With Alaska Trump-Putin Summit Proceeding, Stocks Set Up for Winning Week; Crude Crushed

Any declaration or communication stemming from the Trump-Putin talks in Alaska Friday are likely to be announced after markets close, given the difference in time zones between Anchorage and New York, leaving the stock pushers on their own to continue the folly from yesterday's flat line close.

As silly as Thursday's trading appeared, Friday's may be yet another exercise in fluffing up an already over-extended market, particularly the Dow Industrials, which have not yet reached new all-time highs (45,014.04, 12/4/24), as have its counterparts, the NASDAQ and S&P. Dow futures are up 260 points with the bell minutes away for no apparent reason other than Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway initiated a large position in beaten-down United Health (UNH), a Dow component.

As far as the week is concerned, it appears to be another winner for the pumpers, with, as of Thursday's close, the Dow up 735 points, the NASDAQ up 260, and the S&P ahead by 79. The U.S. dollar down against the pound, euro, and yen sets up the perfect week-end trade for higher highs.

Bitcoin has held ground at around $118,000, while gold and silver continue to languish at $3,389.00, and $37.90 per ounce, respectively. WTI crude is testing $62/barrel.

Here's hoping the BS war in Ukraine will come to an end soon. Godspeed to both Trump and Putin.

At the Close, Thursday, August 14, 2025:
Dow: 44,911.26, -11.01 (-0.02%)
NASDAQ: 21,710.67, -2.47 (-0.01%)
S&P 500: 6,468.54, +1.96 (+0.03%)
NYSE Composite: 20,808.43, -59.25 (-0.28%)