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The Euro Stoxx 50 ended the week 0.76% higher, after U.S. President Trump said he would give the European Union more time to negotiate a trade deal before 50% tariffs take effect. In the UK, services sector confidence fell to a two and a half year low in the three months to May, as a new […]

The Moody’s downgrade stripped the U.S. of its last triple-A rating, citing a lack of progress in curbing deficits and rising interest costs. While not unexpected, it reignited focus on the growing fiscal burden, especially with legislation on the table that could add nearly $3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. The bill […]

U.S. retail sales growth slowed sharply in April, with headline sales up just 0.1% after a 1.7% surge in March. The fading boost from front-loaded auto purchases ahead of tariffs weighed on momentum, while broader consumer spending softened amid rising economic uncertainty. Core retail sales, which align closely with the consumption component of GDP, fell […]

High-level trade negotiations between the U.S. and China are set to resume in Switzerland this weekend. U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent and Trade Representative Greer will meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in a bid to de-escalate tensions. Meanwhile, new customs data showed Chinese exports to the U.S. plummeted 21% year-over-year in April, falling to […]

Eurozone economic growth picked up to 0.4% in Q1, doubling the prior quarter’s pace and beating the 0.2% consensus forecast from FactSet. In other news, Bloomberg reported that the European Union plans to ease trade barriers with the U.S., boost investment, cooperate on strategic issues, and increase purchases of U.S. goods like LNG and tech. […]

Safe-haven assets such as gold attracted strong inflows, with bullion prices surging to an intra-week high above $3,500 per ounce, reflecting ongoing concerns around geopolitics and inflation. While there were glimmers of progress on Ukraine and renewed nuclear talks with Iran, trade tensions persisted, and political uncertainty within the U.S. continued to grow. Against this […]

On the economic front, U.S. retail sales rose 1.4% in March, marking the biggest increase in over two years. The surge was largely driven by a 5.3% jump in vehicle and auto parts sales, as consumers rushed to buy ahead of a proposed 25% tariff on imported automobiles. Gains were also seen in building materials, […]

President Trump announced a 90-day deferral of higher reciprocal tariffs for most U.S. trading partners to facilitate negotiations. However, China was excluded from the pause, with the U.S. administration escalating tariffs on Chinese imports, first by doubling them and later increasing them to 145%. In retaliation, China imposed additional duties on U.S. goods in two […]

In light of the recent market volatility following President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping new tariffs last week, we want to provide clarity on what’s happening, how it may impact markets, and most importantly how your portfolio is positioned to weather this period of uncertainty. MARKET OVERVIEW Global markets have reacted sharply to the U.S. […]

Stock markets fell sharply this past week following the Trump administration’s announcement of sweeping new tariffs. From 5 April, the U.S. will impose a minimum 10% tariff on all imported goods, with significantly higher rates for countries running large trade surpluses with the U.S. - China, for example, will face a 34% tariff, while the […]