Asian markets experienced a sharp sell-off on Monday, April 7th, driven by concerns over President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs and the potential for a US recession. Circuit breakers were triggered in Japan and Taiwan due to significant declines exceeding 8% and 9.8% respectively in their key indices. Other Asian markets, including Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, and India, also suffered substantial losses. These widespread drops followed a negative outlook in US futures markets, indicating continued global market volatility.
Read More
President Trump’s new tariffs, announced on “Liberation Day,” targeted numerous U.S. trading partners, notably excluding Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and Cuba. White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett explained that this exclusion stemmed from a conscious decision to avoid complicating ongoing peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Imposing tariffs at this juncture, Hassett argued, risked disrupting diplomatic progress. While Ukraine faced new tariffs, its economy minister deemed the impact manageable, despite significant trade with the U.S.
Read More
Driven by fears of a global recession and trade war sparked by President Trump’s tariff plan, the Australian share market experienced a significant plunge, losing over $160 billion initially before partially recovering to approximately $100 billion in losses. This sell-off, impacting sectors across the board, mirrored market crashes during the Covid-19 pandemic and Global Financial Crisis, but with the unique element of a single individual initiating the downturn. The Australian dollar also plummeted to pandemic-era lows against major currencies, reflecting concerns about reduced commodity demand in a slowing global economy. Investors anxiously await signs of a trade truce to gauge the market’s future trajectory.
Read More
BP chair Helge Lund will step down in 2026, following shareholder pressure and a reversal of the company’s net-zero strategy. This decision comes after activist investor Elliott built a large stake in BP, protesting the company’s shift toward green energy. The strategy, spearheaded by former CEO Bernard Looney, was ultimately abandoned in favor of increased fossil fuel production, a move that angered climate activists. Lund’s departure follows a “fundamental reset” of BP’s strategy aimed at improving performance and shareholder value. A search for his successor, led by senior independent director Amanda Blanc, is now underway.
Read More
Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, opposes President Trump’s recent tariffs, arguing that past Republican support for protectionist trade policies contributed to the Great Depression. He supports bipartisan Senate legislation, the “Trade Review Act of 2025,” which would require congressional approval for new tariffs and limit the president’s unilateral tariff authority. Bacon will introduce a House companion bill, aiming to restore Congress’s constitutional role in setting trade policy. The bill faces an uphill battle in the House, but has garnered some support from Republican members.
Read More
New consumer protection laws ban hidden fees, estimated to cost consumers £2.2 billion annually, requiring businesses to include all mandatory fees in the headline price. The legislation also prohibits fake online reviews, addressing a problem impacting approximately 10% of all product reviews and impacting consumer spending of £217 billion in online retail. These changes, part of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024, aim to create a fairer marketplace and empower consumers with greater transparency and control over their spending. The ban specifically targets unavoidable fees, while optional extras remain unaffected.
Read More
Following a Saturday night officer-involved shooting in Pocatello, Idaho, approximately 50 protestors gathered to demonstrate outside the Pocatello Police Department. Graphic video footage of the incident, showing a man being shot multiple times by police officers after an apparent altercation involving a weapon, circulated widely on social media. The man, possibly a teenager with special needs, was hospitalized; his condition remains unknown. The East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force is investigating, while the Pocatello Police Department has yet to release a statement.
Read More
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s request for her followers to purchase her son a birthday beer via Venmo sparked significant online criticism. The congresswoman, whose net worth is estimated at $21.93 million, faced accusations of exploiting her supporters for personal gain. Following substantial backlash, Greene deleted the post. This incident follows reports of her strategic stock trades before a major market downturn.
Read More
Bill Ackman’s recent warning to President Trump regarding the escalating trade war highlights a growing unease among certain segments of the population. He’s essentially pleading with Trump to reconsider the current course of action, arguing that the economic fallout is detrimental and contrary to the expectations of many voters.
The core of Ackman’s message revolves around the idea that the trade war’s consequences are far-reaching and unexpectedly severe. It’s a situation where the initial promises made during the campaign are clashing with the harsh realities of implementation. Many feel the current economic instability is not what they envisioned when they cast their votes.… Continue reading
President Trump’s newly announced tariffs, ranging from 10% to 50%, have triggered significant market downturn and recessionary fears. These tariffs, purportedly reciprocal, are calculated using a flawed formula that inflates foreign tariffs fourfold by misinterpreting price elasticity data. Correcting this error would dramatically reduce the tariffs to near the 10% minimum for most countries. The administration’s formula lacks economic justification, raising concerns about the soundness of the underlying trade policy.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood