Why does this matter to me?

The past week was the least volatile on global financial markets in many weeks. Optimism was sustained by a trade deal between the US and UK and prospects of an agreement being reached between the US and China over the weekend. However, such optimism was constrained by the recognition that a lot of damage to investment prospects has already been inflicted by the erratic nature of US trade policy and the fact that substantial tariffs on imports into the US are still being maintained. A relatively “risk-on” environment helped to strengthen the Rand, even if much of the focus is still on the impending tabling of the third attempted Budget for 2025/26 next week.