Salam all! It has been an incredible journey building #mpmarketwatch over the past year. Alhamdulillah, our community has grown beyond my expectations.

To better serve you and streamline our insights, we are consolidating #mpmarketwatch into the primary #MuslimProfessionals newsletter. Don’t worry—I’m not going anywhere! I’ll be hosting a dedicated column focused on wealth growth and tax strategies within the main newsletter. The final #mpmarketwatch newsletter will go out in ~4 weeks.

Join us at the new home for these insights here at https://www.muslimprofessionals.us/

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

  • Supreme Court Strikes Down Tariffs: The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled against the president's previous global tariffs, prompting the administration to immediately announce new 15% tariffs under different trade authority. For the average consumer, this combination of renewed global trade taxes and surging crude oil prices (up 5.7% this week) threatens to drive up the cost of everyday imported goods and gasoline.

  • Inflation Heats Up, Pushing Back Rate Cut Hopes: The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index—the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge—accelerated faster than expected to 2.9% year-over-year, prompting newly released Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes to reveal a hawkish tilt toward delaying rate cuts. The implication for household finances is that borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards will likely remain elevated for the foreseeable future as the central bank prioritizes fighting sticky prices over providing relief to borrowers.

  • Economic Growth Slows as Business Activity Cools: Fourth-quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) missed expectations at 1.4%—partially dragged down by a recent government shutdown—while Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) surveys showed manufacturing and services hitting multi-month lows. While the broader economy is still growing, this decelerating business activity suggests companies may soon pull back on expansion, potentially making it harder for everyday workers to negotiate raises or easily switch jobs.

  • Labor Market and Housing Remain Surprisingly Resilient: Despite the broader economic cooling, initial claims for unemployment benefits dropped to an unexpectedly low 206,000, and new home sales comfortably beat estimates for two consecutive months. For the average person, this indicates that immediate job security remains largely intact, though aspiring homebuyers will continue to face an expensive and highly competitive real estate market.

  • Software Stocks Lag Despite Strong Corporate Earnings: While 75% of reporting S&P 500 companies beat profit estimates, the software sector lost ground due to lingering fears that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will disrupt traditional tech business models, even as executives at firms like ServiceNow confidently buy up their own stock. For everyday investors with 401(k)s or brokerage accounts, this highlights the necessity of portfolio diversification; holding legacy tech companies carries evolving risks as AI rapidly changes how businesses operate and generate revenue.

YOUR WEEKLY FORECAST

Monday, February 23

Data:
- Fed Governor Christopher Waller speaks.

The Advisor's Take: Fed Governor Waller is a highly influential voice on the committee, and markets listen closely to his read on inflation. Investors will be watching Waller's tone. If he hints at a "hawkish" stance—suggesting rates need to stay higher for longer to fight inflation—we could see a pullback in interest-rate-sensitive areas like small-cap stocks ($IWM ( ▼ 1.56% )) and a bump in the US Dollar ($UUP ( 0.0% )).

Tuesday, February 24

Data:
- President Trump’s State of the Union Address (9:00 p.m. ET).

The Advisor's Take: President Trump’s State of the Union address will outline the administration's economic priorities, trade policies, and fiscal plans for the year. Markets crave certainty. Investors will parse the State of the Union for policy clues regarding tariffs, taxes, or deregulation. Talk of heavy fiscal spending could historically cause long-term bond yields ($TLT ( ▲ 0.37% )) to spike.

Wednesday, February 25

Data:
- Nvidia (NVDA) Earnings

The Advisor's Take: All eyes are on Nvidia. As the undisputed poster child for the artificial intelligence boom, its earnings report is essentially a macroeconomic event. Wall Street expects massive numbers—projecting around $65 billion in quarterly revenue—with a specific focus on the demand for their new generation of "Blackwell" chips. Nvidia's results will set the tone for the entire tech sector. A massive beat and confident future guidance could ignite the broader semiconductor space ($SMH ( ▼ 0.52% )) and lift the tech-heavy Nasdaq ($QQQ ( ▼ 1.22% )). Conversely, if revenue guidance merely meets expectations rather than crushing them, expect swift volatility as the broader "AI trade" prices in a reality check.

Thursday, February 26

Data:
- Initial & Continuing Jobless Claims

The Advisor's Take: Weekly jobless claims provide our most real-time look at the employment picture. Initial Claims track new layoffs, while Continuing Claims show how hard it is for the unemployed to find new work. A healthy economy needs a healthy labor market to sustain spending. A sudden, sustained jump in claims historically suggests the economy is finally cooling under the weight of current interest rates. If we see a spike, it may lead to a bid for defensive sectors like utilities ($XLU ( ▲ 0.76% )) or consumer staples ($XLP ( ▲ 1.23% )) as investors prepare for a potential slowdown.

Friday, February 27

Data:
- Producer Price Index (PPI)
- Construction Spending.

The Advisor's Take: While last week focused on consumer inflation, Friday gives us the Producer Price Index (PPI)—the inflation businesses face on raw materials and wholesale goods before passing those costs down to consumers. We also check Construction Spending to see if builders are actively expanding infrastructure and real estate despite financing costs. PPI is often a leading indicator for consumer inflation. If producer prices come in hot, it may suggest retail prices will eventually follow suit. This would likely push Treasury yields higher and place downward pressure on high-multiple growth stocks ($VUG ( ▼ 1.24% )).

HALAL STOCK SPOTLIGHT*

All stocks are screened for sharia-compliance on Zoya. We also exclude companies in the following three databases: WhoProfits.org, The Official BDS Targets, The American Friends Service Committee Database

MercadoLibre, Inc. ($MELI ( ▼ 6.63% ))

The Business Model MercadoLibre generates revenue by operating an integrated digital ecosystem across Latin America that combines an e-commerce marketplace with its MercadoPago fintech platform, earning fees from merchant transactions, consumer credit, advertising, and logistics services.

The Bull Case Bulls argue that the company's pricing power is strengthening as competitors like Shopee raise their take rates, which supports the potential for long-term margin expansion across the broader e-commerce sector. Furthermore, growth has been driven by strong gross merchandise volume acceleration in key markets like Brazil, alongside strategic warehouse automation initiatives that promise to improve operational efficiency.

The Bear Case Risks include operating in a highly competitive e-commerce and fintech landscape where ongoing investments in logistics and shipping subsidies could compress near-term profitability. Additionally, bearish analysts note that the company's rapidly expanding consumer credit book elevates its exposure to borrower stress, which, combined with trimmed fair value estimates, leaves a narrow margin for error if growth expectations are not met.

*Please read the disclaimer at the end of this email before forming any opinions on the stock.

MONEY TALKS

The Real Estate Tax Shelter the IRS Actually Wants You to Use

You just sold a business, a massive stock position, or an investment property. Congratulations. Now the IRS is standing at your door with their hand out for capital gains taxes.

What if you could hit "pause" on that tax bill, shrink it, and then generate a second wave of wealth that the IRS legally cannot touch?

Enter the Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF).

Created to spur private investment into specific developing communities (Opportunity Zones), this is one of the few areas where the government actively rewards you for aggressive tax planning. Thanks to recent legislative updates making the program permanent, the incentives are stronger than ever.

Here is the triple-play:

  1. The Pause Button: If you roll your eligible capital gains into a QOF within 180 days of your sale, you defer paying taxes on those gains for up to five years. You get to keep your capital working for you instead of sending it to Washington.

  2. The Haircut: If you hold the investment for those five years, you receive a "step-up in basis." Simply put, the IRS forgives 10% of your original tax bill. (If you invest in a designated "Qualified Rural Opportunity Fund," that forgiveness jumps to a massive 30%).

  3. The Holy Grail: If you keep your money in the fund for at least 10 years, 100% of the new appreciation and profit generated by the QOF is completely tax-free. Here is the catch: You cannot just buy a standard index fund and call it a day. A QOF must heavily invest in physical real estate development or operating businesses within very specific geographic boundaries. If you blindly invest in a syndicated, off-the-shelf QOF, you run a high risk of your capital funding a non-compliant enterprise—like a brewery, a conventional financial firm, or a commercial real estate project heavily leveraged with interest-bearing debt.

In today’s world, who you know is becoming more important than what you know. Join the largest online community of Muslim professionals in North America at muslimprofessionals.us.

That's all for this week. Make it a great one.

IMPORTANT LEGAL DISCLAIMER*
Please read this disclaimer carefully before proceeding. By reading and using the information provided in this newsletter, you acknowledge and agree to the terms outlined below.
1. Not Financial or Investment Advice The content provided in this newsletter, including all articles, market analysis, economic news, stock picks, trading plans (including entry prices, stop losses, price targets), catalysts, and risk assessments, is for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be construed as financial, investment, tax, legal, or any other form of professional advice. No fiduciary relationship is created by your subscription to or use of this newsletter.
2. Consult a Professional Advisor The author(s) and publisher of this newsletter are not licensed financial advisors, registered investment advisers, or broker-dealers. You should not make any investment decision based solely on the information presented here. It is imperative that you consult with a qualified and licensed financial professional to determine if a particular investment or strategy is suitable for your individual financial situation, risk tolerance, and investment objectives.
3. Inherent Risk of Investing All forms of investing carry significant risk. The stock market is volatile, and you may lose some or all of your invested capital. There is no guarantee that any of the strategies or stock picks discussed will be profitable. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Never invest money that you cannot afford to lose.
4. No Guarantee of Accuracy or Completeness While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information in this newsletter. We are not liable for any errors, omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided on an "as-is" basis.
5. Disclaimer on "Halal" and Shariah Compliance The term "halal stock picks" refers to securities that have been screened against certain publicly available, third-party Shariah-compliance criteria at the time of publication. These standards can vary among different scholars, organizations, and screening services. The Shariah-compliant status of a company can change over time. We make no guarantee or warranty as to the Shariah-compliant status of any security mentioned. It is your sole responsibility to conduct your own due diligence and consult with your own qualified religious scholar to determine if an investment aligns with your personal Islamic principles.
6. Separation from Muslim Professionals of the Americas This newsletter is an independent publication. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein belong solely to the author(s) of the newsletter and do not represent the views, policies, or official positions of the nonprofit organization Muslim Professionals of the Americas, its board of directors, officers, or members. Muslim Professionals of the Americas is a separate legal entity and assumes absolutely no liability or responsibility for the content of this newsletter, any financial losses, or any other damages incurred from its use.
7. Personal Holdings The author(s) of this newsletter may, from time to time, hold positions in the securities mentioned herein. The presentation of any stock is not a solicitation or direct recommendation to buy or sell that security.

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