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Market Performance: The S&P 500 closed lower due to fears of a global trade war sparked by President Trump's tariffs, with significant declines in the Nasdaq and Dow indices over the week.

Analyst Ratings Changes: Several companies faced downgrades from analysts, including Altria, Nvidia, and major airlines, while KLA Corp. and Corteva received upgrades, reflecting mixed sentiments across various sectors.

Impact of Tariff Announcements: President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements significantly disrupted the stock market.

Weekly Stock Review: The Score provides a weekly analysis of major stock movements and the news influencing them.

Impact of Tariffs on Investment Trends: The new trade war initiated by President Trump's tariffs has shifted investor focus towards companies with stable revenues and low exposure to international trade, particularly those offering high dividends like Verizon and Altria. Dividend stocks have shown less volatility compared to the broader market, making them appealing during uncertain economic times.

Recommended Dividend ETFs: Financial experts recommend several dividend exchange-traded funds (ETFs) such as SPDR S&P Dividend ETF, Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, and iShares Core High Dividend ETF for investors seeking steady income and lower risk. These funds typically hold reliable companies that consistently raise dividends, providing a hedge against inflation and market volatility.

Market Reaction to Tariffs: President Trump's newly announced tariffs have caused significant market selloffs, creating uncertainty among investors.

Investment Strategy Shift: Analyst Barry Bannister from Stifel suggests that investors should focus on "defensive value" stocks rather than "cyclical growth" stocks in light of the tariff impacts.

Investor Advice: Legendary investor Bill Gross advises against trying to buy the dip following a significant stock market decline, likening the situation to historical economic events.

Economic Impact: Gross warns that the current market conditions could lead to immediate negative consequences, drawing parallels to the end of the gold standard in 1971.

Investment Strategies for Dividend Stocks: Many investors seek dividend-focused stocks and funds to generate passive income for retirement or personal expenses, with suggestions including the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and high-yield stocks like Verizon and AT&T.

Reddit User's Investment Inquiry: A Reddit user is looking for advice on long-term dividend stocks to grow a $30,000 investment over 20 years, aiming for stability and sufficient returns to cover annual vacations, receiving various recommendations from the community.

Supreme Court Ruling: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the FDA's decision to deny marketing for certain sweet-flavored vaping products, reversing a previous ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that favored e-cigarette manufacturers Triton Distribution and Vapetasia.

Impact on Youth Health: This ruling is seen as a significant victory in protecting youth from flavored e-cigarettes, which have contributed to a nicotine addiction crisis among American children, according to advocates like Yolonda Richardson from Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Dividend-Yielding Stocks: Investors are increasingly turning to high dividend-yielding stocks during market uncertainty, with notable mentions including Altria Group (6.94% yield), Walgreens Boots Alliance (8.96% yield), and B&G Foods (10.92% yield), each receiving various analyst ratings and price target adjustments.

Recent Company News: Altria reported strong quarterly sales, Walgreens announced a deal to go private for $10 billion, and B&G Foods exceeded earnings expectations, all highlighted by Benzinga's real-time newsfeed.

SCHD Stock Performance: The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has increased by 0.43% in the last five days and 9.26% over the past year, with a Moderate Buy rating from analysts and a price target suggesting a 13.33% upside.

Holdings Analysis: SCHD's top holdings with high upside potential include Inter Parfums and Halliburton, while those with significant downside risk include The Hershey Company and Altria; the ETF has a Smart Score of seven, indicating expected market performance.

Market Volatility and Investment Strategies: The recent fluctuations in the stock market highlight the necessity for investors to adopt strategies that mitigate risk through diversification, low volatility, and income generation.

Invesco's ETF Recommendations: Nick Kalivas from Invesco discussed two specific exchange-traded funds that are particularly suited for navigating a year marked by trading-policy uncertainties.

Deutsche Bank Downgrade: Deutsche Bank has downgraded Altria's stock rating from Buy to Hold due to limited upside potential and challenges related to NJOY litigation, which prohibits the sale of NJOY products in the U.S. until patent expiration.

Future Prospects: Altria may appeal the ITC ruling, negotiate with Juul, or seek FDA approval for NJOY, while Deutsche Bank has set a price target of $60 for the stock, reflecting its current valuation metrics.

VOO Stock Performance: The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) has decreased by 1.37% over the past week but has increased by 7.83% in the last year, with a current analyst consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a price target suggesting a 22.5% upside.

Holdings Analysis: VOO's top holdings with high upside potential include Western Digital and Caesars Entertainment, while those with significant downside risks include The Hershey Company and Altria; the ETF has a Smart Score of seven, indicating expected market performance.

Cigarettes & Tobacco Market Performance: Cigarettes and tobacco shares are underperforming, down approximately 2.1% overall, with Altria Group declining by about 3.9% and Philip Morris International by about 2%.

Sector Laggards: The transportation services sector is also noted as lagging on the same day alongside cigarettes and tobacco stocks.

Consumer Products Sector Performance: The Consumer Products sector is currently the worst performing, with Altria Group and Mondelez International showing losses of 4.5% and 2.8%, respectively, while the iShares U.S. Consumer Goods ETF is down 1.0% for the day but up 8.63% year-to-date.

Energy Sector Overview: The Energy sector also shows minimal gains, with Chevron and Coterra Energy experiencing losses of 1.1% and 0.8%. However, both companies are up significantly year-to-date, contributing to a 10.46% increase in the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF.

Abercrombie & Fitch Options Activity: Abercrombie & Fitch Co (ANF) has seen a trading volume of 14,147 options contracts today, representing about 1.4 million underlying shares, with significant activity in the $86 strike call option expiring April 04, 2025.

Altria Group Options Activity: Altria Group Inc (MO) is experiencing a higher options volume of 57,611 contracts today, equating to approximately 5.8 million underlying shares, particularly notable for the $60 strike call option expiring April 04, 2025.

Altria vs. Eli Lilly: Altria offers a high dividend yield of 7% but faces growth challenges, while Eli Lilly has a lower yield under 1% but boasts impressive dividend growth and significant stock performance over the past five years.

Investment Considerations: For short-term dividend income, Altria may seem appealing; however, for long-term investors, Eli Lilly's growth potential and safer dividend outlook could make it the better choice despite its current lower yield.

NASDAQ 100 After Hours Performance: The NASDAQ 100 is down by 25.8 points to 19,410.62 with a total after-hours trading volume of 108,649,079 shares.

Most Active Stocks: Notable active stocks include Altria Group (+0.06), NVIDIA Corporation (-0.21), and Amazon.com, Inc. (+0.2), among others, with varying share prices and trading volumes.

Water Utilities Performance: Water utilities shares have shown relative strength, increasing by approximately 0.8% overall, with SJW Group and American States Water leading the gains at 2.1% and 1.8%, respectively.

Market Overview: The article highlights sector leaders for the day, specifically noting the performance of cigarettes & tobacco alongside water utilities.

Altria's Stock Performance: Altria has seen over 30% stock price growth in the past year, bolstered by a strong dividend yield of around 7%, making it an attractive option for investors despite concerns about declining smoking rates in the U.S.

Transition to Smoke-Free Products: The company is facing challenges due to falling smoking rates but is attempting to offset this by raising prices and expanding its smoke-free product line, notably through its acquisition of the Njoy e-vapor brand, which has shown promising growth.

Altria's Declining Cigarette Demand: Altria faces significant challenges as cigarette demand continues to decline, with a 10.2% drop in volume in 2024, despite offsetting losses through price hikes and maintaining a high dividend yield.

Missed Opportunities in Non-Combustible Market: The company has struggled to adapt to the growing non-combustible product market, which saw a 60% increase in consumers, while Altria's revenue from non-smokeable products has stagnated, raising concerns about its future prospects.