NAB Morning Call

Friday 16th May 2025

Please note this communication is not a research report and has not been prepared by NAB Research analysts. Read the full disclaimer here.

It’s been a frantic week of deal making by the US President. Was this always part of the plan? To create a destabilising set of circumstances that whets the appetite for deals with the US? Phil asks Michael Feller whether that was the plan all along and, if so, are we over the worst of uncertainty, and should investors be planning for a renewed emphasis on global growth?

Michael is chief strategist at Geopolitical Strategy in Sydney, who advise firms about navigating environments just like this. He’s a former finance journalist, investment strategist and spent many years in government, as a diplomat in Singapore, as senior adviser to Malcolm Turnbull, and director of the Department of Foreigner Affairs and Trade.

Phil asks him, how should investors position themselves in a world dominated with tariff talk, but also riddled with geopolitical unrest, from Israel and Iran to Russia and Ukraine, and this last week, India and Pakistan? And should we prepare for a more multipolar world? That’s something that was emerging, says Michael, well before Trump returned to the White House. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 16th May 2025

NAB Markets Research Disclaimer 

Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB

Softer retail sales and slower growth in produce prices has upped expectations for the speed of Fed cuts this year, pushing bond yields lower today. It’s been a curious session, with NAB’s Ray Attrill saying equities, bonds and the dollar seem to be acting independent of each other. Oil is also forging its own path, driven down by expectations that President Trump will forge a deal with Iran which could see them adding to the global supply pool sometime soon. They also discuss yesterday’s Australian employment numbers and why we might have been bit optimistic to expect a 50bp cut by the RBA next week. But never say never.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 15th May 2025

NAB Markets Research Disclaimer 

Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB

Equity markets were a little more restrained today, perhaps because there were no big announcements to drive the enthusiasm. Tech is the exception, that continues to move up. And deals with Japan and South Kores are close, apparently.  NAB’s Tapas Strickland says the lowering of tariffs on China has already had an impact, with container ship bookings rising sharply this week. Data out later will show us the impact the cuts had on retail sales and producer pries in the US in April. The US President is still in the Middle East, and will perhaps move to Turkey later today if Putin indicates he will show up for negotiations with Zelensky. But don’t count on it. There’s also an increasing focus on the Beautiful Bill - what form will it eventually take. The Wall Street Journal has described it as a Turkish Bazaar of ideas and there are concerns that it could add to debt without assisting with growth.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 14th May 2025

NAB Markets Research Disclaimer 

Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB

There’s no denying, President Trump and his team are out to do deals and, right now, markets seem to be loving in. NAB’s Skye Masters talks through today’s market action, which has seen a significant rise in tech stocks, helped by news that restraints on the sale of NVIDIA stocks could be lifted for the UAE. The other big announcement during the President’s visit to the Middle East is a $142bndefence deal with Saudi Arabia. With all this positive sentiment, it seems investors that were underweight on US equities are quickly buying  back in to the market. The S&P is now higher than it was at the start of the year. And, as Phil discusses with Skye, the data we’ve seen over the last 24 hours – US CPI, the NFIB small business survey, NAB’s Australian Business Survey and Westpac’s consumer confidence, all came in a little better than expected. Today, aide from the next bit of Trump news, |ussie wages data is released. It’s unlikely it’ll do anything to stop a cut by the RBA next week.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 13th May 2025

NAB Markets Research Disclaimer 

Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB

Markets were taken aback by the size and immediacy of tariff cuts announced Monday between China and the US. Although we did highlight it as a possibility in yesterday’s podcast. NAB’s Gavin Friend says it wasn’t just the size of the tariff cuts, down to 30% on China and 10% on the US, but also the goodwill displayed after the weekend talks. Equities have risen sharply, the dollar is stronger, and markets are pricing in more rate cuts.  The news does make upcoming data a little less relevant. We get the US inflation print today - if its higher the US administration can say the lower tariffs should fix that. Just as the UK government can respond to higher unemployment -  if it happens today -by saying they have just proposed sweeping changes to immigration rules. That’s politics. And there’s a lot of it lately.

GOT A QUESTION FOR NAB’S CEO? Phil will be talking to Andrew Irvine on the Weekend Edition, a week on Friday. Ask what you like about finance and the economy, globally or locally. Orif you  want your voice heard, ask your question out loud and send in a sound file to be played on the podcast. Whichever way you want to do it, email [email protected] - don’t forget to include your name and where you are from.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 12th May 2025

NAB Markets Research Disclaimer 

Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB

US Treasury Secretary Bessent said there had been ‘substantial progress’ in the negotiations with China over the weekend. Maybe the US is feeling the pressure, with stores warning of supply shortages. China, meanwhile, according to trade data on Friday, is exporting more, they’ve just switched the destination away from the US. Phil asks NAB’s Rodrigo Catril if China exports have a deflationary impact elsewhere (not the US), will we see more of a divergence in the approach taken by central banks? And could this be a big week for deals? With China? With other nations? And potentially positive talks over Ukraine with Putin and Zelensky supposedly set to meet face to face.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 9th May 2025

Please note this communication is not a research report and has not been prepared by NAB Research analysts. Read the full disclaimer here.

The commercial real estate (CRE) market has struggled post-COVID, with working from home and online shopping both taking a chunk out of demand for properties. But the tide is starting to turn, with investment picking up and a stronger focus on building greener premises or adapting older buildings to meet new green regulations. It’s a Herculean task, with CRE contributing 18 percent of direct carbon emissions in Australia.

Nonetheless, we are winning the battle, according to Natasha Mulcahy, the Pacific region director, ESG at the global commercial real estate consulting and investment firm CBRE. And NAB is doing its part. Paul Lennard is NAB’s Executive, Business Lending Products – his team includes a sustainable finance unit which has built a growing portfolio of around $2bn in green finance over three years, including the CRE sector.

Natasha and Paul join Phil this week to talk about the growth in sustainable CRE, who is driving that change and the regulations that make it impossible to ignore.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 9th May 2025

NAB Markets Research Disclaimer 

Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB

Markets have seen the positive side of the US-UK trade deal. It’s a sign that deals can be done to reduce tariffs, but NAB’s Ken Crompton wonders whether sentiment is running ahead of itself. Although there are some carves out for sectors, including steel, the UK base tariff rate remains at 10 percent. This for a country that already buys more from the US than it sells to them. For that the UK has reduced some of its tariffs and is expected to remove invisible barriers around agriculture. If anything, it could be seen as a sign that tariffs won’t move down far, even when a deal is done. Still, the US President gave another tip to buy shares because they are going to take off “like a rocket ship”. Beyond the optimism of the share market central banks are still grappling with the uncertain environment. The Bank of England vote was split three ways. The focus is on China this weekend, with trade data, CPI and PPI and the start of those trade talks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 8th May 2025

NAB Markets Research Disclaimer 

Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB

US equity markets took a hit when the Fed announced no change in interest rates, even though it was expected by just about everyone. Then shares picked up as Jerome Powell gave his press conference, in which he talked up the current state of the US economy and said they were in a good place to cope with whatever comes down the track. He was uncommitted on any future decisions, saying they will have to wait and see what impact tariffs have on employment and inflation. NAB’s Gavin Friend talks through what was said. Meanwhile, China is not in wait and see mode. The PBoC cut base rates, cut lending rates further and eased bank reserve requirements. And the Bank of England is widely tipped to cut rates themselves today.  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 7th May 2025

NAB Markets Research Disclaimer 

Financial Services Guide | Information on our services - NAB

The US President has made it clear there won’t be negotiations back and forth on tariffs, he’ll simply make the call. NAB’s Sally Auld says that accounts for most of the uncertainty in markets today, with big falls in equities again. The US dollar is weaker again, with the Aussie gaining some strength. The repricing in Asian markets, including the ‘violent repricing of the Taiwanese dollar’, will drag the Aussie higher in the process, says Sally. Today all eyes will be on the FOMC meeting, early tomorrow morning Australia time. It’ll be more about the words in the statement than the decision itself, which is firmly priced for a hold.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.