Markets posted their fifth straight session of gains Thursday, bouncing back from a deep sell-off that sent the Dow into a correction. Jurrien Timmer, Director of Global Macro at Fidelity, breaks down why there has been such choppy trading in the markets.
Timmer says the two years leading up to the correction were unusually quiet due to the markets firing on all cylinders. Last August was a pivotal moment for markets because the chances of corporate tax cuts spiked. Timmer says another factor was the bond market because it was way too complacent about the possibility of rate hikes.
The VIX index, which serves as a "fear gauge" in markets, spiked in recent weeks. Timmer places the blame on hedge funds and traders who were short volatility. He added that the fundamentals of the economy are still relatively constructive and volatility will settle back down.
President Donald Trump said he has decided to lower his combined tariff rates on imports of Chinese goods to 47% after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on curbing fentanyl trafficking.
Universal Music Group and AI platform Udio have settled a copyright lawsuit and will collaborate on a new music creation and streaming platform. The companies announced on Wednesday that they reached a compensatory legal settlement and new licensing agreements. These agreements aim to provide more revenue opportunities for Universal's artists and songwriters. The rise of AI song generation tools like Udio has disrupted the music streaming industry, leading to accusations from record labels. This deal marks the first since Universal and others sued Udio and Suno last year. Financial terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.
