As the excitement of college basketball’s “March Madness” unfolds, financial markets are also experiencing their share of volatility. The annual tournament features 68 teams competing in a single-elimination format for the championship, beginning tonight with the men’s bracket and tomorrow for the women’s.

However, it’s not just basketball fans caught up in the frenzy. As I draft this, the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and NASDAQ have fallen significantly, down 8.5%, 6.95%, and 12.6% respectively for the month of March. Yet, this week could bring a turning point, with upcoming economic news potentially altering market dynamics.

Recent data from a retail sales report conducted yesterday revealed a modest 0.2% rise in headline retail sales for February, falling short of the 0.6% forecasted increase. Notably, January’s retail sales were revised downward from a previously reported rise of 0.9% to an actual decline of 1.2%.

The “control group” of the report, which excludes some volatile categories, indicated a stronger outcome with a 1% increase, surpassing economists’ expectations of a 0.4% gain. This figure is particularly vital as it contributes to the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ estimations of gross domestic product (GDP) for the quarter.

In other news, NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) kicked off its GTC event today, led by CEO Jensen Huang’s opening remarks. Look for my follow-up article, Market 360, later this week as I anticipate significant announcements, especially on Thursday during Quantum Computing Day.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting also starts today, with a crucial interest rate decision expected tomorrow. I will delve into key insights from this meeting in Market 360, but two primary aspects I’ll be observing include:

First is the discussion surrounding the Trump tariffs. The Federal Reserve is sure to address these tariffs, raising the question of whether they affect the Fed’s viewpoint on economic conditions.

Second, while it is likely the Fed will maintain current interest rates, I’m particularly interested in the latest dot plot chart. I expect four key interest rate cuts this year, and although I don’t anticipate the dot plot will reflect this long-term outlook, it will be insightful to see their current stance.

Market Ratings Updates This Week

To summarize, between NVIDIA’s event and the FOMC meeting, we may see encouraging news reverberate through the markets this week. Following last week’s positive inflation data, a revival in market strength might be on the horizon.

As market fluctuations continue, recent dips present potential buying opportunities. I assessed the latest trends in institutional buying pressure and each company’s financial health, leading to revised Stock Grader (subscription required) recommendations for 133 major stocks (subscription required). Here’s how they categorize:

• Fourteen stocks upgraded from Buy (B-rating) to Strong Buy (A-rating).
• Sixteen stocks upgraded from Hold (C-rating) to Buy (B-rating).
• Thirteen stocks upgraded from Sell (D-rating) to Hold.
• Two stocks upgraded from Strong Sell (F-rating) to Sell.
• Twenty-two stocks downgraded from Strong Buy to Buy.
• Thirty-five stocks downgraded from Buy to Hold.
• Twenty-three stocks downgraded from Hold to Sell.
• Eight stocks downgraded from Sell to Strong Sell.

Below are the first 10 stocks rated as Buys, but for a more comprehensive list—including all 133 stocks’ Fundamental and Quantitative Grades—you can find that here. It’s worth a review, as many might find these stocks in their portfolios and decide to make adjustments.