Stock Market Update – April 28, 2025 at 05:32 PM

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days of his second term have resulted in a 7.9% drop in the S&P 500, the worst start for the stock market since the 1970s. Market analysts are concerned that Trump’s aggressive approach to trade could increase inflation and push the US into a recession.

Various stocks have seen significant changes in value. Software maker Palantir saw a 45% increase in shares, making it the best performer among companies valued at $5 billion or more. This rise is attributed in part to the government department overhauls initiated by Trump, which have led to an increased demand for Palantir’s artificial intelligence-enabled tools.

The list of worst-performing stocks is led by Deckers Outdoor, which suffered a 48% drop, followed by Tesla which lost around a third of its share value. The airline industry was also hard hit, with Delta and United both seeing their shares sink by over 36% due to diminished consumer confidence and fears of an impending recession.

The stock market is expected to remain turbulent, largely depending on how the current trade disputes pan out. With 2025 witnessing significant instability, investors and traders alike will be watching Washington closely for any developments that could further influence the market. Overall, according to the data and historical patterns, the rest of 2025 might prove challenging for the stock market.

The stock market futures slid Monday as investors are looking ahead to a busy week of earnings reports and economic data. The S&P 500 has dropped by 1.5% in April, while the Dow Jones fell by 4.5%. The Nasdaq gained 0.5%. Major factories in China are halting production or seeking new markets due to the heavy tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. These tariffs are causing U.S. consumers to make certain large purchases earlier than usual, like cars and iPhones.

In the midday trading, Plug Power saw a 26% stock increase after signing a $525 million secured debentures deal. Nio Inc., the Chinese electric vehicle company, saw its stock increase by 7% after Citi added a 30-day upside catalyst watch on the company. ADMA Biologics stock climbed 12% after securing FDA approval for its yield enhancement production process. Nvidia’s stock fell by 2% after reports of Huawei Technologies testing its own artificial intelligence processor as a competitor.

Picture-taking app CrowdStrike sees its shares reduced to 255 from 280. Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust decreases holdings by 25 shares or 0.3% in the company after its stock surged by 13% in the previous week. The tech stock was cut off purely out of discipline to the S&P Short Range Oscillator despite it rebounding about 10% since early April.

Palo Alto Networks plans to acquire Protect AI, a company that specializes in securing AI and machine learning apps for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close by the Q1 of 2026. This acquisition follows Palo Alto’s trend of bolstering its artificial intelligence systems to face increasingly complex cyber threats.

UBS is getting bullish on Berkshire Hathaway as it approaches its Q1 earnings report. Analyst Brian Meredith sees it as a “safe haven in a turbulent environment” and has reiterated a previous buy rating on Berkshire’s Class B stock. The analyst expects the tariffs to increase claims costs by 3% – 4% at Geico, Berkshire’s principal asset, yet Geico may be capable of absorbing these additional costs without price increases. Berkshire is expected to report its earnings on May 2 with a shareholder meeting in Omaha on May 3.