Latest news with #geopolitical risks
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Geopolitical risks reshape business strategies as global tensions rise, Lazard says
Discussions on geopolitical risks have become an increasingly central part of business and investment decision-making, according to Lazard. Five or 10 years ago, people would be talking about geopolitics casually, according to Ronald Temple, chief market strategist at the US financial advisory and asset management firm. 'But now geopolitics are part of board meetings,' he said. Temple said that geopolitical risks – from the Trump administration's policy shifts to US-China regulatory hurdles and Taiwan-related contingency planning for semiconductor firms – now extend beyond cross-border issues to include domestic policies' global repercussions. 'For example, provisions that were recently included in, and then subsequently removed from, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in the US could have had meaningful consequences on non-US investors,' he said, referring to Section 899, which proposed increasing income and withholding tax rates on certain individuals and entities from countries that imposed taxes considered discriminatory against US persons. 03:02 US House passes Trump's bill, sending it to White House for president to sign US House passes Trump's bill, sending it to White House for president to sign 'Many companies have historically thought of geopolitics as an abstract, intellectually interesting topic, but increasingly they are realising that geopolitical risks are part of their day-to-day strategic decision-making.' Lazard set up a geopolitical risk advisory unit in 2022, six months after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February that year. 'One of my key roles is to work closely with the geopolitical team to try to kind of connect the dots between geopolitics and markets and the economy and companies,' said Temple.
Bloomberg
10-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Odd Lots: How a Geopolitical Analyst Predicts the Outcome of War
For investors, geopolitical risks are always lurking as a factor that could upend trades for obvious reasons. When war breaks out, it's crucial to have some kind of understanding of what it will mean for various markets (such as oil or grain), and how long the conflict can persist. But is there any way to analyze these things scientifically? Many people are paid by investors to try to do exactly this. On this episode, we speak with Andrew Bishop, the global head of policy research at Signum Global, about what he does and how he attempts to forecast the future. We use the recent conflict between Israel and Iran (as well as other instances of global tension) to get a better understanding of how he goes about forecasting, how investors use his research, and what he sees going forward.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
US importers urging Hong Kong manufacturers ‘to bypass levies' amid trade war
The 90-day pause on Sino-US tariffs has caused 'daily challenges' for Hong Kong manufacturers, industry veterans have said, revealing they have been receiving unlawful demands from American importers seeking to circumvent levies. Advertisement Several told the Post that Beijing and Washington's suspension of tariffs for 90 days from May 14 had given Hong Kong exporters some respite, but they were urgently pressing ahead with plans to diversify their production bases to mitigate geopolitical risks. The manufacturers said they were not letting their guard down despite expectations that Chinese President Xi Jinping and his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, would meet to discuss solutions. 'I expect tariffs will come down slightly to 15 to 20 per cent, but it is still very difficult to do business with the US,' said Karen Ng Pui-lam, director of luxurious underwear maker L&A Lingerie. 'No matter what, I am proactively looking for a production alternative in Vietnam and Thailand.' Earlier in the month, the pause in the trade war saw the US agree to lower tariffs on Chinese exports from 145 per cent to 30 per cent, while China rolled back duties on American goods from 125 per cent to 10 per cent. Advertisement Ng said the tariffs for made-in-China garments and apparel stood at 37.5 per cent during the 90-day pause.
