Worldwide Financial Planning

As the dust settles on this US election, the world is bracing for what a second Trump term could bring to the global economy. The market reaction so far has been something of a déjà vu, echoing the “Trump trades” of 2016 - US bond yields are rising, the dollar is strengthening, and equities are on an upward swing

Yes, taxation has increased on businesses and the wealthy, but this was nothing like as bad as had been predicted. Government spending has increased, but having laid the groundwork the chancellor has missed a once in a generation opportunity to do something truly different.

I covered the most cost-efficient way to buy a car in this column a couple of months back, and it’s quite apt that the appeal courts have just sided with consumers over the secret car loan commissions, a ruling which may rock some financial institutions further than some may think.

The update from the IMF is rare good news for the Treasury as it gets ready for next week’s Budget. The government appears to have overdone its efforts to pave the way for spending cuts and tax rises.

At the beginning of this rate rise, we were clear they wouldn’t rocket as the mainstream press said, and we explained that in this column. They haven’t. In conversations we are having with borrowers it’s clear that fear has stuck, so let’s look at the facts again.

The European Central Bank rate cut was in line with expectations, however, Christine Lagarde’s comments appeared much more confident about the end of inflation in the Eurozone and clear the way for the bank to concentrate on the low economic growth in the region.