The dramatic changes to U.S. tariffs settings challenges the financial market’s Trump pro-growth market narrative which heralded the start of 2025. Instead, investors now face conditions which look likely to invoke a global economic slowdown, if not recession, with significant pressure on corporate earnings from higher costs together with unsettled consumer demand and production patterns.
“Renewed security challenges in a fragmented world indicate that Europe must strengthen its strategic autonomy. NATO’s latest declaration to raise defence spending may present such an opportunity for the region.”
Over the weekend, the United States launched airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear sites, Iran responded on Monday by launching missiles at the US’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The missiles were shot down and resulted in no casualties – Trump thanked Iran ‘for giving us early notice’. Following these developments, on Monday, a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced, but as of now, it remains unclear if it will hold. The weakened Iranian regime faces growing pressure.