GeoMacro

Special Report

Should investors take seriously the possibility of Canada becoming part of the US? We strongly argue that such a union is not in the cards. Conservative America will fight it tooth and nail, despite President Donald Trump’s suggestions. There is no mythical “conservative Canada.” The entire country is as liberal as the state of Vermont, with Alberta only as conservative as Minnesota. However, in the very long term, the probability is not zero.

Special Report

Simple games allow us to model several of the Trump administration’s most disruptive policies in 2025. We find that markets face an increase in volatility as Congress expands the budget, Trump implements tariffs on the world, China retaliates, and Taiwan tensions persist. A ceasefire in Ukraine is a marginally positive outcome for Europe, although it is not a long-term peace treaty.

Special Report

In this Special Report, we share our “thoughts from the field,” gathered during a week of panels and conversations at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Our main takeaways include China’s rising global presence (despite its deceptive absence at the forum), the rising consensus on AI investment as the new corporate best practice, mounting stakes in the AI race, and the global shift toward MAGA-branded ideology as President Trump enters his second term. We also reflect on the surprising lack of geopolitical focus in the discussions and the forum’s broader role in the global geopolitical landscape.

Special Report

There is no better way to gauge the macro policies of the new US administration than being privy to President Donald Trump’s discussions with the new Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent. While we do not have inside information, we have put the pieces of the puzzle together to help clients see the big picture. This report presents our take on a hypothetical conversation between President Trump and Scott Bessent that led to the latter’s appointment as Treasury secretary.

President Trump is only the second president to have won, lost, and won again in US history, so today’s inaugural address was unlike any other since Grover Cleveland in 1893.

Special Report

Inauguration Day or shortly thereafter will see either a global tariff of 10% or targeted but substantial tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada. Treasury yields will rise on tax cuts, the dollar will stay strong, yet oil will also continue to rally, causing equity volatility in the near term.

This month, our Here, There, And Everywhere chartpack reiterates our main thesis for 2025: the three main narratives driving markets today – fiscal profligacy, trade war, and geopolitical conflict – will peak at some point in 2025. Why does this matter? All three have been tailwinds to US assets, and their peak should help usher in the peak in US outperformance relative to RoW. We conclude with some slides on our bullish Europe thesis.

The outgoing Biden administration has launched a slew of macro-relevant executive orders and regulatory actions. The one with immediate macro implications are the sanctions against Russian oil traders and its “dark fleet” of oil tankers.

Every year we highlight five low-odds scenarios that would have a major impact on global financial markets if they happened. This year we contemplate a total reversal of Chinese policy, a US-Iran nuclear deal, a breakdown of NATO, US military action across the Americas, and an internationally coordinated FX intervention.

It is rare for BCA Research strategists to be at the literal scene of macro calamities. The denizens of our GeoMacro team – including yours truly – live within the mandatory evacuation zones of the now increasingly on fire Los Angeles. Contrary to the conventional view, this does not make for a sober analysis. Those impacted by natural disasters and geopolitical events are often the least likely to be able to provide a neutral analysis.