Nissan Halts Electric Qashqai Development Amid EV Market Challenges 
KPMG Australia Chairman and Senior Partners Exit Amid Escalating Whistleblower Scandal 
Gold Price Rises as Investors Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks and Fed Policy Outlook 
China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged for 13th Straight Month as Policymakers Prioritize Credit Demand Recovery 
Anthropic AI Model Uncovers Vulnerabilities in Classified U.S. Government Systems During Security Test 
Japan Manufacturing Growth Accelerates in June as Orders Surge Despite Iran War Cost Pressures 
South Korea Remains MSCI Emerging Market Despite Reform Progress 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Supply Concerns 
Japan, U.S. Discuss Yen Weakness as Currency Intervention Concerns Grow 
Oracle Cuts 21,000 Jobs as AI Reshapes Workforce and Cloud Expansion Accelerates 
Asian Stocks Slide as AI Rally Pauses, South Korean Chipmakers Lead Regional Decline 
Meta Pauses Employee Activity Tracking Program Over Data Security Concerns 
Samsung Electronics Stock Surges on Report of Massive $59 Billion Share Buyback Plan 
New Zealand Fast-Tracks Gold Mining as Industry Revival Gains Momentum 
Alphabet Stock Slides as AI Talent Exodus and SpaceX Losses Shake Investor Confidence 
Trump’s Quantum Push Lifts IBM Stock as CEO Arvind Krishna Receives White House Praise 
UBS strategists predict the S&P 500 will close 2025 at 6,400, driven by backloaded returns. Despite early-year challenges, U.S. equities are expected to outperform global counterparts, particularly European and emerging markets, amid a cooling global economy.
S&P 500 Gains Expected to Be Backloaded in 2025
UBS market analysts project that the S&P 500 will close the year 2025 at approximately 6,400. With returns "being backloaded," the bank noted in a note, this would represent an approximately 9% increase from the current levels.
"After a rally this year through Trump’s cabinet appointments, we see mild downside in equities in H1 next year amid a step down in US growth," wrote strategists led by Arend Kapteyn.
After more reasonable earnings predictions are made, the company believes that the equity markets will be in a better position in the second half of 2025.
U.S. Equities to Outpace Europe and Emerging Markets
According to Investing.com, although US stocks may underperform European shares for a few months, UBS predicts that US stocks will beat European equities in the long run. On the other hand, compared to EM stocks, European stocks are expected to do better.
When it comes to style, UBS says that quality equities will keep doing better than value companies, and that the US will be a shining example.
Among emerging markets, the bank has singled out Chinese internet companies as a prime target. Nevertheless, the business cautions against putting too much stock in trade gains involving China's other benefactors.
Global Growth Slows Amid Tariff Challenges
Global economic indicators such as falling inflation and interest rates, fastest-rising real earnings in 20 years, and early indications of a housing market revival are encouraging, but strategists predict a slowdown in growth.
In particular, they anticipate a slowdown in worldwide growth over the next two years, with estimates ranging from 2.6% to 3.2%. Reasons for this prediction include the thought that the US economy will slow down and, more importantly, the effect that US tariffs will have on China's economy, which is already in a precarious position.
