Shane drops by to update on the latest surrounding a potential deal signing over the weekend to end the US-Iran conflict, along with updates on recent legislative developments spanning the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and Secure America Act. Plus, a look a renewed efforts from the Trump administration to enact new tariffs. Featured is Shane Lieberman, Senior Governmental Affairs Advisor, Governmental Affairs US. Host: Daniel Cassidy

The expected error from the ECB was accompanied by rhetoric citing concerns about oil price pressures broadening throughout the Eurozone economy. There is no evidence of this reported broadening—non-oil prices should be expected to pass on oil-related costs, and only a wage-spiral or profit-led inflation would constitute a broadening of inflation pressures. These are notable by their absence. Nonetheless, the Teutonic cry of “we must have discipline” seems to be echoing throughout the ECB, raising the risk that the error will be compounded with a further rate increase.

The ECB is almost certain to commit a policy mistake today. Raising rates will not change Eurozone inflation or inflation expectations. This policy is stuck in an unhelpful 2022 mindset. Consumers will continue to reduce savings rates to pay for higher oil prices. The main consequence of today’s error is to increase fragility in the economy, rather than doing more serious damage.

On this episode of Viewpoints, with the commencement of the World Cup tournament just days away, Burkhard outlines the economics of soccer and the highly anticipated event. We also touch on the direction of interest rates, and the prospects for newly minted Fed Chair Kevin Warsh having to begin his term with a rate-hike, rather than a rate-cut.

May US headline consumer price inflation is expected to rise as the price of the Iran war is being passed through relatively quickly to consumers. A supply shock might have a delayed effect (with profit margins being squeezed), but the very visible cause of price increases and the precedents of the pandemic supply shocks and tariffs make it easier for firms to pass on higher costs without delay (limiting damage to profits, so long as demand does not falter).

Join Jeff Hans, Senior Portfolio Manager for the House View Equity Portfolios with UBS Asset Management, as he shares a performance update and outlook for US equities. Host: Dominic Schagar, Senior Equity Investment Specialist. Recorded on 27.05.26

China’s May exports were stronger than expected, with the seemingly insatiable demand of companies wanting to play with the nice shiny new toy of AI. Export data to the US was flattered by comparison to the volatility around US tariff announcements last year. Recent months have also shown strength in exports of the electrification big three—solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles.

The string of nine consecutive positive weekly returns for the S&P 500 ended last week, with Friday being one of the worst days all year after the release of the May jobs report. Jason Draho, Head of Asset Allocation Americas from the UBS Chief Investment Office, joins to discuss the jobs data, the market response, and what it means for the investment outlook. Host: Daniel Cassidy

Bond and equity markets have weakened in Asian trading. There seems to be no single cause, rather a general sense of increasing risk. Economically, the drop in equities is not that significant—in theory, there might be negative wealth effects, but this is too small a move and most consumers have been relying on lowering savings rates, not equity liquidation to finance their consumption.

Health care has not seen the same stock market traction as AI and power and resources over the past year, but continues to serve as a key ingredient to a diversified portfolio and a source of stability. This episode explores how the sector is not just a defensive play, with the pharma industry moving toward innovation-driven growth led by GLP-1 drugs. At the same time, advances in artificial intelligence and genomics are transforming how drugs are discovered, while an aging global population provides a powerful structural tailwind for demand.