Knowledge and Insight - Markets

Markets have reacted positively to news of US trade deals with the UK and China. But these are still bad deals compared to the previous status quo, so what could propel equity markets higher from here?

April gave investors a rollercoaster ride but the US stock market ended only modestly down and bonds regained their safe-haven status.

Arguably the best investor of all time has decided to retire at the end of the year. Meanwhile, UK interest rates are forecast to fall in a bid to prop up the economy.

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.

With Donald Trump’s first 100 days as President coming to an end, his approval ratings – in the polls and in the markets – have taken a beating. Has investor sentiment gone too negative?

Markets continue to recover as US President Donald Trump and his advisers whisper sweet nothings to investors. It’s a brittle sort of recovery though: definitive de-escalation of the global trade war is needed to truly woo investors. Through it all, though, the dollar should still reign supreme.

Lately we’ve had to acknowledge the distinct possibility that some of the content in these weekly updates could be rendered out-of-date before they’ve even been read. The White House’s somewhat arbitrary approach to policymaking suggests that we should brace ourselves for more of this volatile market behaviour, both positive and negative.

US stocks held up well during a wild week of White House adjustments to its tariff policies. US government bonds and the dollar were less fortunate.

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.

Markets are tumbling fast in response to US tariffs that will upend global trade. Perhaps more dangerous than the policy itself is just how silly it makes the administration look.

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.

The US government plans to slap tariffs on virtually all imports to the US as part of ‘Liberation Day’. The details are yet to be revealed, but the most immediate effect is already apparent: higher prices.