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Romes' Investment Newsletter 4&5

Author

David Soto
May 31, 2025

Portfolio Progress

I missed last month’s newsletter so I combined April and May into one. My apologies but I hope this makes up for it. Now, let’s get to the good stuff.

For the months of April and May, it has been stagnant in terms of adding money to my account. I have been focusing on paying off my debt and getting ready to look for a home. The only deposits into my Roth IRA have been from my Fidelity credit card which added $79.03 in April and $47.99 in May. As I mentioned before, I have been focusing on paying off my debt, which as most of you know, is mostly medical. I was just shy of $30k at the beginning of the year and so far, have managed to reduce it by $17,656.15. I currently have $12,001.11 left to go. However, I have roughly an additional $581 pending from a couple previous visits which will knock it back up a bit but not too bad considering what I started with.

April, I did not add any shares to my account. However, in May, I bought 9 shares of ABR - Arbor Realty Trust REIT. I have a goal of reaching 25 shares per position I hold. This is the next stock on the list for me to focus on, unless something hot comes up, I will be adding shares here. To end the month, I received $25.60 in dividends, compared to last year’s $10.89 for the same month. A nice jump in dividends, I am happy.

 

Market Update April/May

For April, this month was marked by significant volatility in U.S. stock markets, primarily driven by the announcement of sweeping tariffs by President Trump on April 2, dubbed "Liberation Day." This led to a sharp sell-off, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq experiencing their steepest decline since the 2020 pandemic crash, and the Dow losing over 4,000 points in two days. However, markets rebounded later in the month as tariffs were modified or delayed, and investor sentiment improved. The S&P 500 declined 0.76% in April, bringing its year-to-date (YTD) loss to 5.31%; the Dow dropped 3.17% for the month, with a YTD decline of 4.41%; while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.9% in April, buoyed by strong performance in the technology sector. Despite the rebound, investor caution remains amid ongoing trade tensions and economic uncertainties.

For May, stock markets experienced a notable rebound, with the S&P 500 posting its best monthly return of the year at 4.68%. This surge was largely driven by a federal court ruling that blocked former President Trump's proposed tariffs, easing investor concerns over escalating trade tensions. Tech stocks led the rally, highlighted by Nvidia's impressive 69% year-over-year revenue increase, which bolstered confidence in the AI sector

Crypto Update: April/May

Crypto in April was a volatile month, marked by sharp declines followed by a strong rebound. The initial market downturn was triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs on April 2, leading to a $300 billion drop in global crypto market capitalization within five days. The same issue the general market suffered. However, a 90-day tariff pause announced on April 9 helped the market recover. Bitcoin (BTC) ranged from $74,000 to $95,000 during the month, ultimately gaining 15% and nearing the $100,000 mark by month's end. Ethereum (ETH) also saw significant fluctuations, with prices varying between $2,428 and $2,501 in April. The overall crypto market cap surpassed $3 trillion, signaling renewed investor confidence in digital assets.

For May, Bitcoin (BTC) reached a new all-time high of $111,970 on May 22, driven by institutional ETF inflows exceeding $45 billion and a dovish stance from the U.S. Federal Reserve. However, by month's end, BTC consolidated around $105,750, with large holders beginning to distribute their holdings. Ethereum (ETH) also saw gains, trading at approximately $2,602, with analysts predicting a potential rise to $4,900–$5,950 by year-end.

Advice for New Investors

Never invest money you can't afford to lose. This is one of the best bits of advice you can ever read. The money you invest with should be expendable. The goal isn’t to lose money, but it shouldn’t be your entire life savings either. The market will go up and down and that is why you should be careful.

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DISCLAIMER

This is not financial advice, just my personal opinion. Be sure to consult a licensed professional before making any significant financial decisions.

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