Stocks remained volatile last week amid a 25% tariff placed on all autos not manufactured in the U.S., contributing to market losses.

Inflation data added to the volatility, with the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index registering at 0.4% in February, pushing annual core inflation to 2.8%. A silver lining came from fourth quarter GDP growth at 2.4%, slightly above forecasts, though ongoing weakness in the tech sector further weighed on broader indices.

Looking ahead, next week’s focus will be on labor market indicators, including the U.S. unemployment rate, which reached 4.1% in February but is expected to inch up to 4.2% in March. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) is anticipated to increase, while both Manufacturing and Services PMIs should remain in expansion mode, albeit at slightly lower levels. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming speech may also offer signals on future interest rate adjustments.

Given this economic backdrop, let us see how this impacts the performance of various investment strategies.