4 min readThe U.S. auto industry is entering a period of uncertainty due to the looming threat of tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which could have a deleterious effect on vehicles and parts imported from both countries. As of March 11, President Trump has initiated tariffs of 25% on Mexico and Canada, with a temporary reprieve until…
6 min readIn the latest of President Trump’s proposed tariffs, the White House announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, effective March 12th, 2025. This is not the first time that Trump has imposed tariffs on these metals: in 2018 Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on…
6 min readEntering the Presidential election, the greatest concern among voters was the economy[1] in the wake of decades-high inflation experienced under the Biden administration. By some metrics the economy was healthy at the end of President Biden’s tenure, with relatively low unemployment, equities at all-time highs, and the rate of inflation near the Fed’s 2% target….
18 min readFinancial markets have closely monitored consumers’ financial health following the COVID-19 pandemic to gauge when the exceptional economic tailwind provided by high levels of household savings would fade. Accounting for roughly two-thirds of GDP, consumer spending was juiced by pandemic era stimulus programs which ballooned household savings. These savings were later depleted as post-stimulus inflation…
10 min readAbstract Changing credit landscapes, more complex financial products, multiple touchpoints with large financial intermediaries, and high profile bank failures are just some of the challenges treasury management professionals and cash managers face in counterparty risk management. An effective counterparty strategy should provide clarity on the counterparties’ credit strength individually and collectively, and have a desired…
9 min readIntroduction On March 7th, 2024, the European Commission (EC) began enforcing the Digital Markets Act (DMA), one of the most sweeping antitrust policies for Big Tech to date. Yet despite the broad scope covered under the legislation, the market reaction was relatively muted. This suggests a belief that the companies’ operational changes proposed to comply…
2 min readFor the quarter ending March 30th 2024, Apple reported net income of $23.6B, down 2.2% year-over-year, on revenues of $90.8B which were 4.3% lower over the same period. The change in revenues reflected a 14.2% increase in services revenue and a 9.5% decrease in product revenues. Of particular note, iPhone sales which accounted for about…
5 min readIntroduction Earlier this year, European oil majors BP and Shell announced that they would roll back their energy transition plans and keep oil and gas as relatively large parts of their portfolio. In October 2023, their American counterparts Exxon Mobil and Chevron doubled down on a collective $115 billion bet on fossil fuels. Exxon Mobil…
7 min readWhat effects have the labor strikes had on credit markets and how may the Fed’s tightening cycles create further impact? Introduction The U.S. lost 4.1 million days of work to strikes in August, the most in 23 years. The end to the Writers’ strikes brought this figure down to 3.6 million in September, but 33,000…
7 min readCash investors looking to incorporate ESG face an interesting dilemma: Can you invest in oil majors while claiming to be an ESG investor? The answer may surprise you. Part 1: A Recent History of Energy The prominence of ESG investing has increased significantly in recent years, and nowhere has its impact been felt more than…