Top Pros' Top Picks 06/25/25

Market Minute ⏱️ 6/25/25: Stocks Flirt with New Highs as War Fears Ebb

Mike Larson | Editor-in-Chief

Stocks are flirting with new highs this week, thanks to ebbing fears of a broader Middle East war. Trading has been muted so far this morning, though, with equities, gold, silver, and Treasuries all flattish. The dollar and crude oil are up a bit.

Reports on the amount of damage Iranian nuclear sites sustained are mixed. President Trump has declared them “completely destroyed,” while other reports suggest a more limited result. But from a market standpoint, what matters most is that the cease-fire appears to be holding.

Gold and crude oil surrendered the “war premium” built into their prices over the last couple of days, while the iShares QQQ Trust (QQQ) hit a record high (though just barely) yesterday. The S&P 500 Index (^SPX), for its part, entered today less than 1% below its record high from February.

QQQ, ^SPX, FDX (YTD % Change)

Still, the tariff countdown clock is ticking louder in the background. Trump’s 90-day negotiation deadline will expire on July 9, and investors haven’t heard much on the trade deal front lately. The European Union, Canada, and several Asian nations are working to find common ground with the US before “Liberation Day” tariffs replace the 10% baseline levies currently in place for most countries. Worth noting: China and the US have a separate timeline that runs through mid-August.

We’re in a relatively quiet period for corporate earnings, but FedEx Corp. (FDX) is one key exception. The global shipping giant warned that profit in the current quarter would miss targets, and it declined to offer up a full-year prediction amid trade-related economic uncertainty. FDX has more exposure to US-China trade than other logistics firms like United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS). FDX shares were already down more than 17% year-to-date, and they’re slipping further today..

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• TSLA: After Robotaxi Rally, What Next?
  👉️ TICKER: TSLA
  Tesla Inc. (TSLA) was one stock enjoying a banner day for trading earlier this week, flying 8% and landing the firm’s market cap well over $1 TLN again. The firm launched its invite-only, self-driving trials for a wider Austin, Texas audience Sunday, and so far, no one has reported a Texas robo roadkill, advises Tom Bruni, editor-in-chief of The Daily Rip by Stocktwits.

• CI: Showing Impressive Growth, But Keep an Eye on PBM Policy
  👉️ TICKER: CI
  The Cigna Group (CI) is a leading provider of insurance products and services, including dental, medical, disability, and life insurance. Cigna has grown its earnings per share at an average annual rate of 12.2% over the last decade and at an 8.2% average annual rate over the last five years, highlights Ben Reynolds, editor of Sure Dividend.

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