Sarah Hansen

3 weeks ago | morningstar.com | Lukas Strobl |Sarah Hansen

Global equity markets jumped on Monday after the United States and China agreed to walk back sky-high tariffs that had built up during weeks of tit-for-tat escalation. Following talks in Switzerland, officials from the world’s two largest economies said in a joint statement that several recent tariff increases would be altered or suspended, resulting in a 30% US tariff on Chinese goods and a 10% Chinese tariff on US goods. Before the weekend, those figures had stood at 145% and 125%, respectively.

1 month ago | morningstar.fi | Sarah Hansen

Trumpin ensimmäisten 100 päivän aikana (jotka päättyivät virallisesti keskiviikkona 30. huhtikuuta) Yhdysvaltain osakemarkkinat ovat laskeneet lähes 8 %. Osakkeet aloittivat jakson laskusuhdanteessa, kun vuoden 2024 suuri teknologian nousumarkkina oli pysähtynyt ja sijoittajat alkoivat huolestua Trumpin tullimaksuista. Laajemmin ottaen sijoittajat olivat tyytymättömiä riskialttiisiin sijoituksiin ja alkoivat etsiä defensiivisempiä sijoituskohteita.

1 month ago | morningstar.com.au | Sarah Hansen

Key takeawaysThe US economy contracted at a rate of 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025. The slowdown in GDP growth was driven by a surge in imports, as US firms attempted to front-run tariffs. Analysts say the slowdown, while concerning, is not necessarily a sign of an imminent recession. Worries that the US economy is headed for a recession thanks to President Donald Trump’s tariffs are mounting in the wake of new data showing the US economy shrank in the first quarter.

1 month ago | morningstar.com | Sarah Hansen

President Donald Trump has amped up his public criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. A politicized central bank opens the door to higher inflation, higher interest rates, and a loss of confidence in the American financial system. Powell has been adamant that the Fed will maintain its independence and that he won’t step down before the end of his term in 2026. The Federal Reserve’s independence is under fire again, and alarm bells are ringing louder this time around.

1 month ago | morningstar.com | Sarah Hansen

Bond yields remain attractive, calling for income, not price appreciation from big bets on changes in interest rates, Brownback says. Brownback prefers bonds with intermediate maturities, which offer attractive yields with reduced volatility, and corporate debt over Treasuries. European yields have also risen amid volatility in the US fixed-income market; Brownback considers German bonds to be attractive.