The chancellor’s speech on Tuesday was a strange thing indeed. Emergency speeches in the early hours of the day are normally reserved for resignations or drastic news – sadly, we got neither. Having considered her intentions over the last few days, it seems more likely that she was talking to the markets rather than the general public, to smooth concerns that she has no plan. As I have written previously, UK Gilt yields remain high, therefore the cost of maintaining our almos

No Halloween jokes needed, as this week I must revert to a familiar supernatural force – that of US President Donald Trump. The trade “conflict” between the US and China has caused market volatility to increase in recent weeks, so if we are to believe the news this week, any improvement in this relationship is good news for clients’ portfolios. As I write on Thursday, President Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping have agreed to postpone export controls on rare earths and com

Now, a break from the norm, as it is all getting a bit depressing. If you wish for further depression, I will revert to the budget and economy later in this email. As the world looks for ways to curb biodiversity loss, new financial tools are being developed to fund the preservation and restoration of ecosystems. I imagine my compliance department would ask me to point out here that this is a news article and not financial advice for a new investment! The latest example is in

Which side of the argument is coming across as having more respect and class? This week when discussing their latest trade escalations, China spoke of “mutual respect” and “peaceful coexistence,” but Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Chief, described a very different encounter when a top Chinese trade official arrived in Washington. Bessent was reported to state that the negotiator turned up uninvited and acted “unhinged.” The Trump circus continues, despite his success in the M