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*                       FIEND'S SUPERBEAR MARKET REPORT                     *

*                               August 22, 2025                             *

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*                       e-mail: fiendbear@fiendbear.com                     *

*                    web address: http://www.fiendbear.com                  *

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Fiend Commentary

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45,000: Ceiling or Staging Area?

The Dow keeps knocking on 45,000 and backing off—a tidy proxy for a market that’s long on optimism but short on cushion. Market-implied odds for rate cuts have cooled: what looked like a near-certain September move has slipped from “automatic” to about 70%, and expectations for a second cut this year are fading. In a tape priced for smooth disinflation, that narrows the runway.

What matters next: the upcoming inflation prints (PCE/CPI), jobs data (payrolls, wages), and activity gauges (ISM, retail sales). “Cool but not cold” keeps the soft-landing story alive; any re-accel in prices or wobble in growth pinches multiples fast—especially with leadership still narrow and breadth reluctant.

Opinion, not advice: at 45,000 resistance with rate-cut odds ebbing, the market isn’t begging for bad news—just something less than perfect. The next few reports won’t decide the cycle, but they’ll likely decide whether 45k is a ceiling… or a launch pad.


 

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