Tariffs are essentially a tax charged to goods that are imported from other countries. The company that brings the foreign good into the country must pay this tax to the home nation’s government. Typically, this tax will be paid as a percentage of the products value. This tax must be paid before the product can enter the home economy.

New Year, Same Bull? As the new year is underway, there’s the usual sense of renewed optimism and excitement over new opportunities. Looking back, 2024 clearly echoed many of the themes from the prior year. By and large, the U.S economy continued to surge to new heights and have strong upsides. Stocks continued their strong performance, driven by powerful trends in artificial intelligence and technology.

Market theology states that bull markets do not die of old age. Recessions, climbing interest rates, exogenous shocks, poor earnings, and geopolitical scenarios that are no longer contained can conspire to kill off the bull.