REXSOLOM INVEST

ETFs  are so popular, consume so much 'new' money that they have the power not just to track but move markets. Everyone is still waiting to call the top of the AI bubble- how much longer can it last? This podcast is based on our popular newsletter, sign up at www.rexsolom.co.za

In the newsletter this week ( www.rexsolom.co.za ) we talk a lot about the East. The Kospi crash, Japan, China as the US fumbles through its 250 celebrations. AI frothiness and volatility is sending warning signals. 

Everyone, including the US, wants the world order, markets and economies to go back to pre-Trump's Iran war. Will the Memorandum hold, or is this just rinse-and-repeat? The oil price is drifting lower, great news for future inflation - the other big news story of the week. 

Crypto losses signalling liquidity tightening, but some huge IPOs are looming in the AI space. This switch to public investment signals a new era, and we look at that and, again, at potential job losses. 

DJT's every utterance is still, somehow, believed by the markets and the swings continue to be wild. SpaceX IPO coming in to muddy the indices and where to original thought? All this and more in the podcast with Dawn Ridler and Cobie LeGrange. 

RSA interest rates up - to protect the rand and stem imported inflation. Iran war rumbles on with more spin than substance, Iran is holding most of the cards at this point. This podcast is based on our popular newsletter, find us at wealthecology.co.za

As the Iran war grinds on with no resolution in sight, inflation is starting to bite, and bonds are taking notice, around the globe. In volatile and uncertain times like this, FOMO can set in and disrupt your portfolio and long-term plans. You can find us on wealthecology.co.za, join our (free) newsletter and keep up with markets and economic shenanigans. 

The big news/no news of the week was Trump's visit to China with his merry band of support-CEOs and progeny. It produced, by all accounts, a big fat goose egg. Inflation is a real worry; gas and electricity prices are going to make things difficult for Warsh, and the mid-terms

There is obviously investor fatigue over the Iran war, and TACO Trump is trying to extricate himself from the mess. Markets, especially AI stocks, are roaring ahead regardless. This podcast is based on our free newsletter www.rexsolom.co.za/posts

Trump says the war is over, and markets are behaving like it is a non-event. Bonds are indicating otherwise. Rates probably on hold in the US, and maybe even back on the way up. interesting times that require close monitoring. 

Six weeks into the Trump-Iran war, markets are carrying on like it doesn't exist. Records are still being broken, and earnings are still being exceeded, not even the volatility is saying much. What could change that? If oil supply issues really bite? Japan has made an unusual move to export arms. 

Markets are moving more on hope than realistic expectations, as we have seen repeatedly during this war. The only salvation is to understand the time objective of the investment and asset allocation and behave accordingly. 

Markets and economies are hanging onto every bit of news and hope coming out of the Middle East - but the longer this goes on, the longer it will take to recover. Markets are giving us rare opportunities to buy into this late cycle, but you have to have a cool head and strong stomach. 

It's all a chaotic mess of changing geo-econo-political players right now. We are probably witnessing a change in the world order in real time, and everyone, including markets, can just watch and wait. 

This week, we start looking for potential off-ramps from this war and the market opportunities that might present in this time of peak 'fear' in stocks. Are we seeing the end of an era, not unlike the fall of the Roman and British empires? You can get all the week's news from our newsletters on www.rexsolom.co.za where you can sign up for free. 

Only days into this Iran war, and the economic foreshadowing is already rearing its head. Markets are slowing, but there's no panic - yet. The longer the Straits of Hormuz stay closed, though, the greater the impact, and the longer it'll take to recover. Oil has joined gold on the resource supercycle. 

It's never 'fun' to watch historical moments play out and see the stomach-churning effects on markets, but this also presents opportunities and a time to test our FOMO, perhaps?

As we record this, the Middle East is in serious turmoil, which could have a significant impact on global markets and economies. As a bit of a bright note, we give some of the highlights of the RSA budget. As always, more info in our free newsletter, sign up at www.rexsolom.co.za   

In this week's podcast, Dawn and Cobie discuss the new tariff regime imposed by a miffed Trump last week. The rest of the world is holding the cards; they're moving on, now they just need to step up. How is AI evolving? How quickly can they monetise the massive capex, and hang onto those lofty valuations? 

In South Africa this week it was the annual non-event the SONA, and the rest of the world was preoccupied with the Epstein files. Will Warsh drop interest rates despite a pretty hot economy? Is he going to be a Trump Yes-Man? This podcast is based on our free newsletter - get on the database at www.rexsolom.co.za

This podcast is based on our free newsletter ( www.rexolom.co.za ) and this week we cover some of the earnings, and the misses and their impact, looking in more detail at Microsoft. We always keep an eye on what the next leg of this AI race is going to be, and try - not always successfully - to see what DJT's topic of the week is. 

US and RSA interest rates are on hold, but at the Fed Trump's floating kevin Warsh as his pick, only for his name to get entangled in the Epstein files. Friday was a volatile day on the markets - was it just the month-end clean-up?

This year Davos started to show the US/Everyone else cracks very strongly.  Europe and Canada are pushing back against Trump - a move that is long overdue. From an investment perspective, the theme is Diversify - downscale US stocks and bonds and prepare for a rocky ride. 

This week Dawn and Cobie chat at length about the changing worldorder, and how this might affect global investments. China is quietly playing the long game and building the bridges that the US destroys. It's going to be an interesting 2026!

Last year was a turning point in so many respects, and a confirmation of the trends that have been building for a decade. Dawn and Cobie look back on 2025, and see what investment lessons will take us through to a prosperous 2026.