Markets are showing signs of both resilience and sensitivity amid trade tensions, a government shutdown, and shifting investor sentiment. Gold has surged past USD 4,000, while AI-focused equities continue to draw capital. Intrasia Wealth explores whether complacency is creeping into the market and why composure remains your greatest advantage.

The U.S. labor market is at a pivotal turning point. Job growth is slowing, but resilience remains. Shifts in trade, immigration, and AI are redefining employment trends, while strong corporate profits continue to support stability. Intrasia Wealth examines how this evolving landscape affects long-term investment positioning.

The US dollar has weakened this year, but its dominance endures. Despite record debt, policy pressures, and rising interest in gold and Bitcoin, the dollar remains the backbone of global finance. Intrasia Wealth explores how diversification across currencies and alternative stores of value can strengthen investor resilience in a shifting monetary landscape.

After decades of ultra-low interest rates, Japan’s bond market has entered a new era. The election of Sanae Takaichi as Japan’s likely first female prime minister has driven yields on 30-year government bonds to record highs, signaling a shift in global capital flows. As the “Takaichi Trade” unfolds, investors worldwide are reassessing yield dynamics, currency trends, and portfolio diversification strategies.

The Trump administration has stunned employers and global talent with a new $100,000 H-1B visa application fee, a move aimed at prioritising U.S. workers and high-paying roles. But with tech firms, hospitals, and universities already facing talent shortages, critics warn it could backfire, driving innovation and skilled professionals to more welcoming economies abroad.

As Q3 2025 comes to a close, global markets reflected both resilience and uncertainty. U.S. equities surged to record highs while the Federal Reserve delivered its first rate cut since 2024, boosting investor sentiment. Bonds provided stability as yields dipped, though inflation risks remain. With broadening market participation, cautious optimism, and geopolitical headwinds, investors face a delicate balance heading into Q4.

The U.S. economy continues to outperform expectations, with GDP revised higher and consumer spending proving resilient. Yet questions remain: can this pace be sustained amid sticky inflation, labor market signals, and looming political risks? Investors must stay diversified and disciplined as opportunities emerge from potential volatility.

The looming U.S. government shutdown on 1 October poses both political and market risks. While previous shutdowns have had limited direct economic impact, this time could be different. The suspension of key economic data, reduced regulatory oversight, and a freeze in IPO activity all inject uncertainty into financial markets. For investors, the real challenge lies less in short-term growth effects and more in navigating heightened volatility and sentiment risks as the Federal

Neobanks have surged from niche challengers to mainstream financial powerhouses. Revolut’s $75 billion valuation, alongside Nubank, WeBank, and others, shows how digital banking rewrote the rules—but profitability and regulation are forcing a shift from disruption to disciplined growth.

Investor sentiment is surging. Bank of America’s latest Global Fund Manager Survey shows equity allocations at a 7-month high, optimism on growth, and steady cash levels. Yet a record 58% of managers now call global equities overvalued, highlighting the tension between rising risk appetite and stretched valuations.

Markets had their eyes firmly on last week’s U.S. inflation report for clues ahead of the Federal Reserve’s September meeting. While headline CPI ticked higher to 2.9% in August, much of the increase came from energy prices, with core inflation holding steady at 3.1%. At the same time, producer price inflation cooled sharply, suggesting that businesses are absorbing tariff-related costs rather than passing them on to consumers. But the real story lies in the labour market.

Chocolate and watches, symbols of Swiss precision and luxury, are now caught in the crossfire of Washington’s tariffs. With levies jumping to 39%, Switzerland faces new headwinds in trade and growth, even as exemptions in key sectors soften the blow. What lies ahead for markets, investors, and Swiss resilience?

For the first time since 2021, the number of unemployed Americans now exceeds the total number of job openings — a clear signal that the labour market is losing steam.

Gold’s rally isn’t just about the metal rising. It’s the dollar quietly withering away. For decades, the Dollar/Gold ratio has shown a steady erosion of the dollar’s purchasing power. Today, that decline is accelerating as fiscal deficits, debt, and central bank diversification reshape the global financial system. Gold isn’t just gaining. The dollar is losing.

August proved supportive for investors, with global equities and bonds posting solid gains. Earnings surprised on the upside, though political uncertainty in the US, France, and the UK weighed on sentiment. Japan and China stood out with stronger growth and supportive policy moves, while gold extended its rally as investors sought diversification.

Global bond markets are flashing red. Despite rate cuts, yields are surging to multi-decade highs as governments drown in debt. The UK’s fiscal squeeze may be the canary in the coal mine, with risks of stagflation, soaring deficits, and rising default fears spreading worldwide. What does this mean for investors, and how can portfolios adapt?

Nvidia’s Q2 2025 earnings highlight another record-breaking quarter with $46.7B in revenue, EPS above expectations, and strong gaming performance. But even a minor slip in data center sales shows the market’s high bar for perfection.

On 2 July 2025, the EU launched its Quantum Europe Strategy, backed by €11B in funding and a forthcoming Quantum Act. The plan aims to turn Europe’s research strength into commercial leadership, building infrastructure, supporting start-ups, and securing quantum technologies for industry and defence. With global markets forecast at $170B by 2040, the next decade will decide whether Europe leads—or risks dependence on the US and China.

For decades, investors believed in the ‘small-cap premium.’ But the last decade flipped the script: U.S. small-caps have trailed large peers, weighed down by weaker profitability, sector imbalances, and rising debt costs. Yet, with valuations deeply discounted, even for quality firms, the stage may be set for a comeback. Are small caps undervalued, or has the premium faded for good?