Tariff Scorecard: Keeping Score in the Latest Wave of Tariffs
Tariffs are once again front and centre in investors’ minds. Since returning to office, President Trump has hit several major trading partners with new levies and rolled out a wave of new threats. The list is growing fast, with entire countries and key sectors in the crosshairs, making it tough to keep track of what’s actually in effect and what’s still just a warning shot.
So, here’s a quick recap.
What’s BRICS, and Why Is It Back in the Headlines?
I first heard the term BRIC – referring to Brazil, Russia, India, and China – back in the late 1990s when I was researching high-growth mutual funds. The pitch was that these were fast-growing economies, and investing in a BRIC-focused fund would add a boost to a long-term portfolio. I ended up passing on the fund… and promptly forgot about BRIC.
Fast forward to today, and the term is back in the spotlight – this time with an “S” on the end, as South Africa officially joined the group in 2010. With BRICS now grabbing headlines again, I thought it was a good time to revisit what the group is and why it’s suddenly become a target of President Trump’s latest trade threats.
When Good News Is Bad News (and Vice Versa)
This week brought a steady stream of US labour market data, and you might’ve noticed something that feels a little backwards: sometimes good news about jobs or the economy makes stocks fall, while disappointing news sends markets higher. At first, this can be hard to wrap your head around. After all, if more people are working and businesses are hiring, that should be a positive sign, right? But markets don’t just react to the data itself – they react to what that data means for interest rates and the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) next move.
Monthly Market and Portfolio Review
Markets kicked off June with a bang, dipped mid-month, then came roaring back to close with back-to-back gains. The Toronto Stock Exchange Composite Index (TSX) rose 2.6%, the S&P 500 (S&P) jumped 5.0%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq) surged 6.6%, with all three hitting record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) advanced 4.3%, flirting with its own all-time peak.
Why a Ceasefire Between Israel and Iran Matters for the Markets
This week brought a rare dose of geopolitical relief as reports of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran signalled a potential cooling of tensions in the Middle East. For us investors, that kind of news matters more than you might think. While peace is always welcome from a humanitarian standpoint, it also tends to be good for the markets.
When tensions rise in the Middle East, especially between major regional powers like Israel and Iran, it adds a wave of uncertainty to global markets. Oil prices typically spike, safe-haven assets like gold and US Treasuries become more attractive, and stock markets often react with caution. That’s because the region plays a key role in the global energy supply, and any threat to that supply chain can ripple through industries and economies. Investors start to worry about rising fuel costs, supply disruptions, and the possibility of a wider military conflict.
In short, markets don’t like uncertainty (I know, I’ve said that before 😊). And few things create more uncertainty than the threat of war.
When Giants Talk Trade, Canada Feels the Impact
Last week, I discussed the build-up to the China – US trade war and what each side is hoping to get from a deal. After tensions flared this spring, complete with sweeping tariffs and tech restrictions that rattled global markets, the two countries agreed to a temporary truce and resumed negotiations. There’s now a draft framework deal on the table, but it’s more of a ceasefire than a peace treaty. Still, even a partial deal could shift the global economic outlook – and that matters a lot to Canada.