Stock futures fell on Friday as investors evaluated the implications of President Donald Trump's latest trade policies. The market's recent strength has been driven by promising earnings trends and an optimistic outlook for 2025. However, looming uncertainties regarding trade tariffs could temper investor enthusiasm moving forward.
President Trump has signed a "reciprocal tariffs" plan targeting foreign nations that impose taxes or tariffs on the United States. This plan is expected to introduce new levies on such countries, though it will not take effect for at least a month and a half.
"When you charge us a tax or tariff," said President Trump, emphasizing the rationale behind the policy.
In the retail sector, giants like Walmart and Target are scaling back their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, sparking concerns about the future support for Black-owned brands. Malaika Jones, CEO and co-founder of Brown Girl Jane, highlighted the challenges faced by small brands that lack retailer commitment to these initiatives.
"When you don't have that commitment or even that understanding from the retailer side, it becomes quite difficult for small brands to survive — even when they've made it on shelves," remarked Malaika Jones.
GameStop is exploring investments in alternative asset classes such as bitcoin. CEO Ryan Cohen's recent photo with Michael Saylor, co-founder and chairman of MicroStrategy—the largest corporate holder of bitcoin—suggests a possible strategic shift for the video game retailer.
Meanwhile, CVS Health has experienced a robust stock performance this year, with shares climbing 45%, outpacing its industry peers. Analysts, including Michael Cherny from Leerink Partners, believe that CVS is on track to capitalize on its recovery from operational challenges.
"The pieces are in place for [CVS to return] from what has been a bottoming of operations performance," stated Michael Cherny.
Sephora's incubator program continues to provide vital support for small brands like Brown Girl Jane, offering them a platform to thrive despite broader retail industry shifts.