The week ending September 5, 2025, saw a fractured global market. U.S. stocks rallied to new highs on Federal Reserve rate cut hopes, interpreting weak jobs data as “bad news is good news”. Europe declined significantly due to sovereign debt fears. Asia mostly gained, while Australia fell. Gold surged as a safe-haven, contrasting with slipping oil prices.
The week ending August 29, 2025, was marked by contradictions, with OpenAI’s GPT-5 launching into an AI arms race with Microsoft and Google. Simultaneously, a global cybersecurity alert warned of state-sponsored hacking, and U.S. chip trade policy with China created uncertainty. This led to a tech-led market sell-off, as investors questioned the viability of the AI boom.
Global markets diverged sharply in late August 2025. US and Australian equities rose on hopes of a Fed rate cut, while new US tariffs had an impact on Indian markets and the rupee. Mainland China surged on liquidity, contrasting with Hong Kong’s earnings-led slump. Europe faced inflation and political jitters, setting a volatile September.
Global Markets at a Crossroads: Tariffs and Rate Cut Hopes Define a Volatile Week Read More »
The week ending August 22, 2025, saw significant shifts. OpenAI’s GPT-5 launch underscored the emotional bond between users and AI. In semiconductors, the U.S. government acquired a 10% stake in Intel, while Nvidia ceased H20 chip production for China, highlighting techno-nationalism. Escalating cyber threats also revealed a fragmented global security landscape.
The week ending August 22, 2025, saw a sharp reversal, driven by Fed Chair Powell’s dovish Jackson Hole speech. Signalling potential rate cuts, it sparked a fierce global rally, pushing the Dow to a record high. However, local economic conditions led to significant market divergences, notably in Germany and Japan.
The week ending August 15, 2025, showed jarring IT industry contradictions. Geopolitical tensions escalated with 100% semiconductor tariffs and a “pay-to-play” AI chip deal. AI revolution accelerated, compelling huge investments despite GPT-5 backlash and ethical concerns.
