AT&T stock price continues to fire on all cylinders and is now sitting at a record high as its turnaround efforts continues. It has jumped in the last four consecutive weeks, meaning that it has surged by 75% in the last 12 months. This surge means that it has beaten the S&P 500 Index, which has risen by just 3.73%. 

Turnaround continues to gain steam

AT&T stock price has done well as investors cheered the company’s turnaround strategy, including a dividend cut. 

The turnaround also included the company exiting its media company, which led to the creation of Warner Bros. Discovery, a large, but struggling media entity. It also sold its stake in DirecTV to TPG, a deal expected to be completed this year.

These divestments helped the company to refocus on its core business, which has helped it to grow its business.

Further, the company has also improved its balance sheet, with its net-debt-to-adjusted EBITDA ratio reaching its target of 2.5x later this year. It will use proceeds of its DirecTV to pay its debt. This is a notable thing since AT&T is still one of the most indebted companies in Wall Street. 

Read more: Long T: AT&T’s Robust Earnings and Strategic Initiatives Signal Potential Upside Towards $28

AT&T strong earnings

AT&T’s turnaround has helped it achieve steady revenue and profitable growth. This growth was also helped by the fact that the pricing wars that existed a few years ago seem to have ended now.

The most recent results showed that the company was doing well as the number of postpaid phone subscribers rose to 72.7 million in Q4, up from 71.3 million in the same period a year earlier. 

This growth helped to push its mobility revenue up by 3.3% to $16.6 billion and its EBITDA to $8.9 billion. 

AT&T’s fiber business, which is known for its dependable revenue growth is also doing well as the number of subscribers rose to 9.3 million. The revenue rose by 17% to $2 billion, while consumer wireline brought in $1.2 billion. 

To be clear: AT&T has not become a growth company. Instead, it is a mature company experiencing slow growth, which is understandable. In such a situation, investors prefer one that achieves as high growth rate as possible while saving costs.

In this case, the company is working to achieve its cost target of $3 billion in savings by 2027. It is also using AI to achieve that.

Further, AT&T has embarked on a program to reward its shareholders. It has announced a $10 billion share repurchase program that will help to grow its earnings per share (EPS). In line with this, it has a strong dividend yielding about 3.3%.

AT&T is also doing better than its internal and analysts’ estimates. Its adjusted EBITDA growth target of 2024 was 3%, while its end figure was 3.1%. Also, its EPS of $2.25 was higher than its guidance. 

AT&T stock price analysis

The daily chart shows that the AT&T share price continued its strong surge in the past few years. This rally continued this week since it will not be affected by Donald Trump’s tariffs. 

It has moved above the key resistance level at $27.95, invalidating a double-top pattern that was forming. AT&T stock has also remained above all moving averages. Therefore, the stock will likely continue rising as bulls target the next psychological point at $30, followed by $35. 

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Intel Corp (NASDAQ: INTC) is inching down further on Friday after China delivered on its promise of slapping retaliatory tariffs on American goods.

From April 10, all US products will now face a 34% tariff in Beijing.

Intel stock is losing primarily because the struggling chipmaker has significant revenue exposure to China, which could make it more challenging for Lip-Bu Tan, the company’s recently appointed chief executive, to orchestrate a successful turnaround that investors are eagerly anticipating.

Including today’s decline, INTC shares are down well over 20% versus their year-to-date high.

How much revenue does Intel generate from China?

Tan’s appointment as the chief executive of Intel on March 12 was welcomed by investors as he has previously held a leadership position at Cadence Design Systems, and, therefore, knows the industry inside and out.

However, retaliatory tariffs from China could make INTC less appealing to investors again.

In 2024, the chipmaker generated over $15 billion, or more than 29% of its overall revenue, from China.

A potential hit to that significant source of revenue amidst the new tariff environment could prove detrimental for Intel, given it’s already struggling to shield its market share from the likes of AMD and Nvidia.

As tariffs make its products more expensive in China, its customers could turn to rivals, including Samsung, particularly since the South Korean giant has an in-house foundry business as well.

How much revenue does Qualcomm generate from China?

Other than Intel, another US chipmaker that stands to take a significant hit from China’s retaliatory tariffs is Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ: QCOM).

In fact, the multinational based out of San Diego, California, relies even more on Beijing for revenue.

Last year, QCOM generated more than 43% of its revenue from China, as many of the country’s local smartphone manufacturers use Qualcomm chips.  

Higher prices for QCOM products in the wake of President Xi’s retaliatory tariffs on American goods could push local OEMs to alternatives like Huawei’s Kirin series of processors.   

Qualcomm stock is already down more than 20% versus its year-to-date high in early February.

What is the Street’s view on INTC and QCOM?

While new tariffs from China add to an already long list of headwinds for INTC, analysts continue to see significant upside in Intel stock through the remainder of this year.

Street’s average price target on the semiconductor stock currently sits at more than $25, which indicates potential upside of close to 25% from current levels.

Part of the reason for their bullish view could be a healthy 2.23% dividend yield that’s tied to Intel shares at the time of writing.

Heading into Friday, Wall Street was even more bullish on Qualcomm stock.

Analysts’ consensus “overweight” rating on QCOM is coupled with a mean target of $200, which translates to about a 45% upside from here.

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The US labor market continued to show resilience in March, adding more jobs than expected.

However, a slight uptick in the unemployment rate and rising global trade tensions, driven by President Donald Trump’s surprise tariff announcements, have cast a shadow over the otherwise positive employment data.

Jobs report March 2025

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the US economy added 228,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in March—well above economists’ expectations of 140,000 and significantly higher than February’s revised total of 117,000.

Over the past 12 months, the monthly average has stood at 158,000, making March’s report a sign of stronger-than-average hiring momentum.

Despite the solid job gains, the unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2%, up from 4.1% the previous month.

The increase came even as the labor force participation rate rose to 62.5% in March from 62.4% in February—indicating more Americans are re-entering the workforce.

Wage growth, a key measure watched closely by the Federal Reserve for inflationary pressure, came in at 3.8% year-over-year, slightly below February’s 4%.

On a month-over-month basis, average hourly earnings grew by 0.3%, up from the prior 0.2%.

US jobs report: federal employment cuts

The report also highlighted a continuing trend in federal employment cuts, likely linked to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.

Federal government jobs fell by 4,000 in March, following an 11,000 drop in February.

While small in absolute terms, the cuts signal a shift toward leaner government staffing under the current administration.

But any optimism from the robust hiring figures was quickly muted by escalating trade tensions.

On Wednesday, President Trump stunned markets by slapping a 34% tariff on all Chinese and European Union imports, a move seen by many economists as a serious risk to global trade stability.

In retaliation, China announced it would impose matching 34% tariffs on all US imports starting April 10.

The fallout was immediate and severe. In less than 48 hours, $2.5 trillion was wiped off global equity markets, and US stock futures plunged.

Ahead of Friday’s jobs release, Dow Jones futures were down nearly 3% (about 1,200 points), while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 2.9% and 3%, respectively.

It’s important to note that the March jobs survey was conducted before the tariff announcements, meaning any labor market impact from the trade war will likely surface in future reports.

Looking ahead, analysts warn that ongoing trade policy uncertainty, coupled with potential retaliatory tariffs, could start to hurt business confidence, dampen hiring, and raise recession risks.

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The 25% tariffs on imported cars that came into effect on Thursday have shaken the global automobile industry, forcing major carmakers into swift, divergent responses.

As the new levies threaten to reshape supply chains, pricing models, and employment, companies from Stellantis to Hyundai are taking action to shield profits and customers.

With tariffs on foreign-assembled cars now active, and those on imported parts set to begin May 3, automakers are racing to manage the costs.

Some have opted to idle production lines, others are offering deep discounts, or exploring domestic manufacturing expansions.

Share prices of most auto manufacturers remained in the red on Thursday and during US pre-market hours on Friday.

Invezz takes a look at the various strategies being adopted by auto manufacturers to deal with the disruptions.

Stellantis suspends plants, will temporarily lay off 900 workers

Stellantis, the owner of Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler, announced it would temporarily shut down two assembly plants — one in Windsor, Ontario, and another in Toluca, Mexico — in response to the tariffs.

The Windsor plant, which manufactures the Chrysler Pacifica and Dodge Charger, will be idle for two weeks.

The Toluca facility, where the Jeep Compass and Wagoneer S are assembled, will be out of operation from April 7 through the end of the month.

Stellantis said the disruption would force it to lay off around 900 workers at powertrain and stamping plants in Indiana and Michigan.

“We continue to assess the US tariffs on imported vehicles and will remain engaged with the US government on these policies,” a Stellantis spokesperson told MT Newswires.

Stellantis shares were down over 7% in premarket trading on Friday.

Ford’s ‘From America for America’ discount to offer employee pricing to customers

In contrast, Ford has taken a more market-facing approach by leaning on its inventory to absorb the cost pressure.

The Michigan-based automaker has launched a program tentatively called “From America for America,” reportedly offering its employee pricing, traditionally reserved for Ford staff, to all customers nationwide.

While the company has yet to officially announce the plan, Reuters reports that discounts have been in effect since Thursday.

This move helps Ford distinguish itself from competitors that are raising prices to offset tariff costs.

Ford’s position is relatively advantageous. It manufactures roughly 80% of the vehicles it sells in the United States within the country, offering a greater buffer against tariffs than rivals more reliant on imports.

However, the company still faces looming cost increases from the May 3 tariffs on parts.

The discount strategy also aligns with the “Made in America” message popular with the Trump administration, which announced the sweeping duties last week in a push to bring manufacturing back to US soil.

The share price of Ford was down by 3.67% during premarket on Friday.

Source: CNN

Volkswagen to introduce an import fee on vehicles sold in the US

Volkswagen has taken a different route, signalling to its US dealers that price increases are on the horizon.

In an April 1 memo to dealers, seen by The New York Times, the German carmaker said it would introduce a new import fee on its US vehicles later this month.

It has also paused rail shipments of cars from Mexico, although maritime shipments continue, and instructed dealers to hold tariff-affected vehicles at ports until further notice.

The company said the final pricing changes would be confirmed by mid-April.

Vehicles assembled in the US, like the Volkswagen Atlas and ID.4 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, are not immune to cost pressures.

Both rely on imported parts that will be subject to the upcoming duties.

In a statement, Volkswagen confirmed it had sent the memo to dealers because it wanted to be “very transparent about navigating through this time of uncertainty.”

“We have our dealers’ and customers’ best interest at heart, and once we have quantified the impact on the business we will share our strategy with our dealers,” the company said.

Volkswagen’s share price was down by more than 5% on Friday.

Source: Statista

GM boosts production of trucks in Indiana

General Motors is responding to the tariff shock by boosting domestic production.

The company plans to increase the output of its light-duty trucks — Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra — at its Fort Wayne, Indiana, plant.

The move is part of a broader strategy GM CEO Mary Barra hinted at in January, suggesting that increased US capacity could offset risk from tariffs on vehicles built in Mexico and Canada.

To facilitate the ramp-up, GM will halt production at the Fort Wayne facility between April 22 and 25.

The plant expects to add between 225 and 250 jobs and bring in several hundred temporary workers, according to internal communication with United Auto Workers.

Local union officials said additional overtime days may also be scheduled to meet the new production goals.

The GM share price was down by more than 5% during pre-market trading on Friday.

Hyundai cautions on potential price hikes

Hyundai Motor Company also flagged the likelihood of vehicle price increases.

In a note to dealers, Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America CEO Randy Parker warned that pricing was no longer guaranteed for vehicles wholesaled after April 2.

Parker acknowledged that the company’s reliance on imports from Mexico and Canada was relatively low, and that Hyundai had “firmly established” investments in the US.

However, the Korean automaker said it continues to monitor policy developments and review strategies to maintain profitability.

No official pricing changes have been announced yet, but company officials in Seoul said they are “closely reviewing” their options.

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