JUST THE FACTS

Positive economic reports helped propel Wall Street into the green this week. The three major indices all climbed Friday to win the day and ultimately lock up their first weekly gains since the start of 2025. 

After an extended run of aggressive price increases, consumers caught something of a break last month. It wasn't exactly a big break, but for the first time since the summer, the core CPI reading slid lower.

Another upbeat sign on the current state of inflation came via the new PPI report. Increases in prices at the producer-level, which then get passed on to consumers, also fell below expectations last month. 

The December data on retail sales shows consumers are still willing to spend, but maybe not quite as briskly. Final sales in December were in positive territory, but slightly below what had been expected.

Monday's MLK holiday makes for a short week on Wall Street, but not a quiet one.  President Trump's inauguration, and his early moves, will be the top stories. Also ahead, a heavy dose of earnings reports.

Donald Trump's re-election unleashed a massive strategy shift on Wall Street. As his 2nd term begins, that shift continues to evolve. This report details the impacts so far, and the moves still likely to come.