The 30 largest technology companies listed in Hong Kong have surged more than 15% since the start of the year, driven largely by the release of Deepseek’s cost-effective AI model. This development has raised questions about the high capital expenditures in AI of US Big Tech firms, prompting a shift in investor sentiment away from US technology stocks in favor of Chinese tech eq ...

Last week, we provided a high-level analysis of the new federal government agreement, highlighting four major points. Today, we look at one specific aspect: climate policies. While the overall targets remain unchanged, new policies have been introduced, including adjustments to the fiscal treatment of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) used as company cars. Since 2023, the tax ded ...

The new government agreement led by Bart De Wever brings several significant changes for investors—and not all of them pleasant. In this article, we discuss the adjustments that could impact your investment portfolio. We focus on the simplification of the tax on stock exchange transactions (TOB), the annual tax on securities accounts, adjustments for investment companies under ...

After six months of negotiations, Belgium finally has a new federal government. The De Wever I coalition is notably leaner than previous governments, with 15 ministers including the Prime Minister. While this efficiency is welcomed, it also concentrates significant responsibilities on key ministers like Jan Jambon (Finance, Tax, and Pensions) and Frank Vandenbroucke (Social Aff ...

After a staggering 30% price increase in 2024, gold has continued its upward trajectory, reaching a new record high.     On Wednesday, gold hit $2,882 per ounce, driven by escalating fears of a trade war under Trump's presidency. This safe-haven asset has been on a long-term rise, defying historical trends. Typically, rising real interest rates act as a headwind for gold. Howe ...

The Competitiveness Compass, recently outlined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, sets a strategic direction for Europe’s economy amid increasing global competition[1]. It builds on insights from the Draghi Report and paves the way for the upcoming Clean Industrial Deal. The report emphasizes the link between decarbonization and competitiveness, introducing ...

‘Es ist die Wirtschaft, Dummkopf!’ Growth Paths Between the European and American Economies Continued to Diverge in 2024   This week’s data releases included the first estimates of Q4 economic growth in the US and the Eurozone. The US economy maintained its solid growth trajectory, expanding by 0.56% in Q4 and 2.8% over the course of 2024. Strong consumer spending was the mai ...

2025 is nog maar net begonnen, maar maandag leken de markten een Black Swan te beleven. Techgiganten kregen wereldwijd harde klappen na de aankondigingen van het Chinese AI-lab DeepSeek. Het bedrijf claimt betere resultaten met Reasoning Gen-AI te behalen dan de Amerikaanse Mag7, en dat met beperkte middelen en verouderde Nvidia-chips – tegen een fractie van de kosten van Micro ...

The chemical sector is a cornerstone of our European economy. It generates €655 billion in annual turnover and powers other industries, ranging from pharmaceuticals to automotive manufacturing. Despite its foundational role, the chemical industry faces significant challenges that threaten its competitiveness, like many other industries in this green transition. This month, the ...

Trump threatens the EU with tarrifs as he eyes the European trade surplus with the US.In December, we discussed how he threatened the US major trading partners without mentioning the EU. This changed on Tuesday.  In recent years, the European Union (EU) has experienced a notable increase in its trade surplus with the United States. In 2023, the EU's trade surplus in goods with ...