Market, This Year So Far
By Paul Delaney, Head of Financial Planning
Tariff Tantrums, Inflation, Geopolitical unrest, Mixed Equity Performance
An interesting year for markets so far for global equity and bond markets where we have witnessed Trump’s tariff tantrums, ever present inflation, ECB rate cuts, pauses in Fed cuts and heightened geopolitical unrest.
Equity Markets
European equity markets have performed strongly with major domestic indices advancing considerably. Germany’s DAX surged over 22%* year to date, while the STOXX 50 gained approximately 12%, largely thanks to resilient sectors such as banking and utilities. The broader European rally has also benefited from the European Central Bank’s two interest rate cuts, which boosted sentiment and helped offset some of the uncertainty caused by global trade tensions and periodic volatility spikes.
The S&P 500, posting -2.84% YTD* figures and the Nasdaq 100 posting -1.82% YTD* figures. The US has faced headwinds due to changing monetary policies and the strengthening of the euro against the dollar. *Source: Longboat Analytics
Bond Markets
Fixed income allocations remained challenged, with European yields suppressed by central bank policy and U.S. government bonds struggling as the Fed paused rate cuts. Going into late 2025, portfolio outlooks remain broadly optimistic but cautious, with further upside dependent on global trade negotiations and continued growth in Eurozone corporate earnings.
Gold
Gold has continued to post strong returns. Growth in 2025 has been driven by demands for a safe haven asset, central bank buying, increased geopolitical and trade policy uncertainty. Persistent inflation also continues to be a factor, strengthening the argument for gold to play a role when diversifying within portfolios.
In short, 2025 has been a year shaped by strong equity gains, subdued bond returns, and rising global tensions — reinforcing the need for caution, diversification, and regular portfolio review.
Paul Delaney
Head of Financial Planning, MoneyCoach.ie
