Knowledge and Insight - Investment insights

Markets have responded positively to the truce in US trade wars with most of the rest of the world. While uncertainty remains, the path ahead is a little clearer. What’s changed, and what does it means for you?

Join Edward Smith, Co-Chief Investment Officer, and other Rathbones’ experts as they dive into the key themes shaping the investment landscape in 2025—from tariff shifts to global trade dynamics—and what it could mean for your portfolio. Don’t miss these expert insights—watch the full recording now.

Since our last video, all markets have cared about is trade policy. But there is much more to investing than that: here we explain why it’s so important to keep focussed on the long-term resilience of the markets. Before we get to that, it’s worth noting there has been a small de-escalation of the trade war.

Watch Ed's video update below.

Stock markets have reacted badly to the worse than expected news on US trade policy. We favour a more conservative asset allocation in response – but it’s possible to be too gloomy.

In the opening months of President Trump’s second term, attention-grabbing trade policy and a dramatic pivot on Ukraine have ratcheted up the level of uncertainty investors are facing. Our lead article considers the ‘collateral improvement’ this has brought to Europe’s outlook for growth.

When it comes to managing wealth, there is a big difference between the concepts of “risk” and “uncertainty”. Risk is deemed to be quantifiable in some way, allowing managers to construct portfolios with the right balance between assets and the right mix within those asset classes. At least then we might have some idea of the potential gains and losses to which clients are exposed.

After a good start to the year, an onslaught of policy announcements from the White House has since sent US equities into retreat. But falls of this magnitude are a normal part of investing, and the importance of politicians shouldn’t be overrated.

Watch Ed's video update below.

Rathbones’ co chief investment officer, Edward Smith and director of fixed income, Shilen Shah discuss the key themes shaping the investment landscape in 2025.

Events in the US continue to shape the global economy and financial markets, reinforcing the country’s outsized influence. Throughout this edition, we examine the domino effects of key developments across the Atlantic and explore their implications for investors everywhere.

In these videos Rathbones’ co-chief investment officer Ed Smith gives a review of some key lessons from 2024 and discusses our outlook for 2025

Although returns over the past year have been at times hard won, and often made in defiance of a doom and gloom narrative about the state of the world, most investors can look back on some reasonable gains.

Will China roar back from its slump? How can we protect your investments from rising geopolitical conflict, and will the US election make it worse? And how are UK markets reacting to big tax, spending and borrowing increases?