EV makers, Federal Reserve, China data

Fast Retailing’s stock price fell to a two-week low, down more than 4%, as the company’s share price rose. revealed that Same-store sales at Uniqlo stores in Japan decreased in March. The company is the largest component of the Nikkei 225 index.

The company opened five stores in Japan in March, but eight stores have closed.

Same-store sales, including online sales, were down 1.5% from the same month last year, but total sales in March were up 1%.

Fast Retailing explained that the reason for the decline in sales was “sales of spring items were sluggish due to the continued cold weather throughout the month.” [in Japan]. ”

From the GameStop craze of 2021 to the recent surge in Reddit and Truth Social stocks, many investors are probably afraid of missing out on these seemingly lucrative opportunities (FOMO).

But for investors who can’t stomach the risks associated with meme stocks, there are lower-volatility ways to take advantage of this trading phenomenon, said Hannah Gooch Peters, global equity investment analyst at Sanlam Investments.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more about these stocks here.

— Ganesh Rao

Several investors have taken a positive view of Japanese stocks over the past few months, and market strategist Matt Orton is no exception.

“Japan has been a great market overall…Japan is one of the top markets in the Asian stock market complex,” the chief market strategist at asset management firm Raymond James Investment Management said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on April 1. He was a top performer.”

A lesser-known name stands out as a good play for him right now.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Amara Balakrishna

San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said Tuesday that she still expects three rate cuts this year, although this is not a certainty.

“I think this is a very reasonable baseline, but what I’m saying here is, this is a prediction, right?” Daley said during a panel discussion in Las Vegas. “Three interest rate cuts are a prediction, and a prediction is not a promise.”

Daley, who is this year’s voter on the Federal Open Market Committee, which decides interest rate settings, also said he was unmoved by Monday’s report showing the manufacturing sector expanded in March for the first time in 16 months. Ta. Instead, she said she and her fellow policymakers are looking at a wide range of indicators.

“I have a path in my mind where interest rates start to adjust this year. We’re not there yet,” he said.

— Jeff Cox