Latest news with #US-centric
Malaysian Reserve
7 days ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
The emergence of US-minus trade landscape
CHINA is expected to accelerate its economic and diplomatic engagement with ASEAN as part of a broader strategy to mitigate US-centric risk and build alternative trade corridors. At the same time, an emerging trend in the region is a 'US-minus' trade landscape — one in which regional blocs such as Southeast Asia, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU) are actively deepening their economic linkages in response to US protectionism and unpredictability. These were some of the views expressed at a panel discussion recently organised by MARC Ratings Bhd when presenting global and market outlook for the second half of 2025 (2H25). Moderated by MARC Ratings chief economist Dr Ray Choy, the panel included Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) assistant governor Mohd Fraziali Ismail, former Deputy Minister Dr Ong Kian Ming and University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute Malaysia honorary research associate Professor Dr Bridget Welsh. The session explored the intensification of trade tensions, US tariff strategies, supply chain recalibration and the regional response from ASEAN economies. The panel examined the far-reaching consequences of recent US trade policies, particularly those adopted under the Trump administration, which were characterised as being driven more by short-term political motives and optics rather than by coherent, long-term economic planning. Nonetheless, the panelists noted that these policies were exerting real and lasting pressure on global supply chains, prompting businesses and governments alike to reassess their dependencies and strategic trade relationships. Focusing on Malaysia, the panel members agreed that retaliation is unlikely to be effective or desirable, noting that a negotiated, sector-specific approach was identified as the more strategic path forward. Key among Malaysia's priorities should be securing exemptions from semiconductor-related tariffs, given the sector's importance to the national economy and its role in global technology supply chains. Additionally, there was strong emphasis on maximising existing trade frameworks — such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) — to boost exports, particularly in high-impact sectors such as palm oil. Malaysia was also encouraged to continue pursuing new free trade agreements (FTAs) to diversify its trade portfolio and enhance long-term resilience, according to a statement released by MARC Ratings. On monetary and financial policy, the statement noted that the panel observed that the ringgit remains predominantly influenced by external factors, including global monetary tightening, capital flows and investor sentiment. While domestic policy can play a role in managing short-term volatility, its ability to counteract structural global trends is limited, it added. — TMR This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
The Herald Scotland
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Is it time for investors to rethink 'balanced' portfolio?
Looking at the classic 60/40 portfolio, equities tend to be significantly more volatile than bonds, meaning they contribute disproportionately to portfolio fluctuations. Add to that the fact that the equity portion is often dominated by a handful of tech giants, and the picture becomes even more skewed. For example, the top 10 US companies in the S&P500 account for nearly 40% of the index, with technology companies making up an even higher share. What many investors perceive as diversified is, in fact, highly concentrated. Looking outside of US markets for diversification may seem like a logical step, but global equity benchmarks have also become increasingly US-centric. In the 1980s, the US made up about one-third of the MSCI All-Country World Index (ACWI). Today, it accounts for some two-thirds. This shift means that even international portfolios are heavily influenced by US market dynamics. Historical data show that every major correction of 10% and more in US equities over the past 30 years has coincided with similar or worse declines in international stocks. In other words, geographic diversification may not offer the protection investors expect during market downturns. We believe that expected returns, especially from the equity component of the 60/40 strategy, at least if it's left predominately in US equities, are unlikely to deliver what investors are looking for over the medium to long term. The starting valuations are high and so our long-term returns forecasts are low (sub cash over 10 years). But added to that, over the past few years the equity-bond correlation has started to turn increasingly positive, meaning that equities and bonds have had a tendency to behave similarly. This is a stark change to when 60/40 portfolios became the norm, when correlations were negative. Why the change? We have seen more inflation shocks hitting the global economy – from things like volatile geopolitics, supply chain disruptions, and climate change. Inflationary shocks push up on inflation and down on growth, so they push up on bond yields (which means they push down on bond prices) and down on equity prices. We believe these sorts of shocks will become more common in the future. To genuinely reduce the risk of large drawdowns, investors need to think beyond the number of holdings and focus on the underlying risk factors driving returns. A portfolio with thousands of securities may still be vulnerable if those assets are all influenced by the same economic forces. One alternative is a cross-asset strategy that allocates across equities, bonds, currencies, commodities, and gold – balancing each asset's contribution to overall portfolio risk. A model portfolio could include: Equities, bonds (US 10-year treasuries), private markets such as infrastructure, real estate and private equity; commodities; and gold. Of course, avoiding large losses is critical to compounding returns and preserving wealth – especially for those nearing retirement or needing access to their savings. By focusing on true diversification across uncorrelated risk factors, investors can build portfolios that are more resilient to shocks and better positioned for long-term success. Of course the challenge is to build portfolios that truly have that full balance of risk, and the importance of private markets to diversify and help people build long term financial resilience is very much on the political agenda. There is no question that we need more solutions for investors and slowly, choice is opening up, particularly when it comes to pensions. Maximilien Macmillan is head of macro investments at Aberdeen
IOL News
07-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Warning: Trump's new tariffs push investors further from US
BRICS currency discussions and cross-border trade agreements as signals that the old order is under revision. Donald Trump's fresh threat to slap an additional 10% tariff on any country backing the BRICS alliance is accelerating a decisive shift among global investors — one that's moving capital, attention and confidence away from the United States, says Nigel Green, CEO of global financial advisory deVere Group. 'This policy announcement is confirmation of a growing narrative that the US is drifting toward economic isolation,' says Nigel Green. 'Investors are reacting to that — not with panic, but with reallocation.' Trump's warning, issued Sunday on Truth Social, comes just days before the expiry of the 90-day pause on steep tariffs. From August 1, higher levies will hit countries that haven't signed trade deals with Washington. So far, only three nations — China, Vietnam and the UK — have finalised agreements. Allies, including the EU, Japan and South Korea, remain exposed. 'Tariffs were once a bargaining tool. Now they're a permanent threat. That changes how markets view American reliability,' says Green. 'We're seeing a structural reassessment of US exposure.' The newly expanded BRICS bloc — which now includes Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and others — condemned unilateral tariffs at a summit in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend, vowing to protect multilateral trade rules and accelerate cooperation across emerging markets. 'The message from BRICS is to build around the US, not with it,' says Green. 'That's a direct consequence of Trump's strategy, and it's setting the stage for a less US-centric world economy.' Markets are already reflecting this realignment. The dollar index declined again on Monday, as investors weigh political friction over monetary cues. The pan-European Stoxx 600 hovered just below neutral, while London's FTSE 100 slipped 0.1%, and France's CAC 40 barely moved. Germany's DAX added 0.4% — a sign of selective positioning, not broad optimism. Gold remains firm near $2,370 an ounce. Bitcoin has broken above $109,000 — its highest in nearly a month — as global capital seeks safety outside sovereign systems. 'This is a repositioning around resilience,' Nigel Green explains. 'The flow into gold and Bitcoin isn't about fear — it's about building protection against political volatility, and Washington is now a central part of that volatility.' According to IMF figures, global trade growth has slowed to just 1.8% this year. Foreign direct investment into the US fell 5.2% in Q2. Capital isn't fleeing — but it's recalculating. 'Washington is testing the patience of its allies and the tolerance of the market,' Nigel Green says. 'And while that may work domestically, internationally it's triggering a search for alternatives.' For investors, the response must be deliberate. 'Waiting for clarity is not a strategy. This is the clarity,' adds the deVere CEO. 'Investors are increasingly looking to avoid overconcentration in US-linked assets and build exposure to regions that are actively hedging against American pressure — especially Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.' Green also points to the BRICS currency discussions and cross-border trade agreements as signals that the old order is under revision. 'The shift won't happen overnight, but it's happening. If the world starts trading less in dollars, investing less in US bonds, and building fewer supply chains through the States, that's not a future risk. That's a current one.' With tariff letters set to go out and few signs of de-escalation, the fallout may intensify in the coming weeks. 'This strategy may generate short-term leverage, but it's setting up long-term loss,' says Nigel Green. 'Washington is trying to weaponise trade. The world is responding by building its defences — and that will have lasting consequences for markets and the US and global economies.' George Prior, United Kingdom
India.com
04-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Donald Trump says
Donald Trump says "didn't make any progress at all" with Putin during… Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said that in his recent phone call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, he had made 'no progress at all' on efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters on Thursday (US local time), Trump stated that over their phone call he and Putin discussed a lot of things, including Iran and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 'We had a call. It was a pretty long call. We talked about a lot of things including Iran and we also talked about, as you know, the war with Ukraine. I'm not happy about that,' Trump said. Asked whether any progress was made on potential deal to end the conflict in Ukraine , Trump responded, 'No. I didn't make any progress with him today at all.' During their telephonic conversation, Putin made it clear that Russia will 'not back down' on its goal of 'eliminating' the root cause of the war in Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported. 'Russia will not back down,' Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters after Putin's call with Trump. However, he added that Putin expressed 'readiness' to 'seek a political and negotiated solution to the conflict. 'Putin emphasised that Russia seeks to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the 'root causes' of the conflict, Ushakov said. The 'root cause' here refers to Ukraine's push to join NATO, following which Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to prevent Kyiv from joining the US-centric Trump-Putin phone call between two leaders came a day after the US paused promised weapon deliveries to Kyiv, including air defence missiles and precision-guided artillery, Al Jazeera reported. On June 27, Putin said Russia will no longer engage in 'one-sided' games with the West, RT reported. He made these remarks while addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) summit in Minsk. According to RT, Putin said that Western nations have repeatedly betrayed Russia by not honouring their promises regarding NATO expansion and resolving the Ukraine conflict. He emphasised that NATO is using alleged Russian 'aggressiveness' to justify plans to increase defence spending to 5 per cent of member states' GDP and bolster military presence in Europe.' They [the West] are turning everything upside down,' Putin said. 'No one is saying a word about how we've come up to the Russian special military operation,' he continued, asserting that the Ukraine conflict's origins date back decades, when Moscow was 'blatantly lied to' about NATO's intentions. 'What followed was one expansion wave after another,' he added. Putin said Russia's repeated security concerns regarding NATO's activities were ignored by the West. He said, 'Isn't it aggressive behaviour? That is precisely aggressive behaviour, which the West does not want to pay attention to.' The Russian President also accused Western nations of supporting separatist and terrorist movements as long as they targeted Russia.
Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Chainwire Expands to 25 Regional PR Packages, Delivering Localized Crypto PR at Global Scale
Chainwire, the leading press release distribution platform for crypto and Web3 projects, today announced the expansion of its global infrastructure with the launch of 25 regional PR packages. Chainwire enables Web3 teams to publish press releases that are translated and distributed to top crypto media outlets in their target regions, with guaranteed placement and real-time visibility. With over 100 regional crypto media partners onboarded, Chainwire now offers the industry's most extensive native-language PR distribution network. This marks a major step forward in crypto-native communications, addressing the growing need for Web3 teams to move beyond US-centric campaigns and engage fragmented global markets with localized, impactful messaging. 'The crypto media landscape is increasingly regional, and the ability to communicate locally has gone from optional to essential. With this expansion, we're giving teams one-click access to trusted outlets in every major market,' said Alon Keren, CMO at Chainwire. Localized Distribution Across the Crypto World Each Chainwire regional PR package includes human translation and guaranteed editorial placement on multiple top-tier crypto news outlets in the target market. While many traditional newswires translate PR content and host it on their own platforms or general finance channels, Chainwire ensures crypto-specific placements with native reach. Coverage includes: With this expansion, Chainwire now enables full-stack PR campaigns across: Asia-Pacific: China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Taiwan Europe: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Nordics This expanded reach is already being leveraged by leading regional media partners who see Chainwire as critical infrastructure for localized crypto PR. ' reaches a global audience with real-time financial and crypto news, tools, and data, and Chainwire's infrastructure enables fast, accurate delivery across our various language editions,' said Yoav Raif, Director of Sales and Business Development at 'Their crypto-native localization capabilities complement our global reach.' 'Turkey has one of the highest crypto adoption rates in the world, and demand for timely, credible Web3 news is growing fast,' said Yusuf Numanoğlu, Founder at Bitcoin Sistemi. 'Chainwire gives global projects a direct channel to reach Turkish crypto users with localized content delivered through trusted media — a crucial edge in such a fast-moving market.' 'Localized messaging isn't a nice-to-have in Korea, it's a necessity,' said Ethan Choi, Chief Strategy Officer at BlockMedia. 'Chainwire bridges that gap with native content published directly to Korean crypto readers.' The full set of regional PR packages, including country-level breakdowns and publisher examples, can be viewed in Chainwire's official deck: Chainwire is the leading crypto-native PR distribution platform, integrated with over 100 top crypto media outlets and supporting 25 regional PR bundles. Purpose-built for Web3, it enables guaranteed, same-day publication with multilingual reach, homepage visibility, and real-time performance tracking. Trusted by 2,000+ companies, Chainwire has distributed more than 9,500 press releases globally. Contact PR Account Manager Reut
