Reportagem: Greve geral pára Autoeuropa e deixa Lisboa a meio-gás

[BearManBull]

Se o Trump quisesse a paz principalmente na guerra da Russia contra a Ucrânia, era fácil. Acabar com as hesitações, ouve dum lado toma essa posição como certa, ouve o outro lado volta a mudar de opinião. Um catavento autêntico.
Desse o armamento necessário e a imposição de sanções como ameaçou e a guerra certamente já teria acabado.
O problema é que ele olha para a guerra apenas como uma forma de ganhar dinheiro.

Eu nem acredito que Trump tenha sequer a capacidade intlectual para tomar esse tipo de decisoes independetemente dos interesses dele. Acredito que está algiuém no lado dos USA que seja minimante competente e ponderar minimanente as opçoes que há na mesa.

Honestamente tenho sérias dúvidas se Putin quer acabar com a guerra porque como disse para ele é uma demonstraçao de fraqueza. Possivelmente é o maior entrave até mesmo que a Ucrania aceite perder territorio. Já do lado das armas, tenho ideia que é coisa que nao falta na Ucrania excepto aquilo que nem os proprios USA têm capacidade instalada suficiente que é artilharia.

Relatviamente a sançoes, quando Trump falou os outros meteram o rabo entre as pernas. Aqui na Europa continuam a establecer parcerias com China/India. Estamos literalmente a treinar e passar o nosso know how de borla para aquelas bandas. E cada vez mais estreitam laços comerciais.
e.g.: Tesla perde o trono dos elétricos para a BYD. Vendas caem mais de 8%

O Trump é uma desgraças mas a Europa é uma tragédia.

[macau5m]

Quase todos os políticos querem estar o mais possível no poiso.

Em Portugal o PM nem sequer tem limite temporal. O Costa lá estaria senão tivesse o tacho da Europa.

Dito isto duvido que consiga o "terceiro mandato" que é ilegal nos USA. Não acredito que tenha apoio militar para dar um golpe de estado. Sem os militares não há golpe de estado.

A Gronelândia se fizer um referendo legitimo a expressar a vontade de se tonar americana é legitimo ou não? Democraticamente é completamente legitimo. Para mim a secessão é um direito democrático, embora não seja assumido pela generalidade dos países.
Outra coisa é uma invasão militar. Mas nesse caso necessita do apoio do senado que duvido que o tivesse.



Quanto á relação de Trump-Putin diria que é uma relação de duas caras. Repara que pela frente dá palmadinhas nas costas mas depois está a tentar desequilibrar as contas nos satélites Irão/Venezuela. Biden era o oposto.
A paz de Trump é paz e a Rússia não fica bem na fotografia. É um tratado de submissão á realidade da incapacidade de invadir completamente a Ucrânia.


Os que estão no poder na Europa deviam todos voltar á 4 classe aprender matemática básica e deviam todos aprender a passar uma camisa.

Se o Trump quisesse a paz principalmente na guerra da Russia contra a Ucrânia, era fácil. Acabar com as hesitações, ouve dum lado toma essa posição como certa, ouve o outro lado volta a mudar de opinião. Um catavento autêntico.
Desse o armamento necessário e a imposição de sanções como ameaçou e a guerra certamente já teria acabado.
O problema é que ele olha para a guerra apenas como uma forma de ganhar dinheiro.

Como é possivel não haver um cessar fogo enquanto duram as negociações, sendo que tinha referido a necessidade de um cessar fogo e voltou atrás assim que falou com Putin.
Se tivesse dito ao Putin, que as negociações sobre conquistas de terrenos teriam sempre como principio o terreno conquistado até àquela data e nunca mais terrenos, conquistados à posteriori, o Putin já tinha terminado a guerra.

[BearManBull]

Quase todos os políticos querem estar o mais possível no poiso.

Em Portugal o PM nem sequer tem limite temporal. O Costa lá estaria senão tivesse o tacho da Europa.

Dito isto duvido que consiga o "terceiro mandato" que é ilegal nos USA. Não acredito que tenha apoio militar para dar um golpe de estado. Sem os militares não há golpe de estado.

A Gronelândia se fizer um referendo legitimo a expressar a vontade de se tonar americana é legitimo ou não? Democraticamente é completamente legitimo. Para mim a secessão é um direito democrático, embora não seja assumido pela generalidade dos países.
Outra coisa é uma invasão militar. Mas nesse caso necessita do apoio do senado que duvido que o tivesse.



Quanto á relação de Trump-Putin diria que é uma relação de duas caras. Repara que pela frente dá palmadinhas nas costas mas depois está a tentar desequilibrar as contas nos satélites Irão/Venezuela. Biden era o oposto.
A paz de Trump é paz e a Rússia não fica bem na fotografia. É um tratado de submissão á realidade da incapacidade de invadir completamente a Ucrânia.




Os que estão no poder na Europa deviam todos voltar á 4 classe aprender matemática básica e deviam todos aprender a passar uma camisa.

[macau5m]

1- Não acredito que seja do interesse de Trump

2- Trump nem sequer tem poder para isso.

3- Uma invasão da Rússia a países é um cenário absolutamente catastrófico para toda a economia global, certamente que Trump iria sofrer perdas patrimoniais consideráveis.

4- A NATO teria de intervir e os USA teriam de lutar.

5- Os USA ainda têm centenas de milhares de soldados na Europa e material bélico e bases militares.

6- Trump não quer fica na história como o presidente da WWIII.


Não entendo bem o ódio cego a Trump, é mau realmente mas comparado com uma Merkel que andou nas negociatas com Putin é preciso ter-se lata...

Este posicionamento faz-me lembrar os traders que têm perdas na bolsa mas que culpam tudo e todos mas nunca fazem uma avaliação introspectiva.

Trump também não tem poderes para se apoderar da Gronelândia, nem tem poderes para concorrer a um terceiro mandato.
O Putin também não tinha poderes para se tornar eterno presidente.

Tenho quase a certeza que se Putin atacasse um país NATO, Trump tudo faria para não envolver os USA.

Nem sei como não consegues perceber as diferenças entre um ditador e um democrata.

Estes "gajos" estão se cagando para o que os outros pensam ou querem.

Não tenho ódio ao Trump, até acho que tomou algumas medidas acertadas, não compreendo é que se deixe iludir pelo Putin e que pense como ele, pelo menos no que diz respeito a territórios que nada lhes dizem respeito, Um a Ucrânia e outro a Gronelândia.

O Trump se tivesse a certeza que com a WWlll ficava mais rico e com mais poder, não tinha nenhum pejo em desencadear tal catástrofe.

[djovarius]

Ahhh, vá lá!! Tinha que ser o Casey... outro Yanis!!

Pensei que o grande Kass estava a ficar doido!!

Abraço
dj

[BearManBull]

Uma adenda que só reparei mais tarde, foi resultado enganador do motor de pesquisa.

É Doug Casey e não Doug Kass que foi citado.

[BearManBull]

1- Não acredito que seja do interesse de Trump

2- Trump nem sequer tem poder para isso.

3- Uma invasão da Rússia a países é um cenário absolutamente catastrófico para toda a economia global, certamente que Trump iria sofrer perdas patrimoniais consideráveis.

4- A NATO teria de intervir e os USA teriam de lutar.

5- Os USA ainda têm centenas de milhares de soldados na Europa e material bélico e bases militares.

6- Trump não quer fica na história como o presidente da WWIII.


Não entendo bem o ódio cego a Trump, é mau realmente mas comparado com uma Merkel que andou nas negociatas com Putin é preciso ter-se lata...

Este posicionamento faz-me lembrar os traders que têm perdas na bolsa mas que culpam tudo e todos mas nunca fazem uma avaliação introspectiva.

[macau5m]

Sim exacto era extramente conveniente para os USA que a Europa caísse nas mãos dos russos.

Não era conveniente para os USA, mas não parece que seja inconveniente para Trump, Vance e os seus cães amestrados.

[BearManBull]

Sim exacto era extramente conveniente para os USA que a Europa caísse nas mãos dos russos.

[m-m]

Whishfull tinking…

O sonho molhado da direita fascista americana é a queda da UE para poder entregar o domínio da Europa aos Russos, enquanto que os EUA ficam com a América do Sul e entregam a Ásia aos chineses...

[BearManBull]

International Man: What do you see as the single most important thing that people should prepare for in 2026?

Doug Casey: Strauss and Howe asked that question in their book, The Fourth Turning. We’re at a major turning point in the U.S.

I’ve felt for years that the U.S. was heading toward something like a civil war. It could be as serious as the unpleasantness of the 1860s, just different. The red people and the blue people in the U.S. really dislike each other; they can’t even talk to each other. When things get to that stage, things are typically solved by force; I expect that’s what’s going to happen. Very likely during the next three years, while Trump is still in office. He’s the perfect catalyst.

It’s going to be exacerbated by the long-term migration trends. If we look 100 years down the road, it’s pretty clear that with modern travel and communications technologies, the migration of people from poor countries to rich countries all around the world will accelerate. Eventually, the U.S. won’t even exist in its present form. Of course, that’s true of every country. The colors of the map on the wall have been running since Day One.

I hope a catastrophic upset doesn’t happen in the near future for any number of reasons. For one, it won’t be any fun. For another, I’m a huge fan of traditional America. It was a unique institution in world history—the only country ever founded on the concepts of free thought, free markets, and individualism. A civil war—regardless of what form it takes—would likely overturn those things.

While I hope things mellow out, hope isn’t the best foundation for making plans.

International Man: Geopolitically, tensions continue to build across Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia.

Where do you expect the major flashpoints to emerge in 2026?

Doug Casey: The politicians who run Europe are uniformly despicable non-entities, from Ursula von der Leyen, She-Wolf of the EU, on down. One proof of that statement is that I could be prosecuted just for saying so in much of Europe. They’re soulless bureaucrats who stand for nothing but statism and collectivism. They’re driving Europe to actively rearm, doubling military budgets, reinstituting the draft, and talking about the necessity of war with Russia. I suspect they’ll get their war; I just hope it doesn’t go nuclear or biological. Odd, in that it’s over the Ukraine, the most backward and corrupt country on the continent. Perverse, in that it was never even a country until Lenin created it in 1923.

But that’s not all. The euro, an Esperanto currency, the “Who owes you nothing?” of fiat currencies, is a dead duck. All of the EU’s member countries are bankrupt welfare states. In fact, the European Union itself is going to break up. What’s good for individual countries is totally at odds with what the 80,000—and that’s an accurate number—EU employees in Brussels want to impose. NATO, which should have been disbanded when the USSR collapsed, will also disappear. Europe will, best case, become a petting zoo for Chinese tourists and a luxury resort for Third World migrants.

The Middle East? While Trump is in office, we might as well adopt Israel as the 51st state. That won’t go down well with the world’s two billion Muhammadans. Don’t confuse the friendly relations of Washington with the governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and others among the 55 Muslim countries with political stability. Most are economic basket cases and extremely unstable.

East Asia? It’s perfectly irrational for China to attack Taiwan. The result would be widespread destruction on both sides—even if the US and/or Japan didn’t join the party. But governments do irrational things, unpredictably. What will happen with China’s claims on the East and South China Seas? It should be between them and six of their maritime neighbors. But the US could turn a regional border dispute into WW3.

But the unexpected flashpoint, I think, is going to be Africa. Over the last 60 years, the 55 African states (that’s only an approximate number since we don’t know how places like Libya, Western Sahara, Somaliland, or Darfur will wind up) have developed significant armies, aided by weapons and training from Europe and the US. They survive on the export of raw materials (causes of perpetual conflict) and aid from Europe and the U.S. (which is likely to evaporate). All of them (like almost everywhere in the Middle East and Central Asia) are artificial constructs with arbitrary borders. They’re all unstable kleptocracies run from the presidential palace.

The question is: to what degree will Europe, or especially the U.S., or especially Trump, stick their nose into African border wars and civil wars? There will be lots of them. I think Africa is the big powderkeg that nobody’s talking about.

International Man: The U.S. domestic political situation remains combustible, with deep cultural and economic fractures.

How do you expect America’s internal divisions to evolve in 2026 as we approach the midterms?

Doug Casey: Trends in motion tend to stay in motion. Despite the fact that corporations, the entertainment industry, academia, and the media seem to be backing away from truly insane levels of wokeism, the issue is in doubt. The trend toward Wokeism has built momentum for decades, and the country’s been indoctrinated with it for generations. It’s not going away overnight.

Trump is purposefully and overtly polarizing. As I discussed last week (link), although he may see himself as Cincinnatus, he’s more like Caesar. He’ll keep stirring things up, if only because he knows what his adversaries will do to him when he’s out of office. While most sensible people love his antiwokeism, most of his economic and international interventionism will backfire—bigly. I suspect he’ll lose the midterms, and the Dems in the House will impeach him again. Will they succeed in the Senate this time? The natives will get restless no matter what.

International Man: With Trump poised to replace Fed Chair Powell, he will exert a stronger influence over central bank policy. What do you expect the monetary environment of 2026 to look like?

Doug Casey: The dollar will approach its intrinsic value as Trump and the Fed create a trillion more of them. It’s a formula for chaos.

Trump is a big believer in mercantilist-style economics, which holds that the US must export more than it imports. I think he’ll try to force that issue with foreign exchange controls of some type, creating yet more distortions.

You want to exit the dollar, own precious metals, avoid the stock market and bond markets, and get your money out of the U.S. None of this is a formula for domestic tranquility, either in 2026, 2027, 2028, or beyond. And I’m assuming there will be a normal election in 2028, which is not a very safe assumption.

International Man: Investors are torn between chasing the current market bubble and preparing for a potential financial reckoning.

Where do you think the biggest risks and opportunities will be in 2026, and which asset classes are positioned to benefit most from the turbulence ahead?

Doug Casey: There’s no question about the fact that most of Trump’s business success has been due to borrowing. Leverage, low interest rates, and inflation made the man.

Trump’s history and incorrect understanding of economics tell me that the Fed will buy and monetize more government debt than ever, doing everything they can to artificially depress interest rates. For the short run, that could argue for the stock market going higher in 2026. But it’s a high-risk bet. Do you feel lucky?

With gold over $4,000 and silver over $60, they’re probably where they “should” be relative to other things. But as unstable as the world is, and because of their unique advantages, they’re going higher. The smart thing is to speculate on the shares of miners; they’re really cheap, and neither the public nor the institutions even know they exist, for reasons I’ve discussed in the past. All-in sustaining costs of producing gold is about $1,500 an ounce. It’s not hard to do the math.

In the last 50 years, we’ve had five 10-to-1 mining bull markets. I think we’re about to experience one more. A big one. Many of the smaller stocks have already gone three or four to one. Nobody cares… which is good.

In addition, you should be long commodities generally. Grains are basically selling at around the cost of production. As are oil, gas, coal, and uranium. Commodities are very under-owned. Buying ETFs in any or all of these things is a set-and-forget allocation of capital for at least the next couple of years.

Editor’s Note: 2026 points to a clear inflection point—marked by rising political division, global instability, and mounting monetary risk. The pressures Doug describes are converging faster than most investors expect.

But this conversation only scratches the surface.

In a new free special report, Doug Casey’s Top 7 Predictions, Doug lays out the key trends he believes will shape the years ahead—and what they mean for your wealth, freedom, and financial security.

[BearManBull]

Surprise #1: Another attempt on former President Trump's life occurs early in his term.

correct

Surprise #2: The "other" romance, between Trump/Musk, doesn't make it past Spring 2025.

President Trump begins to be openly critical of Musk and finally abandons him entirely.

Musk lashes out and retaliates by forming his own party and has a nervous breakdown.

bingo

Surprise #3: The Trump/Vance Administration is far more successful in carrying out its campaign promises than Trump I or really any recent President.
Starting with immigration, the U.S. southern border is simply shutdown at the beginning of his term and at least 2.5 million undocumented people are deported.
President Trump takes back his "Drill, Baby, Drill" campaign promise. U.S. oil production continues to fall as shale basins top out and drillers focus on free cash flow. The price of oil rises to $85/barrel by mid-2025, aiding to inflationary pressures.

so so

Surprise #4: Relating to tariffs, while there are continued threats of robust tariffs directed at specific trading partners — they mostly serve as negotiating positions and do not get implemented.

Inflation reaccelerates and rises to above 4% by year-end 2025 (the yield on the 10 year Treasury note exceeds 5.5%) — the Administration considers price controls.

The Federal Reserve pauses in its rate-cutting course and eventually reverses policy and tightens. President Trump attacks the Fed and seeks Jay Powell's resignation. Powell stands firm as Fed Chair. The U.S. economy enters a recession in late 2025/early 2026 following a continued weakening of the economies of the European Union and China.

TACO na essencia acertou na consequencia mais ou menos

Surprise #5: Amid weakening domestic economic growth, planned austerity measures (and reduced fiscal spending/support), recommended by DOGE, are unsuccessful and abandoned.
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 05: Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Co-Chair of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arrives on Capitol Hill with his son on December 05, 2024 in Washington, DC. Musk and his Co-Chair, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy are meeting with lawmakers today about DOGE, a planned presidential advisory commission with the goal of cutting government spending and increasing efficiency in the federal workforce.

check a divida aumentou em força...

Surprise #6: President Trump grows more moderate in tone and policy — and, surprisingly, moves away from his MAGA base.
In contrast, the Democratic party grows more liberal (with California Governor Gavin Newsom temporarily taking up the party's de facto mantle of leadership). But, with Newsom moving further to the left (and going even softer on crime policies in his state), California's Governor falls in the polls by year-end and is no longer considered a party leader. The Democratic party appears rudderless, without any clear front runner.

check!!!

Surprise #7: AI related equities are adversely impacted by two factors — the inadequacy of supply of electricity and the absence of a killer app or related income stream:
* With AI data centers so power-intensive and the AI arms race continuing apace — our nation's supplies of electricity prove inadequate. Power outages become common place and consumers' utility bills soar. With the need for the construction of new natural gas-driven power stations natural gas prices double (contributing to further inflationary pressure). A pissed off public demands action. In order to subsidize lower prices for households, large taxes are placed on AI data centers.

* As the year progresses it becomes clear that there is no material killer app or related revenue stream that is derived from the use of Generative AI. Focus shifts from being directed to consumers to helping corporations cut costs. This transition benefits tech integrators and consultants to the detriment of hyperscalers — the latter ultimately recognizes that there is not an adequate revenue stream and scale back their capital outlays and budgets.

Nvidia's (NVDA) "day in the sun" abruptly ends and the share price falls to between $50-$75 in a matter of days as it grows clear that double and tripling ordering buoyed the company's past reported top and bottom lines. The view that other manufacturers "over earned" produces a contagion and a setting in which large-cap stocks like Microsoft (MSFT) and other hyperscalers' shares suffer similarly.

+/- sem crash

Surprise #8: AI headlines are replaced with quantum computing headlines.
Though it is many years away from commercial use, the hype/hope cycle takes on a different subject and character. One of the important impacts will be to eventually hack proof of work cryptocurrencies including bitcoin. In time and if hacked, bitcoin becomes nearly worthless — and bitcoin collapses in price to under $25,000 in the late summer. Most other secondary and tertiary cryptocurrencies fall to zero.

failll mas as crypto estão em bear...

Surprise #9: In 2025 the S&P Index falls by about 15%. The technology-laden Nasdaq drops by over 20%.
But the equal-weighted S&P Index (RSP) only declines by 5%.

Under the weight of AI disappointment, higher interest rates, rising inflation and lower economic growth — financial and technology stocks are among the largest losers.

fail

Surprise #10: There is peace throughout the world. The Ukraine war is settled and there is peace in Israel. Israel and Saudi Arabia announce a new (and friendly) accord.

Conflito em Israel adormecido. Ucrania ainda não existe nada de facto. 50% acerto

Surprise #11: Climate change strikes the U.S. in a 500-year rain and flooding event.
Inflicting $250 billion-$500 billion in damages (roughly 10-times worse than Hurricane Katrina in 2005), the property and casualty industry is unprepared for such a catastrophic storm. With insufficient reserves and a move to forestall financial contagion, one of the top-10 property and casualty companies is bailed out by the U.S. government.

China's Three Gorges Dam Buckles as Country Battles Floods

Failllll

Surprise #12 Private Equity first acquires college football franchises and then some investors plan to purchase entire private universities.
College football team takeover activity is initiated by Mark Lasry's Avenue Capital Group, which acquires 51% of Notre Dame University's football team for $700 million.

Don't think so... failllll

Surprise #13: The U.S. government intensifies its anti-trust cases against big tech and initiates legislation aimed to regulate the shadow banking and private equity industries.
The Google case is decided in late 2025 with significantly adverse effects on both Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOGL) — the shares of both plummet.

faill you wish...

Surprise #14: Warren Buffett's corporate curtain call is the acquisition of the Boeing Company in 2025 — the largest acquisition in Berkshire Hathaway's history.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (BRK.B) eliminates its entire stake in Apple (AAPL) — selling all of its shares by mid-year.

failllll

Surprise #15: Surprises in the sports world abound in 2025:
* The LA Dodgers and New York Yankees meet again in the World Series. This time the Yankees sweep the Dodgers.

* Yankee Global Enterprises LLC (which is majority owned by the Steinbrenner family) sells a portion of the New York Yankees to Blackstone.

* Bill Belichick never coaches the University of North Carolina football team as he is offered and accepts a NFL head coaching position.

* Deion Sanders leaves the University of Colorado and, he too, becomes an NFL head coach — replacing Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys.

* The heavily favored Super Bowl contender, the Kansas City Chiefs, get blown out in the first round of the NFL Playoffs. Shortly thereafter, similar to the famous 1973 wife swap of New York Yankees pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich, Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce switch partners (Patrick Mahomes marries Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marries Brittany Mahomes).

não faço ideia...

[BearManBull]

#11

Seguradoras podem perder oito mil milhões com incêndios na Califórnia. Chamas já ameaçam Hollywood

Valor ainda não parece ser suficiente para fazer cair uma grande, mas ficam mais vulneráveis a outros eventos que possam vir a suceder.

Incêndios em Los Angeles: 10 mortes confirmadas, 180 mil deslocados, 117 km² destruídos e danos ecónomicos de €146 mil milhões


Com estes números a serem reais já podem comprometer seriamente algum big player.

[mcstreet]

#9
o SP500 sem as 7 magníficas e mais algumas exceções, tem acumulado mínimos de 52 semanas de muitas das cotadas, se cair 15% será possivelmente nas ações que estão a puxar o índice, há setores que estão a zeros ou em negativos, as TECHs e as Financeiras é que estão em maior risco de grandes drawdowns

[BearManBull]

#11

Seguradoras podem perder oito mil milhões com incêndios na Califórnia. Chamas já ameaçam Hollywood

Valor ainda não parece ser suficiente para fazer cair uma grande, mas ficam mais vulneráveis a outros eventos que possam vir a suceder.

[BearManBull]

[JTSignals]

Very interesting #8.

Do you think you could hack proof of Work?

and also, most of the news are generated by AI already

[PXYC]

acredito em todas, exceptuando #3 e #11

[BearManBull]

Surprise #1 já realizada no primeiro dia do ano. Nem precisou de iniciar o mandato.

[BearManBull]

Surprise #1: Another attempt on former President Trump's life occurs early in his term.
Was it Iran? Was it the FBI? Was it the CIA, the NSA or just the deep state? No one finds out. The election is a big problem for many powerful vested interests and the swamp doesn't want to let itself get drained. Is the Secret Service even capable of protecting President Trump?

Don't Invest Based on Trump's Fate
During the early summer, Donald and Melania Trump announce their intention to divorce. It is revealed that a separation agreement was conceived several years ago.

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 06: Republican vice presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) speaks as Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, former first lady Melania Trump and Barron Trump look on during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 06, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Americans cast their ballots today in the presidential race between Republican nominee former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as multiple state elections that will determine the balance of power in Congress. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Win McNamee/Getty Images

By the end of 2025, it is revealed that President Trump has been having a relationship (with a Democrat!). He publicly declares his desire to get remarried but divorce settlement negotiations with Melania extend and delay the divorce... and his fourth marriage.

Surprise #2: The "other" romance, between Trump/Musk, doesn't make it past Spring 2025.
National protests and demonstrations emerge and demands from a wide array of members of both the Republican and Democratic parties (including conservatives and liberals) call for "ousting" Elon Musk, an unelected official, from playing such a dominant role in the U.S. government.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Bernie Sanders, taking the Senate's mantle of opposition to Musk, tweets about Elon Musk's and other billionaires' outsized role in the government:

"The precedent set in the last few months should upset every American who believes in our democratic form of government. In 2024, just 150 billionaire families spent almost $2 billion to purchase political candidates. Since the election in November, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg got $300 billion richer and are now worth $1 trillion combined. It appears that from now on no major legislation can be passed without the approval of Elon Musk, the wealthiest person in our country. That's not Democracy, it's Oligarchy. We must fight for an economy that works for all, not just the few. Elon Musk is an unelected official that is essentially acting a the President of the United States. We must pass legislation that changes this!"

Funded by George Soros, the law firm Boies, Schiller & Flexner launches a suit restricting the role of unelected officials without official positions in the Administration (like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy). The suit ends up going to the Supreme Court but is unresolved by year-end.

Reading the room (and increasingly uncomfortable with Musk's nororiety), President Trump begins to be openly critical of Musk and finally abandons him entirely.

Musk lashes out and retaliates by forming his own party and has a nervous breakdown.

Separately, Tesla (TSLA) makes little progress in "full self driving." The U.S. government takes away the $7,500 tax credit, competition from China intensifies, unit sales drop by double digits and Tesla's profits collapse. In addition, an "accounting issue" (related to warranties) is uncovered by a short-oriented research boutique. All these factors cause the shares of TSLA to drop to $100/share.

Elon Musk's non-Tesla investments suffer from reduced U.S. government support.

Musk grows ever more unhinged throughout 2025 — his mother attempts a family intervention.

Surprise #3: The Trump/Vance Administration is far more successful in carrying out its campaign promises than Trump I or really any recent President.
Starting with immigration, the U.S. southern border is simply shutdown at the beginning of his term and at least 2.5 million undocumented people are deported. There is a high-profile crackdown on a few employers. Jobs for the undocumented become harder to secure. Further, the various federal support and benefit programs for the undocumented becomes unavailable. Fewer jobs and benefits and the constant risk of being deported cause an additional 1.5 million people to self-deport.

The economic implications are very inflationary for U.S. wages — contributing to much higher inflation (see below). Certain industries like hotels and restaurants are particularly challenged to retain adequate labor. Low-end retail suffers, as the customers have fled the U.S. and low-end apartments develop vacancies.

President Trump takes back his "Drill, Baby, Drill" campaign promise. U.S. oil production continues to fall as shale basins top out and drillers focus on free cash flow. The price of oil rises to $85/barrel by mid-2025, aiding to inflationary pressures.

Surprise #4: Relating to tariffs, while there are continued threats of robust tariffs directed at specific trading partners — they mostly serve as negotiating positions and do not get implemented.
However, an across-the-board 10% tariff is instituted — further contributing to additional inflationary pressure.

The bond vigilantes come out of hibernation and are ubiquitous next year.

Inflation reaccelerates and rises to above 4% by year-end 2025 (the yield on the 10 year Treasury note exceeds 5.5%) — the Administration considers price controls.

The Federal Reserve pauses in its rate-cutting course and eventually reverses policy and tightens. President Trump attacks the Fed and seeks Jay Powell's resignation. Powell stands firm as Fed Chair. The U.S. economy enters a recession in late 2025/early 2026 following a continued weakening of the economies of the European Union and China.

[b]Surprise #5: Amid weakening domestic economic growth, planned austerity measures (and reduced fiscal spending/support), recommended by DOGE, are unsuccessful and abandoned.
[/b]WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 05: Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Co-Chair of the newly announced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), arrives on Capitol Hill with his son on December 05, 2024 in Washington, DC. Musk and his Co-Chair, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy are meeting with lawmakers today about DOGE, a planned presidential advisory commission with the goal of cutting government spending and increasing efficiency in the federal workforce. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Surprise #6: President Trump grows more moderate in tone and policy — and, surprisingly, moves away from his MAGA base.
In contrast, the Democratic party grows more liberal (with California Governor Gavin Newsom temporarily taking up the party's de facto mantle of leadership). But, with Newsom moving further to the left (and going even softer on crime policies in his state), California's Governor falls in the polls by year-end and is no longer considered a party leader. The Democratic party appears rudderless, without any clear front runner.

This lays the groundwork for more Republican party political wins in 2026.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris leaves the political scene and accepts a professorship at Stanford University's Law School. Late in the year, Harris announces a plan to reenter politics but it is quickly rebuffed by the Democratic National Committee.

Surprise #7: AI related equities are adversely impacted by two factors — the inadequacy of supply of electricity and the absence of a killer app or related income stream:
* With AI data centers so power-intensive and the AI arms race continuing apace — our nation's supplies of electricity prove inadequate. Power outages become common place and consumers' utility bills soar. With the need for the construction of new natural gas-driven power stations natural gas prices double (contributing to further inflationary pressure). A pissed off public demands action. In order to subsidize lower prices for households, large taxes are placed on AI data centers.

* As the year progresses it becomes clear that there is no material killer app or related revenue stream that is derived from the use of Generative AI. Focus shifts from being directed to consumers to helping corporations cut costs. This transition benefits tech integrators and consultants to the detriment of hyperscalers — the latter ultimately recognizes that there is not an adequate revenue stream and scale back their capital outlays and budgets.

Nvidia's (NVDA) "day in the sun" abruptly ends and the share price falls to between $50-$75 in a matter of days as it grows clear that double and tripling ordering buoyed the company's past reported top and bottom lines. The view that other manufacturers "over earned" produces a contagion and a setting in which large-cap stocks like Microsoft (MSFT) and other hyperscalers' shares suffer similarly.

Surprise #8: AI headlines are replaced with quantum computing headlines.
Though it is many years away from commercial use, the hype/hope cycle takes on a different subject and character. One of the important impacts will be to eventually hack proof of work cryptocurrencies including bitcoin. In time and if hacked, bitcoin becomes nearly worthless — and bitcoin collapses in price to under $25,000 in the late summer. Most other secondary and tertiary cryptocurrencies fall to zero.

Which AI Tool Are You Using Most?
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The collapse in cryptocurrency prices causes fear of financial contagion — and equities fall by nearly -7% in one month.

Surprise #9: In 2025 the S&P Index falls by about 15%. The technology-laden Nasdaq drops by over 20%.
But the equal-weighted S&P Index (RSP) only declines by 5%.

Under the weight of AI disappointment, higher interest rates, rising inflation and lower economic growth — financial and technology stocks are among the largest losers.

The Indexes close at their yearly low on the last day of 2025.

Surprise #10: There is peace throughout the world. The Ukraine war is settled and there is peace in Israel. Israel and Saudi Arabia announce a new (and friendly) accord.
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Surprise #11: Climate change strikes the U.S. in a 500-year rain and flooding event.
Inflicting $250 billion-$500 billion in damages (roughly 10-times worse than Hurricane Katrina in 2005), the property and casualty industry is unprepared for such a catastrophic storm. With insufficient reserves and a move to forestall financial contagion, one of the top-10 property and casualty companies is bailed out by the U.S. government.

China's Three Gorges Dam Buckles as Country Battles Floods
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The multi-year move to move away from globalization and towards reshoring in the U.S. backfires as another natural disaster (Covid being the first in early 2020) wrecks and disrupts supply chains in our country and causes another inflationary spike (already abetted by the wage inflation incurred from the deportation policy of the new Administration).

A dramatic reset higher in natural disaster insurance pricing harms home prices across the country — serving to contain the rise in commodities and finished goods inflation. But with consumers questioning the value of their largest asset (their homes) coupled with a mortgage rate over 8%, consumer confidence collapses.

Surprise #12 Private Equity first acquires college football franchises and then some investors plan to purchase entire private universities.
College football team takeover activity is initiated by Mark Lasry's Avenue Capital Group, which acquires 51% of Notre Dame University's football team for $700 million.

Blackstone purchases a majority interest in the largest and most valuable public sector's football team, The Ohio State University (for $1.5 billion, an offer that the school's trustees deem too large to turn down!), Kohlberg Kravis purchases more than half of (public) University of Alabama's football team for almost $1 billion.

Is There More Room for Blackstone to Continue Its Advance?
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Then, in a shocking move, billionaire investor and Pittsburgh native, David Tepper, acquires all of Carnegie Mellon University for an undisclosed amount.

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - DECEMBER 20: Drayk Bowen #34 and Jack Kiser #24 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrate after a defensive play during the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Playoff First Round game at Notre Dame Stadium on December 20, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Justin Casterline/Getty Images

But Wharton alum and Apollo CEO Marc Rowan is rebuffed in his attempt to have Apollo buy The University of Pennsylvania. Apollo settles on the purchase of 51% of Penn's football team for $175 million.

Senator Elizabeth Warren exclaims, "Isn't it enough that our country's billionaires own professional football teams!"

Even President Trump is irate. Soon thereafter, congressional legislation prohibiting the acquisition of any private university is proposed and introduced into law.

Surprise #13: The U.S. government intensifies its anti-trust cases against big tech and initiates legislation aimed to regulate the shadow banking and private equity industries.
The Google case is decided in late 2025 with significantly adverse effects on both Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOGL) — the shares of both plummet.

The Trump Administration, appalled by the audacious acquisitions of some of the leading U.S. universities' football teams (and then by audacious attempts of private equity to acquire entire universities!) reacts by introducing regulatory and imposing strict capital actions against the private equity industry. Blackstone (BX) , Kohlberg Kravis (KKR) and Apollo (AINV) fall under the weight of these efforts.

Surprise #14: Warren Buffett's corporate curtain call is the acquisition of the Boeing Company in 2025 — the largest acquisition in Berkshire Hathaway's history.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (BRK.B) eliminates its entire stake in Apple (AAPL) — selling all of its shares by mid-year.

Warren Buffett
Surprise #15: Surprises in the sports world abound in 2025:
* The LA Dodgers and New York Yankees meet again in the World Series. This time the Yankees sweep the Dodgers.

* Yankee Global Enterprises LLC (which is majority owned by the Steinbrenner family) sells a portion of the New York Yankees to Blackstone.

* Bill Belichick never coaches the University of North Carolina football team as he is offered and accepts a NFL head coaching position.

* Deion Sanders leaves the University of Colorado and, he too, becomes an NFL head coach — replacing Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys.

* The heavily favored Super Bowl contender, the Kansas City Chiefs, get blown out in the first round of the NFL Playoffs. Shortly thereafter, similar to the famous 1973 wife swap of New York Yankees pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich, Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce switch partners (Patrick Mahomes marries Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marries Brittany Mahomes).

Doug Kass: My 15 Big Surprises for 2025