Today's War Room Trading Recap

📈 Major Market Drivers – July 9, 2025

1. Nvidia Hits Historic Milestone

• Nvidia (NVDA) surged about 1.8%, briefly hitting a $4 trillion market cap—the first ever—propelling the Nasdaq to a record high (+0.9%) 

2. Tariff Developments and Trade Tensions

• President Trump announced new 50% tariffs on Brazil, copper, and pharmaceuticals, signaling more high-stakes trade moves.

• Despite this, markets remained upbeat, with confidence fueled by expectations of year-end Fed rate cuts, as interpreted from the June meeting minutes.

3. Corporate Deal & Sector News

• Verona Pharma (VRNA) jumped ~21% after Merck agreed to acquire it for $10 billion, boosting biotech sentiment.

• AES Corp. surged ~20% amid takeover rumors.

• Bloom Energy rallied ~18% after a J.P. Morgan upgrade, citing new fuel-cell tax credits.

• Apple (AAPL) ticked up ~0.5% on news of COO Jeff Williams retiring and speculation of an AI acquisition Barron’s.

• WPP dropped ~18% after warning of decreased ad spending Barron’s.

• Aehr Test Systems fell ~12% due to delayed orders and tariff uncertainties Barron’s.

4. Wider Market Trends

• The S&P 500 closed up 0.6% and the Dow rose 0.5%.

• The CBOE VIX fell ~5.5%, indicating lower implied volatility and cooler market angst Nasdaq.

• Copper prices retraced, easing after yesterday’s tariff-driven spike .

🧭 Summary Insight

• ✅ Tech & AI optimism powered markets—Nvidia’s milestone signaled bullish sentiment across the sector.

• ⚠️ Tariff headlines continue to flutter markets; traders are balancing trade policy risk with optimism around Fed actions.

• 💼 Dealflow & upgrades (e.g., Merck/Verona, AES, Bloom) added momentum in individual stocks, offsetting weakness in ad and semiconductor suppliers.