President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs that will reshape trade relations with the United States. The new tariff regime is more severe than expected, and extraordinary both in terms of scale and how they were calculated.
NEWS
President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs that will reshape trade relations with the United States. The new tariff regime is more severe than expected, and extraordinary both in terms of scale and how they were calculated.
Getting everyone in your circle of loved ones on board and informed is the key to successful Inheritance Tax planning.
The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most critical oil chokepoint. Roughly one-fifth of global oil supply transits here each day. Commercial traffic has been severely disrupted since late February. Iran maintains a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz – the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil transits during peacetime. As long as that remains the status quo, analysts expect oil and stock markets to experience continued heightened volatility.
Following the weekend escalation involving US – Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s subsequent response, markets have – so far – reacted in a relatively orderly way. The immediate transmission mechanism is energy, because the Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas flows.
Artificial Intelligence has moved from novelty to necessity in what feels like months. Markets have reacted accordingly. Some technology shares have surged on the promise of AI, while others have fallen sharply on fears that AI could undermine existing business models. Like many investors, I’ve been trying to get my head around what is actually happening — and why the stakes suddenly feel so high.
Financial markets were primed for sharp, immediate tax rises. Commentators warned of fiscal tightening. Yet when the Chancellor delivered the measures, the initial reaction was muted. Markets barely moved. The plaster came off—and it didn’t hurt.