???? U.S. Inflation Cools to 2.8%, But Tariffs Loom

Hala,

A 4-year-old Wisconsin boy took justice into his own hands when his mom ate his ice cream—by calling 911.(1) ???? The tiny lawyer demanded she be arrested, but after intense negotiations (and a bribe of two scoops with blue sprinkles), he decided not to press charges. Case closed! ??

• BNB, the native token of Binance, kicked off Thursday on a tear, hitting its highest opening of the week as bullish sentiment took hold. The catalyst? A $2 billion investment from an Abu Dhabi-based firm, a vote of confidence in Binance’s financial footing at a time when investors are scrutinizing exchange stability.
• With traders piling into exchange-backed tokens, BNB is riding the wave of demand for assets tied to platforms with deep liquidity. Technical indicators suggest steady accumulation, meaning there’s less chance of a sharp selloff—at least for now.
• BNB needs to hold above $560 to keep the momentum going. If it slips, $507 is the next downside target. Meanwhile, broader market sentiment is clinging to Fed policy expectations, with hopes that a rate hike delay could keep risk assets afloat.

Stock Market Update

???? Wall Street played tug-of-war on Wednesday as soft inflation data eased jitters while tech stocks made a roaring comeback. The S&P 500 rose 0.49% to 5,599.30, the Nasdaq 100 surged 1.13% to 19,596.02, but the Dow lost steam, dipping 0.2% to 41,350.93. Tech stocks played hero, with Nvidia, AMD, Meta, and Tesla leading the charge.(2) It’s like the bulls ran, and the bears napped. ????

???? Similarly, Gulf markets wobbled—Ukraine’s truce talks cheered investors, but tariff fears held gains in check. Still, Abu Dhabi rose 0.4% to 9,416, while Dubai gained 0.7% to 5,157.(3) ↗???

???? U.S. Inflation Cools Down for the First Time in 5 Months

Inflation took a much-needed breather in February, mostly thanks to grocery prices staying flat and gas prices sliding. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) settled at 2.8% for the year, slowing from 3% in January.(4) A cool-down, sure, but it’s like spotting the first light snow of the season—maybe beautiful, but don’t get too comfy. Because just as things looked cozy, the looming shadow of tariffs promises a “heatwave” to shake things up in the months ahead! ????

???? Highlights of February's Chill:

• The CPI cooled to 2.8%—down from January's 3%.
• Core CPI also came in better than expected, rising 0.2% for the month (from 0.4% in January) and slowing to 3.1% annually from 3.2%.
• Monthly price hikes slowed to 0.2% from 0.5% in January.
• But the egg price saga continues due to avian flu, showing signs of slowing, yet still 58.8% higher than last year. ????

???? Warning Signs on the Horizon

But hold onto your mittens! Experts aren’t pulling out the hot cocoa just yet. February’s soft inflation numbers might be the eye of the storm. With tariffs taking effect and supply chains still groaning, the dreaded inflation spikes may soon rear their ugly heads. Expect hikes in prices for essentials like eggs, baked goods, and—guess what—new and used cars. It’s the perfect heatwave starting to brew, ready to “re-heat” the inflation again. ????

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Closer to Home?

• ?? Dubai-based robotics manufacturer Micropolis Holding (MCRP) raised $15.5M in its NYSE American IPO, selling 3.9M shares at $4 each. The cash goes to R&D, hiring, and more. Wall Street, the robots are here.(5) ??
• ?? First Abu Dhabi Bank just unlocked its highest-ever cash dividend! Shareholders approved a record AED 8.3B ($2.26B) payout (AED 75 fils per share) after a stellar 2024.(6) Banking big, paying bigger! ??
• ?? Dubai-listed Islamic lender Emirates Islamic is bowing out of DFM as Emirates NBD, already holding 99.89%, moves for full control, offering AED 11.95 ($3.25) per share for the last 0.11%.(7) #DealSealed. ?

What Else Is Trending

• ?? Chipmaker Intel just swapped CEOs, naming Lip-Bu Tan, former CEO of Cadence Design Systems, to steer the ship after a rocky four years under Pat Gelsinger. Investors cheered—the stock surged 12% after hours.(8) New leader, new game plan! ??
• ?? Meanwhile, oil prices climbed on Wednesday as tighter U.S. stockpiles fueled gains despite jitters over an economic slowdown and tariff risks. Brent added 2% to $70.95, while WTI rose to $67.68.(9) ?
• ? Lastly, spot gold jumped 0.7% to $2,935.59 as tariff jitters and cooler inflation report kept rate-cut hopes shining.(10)??

??Quote of the Day

“Consumers should prepare for significant increases in the cost of essential groceries, including eggs, baked goods and other groceries.” — Sung Won Sohn, professor of finance and economics at Loyola Marymount University

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amana.app

Sources:(1)(4) CNN, (2) (8) CNBC, (3) (5) (6) (7) Zawya, (9) (10) Reuters

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