US OPEN: Indices open lower amid uncertainty

• US indices are showing mixed performance, with most major benchmarks experiencing declines. The US2000 is down -1.05%, while the US100 has fallen -0.64%. The US500 is down -0.53% to 5793.9, and the US30 has declined -0.36% to 42672.

• Moderna Surges on Executive Stock Purchases

• Palantir Upgraded on Resilient Government Contracts

• CrowdStrike Tumbles on Disappointing Earnings Outlook

• U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hinted at an update regarding the trade standoff between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico

Major US indices are showing mixed performance, with most major benchmarks experiencing declines. The US2000 is down -1.05% to 2080.0, while the US100 has fallen -0.64% to 20404.72. The US500 is down -0.53% to 5793.9, and the US30 has declined -0.36% to 42672. The MEXComp is down -0.28% to 52709, while BRAComp remains unchanged at 0.00% at 124685. Notably, the VIX fear gauge has increased by +2.57% to 21.13, suggesting heightened market anxiety.

European markets are also displaying a mixed picture, with significant divergence across the region. The VSTOXX has declined sharply by -3.17% to 19.88, while the UK100 is down -0.28% to 8755.0, and the NED25 has fallen -0.27% to 915.37. However, several markets are showing positive performance, with the SPA35 up +0.23% to 13246 and France's FRA40 rising +0.53% to 8207.9. The SUI20 advances +0.63% to 13095, and the EU50 shows gains of +0.92% to 5498.6. The ITA40 is up +1.08% to 38534, while Germany's DE40 advances +1.65% to 23071.2. Poland's W20 is up significantly at +3.03% to 2583.6, with the Austrian AUT20 showing the strongest performance with gains of +4.62% to 4235.

S&P 500 Sectors Show Mixed Performance. Source: Bloomberg Financial LP

Current volatility observed on Wall Street. Source: xStation 

The Nasdaq-100 index, represented by the US100 contract, has broken below a key support level at the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement. Bears will aim for a retest of the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level, which previously served as strong support during the Trump trade. Bulls, on the other hand, will attempt to reclaim the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level, with a target set at 21,255 (the October high), which aligns with the 100-day SMA. The RSI is consolidating near oversold levels, while the MACD continues to diverge lower. Source: xStation

Market & Corporate News:

• Tesla Leads Magnificent Seven in Premarket Gains: Tesla (TSLA.US) shares are flat today. This comes amid mixed sales signals from Europe, with registrations plummeting in Germany while showing an 11% increase in the UK through the first two months of 2025. President Trump announced plans to make interest payments on car loans tax deductible, but only for vehicles manufactured in America. The proposal, initially floated at a November rally in North Carolina, adds to Trump's growing list of proposed tax breaks including the elimination of taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits. 

• General Motors and Ford led a rally among automakers after U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hinted at an update regarding the trade standoff between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. GM shares surged more than 3% in, while Ford climbed nearly 2%. Meanwhile, U.S.-listed shares of Stellantis jumped 7% following a strong start to premarket activity.

• Moderna Surges on Executive Stock Purchases: Moderna (MRNA.US) shares jump 4% after CEO Stephane Bancel purchased 160,314 shares worth $5 million and Board Director Paul Sagan acquired 31,620 shares for $1 million, according to SEC filings. The insider buying provides a confidence boost for the biotech company, whose shares had slumped approximately 27% year-to-date prior to this development, despite having 6 buy ratings from analysts with an average price target of $54.05.

• Palantir Upgraded on Resilient Government Contracts: Palantir Technologies (PLTR.US) shares rise 2.6% premarket following William Blair's upgrade from underperform to market perform. Analyst Louie DiPalma, a long-time critic of the data analytics firm, noted that "Palantir's government contracts proved stickier than we envisioned" despite recent concerns about defense spending cuts. While maintaining that the valuation remains "frothy" at approximately 150 times forward P/E, the analyst acknowledges investors may continue assigning an "AI premium" to the stock.

• CrowdStrike Tumbles on Disappointing Earnings Outlook: CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD.US) shares fall 8% after the cybersecurity firm issued weaker-than-expected earnings guidance, indicating ongoing recovery challenges from last year's catastrophic software update that crashed millions of computers globally. For Q1, the company forecasts adjusted EPS of $0.64-$0.66, significantly below analyst estimates of $0.96. Despite the disappointing outlook, CrowdStrike exceeded Q4 subscription revenue benchmarks with annual recurring revenue reaching $4.24 billion against expectations of $4.12 billion.