coleman

⌚️ Europe is trying to get non-Apple smartwatches to work better with iPhones

🚆 Amtrak CEO stepping down, weeks after Musk says the rail service should be privatized

🍦 Ben & Jerry’s alleges its CEO was ousted over the ice cream maker’s political posts

🤖 Nvidia reportedly buys synthetic data firm Gretel as AI push intensifies – stock rises, retail sentiment turns bullish

😬 Micron stock holds steady ahead of Q2 earnings while analysts warn of weak guidance – retail in watch-and-watch mode

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