2025 has been a roller-coaster year for the global economy 🌍. From central bank moves to tech mega-caps and commodity surges, here are the top events that shook markets this year.
1. US Fed Rate Cuts Shake Things Up 📉
Earlier this year, the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a total of 75 basis points (each basis point equals 0.01%). The move aimed to boost growth but also brought new challenges. For emerging markets in South and Southeast Asia, cheaper dollar borrowing helped some firms, while others faced currency swings.
2. Nvidia's Market Cap Rockets 🚀
Nvidia, the chipmaker powering AI advancements, hit a market cap north of $5 trillion. Market capitalization is the total value of a company's shares—imagine adding up every share price to see its worth. This milestone shows how AI is driving tech giants to new heights.
3. Gold Prices at Record Highs 🪙
International gold prices climbed to $4,400 per ounce—levels not seen in decades. Gold often shines when uncertainty rises, and this mix of rate cuts, trade tensions, and inflation jitters sent investors flocking to the safe-haven metal. In India and other parts of our region, many saw gold as a key hedge.
4. US Reciprocal Tariffs Stir Trade Tensions 🌐
The US introduced reciprocal tariffs targeting major trading partners. Simply put, if Country A taxes imports from Country B, Country B taxes imports from Country A at the same rate. This tit-for-tat threatened to upend supply chains and push up prices globally, adding extra pressure on exporters here.
Which of these moments left the biggest impression on you? Drop a comment below and let us know! 🤔💬
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
