Newsroom

Markets have steadied after the appointment of the Lecornu II administration, yet lingering political and fiscal vulnerabilities persist.

Trade tensions with the United States, marked by 50% tariffs on Indian exports, have dampened sentiment. However, despite trade-related uncertainties, the growth outlook has been revised upwards, reflecting India’s strong long-term potential.

An executive order is opening the door for private assets to access US defined-contribution pension schemes.

Israel’s ‘pre-emptive’ strikes against Iran on 13 June represent a meaningful escalation in what had been Israel’s ongoing battle against primarily Iranian proxies. The conflict has now shifted towards a direct confrontation between the two regional powers in the Middle East.

The US dollar has declined by more than 10% since President Trump took office, driven by policy uncertainty, lower growth expectations, and rising inflation concerns.

In New York as well as other major metro areas, once-bustling corporate offices are now quieter, leading companies to adjust to a new reality: remote working is no longer a temporary solution but rather a structural shift. Consequently, corporates are actively reducing their office space footprints, significantly increasing vacancies in the sector.

The post-election fiscal tightening in 2024, coupled with persistent inflationary pressures, has cast a shadow over India’s economy.

The year started with volatility in rates, as the 10-year Treasury yield oscillates amid shifting market dynamics.

At the start of the year, markets dismissed the prospect of US tariffs as mere threats rather than economic realities. But the new Trump administration’s first decisive moves – targeting China, Canada, Mexico, and soon, Europe – have shattered that assumption.

Emerging market (EM) corporate bonds have faced considerable challenges in recent years, with rising geopolitical tensions, defaults in China’s real estate sector, and elevated global interest rates dampening investor appetite; however, the tide may be turning. A shift in the global interest rate environment – marked by a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve and a fresh economic stimulus package in China – offers an opportunity to revisit this often-overlooked asset class.

The statements in late 2024 from China’s central bank and the country’s Politburo sparked hopes of a ‘whatever it takes’ moment, only to see these dashed, as policy actions have fallen short of expectations.