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.
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.
Monthly Market and Portfolio Review
May brought a welcome rebound for the markets after April’s turbulence. Despite a rocky start driven by President Trump’s unpredictable trade policies, investor sentiment brightened thanks to strong earnings, easing inflation, and a softer stance on tariffs. The S&P 500 (S&P) jumped 6.2%, its best May since 1990 – while the Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq) soared 9.6%, fueled by the big technology companies. The Toronto Stock Exchange Composite Index (TSX) rose 5.4%, and even the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) delivered a solid 3.9%.
One phrase I keep running into early on my investing journey is “risk on, risk off.” At first, I thought it just meant investors were either piling into riskier assets (like technology stocks) or playing it safe with something more stable (like utility stocks). And while that’s partly true, there’s a bit more nuance behind it.
The sell-off at the start of the week wiped out the past 12 months of gains, with stocks edging closer to bear market territory. Since the previous Thursday, US markets saw their steepest three-day decline since 1987 – and before that, not since World War II. Meanwhile, Canada’s TSX Composite Index (TSX) experienced its sharpest drop since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, though, the damage was self-inflicted—and, frankly, far from fun. ☹