Han Dieperink

As we approach the milestone of President Donald Trump’s first one hundred days back in the White House, it is time to assess the impact his administration has had on both policy and markets.

Following Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day,” investors are grappling with a fundamental question: Is a trading order possible that is less dependent on the United States? Or are we on the brink of a new Great Depression, as some doomsayers suggest?

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan became known for his hardline stance against the Soviet Union—a strategy that ultimately contributed to the end of the Cold War. Today, we see Donald Trump adopting a similarly confrontational approach, but this time on the economic battlefield.

The training landscape of artificial intelligence has taken an unexpected turn—one that challenges classical economic principles. More data leads to better performance, with no signs of saturation.

On 10 March 2000, the Nasdaq peaked at 5048.6 points – a moment that no one recognised as such at the time, but which, in retrospect, marked the beginning of a freefall that would wipe out 77 percent of the market’s value. Now, 25 years later, inevitable parallels arise between the dotcom hype and the current AI revolution. But are these comparisons justified?

For more than eighty years, Europe has been protected under the security umbrella of the United States. Now, as negotiations take place regarding the war in Europe without the involvement of Ukraine or any other European nations, Europe is forced to adopt an independent stance both politically and militarily.

The Bund in Shanghai is a one-and-a-half-kilometre waterfront promenade along the Yellow River. With its luxury restaurants and Italian racing cars, the view of Pudong from Bar Rouge on the Bund resembles the capitalist pinnacle of the communist utopia.

Passive investing can be seen as a disruptive innovation that has also reduced costs for active investors. It has made active investors more engaged, aligning their compensation more closely with their added value. Meanwhile, passive investors benefit as free riders from the extensive work undertaken by active investors.

Time and again, the arrival of new technology is underestimated, while the latest technological advancements are adopted at an ever-increasing pace. This makes investing in new technology attractive, as both its profit potential and profit growth are often undervalued.

Trump’s second term promises lower taxes, market-friendly policies, and bold trade moves, but risks with Russia, China, and inflation could shape global markets profoundly, write Han Dieperink in his latest column.