Macro News 🏅
China Jolts U.S. Markets; Trump Chip Policy Under Scrutiny; Silver Market Volatility Rises
Posted: 18/01/2026The latest snapshot of tariffs in 2025 paints a messy picture. The aim was to pull industry back to the United States and cut reliance on China. Instead, growth has been narrow at home, led by healthcare real estate government and technology, while construction and manufacturing struggle. When tariffs lift the price of key inputs, it becomes harder to make affordable goods. That is a tough backdrop for any export based strategy.
Bessent Responds as Allies Consider Reducing USD; Canada Strengthens Ties with China
Posted: 15/01/2026Trade tensions are finally biting and the strain is showing up in currencies and markets. A weaker greenback is back in focus after a near 10 percent slide last year and another sharp daily drop. The usual claim that a softer dollar boosts exports is falling flat because tariffs are lifting costs for domestic producers and supply chains are still not ready. Investor nerves are fraying, with a sudden stock wobble hitting both tech and industrial names. Money is hunting for safety and speed, and that is pushing real assets higher.
US ultimatum to China over Iran may affect global semiconductor competition
Posted: 14/01/2026In the past few days we have seen a rapid escalation in US Iran tensions, framed by a wider contest over energy, trade and technology. The thrust of the argument is that Washington is leaning hard on sanctions rather than direct conflict, with a new threat of secondary penalties designed to pressure any country that trades with Iran. The risk is that this squeezes an already fragile Iranian economy while rippling through global supply chains.
China halts U.S. chip purchases; Venezuela asset freeze; Trump $1.5 trillion military budget
Posted: 12/01/2026The chip war has reached a critical juncture. Beijing is sending mixed signals on whether to allow imports of Nvidia H200 chips, with some indications of imminent approval and others instructing firms to pause orders until the state signs off. Nvidia is asking Chinese buyers for upfront payment to hedge policy reversals. The stakes are macro critical. A powerful tech investment wave has driven recent US growth, with technology capital spending near 2 percent of GDP and Nvidia at the centre of the story. If Chinese demand stalls and US data centre expansion is capped by power constraints that could rise from about 50 to nearly 150 gigawatts by 2030, the AI build cycle could slow and equity markets that lean on the Magnificent Seven may wobble.
China Restricts Exports to Japan as Yen Bonds Slide
Posted: 08/01/2026Japan’s economy has been under strain since the energy shock three years ago, and a fresh political reset has not eased the pressure. Remarks by the new prime minister on Taiwan triggered a swift response from Beijing. China has rolled out broad based export controls on any goods that could have military applications, effectively cutting off a wide swathe of dual use inputs. Markets took fright, and the message from Beijing is that the scope can widen as needed.
US oil policy faces backlash as key ally deepens economic ties with China
Posted: 07/01/2026At its core this moment is about power projection and resource security in the western hemisphere. The narrative is that Washington aims to ring fence Venezuelan oil to deny influence to China Russia and Iran while shoring up US supply chains after years of tariff driven fragmentation. This is framed as both a geopolitical gambit and a bid to secure commodities for an economy that still relies heavily on imported crude. The Gulf Coast is perfectly placed for Latin American barrels and US refineries are well suited to heavy crude. Big US firms are expected to rebuild Venezuelan infrastructure and capture oil at steep discounts that could endure for years given the size of Venezuelan reserves.
U.S. Expands Money Supply by $74.6 Billion: What to Know
Posted: 06/01/2026Here is the big picture on the macro backdrop right now. Inflation pressure is still rooted in too much money chasing too few goods, with the United States at the centre of the latest liquidity push. Since late 2024 policy rates have trended down and markets expect more cuts through 2026. The lower cost of money is most likely to help Washington rather than Main Street, as the Treasury leans on short term issuance to fund large programmes and the trade confrontation. Cheaper energy from potential Venezuela supply could even give the central bank cover to cut further.