{"id":50620,"date":"2025-07-17T04:39:38","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T08:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-movers-jj-target-raised-starbucks-downgraded-amidst-geopolitical-tensions-and-central-bank-focus\/50620\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T04:39:38","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T08:39:38","slug":"market-movers-jj-target-raised-starbucks-downgraded-amidst-geopolitical-tensions-and-central-bank-focus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-movers-jj-target-raised-starbucks-downgraded-amidst-geopolitical-tensions-and-central-bank-focus\/50620\/","title":{"rendered":"Market Movers: J&#038;J Target Raised, Starbucks Downgraded Amidst Geopolitical Tensions and Central Bank Focus"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Morgan Stanley<\/strong> has raised its price target for <strong>Johnson &amp; Johnson<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/JNJ\">JNJ<\/a>) to <strong>$176<\/strong> from $171, maintaining an &quot;Equal Weight&quot; rating. This adjustment comes after the healthcare giant reported a &quot;solid&quot; <strong>Q2 earnings beat<\/strong> and provided expectations for continued top and bottom-line growth into 2026. The firm noted that while the company&#39;s performance was strong, <em>limited visibility on potential pharma tariffs and drug pricing policies<\/em> remains a factor.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>In a notable analyst call, <strong>Jefferies<\/strong> downgraded <strong>Starbucks<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/SBUX\">SBUX<\/a>) from &quot;Hold&quot; to &quot;Underperform,&quot; lowering its price target to <strong>$76<\/strong> from $80. Analysts expressed concerns that the stock&#39;s recent rally, spurred by the appointment of a new CEO, was <em>premature<\/em> given the significant operational, cultural, and value perception challenges the company faces. Jefferies anticipates a potential reset in <strong>fiscal 2025 guidance<\/strong> to reflect lower single-digit EPS growth, significantly below the consensus of 11-12%.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Fitch Ratings<\/strong> has indicated a favorable outlook for Europe&#39;s <em>Aerospace and Defense sector<\/em>, attributing this to the escalating geopolitical landscape and increased political focus on defense. This heightened attention is expected to benefit the sector, potentially leading to sustained growth and investment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>German Finance Minister <strong>Lars Klingbeil<\/strong> stated that <strong>Germany<\/strong> is engaged in <em>constructive discussions<\/em> with the <strong>United States<\/strong> regarding tariffs. However, Klingbeil emphasized that Europe is prepared to implement &quot;decisive countermeasures&quot; if a fair negotiated solution cannot be reached, highlighting the ongoing tensions in global trade relations.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Markets are also anticipating a series of speeches from prominent <strong>central bank officials<\/strong> today. <strong>ECB<\/strong> Governing Council member <strong>Villeroy<\/strong> is scheduled to speak at 1 PM BST, while <strong>Federal Reserve<\/strong> Governors <strong>Kugler<\/strong> (2:15 PM BST), <strong>Daly<\/strong> (5:45 PM BST), <strong>Cook<\/strong> (6:30 PM BST), and <strong>Waller<\/strong> (11:30 PM BST) are also set to deliver remarks. These speeches will be closely watched for any signals regarding future monetary policy direction and economic outlook.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Morgan Stanley has raised its price target for Johnson &amp; Johnson (JNJ) to $176 from $171, maintaining an &quot;Equal Weight&quot; 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