Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Market Turmoil
Stocks bloomberg.com are set to fall as tariff unpredictability ripples through markets. The S&P 500 and dollar both declined after the US Supreme Court hit Trump's tariffs, with gold and Treasury yields rising as markets price in uncertainty over the president's trade agenda. US customs investing.com announced it will stop collecting Trump tariffs from February 24 following the Supreme Court ruling.
Regional Market Reactions
Asian markets wsj.com shrugged off US tariff uncertainties, with stocks rising broadly and South Korea and Taiwan setting records. Chinese export stocks investing.com rose after the Supreme Court ruled against Trump tariffs. Delta Electronics bloomberg.com became Thailand's first $100 billion company after the US Supreme Court ruling striking down tariffs further improved demand outlook for its AI cooling equipment.
Trade Policy Impact
A US Supreme Court ruling bloomberg.com lowering tariffs on Indian imports may provide short-term relief, though former WTO Ambassador Jayant Dasgupta explains why the gain may be short-lived. Thailand bloomberg.com sees upside to the Trump Court-ordered US tariff reset, with a uniform 15% rate strengthening its appeal as a manufacturing and investment hub. US footwear retailers bloomberg.com are preparing for potential tariff refunds following the Supreme Court decision.
Private Markets
Private equity ft.com faces a record logjam as firms struggle to sell, with the value of companies sitting in buyout funds reaching $3.8 trillion last year according to Bain & Company. The industry's dry spell is now worse than the 2008 crisis, returning fewer profits to investors for a fourth straight year. KKR bloomberg.com has agreed to buy a majority stake in XCL Education Holdings Pte in a deal valuing the Southeast Asian school operator at about $1.3 billion.
Regional Developments
Several Saudi Arabian firms bloomberg.com are pressing ahead with plans for local listings, testing investor appetite in Riyadh amid volatile oil prices and geopolitical risks. Am Cham Hong Kong bloomberg.com reports some members are rethinking China supply chain plans after weighing US tariffs, costs and sourcing alternatives. Philippine firms bloomberg.com are stepping up efforts to limit foreign exchange risks as global uncertainty fuels sharp swings in the peso.
Commodity & Currency Markets
Gold entered the storybook stage as its price rose far above levels suggested by fundamental forces. The Hungarian forint bloomberg.com rallied to two-year highs despite potential interest rate cuts. Israel's central bank bloomberg.com faces a close call on interest rates as it balances lower inflation and a strong currency against uncertainties of a potential US-led conflict with Iran.
Industry News
A US solar trade group bloomberg.com sees the energy storage market growing by 21% this year as demand for batteries outweighs policy headwinds. Centrus Energy ft.com warns that fuel shortages threaten US nuclear resurgence due to rising demand and a ban on Russian imports. Data centers ft.com are seeking credit ratings to unlock billions in funding for AI infrastructure projects.
Corporate Moves
BlackRock bloomberg.com active equity veteran Belinda Boa will leave the firm after over 25 years. Qatar's sovereign wealth fund bloomberg.com is investing in a private credit firm run by former Goldman Sachs partners Tom Connolly and Michael Koester. F&G ft.com sold its life reinsurer to create a company led by a Blackstone veteran.