The Week Ahead & Weekly Wrap: Markets at New Heights as Big Tech Earnings Loom

Jumping Right In

Like that friend who keeps hitting the gym and posting progress pics, the stock market won't stop flexing with new record highs. The S&P 500 sailed past 6,300 for the first time, the Nasdaq notched its ninth record close in ten sessions, and even Bitcoin joined the party, reaching around $123,000. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is gearing up for what promises to be the most scrutinized meeting since Powell discovered the mute button during Zoom calls. With Big Tech earnings rolling in like Marvel movie sequels—exciting but predictably formulaic—next week could either validate this market euphoria or remind us why gravity remains a force.

Weekly performance of major market indices showing modest gains across equities and crypto, with the 10-Year Treasury yield slightly declining during the week of July 21-25, 2025

When Everyone's Greedy, We Get Nervous

Here's where things get spicier than a TikTok comment section. The CNN Fear & Greed Index hit 77 (extreme greed) – levels that historically make smart money start eyeing the exits. It's giving major "this is fine" meme energy while everything's potentially on fire.

Past Week's Market Scorecard

The bulls were caffeinated this week, as major indices delivered another round of record-breaking performances that would make even Drake jealous of their chart-topping streak. The S&P 500 closed at 6,388.64 (up 0.4% for the week), while the Nasdaq had a modest 0.3% gain—though calling any new record "modest" feels like calling Taylor Swift's tour "kind of popular". Bitcoin held steady around $118,000, up 0.8% for the week, while the 10-year Treasury yield barely budged at 4.40%. The Dow managed a respectable 0.5% gain to close at 44,901.92, proving that even the old-school blue chips can still bust a move when the music's right.

News Headlines & Market Impacts From Last Week

Alphabet Crushes Expectations: Google's parent company delivered a masterclass in AI monetization, beating earnings by 7.44% with revenue jumping 13.8% year-over-year to $96.43 billion. The stock gained 1% as investors celebrated the company's cloud growth and YouTube's continued dominance. AI investments are finally showing returns, not just burning cash like a crypto startup.

Tesla Disappoints Despite Musk's Zen Mode: Elon's Electric Vehicle Empire Hits a Pothole, with Revenue Falling 12% in What Analysts Call the Sharpest Decline in a Decade. The stock tumbled over 8% as Musk warned of "tough quarters ahead," though he remained surprisingly calm on the earnings call—perhaps channeling his inner meditation guru.

Federal Reserve Meeting Anticipation Builds: With President Trump continuing his campaign for lower rates and even threatening Powell's job security over renovation costs, the July 30-31 Fed meeting has all the drama of a reality TV show. Markets are pricing in just a 3% chance of a July cut, but September looks increasingly likely.

Meme Stock Mania Returns with a Vengeance: The DORK stocks (think Opendoor, Kohl's, Krispy Kreme) experienced a spectacular revival, with retail traders on Reddit and StockTwits driving triple-digit gains before reality set in. Opendoor surged 300% in July before giving back much of the gains, proving that some things never change in the speculation game.

Bitcoin Regulatory Breakthrough Propels Crypto: The passage of the GENIUS Act through the House created the first federal stablecoin framework, propelling Bitcoin above $123,000 earlier in the month before settling back to its current levels. The crypto sector's total market cap breached $4 trillion, marking a significant milestone.

Trade Tensions Ease as Deals Progress: Trump's trade team reached agreements with Japan and signaled flexibility with EU negotiations, reducing tariff fears that had been weighing on markets. The administration extended negotiation deadlines, providing breathing room for markets.

Big Tech Earnings Season Kicks Off: Netflix set the tone with solid results last week, while this week's Alphabet performance validated the AI spending thesis. Investors are now laser-focused on the remaining "Magnificent Seven" reports, which are scheduled to come out next week.

Gold's Having Its Main Character Moment

While everyone's chasing tech stocks and meme dreams, gold just casually hit over $3,330 per ounce – up a staggering 30+% year-over-year. That's over 20 new all-time highs in the first half of 2025 alone. Between the Iran-Israel situation making headlines and the dollar weaker than my willpower around gummy bears, gold's been serving "safe haven" realness all year.

Bitcoin, meanwhile, is chilling at $118,000 with a modest drop in weekly performance – basically the digital equivalent of "yeah, I'm here, but I'm not trying too hard." The crypto crowd's attention has shifted to altcoins anyway, with Ethereum and friends stealing the spotlight as Bitcoin dominance dropped from 65.1% to 61.1%.

Real-Estate Pulse

Let's pour one out for the housing market, where 30-year mortgage rates are stuck at 6.74% like they're afraid of change. Home prices hit $435,300 median (because why not make homeownership even more fictional), while inventory's up 29% year-over-year but still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. It's like musical chairs, but the music never stops and there are somehow fewer chairs.

The Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLRE) is hanging around $41.25 with a 3.3% dividend yield, basically paying you to watch paint dry. REITs are having their own identity crisis – they're not quite growth, not quite value, just existing in that awkward middle space like cargo shorts at a fashion show.

The Week Ahead: Buckle Up, Buttercup

Next week's looking more packed than a Tokyo subway at rush hour. We've got the FOMC meeting wrapping up Wednesday with Powell's press conference at 2:30 PM ET, followed by Q2 GDP numbers that everyone's watching like the last episode of their favorite series.

But the real main events are Apple and Amazon earnings on Thursday after close. Apple's expected to post $1.43 EPS on ~$89B revenue, with everyone laser-focused on China recovery and AI progress. Amazon's looking at $1.32 EPS on ~$162B revenue, with AWS growth being the star of the show. Options markets are pricing a ±3.8% move for Apple post-earnings, so buckle up.

And let's not forget Friday's jobs report – the monthly employment situation that determines whether the Fed keeps playing hard to get or finally gives in to rate cut pressure. It's like economic speed dating, but the stakes are your 401k.

Social Sentiment Snapshot

The meme stock revival dominated social media chatter this week, with DORK stocks (Opendoor, Kohl's, Krispy Kreme) generating viral momentum on Reddit's WallStreetBets and StockTwits before reality quickly set in. Bitcoin social sentiment reached extreme greed levels at 95/100, according to sentiment trackers, while Ethereum's 70% outperformance versus Bitcoin sparked a wave of social media euphoria. 

The retail trading frenzy has pushed social sentiment indicators to levels reminiscent of 2021, with analysts warning that such extremes often precede corrections—though as one trader noted, "when you keep hitting bullseyes, why stop throwing darts?"

Wine & Dine

Speaking of euphoria, this week's market performance pairs perfectly with a nice bottle of champagne—because apparently, we're celebrating records faster than a sommelier can pop corks.

The meme stock crowd might prefer energy drinks (given their need to stay awake for those wild trading sessions), while Fed watchers should probably stick to decaf until Wednesday's meeting.

For those planning earnings week viewing parties, may we suggest a lovely Pinot Noir to complement the inevitable volatility? Just remember: unlike fine wine, meme stocks don't always age well.

Wrapping Up

Look, we are not saying the party's over, but when the fear and greed index is screaming "extreme greed" and meme stocks are back with algorithmic revenge tours, maybe it's time to make sure you've got your parachute packed. The earnings have been solid, the Fed's getting dovish pressure, and corporate America's showing up like they actually read the assignment.

But remember – markets that feel this good usually have a plot twist waiting in the wings. Keep your positions sized appropriately, don't YOLO your kids' college fund on the next Krispy Kreme rally, and maybe consider taking some profits while everyone's still feeling invincible.

Next week's going to be wild with the Fed, GDP, jobs data, and mega-cap earnings all converging like a financial perfect storm. Stay alert, stay diversified, and remember – when everyone's zigging, sometimes the smart money's already zagging.

⚠️ Disclaimer ⚠️

This newsletter is provided for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice. Like a meme stock rally, our predictions may rise spectacularly and fall just as dramatically. The author may or may not have positions in companies mentioned, but has a position in caffeine futures. Remember: past performance doesn't guarantee future results, but it does make for great dinner party stories. Please consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions, especially if you're considering buying stocks based on social media hype or because they have funny ticker symbols.