Weekend roundup

Here’s what you missed while you were living your best life:

• 🏦 Banks Rebuild Liquidity, but Challenges Loom
  Commercial banks have restored liquidity to pre-crisis levels, but higher deposit costs are squeezing profits. To stay competitive, financial institutions are turning to AI and digital banking innovations to drive growth and fend off rising fraud threats.

• 🏀 The Worst Trade in Sports History?
  The Mavericks stunned the league by trading superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers, a move some are calling the worst trade in NBA history. Rumors are swirling that team owner Miriam Adelson orchestrated the trade as part of a larger plan to legalize gambling and relocate the team to Las Vegas.

• 💰 Ether’s Price Plunge Triggers Wild Market Swings
  Ethereum’s price crashed 24% as volatility spiked to over 100%, sending traders scrambling for downside protection. With global trade tensions rattling markets, crypto investors are bracing for more turbulence ahead.

Featured weekend story

Trump’s Tariff Move: Smart Strategy or Risky Bet?

The U.S. just dropped a trade bombshell, slapping 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tax on Chinese goods. Markets didn’t sit still—Japan’s Nikkei tumbled 2.5%, European stocks slid, and the dollar surged as investors braced for the impact. Oil prices climbed, and traders scrambled to move gold and silver into the U.S. before new restrictions kick in. The White House says it’s about protecting American industries and cracking down on fentanyl trafficking, but not everyone’s buying it.

Canada is already firing back, calling the tariffs illegal and launching retaliatory duties on everything from cosmetics to motorcycles. Mexico and China are weighing their next moves, while businesses brace for supply chain disruptions. At the same time, Trump is hinting that the EU could be next, keeping investors on edge.

Where this goes next is anyone’s guess. Will the tariffs bring negotiating power, or are we looking at another drawn-out trade war? For now, the markets—and world leaders—are watching closely.

What to watch this week

Indices at 12:00 AM (ET)

Here are your upcoming market events:

• 📉 Palantir’s High-Stakes Earnings Report
  Palantir is set to release its Q4 earnings, and Wall Street isn’t feeling optimistic—the stock is trading 37% above analysts' average price target. With AI hype fueling its meteoric rise, investors are watching closely to see if the data analytics firm can justify its valuation or if a sharp correction is coming.

• 🛒 Costco Dodges Strike—for Now
  Costco narrowly avoided a major disruption as last-minute negotiations with the Teamsters union kept operations running. While the retailer agreed to raise wages above $30 an hour for many employees, union leaders say the fight for better benefits isn’t over, keeping labor tensions simmering.

• 💰 Warren Buffett’s Cash Pile Raises Eyebrows
  Berkshire Hathaway has been quietly offloading stocks and stockpiling over $325 billion in cash, leading some to wonder if Buffett sees trouble ahead. With the market’s valuation near historic highs, investors are weighing whether to follow the Oracle of Omaha’s cautious approach.

  Big moves, big risks, and even bigger questions—this week is shaping up to be one to watch.

Off-balance sheet items

Here’s what we’re reading this week:

• Newsweek: Tech Companies Are Ditching Delaware

• WTAE: Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter

• Adweek: LinkedIn Cracks Down on AI Coworkers

Chart of the week

Gold Bullion Price Last 12 Months

The bottom line

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