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Tech billionaire Elon Musk said Tuesday that he will begin dedicating more time to Tesla and less to his work with the Trump administration starting next month, providing a relief to Tesla investors fed up with his political work and signaling a possible shift in power at the White House.

Musk’s comments came on Tesla’s call with investors following the company reporting a sizable drop in first-quarter profit and revenue. The company warned that the political environment along with the Trump administration’s tariff plans were challenges for its business.

‘Starting probably next month, May, my time obligation to DOGE will drop significantly,’ Musk said, referring to his Department of Government Efficiency.

‘I think I’ll continue to spend a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the president would like me to do so, and for as long as it is useful, but starting next month, I’ll be allocating far more of my time to Tesla, now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done,’ he said.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has faced a swell of opposition for his work with President Donald Trump, which has made Tesla a growing target for protests and even vandalism. Musk has acknowledged that his move into politics has hit the company’s stock price.

Tesla — which is increasingly trying to diversify into high-tech products like robots — said profits fell 71% to $409 million, compared with $1.39 billion during the same quarter one year ago.

Shares of Tesla were up about 4% in after-hours trading, though the company has lost 50% of its value from its mid-December peak.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Musk’s announcement.

Musk reiterated on the call that he intends to pivot Tesla from its established electric car business into two new products: robotaxis and humanoid robots, two ideas that investors have been skeptical about.

Musk said that Tesla was still on track to begin selling robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, in June, putting Tesla into head-to-head competition with Google spinoff Waymo, which launched robotaxi rides there in March via the Uber app. 

Tesla, in its written earnings report, said that ‘uncertainty in the automotive and energy markets’ associated with ‘rapidly evolving trade policy,’ along with ‘changing political sentiment,’ could have ‘a meaningful impact on demand for our products in the near-term.’

It also said updates to its best-selling Model Y that affected its availability on the market contributed to the shortfall.

‘We remain committed to expanding our business model to include delivering autonomous robots across multiple form factors and use cases — powered by our real-world AI expertise — to our customers and for use in our factories, as we navigate these headwinds,’ it said.

It said it was not prepared to provide guidance for performance the rest of the year — a decision other companies are also making — because of broad trends that include the impact from tariffs. Tesla has boasted that is ‘the most American-made’ car, but it still faces tariff exposure due to imported parts.

It said it would ‘revisit’ guidance for 2025 in three months.

‘It is difficult to measure the impacts of shifting global trade policy on the automotive and energy supply chains, our cost structure and demand for durable goods and related services,’ Tesla said in the outlook section of its report.

Musk, on the conference call, said he pressed Trump to reverse course on his tariff policy but was not successful.

‘I’m one of many advisers to the president. I’m not the president, but I’ve made my opinion clear to the president,’ he said. ‘I’m an advocate of predictable tariff structures.’

Musk has faced pressure from many sides, including from investors who would like him to pay more attention to the company and from his job in the Trump administration, where he has volunteered to slash government programs.

Musk has kept his CEO roles at Tesla and SpaceX even while he has spent much of his time with President Donald Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency, the group charged with reducing federal spending. 

A CNBC All-America Economic survey released earlier Tuesday underscored the depth of the negative sentiment toward Tesla and Musk: 47% of the public had negative views of the company versus 27% positive, and half had negative views of Musk, compared with 36% who saw him positively.

‘Tesla has become a political symbol around the world,’ Daniel Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, said in an interview on CNBC after the earnings report was released.

Ives said the political controversy has hurt Tesla not only by reducing demand for vehicles but also because Tesla has become a target for retaliatory tariffs by other nations, such as China.

The earnings report did not explicitly mention the repeated vandalism against Tesla vehicles or the peaceful protests at its showrooms, instead citing the ‘changing political sentiment’ as a headwind for demand.

A key question for Tesla, Musk and the Trump administration has been how long Musk will remain in his White House position. His job as a “special government employee” is time-limited by law to 130 days during any period of 365 consecutive days, which could put his legally mandated endpoint as early as late May. Musk told Fox News this month that he believed “most” of his work would be done by the deadline. 

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

It might be time for Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s own fork in the road.  

The electric carmaker is set to report quarterly earnings Tuesday afternoon that may say a lot about which direction Musk and the company he has ridden to immense wealth will go next.  

The company will update investors on revenue, profit and other key figures after months of turmoil as Musk continues to dedicate a large portion of his time to the Trump administration’s attempt to radically remake the federal government, far away from his corporate responsibilities at Tesla, SpaceX and his other companies. 

With Tesla’s stock and brand reputation getting pummeled — and with President Donald Trump’s tariff policy threatening to upend the automotive market, Tesla included — many Tesla investors have called on Musk to scale back or end his government work entirely and return his focus to business.  

The Trump administration has sent “fork in the road” emails encouraging federal workers to consider quitting their jobs.  

Even some of Tesla’s loudest proponents, such as Daniel Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, have lost patience with how Musk is dividing up his attention.  

“This is a moment of truth for Musk,” Ives told NBC News. “If he picks staying with DOGE and the Trump White House, the future of Tesla could be negatively altered permanently. The brand damage he’s created by being part of the Trump administration has already been a devastating blow to Tesla’s reputation, stock and confidence. … He’s made Tesla into a political symbol, which is one of the worst things that can happen to a consumer brand.” 

DOGE refers to the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk’s team of staffers spread throughout the executive branch helping to order spending cuts. Musk is a “special government employee” who’s expected to leave the Trump administration at some point, but with no set date to depart. 

Musk and Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon on whether he is stretched too thin and, if so, what they might do about it.  

Tesla is due to report earnings after the market closes. It also is scheduled to host a conference call with Wall Street analysts, and Musk sometimes joins the calls.  

Several possible paths lie ahead for Musk and Tesla, and it’s not clear which is most likely. Musk could scale back or end his White House job and spend more time at Tesla. Or he could quit as Tesla CEO and keep his focus on politics, putting the company’s future and brand in someone else’s hands.  

The status quo may also endure, with Musk continuing to bet that he has enough attention for everyone.  

Tesla’s stock price has provided a snapshot of the tumultuous run since Musk threw himself into the Trump administration. While its stock price is almost even with where it traded in the days ahead of the election, its shares are down more than 50% from their December peak. Still, Tesla’s total market cap remains just above $700 billion, well above those of its auto industry competitors but below those of major tech companies. 

On Monday, Tesla shares plunged again ahead of the earnings report, falling 5.8%.  

Tuesday will mark Tesla’s first earnings report since the full extent of Musk’s government role and ambitions became clear. Tesla last reported on its financials on Jan. 29, early in Trump’s second term.  

In the past year, Musk has somewhat aggressively started to pivot Tesla into new possible lines of business, including a proposed Cybercab autonomous vehicle and a potential robotic humanoid called Optimus, although the company hasn’t shipped either of those products and some on Wall Street are skeptical that they’ll be successful.  

In a note to clients, Wells Fargo stock researchers said they expected to hear more from Tesla on Tuesday about Cybercab and Optimus, but they called those subjects “razzle dazzle” that “distract from fundamentals.” Wells Fargo has a price target of $130 a share for Tesla, far below the $227.50 close on Monday and near the low end of analyst price targets, according to The Wall Street Journal.  

Tesla has already issued warning signs about its health. It reported April 2 that vehicle deliveries in the first quarter declined 13% from a year earlier, battered by rising competition and fallout from Musk’s involvement in politics.  

Hundreds of protests at Tesla showrooms have also weighed on the company. Under the banner of a “Tesla Takedown,” opponents of Musk and Trump’s government policies have targeted the company to try to gain leverage over Musk, and demonstrators have continued to swarm Tesla locations, especially on weekends.  

Allen Adamson, a co-founder of Metaforce, a marketing and brand consultancy, said that if any other corporation faced a similar image problem, the board of directors might have stepped in to switch out the CEO. But Tesla’s board is famously close to and supportive of Musk.  

Now, Adamson said, Tesla faces risk whichever path it and Musk follow.  

“Musk is the magic that has fueled the stock price,” he said. “If he steps aside [as Tesla CEO], he takes the rocket fuel out of the Tesla stock price, but if he stays, he’s equally damaging the company’s prospects.”  

One unknown factor is how much of the damage to Tesla’s brand is permanent. In other words: If Musk were to leave the White House and return to business, would there be any improvement in the brand’s public esteem?  

Ives said it’s hard to measure the damage Tesla has sustained.  

“It’s taken on a life of its own that he never expected — this has become something bigger and much more of a raging fire than he ever expected around Tesla,” he said. “He sells a consumer brand globally, and the demand destruction … you can’t wear rose-colored glasses about it, and to not see it would be smoke and mirrors.” 

If Musk does turn his attention back to politics, he’d still have an enormous challenge to rebuild the company’s reputation, Adamson said. He said that Musk would need to stop other polarizing behavior, such as posting on X about controversial topics, and that he would have to improve the company’s innovation. Tesla has launched only one new consumer vehicle since 2020, and that product, the Cybertruck, isn’t widely popular. 

“I don’t think he can pull a rabbit out of a hat fast enough to prevent a continued spiral down,” Adamson said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Top 5 Remains Unchanged

The latest sector rotation analysis reveals a market that’s still playing defense. Despite some minor shuffling in the lower ranks, the top five sectors remain unchanged this week—a sign that the current defensive positioning is settling into a more stable pattern.

Consumer staples is holding its ground at the number one spot, followed by utilities, financials, communication services, and health care. This lineup underscores the market’s continued preference for defensive plays.

  1. (1) Consumer Staples – (XLP)
  2. (2) Utilities – (XLU)
  3. (3) Financials – (XLF)
  4. (4) Communication Services – (XLC)
  5. (5) Healthcare – (XLV)
  6. (6) Real-Estate – (XLRE)
  7. (8) Industrials – (XLI)*
  8. (9) Consumer Discretionary – (XLY)*
  9. (10) Materials – (XLB)*
  10. (7) Energy – (XLE)*
  11. (11) Technology – (XLK)

Weekly RRG

The weekly Relative Rotation Graph (RRG) paints a clear picture of the defensive sectors’ strength. Consumer staples and utilities are continuing to move further into the leading quadrant, solidifying their dominant positions. Healthcare, while ranked fifth, is located within the leading quadrant, but has lost some relative momentum over the past two weeks — something to keep an eye on.

Interestingly, financials and communication services, ranked third and fourth respectively, are showing signs of momentum loss, despite maintaining elevated RS ratio levels. Communication services have actually crossed into the weakening quadrant this week. At current RS-Ratio levels, this is not too concerning yet.

Daily RRG: Staples and Utilities Slightly Losing Relative Momentum

Zooming in on the daily RRG provides some nuanced insights. Staples and utilities, while still disconnected from other sectors at high RS ratio levels, have lost some relative momentum in the last week. Utilities have dipped into the weakening quadrant on this timeframe, but, given its high relative strength (RS) ratio, it’s not a major concern, at least not yet.

Financials and health care are also in the weakening quadrant on the daily RRG, but they’re flirting with the 100 level on the RS ratio scale. We haven’t seen a crossover yet, but it’s definitely a situation to be aware of.

One bright spot: communication services, despite being in the lagging quadrant, is showing signs of rolling back up. This aligns with its positive heading on the weekly RRG, suggesting potential improvement ahead.

Consumer Staples (XLP)

XLP is flexing its muscles, pushing against overhead resistance—a show of strength, given the S&P 500’s weakness. A break above the 83 area could unlock more upside potential, further cementing Staples’ defensive appeal. The relative strength line is attempting to break above horizontal resistance, dragging both RRG lines higher and pushing XLP deeper into the leading quadrant.

Utilities (XLU)

Utilities are showing a similar pattern to staples, though not quite as robust. XLU has retreated into its trading range, between roughly 73 and 80, currently sitting in the mid-range. Given the broader market weakness, this is still a positive setup for utilities. The sector is attempting to break above its relative resistance, which is propelling the RRG lines above 100 and deeper into the leading quadrant.

Financials (XLF)

Financials took a hit but found support around 42, bouncing strongly back towards the 47-47.50 resistance area. This sets up a limited upside potential, but the downside seems well-protected for now. The raw relative strength uptrend remains intact, keeping XLF in the leading quadrant, despite some leveling off of the RRG lines.

Communication Services (XLC)

XLC has been the biggest loser among the top sectors, breaking support around 95 and declining rapidly to support near 82.50. We’re currently seeing a bounce off that support. Relative strength is maintaining its rising channel, keeping the RS ratio well above 100. However, the momentum line has dipped below 100, temporarily pushing XLC into the weakening quadrant. The uptrend in relative strength is still in play, though — something to watch closely.

Health Care (XLV)

Healthcare is struggling, grappling with support between $132.50 and $135. A potential head-and-shoulders top formation is developing — a pattern we’re seeing in several sectors, to be honest. XLV is clearly the weakest of the top five, explaining its fifth-place ranking. Relative strength is struggling to maintain its upward trajectory. While both RRG lines remain above 100, we need to see a clear break in relative strength and the formation of an uptrend in order for healthcare to maintain its top-five status.

RRG Portfolio Performance

An update on our RRG portfolio of top five sectors: As of Friday’s close, the portfolio is down 10.2% year-to-date, compared to the S&P 500’s (using SPY as the benchmark) decline of 9.96%. This has resulted in a slight underperformance of 0.2%. However, it’s worth noting that we’re catching up to the benchmark after last week’s more significant underperformance — we’re on the rise again.

#StayAlert –Julius


In this video, as earnings season heats up, Mary Ellen reviews current stock market trends, highlighting top-performing stocks during past bear markets that are showing strength again today. She also shares a proven market timing system that’s signaled every stock market bottom, helping investors stay ahead of major turning points.

This video originally premiered April 18, 2025. You can watch it on our dedicated page for Mary Ellen’s videos.

New videos from Mary Ellen premiere weekly on Fridays. You can view all previously recorded episodes at this link.

If you’re looking for stocks to invest in, be sure to check out the MEM Edge Report! This report gives you detailed information on the top sectors, industries and stocks so you can make informed investment decisions.

The market continued to slide lower today as the bear market continues to put downside pressure on stocks in general. Bonds and Yields are at an inflection point as more buyers enter the Bond market which is driving treasury yields higher. What is the long-term outlook for Bonds? Carl gives you his thoughts.

First, Carl covered the market as a whole before discussing his long-term outlook for Bonds and Yields. Not only did he cover the SPY and its indicators, he looked at the rally in Bitcoin and the vertical rally for Gold among others. Crude Oil is pulling back again and the Dollar continues to lose strength.

After covering the market, he discusses his thoughts on Bonds. This was followed by questions.

Erin jumped in to cover sector rotation. There are clear problems and clear strength visible among the sectors, but ultimately all are struggling including defensive sectors Utilities and Real Estate. She zeroed in on the Energy sector and Consumer Staples sector “under the hood”.

Finally the pair finished by taking viewer symbol requests.

01:01 DP Signal Tables

05:03 Market Overview

13:28 Bond Discussion

17:08 Magnificent Seven

22:56 Questions

30:07 Sector Rotation

40:04 Symbol Requests


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Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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In this video, market sentiment, investor psychology, and stock market trends take center stage as David Keller, CMT, shares three powerful sentiment indicators that he tracks every week. He explains how the values are derived, what the current readings say about the market environment in April 2025, and how these levels compare to past bull markets and bear markets. If you’re looking for a sentiment playbook to navigate these markets, this analysis will give you the edge.

This video originally premiered on April 21, 2025. Watch on StockCharts’ dedicated David Keller page!

Previously recorded videos from Dave are available at this link.

Tesla Inc. (TSLA)

Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) remains one of the world’s most volatile and discussed stocks, with Elon Musk’s political bent having made it a lightning rod of discussion. Sales continue to fall – especially in Europe – and Musk’s personal focus seems to be on many other areas. It will be interesting to see how the numbers look and what if any guidance may be given when Tesla reports on Tuesday afternoon.

Technically, shares have made a full reversal since their post-election rally and now sit poised to move again. This is not an ideal-looking chart for the bulls, as key levels of support have been breached, the near-term trend is lower, and the long-term trend is a volatile mess.

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF TESLA STOCK PRICE.

Currently, there’s a descending triangle in a near-term downtrend, with a floor around $215. It has been tested twice and held, but each rally continues to be met with strong resistance. There is more overhead resistance and work to be done to get shares on the right ascending track.

During a rally, there are three levels where sellers should take charge. The first level coincides with the current triangular downtrend line and old support, now resistance, which goes back to its pre-election breakout around $270. Then there is also the 200-day moving average just over $290. Lastly, there is the downtrend from the recent highs at the $300 level.

Momentum favors the bears on any rally, and weakness could plunge the stock towards its August 2024 lows around $180. It is not an ideal risk/reward set-up going into the numbers. Both key momentum indicators — relative strength index (RSI) and moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) — appear to be stalling, which makes this stock one to avoid despite all the news it may cause later this week.

Service Now (NOW)

ServiceNow, Inc. (NOW) shares have been decimated since reporting earnings last January. The software company, the fourth-largest company in the iShares Tech-Software ETF (IGV), looks to rebound when it reports earnings after the close on April 23.

Technically, recent price action is showing signs of a bottom, and the risk/reward set-up is getting clear.

FIGURE 2. DAILY CHART OF SERVICE NOW.

The sell-off reached a crescendo after “Liberation Day” and snapped back to levels that set up a plan of attack as we go into this week’s earnings. Shares reached extreme oversold conditions on both the MACD and RSI readings before hitting recent lows. Price action on the biggest move lower showed a divergence in both indicators, and didn’t confirm that last move down.

There are two bullish divergences after a severe drawdown, which is a positive. The Fibonacci retracement levels from the beginning of the bull market to its recent peak also show a positive development. The sell-off found support right at the 61.8% “golden ratio” level, which coincided with prior support going back to the lows of 2024.

Momentum is turning, a floor seems to be apparent, and we have something to reverse – all good signs for a bull case. While the moves are rather wide, targets to the downside look to be set just above $675.

To the upside, a simple mean reversion takes shares back to their declining 50-day moving average just above $865. If it breaks above there, watch for a test of the 200-day moving average, which is another $60 higher.

If you were to believe that a solid number is coming on Wednesday afternoon, as it has in all but one quarter going back to 2018 (last quarter they missed), then it may be a good entry point to capture the upside. However, as it sits in the middle of a range, it’s more of a coin flip here. Currently, it looks as though we have a sell-off that should be bought and a rally that should be faded.

One thing we do know is that it will be interesting to see if the stock can try to recapture its longer-term uptrend in a rather tricky tape.

Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL)

Alphabet (GOOGL) continues to make headlines as it deals with ongoing litigation in Washington and competition from search engines like ChatGPT. Shares have been under pressure all year and are at a fork in the road coming into their Thursday numbers.

FIGURE 3. WEEKLY CHART OF GOOGL STOCK.

We kept this weekly chart as simple as possible to show this “fork-in-the-road” scenario. At the end of 2024, the chart completed a beautiful saucer bottom pattern and broke out. It almost achieved its upside targets around $220, but fell just short.

Then it broke down.

After its initial breakout, GOOGL rallied and paused. Price faded back to test old resistance after its initial leg higher. That level of old resistance became support, in textbook fashion. Shares rallied from there to make new all-time highs; then, they failed again.

Now, GOOGL sits at a key level that was tested once last week and held. Shares never closed below the key support area around $150. That sets traders up with a risk/reward scenario that seems favorable, for now. Anyone buying the stock here has two levels from which to cut their losses if price were to break down from here.

Watch the recent intraday lows at $140.50 and then the rising 200-week moving average at $136. If it closes below there, you should exit the stock and wait for a better entry point. 

To the upside, there is smooth sailing to the 50-week moving average just above $172. It may take a strong beat and guide in this macro environment to push much higher, but the lines are set as we head into this busy week of earnings. 

Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its first location in Mexico early next year as the latest stage in its international expansion.

The company announced Monday that it has signed a development agreement with Alsea, which operates Latin American and European locations of Starbucks, Domino’s Pizza and Burger King, among other chains.

After the initial restaurant opens in 2026, Chipotle plans to explore “additional expansion markets in the region,” which could mean broader Latin American development.

The deal to expand in Mexico comes as President Donald Trump wages a trade war with the country, straining the relationship between the two neighbors. Avocados from Mexico were originally subject to a 25% tariff until he paused new duties on goods compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. While Chipotle has diversified its avocado sourcing in recent years, it still imports about half of its avocados from Mexico.

In recent years, Chipotle has been trying to expand internationally, after decades focusing almost entirely on its U.S. business. The company operates 58 locations in Canada, 20 in the United Kingdom, six in France and two in Germany. Chipotle also currently has three restaurants in Kuwait and two in the United Arab Emirates through a deal with Alshaya Group.

Chipotle is betting that Mexico’s familiarity with its ingredients and appreciation for fresh food will win over consumers, according to a statement from Nate Lawton, Chipotle’s chief business development officer.

But U.S. interpretations of Mexican food don’t always resonate in the market; Yum Brands’ Taco Bell has twice attempted to expand into Mexico, but both efforts failed quickly.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Trading is all about the odds. Trade when the odds are in your favor. Exercise patience and stand aside when the odds are NOT in your favor. Stocks are in a bear market with the vast majority of names (76%) trading below their 200-day SMAs. Clearly, the odds are NOT in our favor for equities and equity ETFs. Traders need to look elsewhere. Today’s report will highlight some non-equity leaders and analyze Bitcoin as it sets up.

TrendInvestorPro works with a ChartList that has 72 ETFs covering all sectors, the key industry groups, commodities, bonds and crypto. Note that this curated ChartList is available to TrendInvestorPro subscribers. The image below is sorted by the percentage above the 200-day SMA (blue shading) to show the top 20 performers. This simple performance overview reveals a lot. We are NOT in a bull market and alternative assets are attracting attention (gold, Bitcoin).

First, we see leadership from gold, silver, Bitcoin, and commodity-related ETFs. Second, only a handful of equity ETFs are trading above their 200-day SMAs. Third, these ETFs represent defensive groups (Consumer Staples Utilities, MLPs, Aerospace & Defense, Insurance). This is NOT the performance profile for a bull market. We are in a bear market and equities are not the place to be right now.

Improve your odds and stay on the right side of the market with the models and analysis at TrendInvestorPro. Our stock market model turned bearish in mid March, and remains bearish. Even with the big surge on April 9th, our thrust indicators fell well short of a signal because of weak follow through. We will continue to watch these models and focus on equity alternatives. Click here to get a bonus and learn more!  

The Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) is in the leadership group and Bitcoin ($BTCUSD) is bouncing off its 270 day SMA. Where did 270 come from? A typical 200-day SMA covers a little less than 9 months of trading days, which exclude weekends and holidays. Bitcoin trades 24/7, weekends and holidays. Chartists, therefore, need an adjustment to get the ~9-month equivalent for Bitcoin. I chose 270.

The chart below shows Bitcoin ($BTCUSD) with a classic correction and setup in the making. Bitcoin gained over 100% from September to January and was entitled to a correction. Dow Theory teaches us that normal corrections retrace 33 to 67 percent of the prior advance. 50 percent is the base case. The chart shows the Fibonacci retracements with Bitcoin retracing 61.8% as it fell to 75000. Bitcoin also tested the rising 270-day SMA in March and April. A 61.8% retracement and return to the ~9-month SMA are normal for corrections (blue shading).

A falling wedge formed with Bitcoin establishing resistance at 88000 (pink line). Falling wedge patterns are also typical for corrections. More importantly, these patterns provide levels to watch for a trend reversal. Bitcoin is making its first breakout attempt with a move above the upper trendline. Further strength above 88000 would forge a higher high and argue for a new uptrend. I would then set a re-evaluation level at the 270-day SMA. A close below this moving average would suggest a failed breakout.  

TrendInvestorPro keeps you on the right side.

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In the year 2000, over 5,000 barrels of crude oil spilled from a barge into the Marañón River, which runs 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) across Peru, from the snow-capped mountains of the Andes into the mighty Amazon River. A black glaze seeped across its surface, silently causing an ecological disaster – contaminating the river, a key water source for local communities, and killing some of its fauna.

The incident was not the first – nor the last – of the oil spills that have plagued the Marañón River and the people living along its banks. The watercourse, which is a lifeblood of Peru’s tropical rainforests and is home to endangered species like pink dolphins and giant otters, also carves its way through Peru’s oil and gas heartlands.

The Northern Peruvian Oil Pipeline (ONP) runs alongside it. According to the Peruvian agency for investment in energy and mining, Osinergmin, between 1997 and 2022, there were more than 80 oil spills along the pipeline.

While the spill in 2000 was by no means unique, it did spur one woman into action. Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari, of the indigenous Kukama community, who grew up on the banks of the Marañón, set up Asociación de Mujeres Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana (“Hard-working Women’s Association” or “HKK”). The organization, spearheaded by women, has spent the last two decades and more fighting for the river’s protection.

In March last year, their hard work paid off, as Peru’s federal court ruled that the river had legal personhood, granting it the inherent right to remain free flowing and free of environmental contamination. Today, Canaquiri Murayari, now 56 years old, was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work – an annual award given to six grassroots environmental leaders, each working in a different continent.

River spirits

For the Kukama people the Marañón River is sacred, and they believe the spirits of their ancestors reside on the river floor. Canaquiri Murayari says when the oil spills started, the spirit of her dead uncle came to her grandmother one night and warned of the harm the “black gold” would bring.

It started to affect the livelihoods of the Kukama, who depend on the river for transport, agriculture, water and fishing. They have no other water source, says Canaquiri Murayari, and so out of necessity, the community kept eating fish and drinking from the contaminated river.

Members of the community started getting sick too, she says. Studies have shown that communities living near drilling or oil spill sites had high levels of lead in their bloodstream, while higher mercury, arsenic and cadmium levels were detected in the urine of people consuming fish from the river or whose vegetable gardens were close to oil spill sites.

Canaquiri Murayari’s association was motivated to act. It sent letters to authorities, organized marches in the provincial capital Iquitos, and blocked traffic on the river. But to no avail: “The strikes, the mobilizations, the statements, the meetings, the roundtable discussion: none of them have worked … They don’t listen to us,” laments Canaquiri Murayari.

Instead, she started to seek out other methods and in 2014 connected with the Legal Defense Institute (IDL), a Peruvian NGO. Together, they began exploring legal strategies for protecting the Marañón River and became inspired by the burgeoning global rights of nature movement, whereby rivers such as Colombia’s Atrato River, New Zealand’s Whanganui River and Canada’s Magpie River, were granted legal personhood.

In 2021, the HKK, with support from IDL and Earth Law Center, filed a lawsuit seeking recognition of the legal personhood of the Marañón River to protect it from oil spills and other forms of destruction, such as dredging and hydropower projects.

After more than two years of litigation, in March 2024, the federal court ruled in favor of the Kukama, and for the first time in the country’s history, a river was granted legal personhood, giving it the right to exist, to flow free from pollution, and to exercise its essential functions within the ecosystem, among others.

Nature’s rights

He added that the Kukama women are “the protagonists of the legal case” and that their defense of the river has been so strong because “the river is the backbone of their culture.”

However, Canaquiri Murayari says the lawsuit was just the “first step.” The ruling does not immediately prevent oil extraction along the river, but it gives the Kukama the opportunity to challenge ongoing or future activities that infringe on the river’s rights. Together with Earth Law Center and others, she will now work to ensure the government implements the ruling.

This can sometimes be the hardest part. The Atrato River in Colombia, which was granted similar rights in 2016, continues to suffer from pollution from mining activities, with accounts of some of the river’s guardians being too afraid to report an incident, while others cite a “lack of political will.”

But Canaquiri Murayari is confident that with their newfound legal power, they will be able to hold the government and oil companies to account. She also believes it will help to galvanize other indigenous people from around the world to assert their rights.

“This is a door that opens many possibilities for other communities and other rivers and other indigenous leaders,” she says.

As a mother of four, and a grandmother to six, she added: “The work that I’m doing is not only for my community, it’s for the world. Because we need to do something, we need to fight together to leave the world for the next generation.”

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