March is over, and with it, a very volatile first quarter of 2025. How did our portfolios perform this month? Which stocks did well, which ones struggled, and what decisions did we make? Check out our recap of March for all the details!
Portfolio performances: how did we do?
March picked up where February left off, with import tariffs and geopolitical tensions dominating the news. It seemed like Trump was announcing a new tariff every day.
Toward the end of March, market worries really started to ramp up because of "Liberation Day" coming up. Liberation Day is on April 2nd, when President Trump is expected to announce new import tariffs. Investors are nervous about a possible global trade war. No one knows exactly what's going to be announced, and that’s something investors really hate: uncertainty. Additionally, concerns about a potential recession are growing as well. There are increasing signs that the economy might be cooling down, which only adds to the market's worries. Many investors fear that the proposed import tariffs could put further strain on the already fragile global economy. In response, they’re shifting from risky stocks into safe-haven assets like defensive stocks and gold to hedge against what might be come.
Because of all this, March ended up being a tough month for the markets, with the first quarter being the worst since 2022. The indexes were hit hard as well in March:
S&P 500: -5.8% (-4.6% YTD)
Nasdaq: -8.2% (-10.4% YTD)
Dow Jones: -4.2% (-1.3% YTD)
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