Markets sprinted to record highs, stumbled, and carried on like nothing happened, with the S&P 500 and Dow briefly touching new peaks before financials and energy lost momentum. Oil slid as President Donald Trump floated Venezuelan barrels coming to the U.S., a reminder that geopolitics never stays offstage for long, while stocks rising alongside a climbing VIX signaled positioning, not panic. At the same time, Washington rattled Wall Street landlords with talk of banning institutional buyers from single-family homes, media deal drama flared as Warner Bros. Discovery again swatted away Paramount in favor of Netflix certainty, and the through-line became clear: confidence is still driving the party.

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🔗 Resources:

U.S. Stocks Hit New Highs In Record-Setting Start To The Year (Yahoo! Finance via Instagram)

Dow closes more than 450 points lower, S&P 500 pulls back from record: Live updates (CNBC)

Trump says U.S.oil companies will invest billions of dollars in Venezuela (CNBC via Instagram)

Venezuela instability: market implications (Allianz Global Investors)

Venezuela's Maduro Declares Innocence in NY Court Hearing; Trump Reiterates the U.S. Is 'In Charge' (The Wall Street Journal)

S&P 500 and the VIX Post Gains On the Same Day (Market Watch via Instagram)

US will ban Wall Street investors from buying single-family homes, Trump says (Reuters)

Warner Bros rejects Paramount takeover again and tells shareholders to stick with Netflix bid (Yahoo! Finance)

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Markets Hit Records, Volatility Creeps In & Washington Picks New Fights