5 things to know before the stock market opens Wednesday
Market Performance: The S&P 500 gained 0.16% while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.46%, but consumer confidence is declining, with the Conference Board's index showing a drop for the fourth consecutive month and a recession signal looming.
Technological Developments: Amazon is testing new AI chatbots for shopping and health inquiries, GameStop plans to invest in bitcoin to revitalize its business, and Google is optimistic about achieving practical quantum computing applications within five years.
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Amazon Shares Drop: Amazon's shares fell by 10% in Frankfurt following the announcement of significant capital expenditures.
Impact of Results: The decline in stock price is attributed to investor reactions to the company's financial results and spending plans.

- Q4 Operating Income: Amazon's Q4 operating income includes an estimated $730 million in severance costs.
- Asset Impairments: The company reported $610 million in asset impairments related to physical stores.
- Inventory Pressure: Amazon's inventory is depleting due to tariffs imposed by Trump, leading to higher acquisition costs for merchants, which may drive up prices in the marketplace and affect consumer purchasing decisions.
- Changing Consumer Behavior: CEO Andy Jassy noted that consumers are becoming more price-conscious, seeking bargains, which could lead them to shop at alternative retailers, potentially impacting Amazon's market share.
- Long-term Growth Prospects: Despite the challenges posed by tariffs, Amazon still possesses strong long-term growth potential, with a robust business model and solid cash flow that position it well to navigate economic slowdowns.
- Reasonable Market Valuation: With a market cap of $2.6 trillion, Amazon may seem expensive, but its forward P/E ratio of 29 indicates that the stock is not egregiously overvalued, making it a solid long-term investment choice.
- Earnings Report Impact: Amazon's stock experienced a significant decline following the release of its earnings report, which fell slightly short of expectations.
- Market Reaction: The disappointing earnings results led to a negative reaction in the market, affecting investor confidence in the company's performance.
- Future Growth Outlook: Tom Lee from Fundstrat predicts that the S&P 500 index will reach 15,000 by 2030, implying a 120% upside from its current level of 6,830, presenting significant potential returns for investors.
- ETF Investment Advantage: The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF provides exposure to approximately 80% of U.S. equities and 50% of global equities by market value, offering broad access to many of the world's most influential stocks, particularly in the technology sector, enhancing portfolio diversity and potential returns.
- Strong Historical Performance: Over the past two decades, the S&P 500 has advanced 439%, compounding at an annual rate of 8.7%, and with dividends included, the total return reached 700%, compounding at 10.9%, demonstrating the wealth creation capability of long-term holding.
- Generational Wealth Transfer: Millennials are set to inherit $80 trillion and are reshaping the economy as they enter their peak earning years, combined with a predicted global labor shortage, which is expected to drive demand for technology stocks, further boosting the performance of the S&P 500 index.
- Walmart Stock Surge: Amid tech stock volatility, Walmart shares rose over 11%, pushing its market valuation above $1 trillion, reflecting investor preference for safer assets and enhancing the company's stability in an uncertain market.
- PayPal's Poor Performance: PayPal shares tumbled more than 20% on Tuesday and are down over 23% for the week after its fourth-quarter earnings and revenue missed analyst expectations, raising concerns about its execution and market share.
- Novo Nordisk Faces Challenges: Novo Nordisk's stock sank over 14% on Tuesday and is down over 21% for the week due to a sales warning indicating pricing pressures in the U.S. market, impacting the performance of its Wegovy product.
- Silicon Labs Acquisition: Silicon Laboratories surged over 48% on Wednesday and is set to end the week around 44% higher following news of its acquisition by Texas Instruments for approximately $231 per share in an all-cash deal, indicating strong market recognition of its growth potential.









