Topic of the Month: The German economy has been lagging behind other Eurozone countries due to structural changes in its economic model and global trade. A huge investment effort would be needed to relaunch it. Economists recommend making up the lost ground within ten years by making massive infrastructure investments.
The global economy avoided recession for a second year. Inflation began to cool and the major central banks embarked on a new cycle of interest rate cuts. However, geopolitical risk rose against the backdrop of a particularly busy election calendar around the world.
The enduring resilience of the US economy will be a key driver of financial markets in 2025 and beyond. Having avoided recession, the US is returning to mid-cycle, according to economic data, while inflation has continued to ease back towards the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) 2% target, enabling the central bank to begin cutting rates. We believe the Fed views monetary policy as restrictive and will likely continue lowering rates, albeit at a slower pace than previously expected.