Halftime Report Tech Pullback Stirs Market Fears 8/20/25
Aug 20, 2025
Joe Terranova, a seasoned market analyst, shares his insights on market sentiment, while Bryn Talkington declares strategies targeting specific stocks. Kerry Firestone dives deep into tech giants like Salesforce and Adobe amid a troubling tech pullback. The trio discuss the implications of upcoming earnings for NVIDIA and Apple and explore contrasting performances of retail giants Target and TJX. With inflation and Fed meetings looming, risk management remains a hot topic, making this a must-listen for anyone navigating today’s markets.
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Momentum Exhaustion Sparks Tech Pullback
- Momentum-led tech gains showed signs of exhaustion after mid-August peaks in names like Palantir and Datadog.
- That exhaustion triggered profit-taking and a modest market correction concentrated in momentum stocks.
PPI-CPI Disconnect Raises Fed Risk
- Inflation data confusion creates a hawkish Fed dilemma because CPI and PPI tell different stories.
- Higher PPI hints tariffs feeding inflation even when CPI remains below 3%, complicating Powell's messaging.
Use Options For Cheap Crash Insurance
- Buy inexpensive options as insurance when you fear a correction and volatility is low.
- Consider disaster puts if you truly expect a deep 15% correction, but weigh cost versus probability.