Investment Strategy
1 minute read
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, permanently extends many provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that were set to expire at the end of 2025, while also implementing various Republican and Trump administration tax priorities.
Visit our Tax Policy Hub on the Private Bank website for more detail on what’s been enacted, and our insights into what that may mean for you.
You might think that renewed tariff fears and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) would have caused some volatility, but you’d be wrong. The S&P 500 reached new highs, U.S. Treasury yields stayed flat, Federal Reserve cut expectations held steady, and the USD gained slightly against major peers.
Even after President Trump announced higher blanket tariffs at 15%–20% and a potential 35% tariff rate for Canadian goods, USMCA goods remaining exempt, markets stayed relatively muted.
Amid broader tariff announcements, copper tariffs serve as a good reminder of how markets are digesting the news: A 50% increase announcement for August 1 led to a 13% spike in prices before a 3.5% pullback. The United States imports about 45% of its copper, and lacks the capacity to mine and smelt more. So why isn’t the impact larger? The move was somewhat anticipated. U.S. importers built ample inventory, and expectations are for a resolution at a lower rate. Investors aren’t buying the 50% tariff rate. The administration’s aim is to encourage U.S. copper production. While not feasible now, it could be in 3–5 years with investment and faster permits.
On the flip side, the OBBBA introduces $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and $1.2 trillion in spending cuts while boosting military and immigration enforcement funding. Initially, fears arose about the impact on U.S. debt and the fiscal deficit, with spending cuts seen as insufficient to offset the accretive effect. However, it’s not as dire as it seems. Although OBBBA raises the deficit, the $3.4 trillion estimate might be overstated. The CBO estimate doesn’t account for tariff revenues, expected to mitigate some fiscal challenges. Our estimates suggest a modest reduction in the deficit (excluding interest servicing costs) as the likely combined net effect over time.
Our take: Investors are focusing on fundamentals over noise. The Tariff headlines seem like more bark than bite, and markets have become desensitized to the flurry of announcements. While the latest tariff news suggests an effective rate of 15%–20%, we continue to believe some threats won’t stick. Our base case remains: Effective tariff rates will fall between 10% and 15%. We expect a modest drag on growth, but investors believe the administration is determined to make deals. After all, this could be the final stages of negotiation. Either these rates won’t stick, or they will, but at least we will gain clarity.
Don’t get us wrong—there could be tail risks ahead. But the Fed is showing more willingness to ease financial conditions without significant labor market deterioration, as long as inflation expectations remain anchored. A renewed rate-cutting cycle without a recession would be a bullish outcome.
Investors are already looking ahead to Q2 earnings season, which is shaping up to be stronger than expected. Some call it complacency; but if earnings come in as we expect them to, it will become fact. Soon, expectations will shift to 2026.
Sometimes all we need is to step back and gain perspective. Don’t miss the forest for the trees. To that end, we take a closer look at three insights from Michael Cembalest’s 20th anniversary Eye on the Market.
Last week Michael Cembalest, our Chairman of Market and Investment Strategy, released the 20th Anniversary Edition of Eye on the Market. Since its first launch in the summer of 2005, Eye on the Market has published 584 editions. In this retrospective piece, Cembalest revisits 30 key topics.
As you dive into his work, we wanted to provide context on how some of these key pieces tie in with our perspective and recent developments. Here are our top three insights:
The lesson: Don’t get caught up in short-term headlines and sensationalism.
It’s crucial to keep a long-term investment horizon. History shows that recessions and bear markets occur, and listening to perpetual pessimists can be costly compared to a balanced approach. This year’s volatility is a case in point: During the worst of the downturn, consumer sentiment plunged to 52.2 from 74 at the end of 2024, market recession odds hit 65%, and the S&P 500 dropped 19%. Just three months later, sentiment rose to 60.7, recession odds fell to 22%, and the S&P 500 surged +25% from its April 8 lows, hitting four new all-time highs after recovering all losses by June 26.
While undisputed, the next decade likely won’t mirror the last. In 2025, USD investors in European equities have seen a 24% rise year-to-date, outpacing the 5.9% gain in U.S. equities. This shift hints at a narrowing gap between U.S. and European equities, and offers growth opportunities in both regions fueled by evolving currency dynamics.
The lesson: Embrace U.S. tech growth, but ensure balanced exposure to global markets for a well-rounded strategy.
While the U.S. exceptionalism narrative may be shifting, the United States remains the destination of choice, with higher GDP growth, productivity and earning potential. As noted in Eye on the Market, U.S. sectors may be pricier, but they align with a market willing to pay for higher returns. Additionally, sector composition has evolved, with growth sectors such as technology, communication services and consumer discretionary now making up about half of the S&P 500—historically demanding higher multiples.
That’s not to say Europe lacks new catalysts or that the gap isn’t closing, bolstered by a weaker USD driven by cyclical convergence, global asset reallocation and increased FX-hedge ratios among foreign investors. Considering all this, the start of 2025 should be a wake-up call—not signaling the end of U.S. exceptionalism, but a return to balanced portfolios. After all, an MSCI World allocation is 70% U.S. and 30% ex-U.S.
The lesson: Invest in innovation to drive the next revolution, paving the way for future productivity and earnings growth.
As we’ve also discussed in the Mid-Year Outlook, the AI theme holds immense potential to disrupt industries. While we remain vigilant for any signs of wavering commitment or impacts on company decisions, recent developments reinforce our confidence in AI’s transformative potential:
Overall, it seems companies are fearing getting left behind in the AI race, and are willing to put money to work to avoid this.
All market and economic data as of July 2025 and sourced from Bloomberg Finance L.P. and FactSet unless otherwise stated.
We believe the information contained in this material to be reliable but do not warrant its accuracy or completeness. Opinions, estimates, and investment strategies and views expressed in this document constitute our judgment based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice.
The information presented is not intended to be making value judgments on the preferred outcome of any government decision or political election.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. You may not invest directly in an index.
Index Definitions:
S&P 500: The Standard and Poor’s 500 Index is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks. The index is designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries. The index was developed with a base level of 10 for the 1941–43 base period.
XAU Curncy: The Gold Spot price is quoted as US Dollars per Troy Ounce. Gold Cross rates are available using XAU followed by 3-character ISO code of the cross currency.
MXWOU Index: The MSCI World ex USA Index captures large and mid cap representation across 22 of 23 Developed Markets (DM) countries--excluding the United States.
SPY US Equity: SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The ETF tracks the S&P 500 Index. The Trust consists of a portfolio representing all 500 stocks in the S&P 500 Index. It holds predominantly large-cap U.S. stocks. This ETF is structured as a Unit Investment Trust and pays dividends on a quarterly basis. The holdings are weighted by market capitalization.
DXY Index: The U.S. Dollar Index (USDX) indicates the general int'l value of the USD. The USDX does this by averaging the exchange rates between the USD and major world currencies. The ICE US computes this by using the rates supplied by some 500 banks.
MSCI US: The MSCI USA Index is designed to measure the performance of the large and mid cap segments of the US market. With 547 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in the US.
MSCI Europe: The MSCI Europe Index captures large and mid cap representation across 15 Developed Markets (DM) countries in Europe*. With 402 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization across the European Developed Markets equity universe.
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