Be in the know. 16 key reads for Friday…

  1. U.S. Mortgage Rates Fall Below 6% for First Time in Years (nytimes)
  2. Trump’s Push to Make Homes More Affordable Needs the Banks to Play Ball (wsj)
  3. The AI Trade Is Alive and Living in Industrials, Small-Caps, and Asia (barrons)
  4. AI and Tech Stocks Are in Trouble. Look to These Other Sectors, Says This Veteran Strategist. (barrons)
  5. AI Capex Fueling Strongest EM Earnings in Two Decades, MS Says (bloomberg)
  6. BofA’s Hartnett sees international stocks beating U.S. this decade (investing)
  7. China Gets a Major Reprieve on Tariffs. Don’t Expect a Reversal. (barrons)
  8. Yes, consumers in China are consuming again. It’s just not their No. 1 priority these days. (marketwatch)
  9. Restaurants emerge as bright spot for US job growth as consumers seek treats (reuters)
  10. Papa John’s International Closing Hundreds of Pizza Shops (wsj)
  11. Hormel’s Turnaround Gains Traction in Face of Continued Headwinds (wsj)
  12. Baxter at Citi’s MedTech Day: Strategic Shifts Amidst Challenges (investing)
  13. Boeing Lifts Africa’s Aircraft Order Outlook on Strong Growth (bloomberg)
  14. Fed’s Miran Says Four Cuts Are Appropriate This Year (wsj)
  15. Howard Marks Says Great Investors Are Strong Where AI Is Weakest (bloomberg)
  16. Block shares soar as much as 24% as company slashes workforce by nearly half (cnbc)