{"id":49315,"date":"2025-04-21T06:29:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T11:29:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/"},"modified":"2025-04-21T06:29:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T11:29:09","slug":"market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/","title":{"rendered":"Market Tumbles as Trump&#8217;s Fed Criticism Rattles Investors: What to Watch This Week"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Stock markets are facing significant pressure today as investors react to President Trump&#8217;s criticism of the Federal Reserve and ongoing concerns about tariffs. As of Monday, April 21, 2025, major indexes are down sharply, continuing a troubling trend that has persisted through most of April.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/#Major_Indexes_Extend_Losses_as_New_Week_Begins\" >Major Indexes Extend Losses as New Week Begins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/#Trumps_Fed_Criticism_Shakes_Market_Confidence\" >Trump&#8217;s Fed Criticism Shakes Market Confidence<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/#Tariff_Concerns_Continue_to_Weigh_on_Markets\" >Tariff Concerns Continue to Weigh on Markets<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/#Key_Earnings_Reports_to_Watch_This_Week\" >Key Earnings Reports to Watch This Week<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/#Economic_Data_to_Monitor\" >Economic Data to Monitor<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/#Safe-Haven_Assets_Surge\" >Safe-Haven Assets Surge<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-tumbles-as-trumps-fed-criticism-rattles-investors-what-to-watch-this-week\/49315\/#Market_Outlook\" >Market Outlook<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Major_Indexes_Extend_Losses_as_New_Week_Begins\"><\/span>Major Indexes Extend Losses as New Week Begins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The market&#8217;s downward trajectory continues today with all three major U.S. indexes showing significant declines. As of the latest data, <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/indices\/sp500\/today\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"snp500 today\">S&#038;P 500<\/a> futures have fallen 0.79%, while Nasdaq-100 futures have dropped 0.82%. The <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/indices\/dowjones\/today\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Dow Jones Today\">Dow Jones<\/a> Industrial Average futures have tumbled 318 points, or 0.81%.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__2\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>This follows a difficult previous week where the S&#038;P 500 fell 1.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 2.66%, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.62% during the holiday-shortened trading period.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__2\"><\/cscitation> The S&#038;P 500 now sits 14.07% below its record high, while the Nasdaq is approaching bear market territory at 19.39% below its peak.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Trumps_Fed_Criticism_Shakes_Market_Confidence\"><\/span>Trump&#8217;s Fed Criticism Shakes Market Confidence<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A major factor driving today&#8217;s market decline is President Trump&#8217;s scathing attack against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Reports indicate Trump&#8217;s team is evaluating whether they could fire Powell, raising serious concerns about the central bank&#8217;s independence.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Markets are already on edge due to escalating geopolitical tensions, and now concerns are rising that Trump&#8217;s potential interference with the Fed could add another layer of uncertainty,&#8221; said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo in Singapore.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee expressed hope on Sunday that the United States is not moving toward an environment where the central bank&#8217;s independence is questioned. The Fed&#8217;s credibility as the world&#8217;s most powerful central bank largely rests on its historic ability to act free from political pressure.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tariff_Concerns_Continue_to_Weigh_on_Markets\"><\/span>Tariff Concerns Continue to Weigh on Markets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ongoing uncertainty about President Trump&#8217;s tariff policies continues to pressure stocks. While Trump has paused some of the heftiest levies on imports, the U.S. remains locked in a trade battle with China.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>Early April data from South Korea showed a sharp fall in exports, suggesting U.S. tariffs are starting to hit the global economy harder. South Korea and the United States are due to hold trade talks this week.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>Fed Chair Powell expressed concern last week that the president&#8217;s levies could present difficulty for the central bank in controlling inflation and spurring economic growth.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__2\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Earnings_Reports_to_Watch_This_Week\"><\/span>Key Earnings Reports to Watch This Week<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This week marks a crucial earnings period with over 100 S&#038;P 500 companies set to report. Investors will be particularly focused on results from tech bellwethers as the &#8220;Magnificent Seven&#8221; megacap stocks have all fallen sharply in 2025.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p><b>Tuesday (April 22):<\/b> Tesla (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=TSLA\">TSLA<\/a>), GE Aerospace (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=GE\">GE<\/a>), Verizon Communications (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=VZ\">VZ<\/a>), Intuitive Surgical (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=ISRG\">ISRG<\/a>), RTX Corporation (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=RTX\">RTX<\/a>), Danaher Corporation (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=DHR\">DHR<\/a>), Lockheed Martin (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=LMT\">LMT<\/a>), and Elevance Health (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=ELV\">ELV<\/a>).<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>Tesla&#8217;s earnings will be particularly scrutinized as the company has seen its stock plummet more than 40% this year.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__2\"><\/cscitation> Analysts expect Tesla&#8217;s revenue for the first quarter to grow by 2.6% year-on-year, though earnings per share are forecast to decline due to factory retools and sales slowdowns.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__3\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p><b>Wednesday (April 23):<\/b> Phillip Morris International (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=PM\">PM<\/a>), IBM (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=IBM\">IBM<\/a>), AT&#038;T (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=T\">T<\/a>), ServiceNow (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=NOW\">NOW<\/a>), Thermo Fisher Scientific (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=TMO\">TMO<\/a>), Boston Scientific (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=BSX\">BSX<\/a>), NextEra Energy (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=NEE\">NEE<\/a>), Texas Instruments (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=TXN\">TXN<\/a>), Boeing (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=BA\">BA<\/a>), and CME Group (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=CME\">CME<\/a>).<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p><b>Thursday (April 24):<\/b> Alphabet (GOOG\/GOOGL), Proctor &#038; Gamble (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=PG\">PG<\/a>), T-Mobile (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=TMUS\">TMUS<\/a>), Merck (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=MRK\">MRK<\/a>), PepsiCo (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=PEP\">PEP<\/a>), Union Pacific (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=UNP\">UNP<\/a>), Gilead Sciences (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=GLD\">GLD<\/a>), Comcast (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=CMCSA\">CMCSA<\/a>), Fiserv (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=FI\">FI<\/a>), and Bristol Myers Squibb (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=BMY\">BMY<\/a>).<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>Alphabet has seen its shares drop about 20% this year amid broader tech sector concerns.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p><b>Friday (April 25):<\/b> AbbVie (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=ABBV\">ABBV<\/a>)<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Economic_Data_to_Monitor\"><\/span>Economic Data to Monitor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Beyond earnings, investors should watch for S&#038;P Global&#8217;s flash manufacturing and services Purchasing Managers&#8217; Indices (<a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock\/?stock=PMIs\">PMIs<\/a>) for April across major economies, scheduled for release on Wednesday. These indices measure business activity based on new orders, employment, and confidence, with readings above 50 indicating expansion and below 50 signaling contraction.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_3__3\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Safe-Haven_Assets_Surge\"><\/span>Safe-Haven Assets Surge<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As market uncertainty grows, investors are flocking to traditional safe-haven assets. <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold prices<\/a> rose more than 1% today to touch a record high of $3,370.17 per ounce, bringing its gains so far this year to 26%.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation> The metal has consistently hit record highs this year, buoyed by safe-haven flows.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the Japanese yen and Swiss franc have strengthened significantly against the dollar, with the Swiss franc reaching its highest level against the dollar in over 10 years.<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__1\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Market_Outlook\"><\/span>Market Outlook<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While uncertainty persists, some analysts believe the worst market volatility may be behind us. Mike Dickson of Horizon Investments said &#8220;perpetual&#8221; swings in the market may be less frequent now, even if volatility remains.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Continued uncertainty will likely cap stock market valuations and weigh on investors until greater clarity emerges,&#8221; Dickson noted. &#8220;Although the tariff situation remains fluid, we believe the roughly 10% daily and weekly market swings seen in recent weeks are behind us for now.&#8221;<cscitation citation_id=\"task_2__2\"><\/cscitation><\/p>\n<p>As this crucial earnings week unfolds, investors will be watching closely for signs of how companies are navigating the challenging economic and political landscape, particularly regarding tariffs and their potential impact on global supply chains and profitability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stock markets are facing significant pressure today as investors react to President Trump&#8217;s criticism of the Federal Reserve and ongoing 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