Newsroom

Even the slightest regulatory decision or change in the international environment can affect the availability of financing, access to cash, or the perceived solvency of certain counterparties.

Overly defensive positioning has failed to benefit from fluctuations stemming from tariff tensions.

The prospect of continued Fed rate cuts will weigh on the US dollar

Relief from US tariffs has fuelled renewed optimism, though commercial frictions remain, notably with India and Switzerland. Hope of a Russia–Ukraine ceasefire and rising expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut have further buoyed equities. However, with equity valuations increasingly stretched, markets may face bouts of short-term volatility.

While the US earnings season has underpinned the equity rally, emerging risks – such as tariffs slowing the economy and fuelling price pressures – warrant investors’ attention. However, these risks remain insufficient to prompt a shift in our portfolio positioning, and we continue to maintain a broad diversification across asset classes.

Swiss equities have delivered strong returns so far in 2025 – up 24% in USD terms – with market dynamics shifting notably between the first and second quarters. In this podcast episode, Eleanor Taylor Jolidon and Maud Giese from UBP’s Swiss & Global Equity teams explore the drivers behind this performance and what investors might expect for the rest of the year.