Iran’s oil shock puts the Teflon-market thesis to the test
Markets enter the week facing not simply another geopolitical headline, but the prospect of a structural energy repricing. After US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader and Tehran retaliated across the region, investors are bracing for a sharp adjustment in oil and gas markets when trading resumes. The issue is no longer whether risk premia rise, but how disruptive and persistent they may become. “The implications for energy markets and commodities, especially for crude oil and LNG flows, are asymmetric and could trigger severe market reactions very soon,” said Cyril Widdershoven, a senior advisor at Blue Water Strategies.
Trump forces Europe into strategic rethink
Donald Trump’s return to the Davos stage on Wednesday has sharpened investor focus on Europe’s exposure to a world in which geopolitics is once again shaping trade, security and capital allocation. “Everything has changed,” said Sabrina Khanniche, senior economist at Pictet.
Venezuela, Greenland and the return of spheres of influence
When United States forces seized President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, the political shock was immediate. The market reaction was not. Oil prices barely moved, investors stayed largely on the sidelines and attention quickly shifted from what had happened in Caracas to what it might reveal about how Washington now intends to wield power beyond its borders.
The new Cold War runs on artificial intelligence
Anna Rosenberg of Amundi Investment Institute says the same forces that once drove nuclear and space spending now fuel an expensive, open-ended struggle for technological supremacy.
Markets confront new uncertainty after U.S. strike on Iran
Geopolitical risk returns as markets weigh Iran escalation, energy disruption and central bank caution following U.S. attacks on nuclear sites.
Former Belgian PM Leterme questions NATO’s 5% defense push
Just two weeks ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has sharply criticized the alliance’s proposed five-percent-of-GDP defense target, calling it a “collective irrationality” that risks overwhelming European decision-making.
Inflation forces a generational rethink among investors
After more than thirty years of falling rates, globalization and passive dominance, a new era is forcing investors to rethink the rules.
Germany votes: a return to the 1930s or stability of the 1990s?
Around 60 million Germans are eligible to vote in Sunday’s national parliamentary elections. For decades, German elections have been predictable and uneventful, but this time, much more is at stake—far beyond just the composition of the Bundestag.
Capital Group sees global champions as key to navigating uncertain times
In an uncertain macroeconomic environment, global asset manager Capital Group is focusing on identifying ‘Global Champions’ across sectors to position client portfolios for long-term success.
Trump’s opening moves set tone for US inflation
Donald Trump, the newly inaugurated 47th President of the United States, is wasting no time in implementing his agenda. Investors are on edge: what will this mean for the US economy?