Max Severijns

In the United States, a sense of self-satisfaction about Europe is palpable. But how sustainable is this bravado?

The gap between the US and European stock markets has rarely been so wide. This week, the escalation in Ukraine has driven the markets even further apart. One sector, ironically enough, is bravely holding its ground: defense. For investors looking to invest in this sector, there still seems to be ample opportunity, though many grapple with ethical dilemmas.

Bitcoin’s dreamers are closer than ever to their 100,000 dollar milestone. With America’s debt crisis looming, could crypto speculation turn into strategic reality?

In a move set to shake the corridors of Washington, president-elect Donald Trump has appointed Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE.

The Republicans won the popular vote, regained control of the Senate, and are nearing a majority in the House of Representatives. This is bad news for Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, with whom Donald Trump has a score to settle.

A narrow victory for Kamala Harris in the U.S. election could stir up significant market turbulence. Trump appears unwilling to concede, and his resistance might disrupt the current rally. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Major technology companies such as Amazon, Google, and Oracle are aggressively expanding into nuclear power, sparking significant investor interest in the sector’s stocks and ETFs. However, concerns are emerging about potential ‘pump and dump’ schemes in the rapidly growing space.

Asset managers like Amundi and Schroders are increasingly positioning themselves in longer-dated European government bonds, betting on faster-than-expected rate cuts. Meanwhile, U.S. asset managers are taking a more cautious approach to European duration exposure, highlighting the divergence in market sentiment across the Atlantic.

The surge in US Treasury yields above the 4 percent threshold is drawing a mixed response from investors, despite the Federal Reserve’s recent rate cuts. Experts from Pictet, UBS Wealth Management, and Bank of America see an opportunity to lock in attractive yields amid market turbulence, but the bond market remains unconvinced about the Fed’s path forward.

The rapidly declining profitability of traditional asset management is driving European fund houses to accelerate their pursuit of smaller players, with private equity firms becoming key targets in a wave of consolidation.