How tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty are driving market volatility
US stocks (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) are trading higher Friday afternoon following a contentious meeting between US President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The exchange included sharp criticism from Trump, with Trump even telling Zelensky, "You're gambling with World War 3." Laffer Tengler Investments CEO and CIO Nancy Tengler joins Market Domination to discuss the market (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) reaction and other factors influencing current trading. Tengler attributes part of the market's rally to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's downgrading gross domestic product (GDP) projections for the first quarter to -1.5%: "I think it has a lot to do with [President Trump's] tariffs and the uncertainty around that," while adding "but the geopolitical part I think will play out." She expresses optimism about resolving current tensions, stating, "I do think that we'll see a resolution, and it'll probably happen fairly quickly." Looking ahead, Tengler forecasts volatile markets in the first half of the year but anticipates improvement as clarity emerges around key policies such as taxes, deregulation, and tariffs. She suggests that once these issues are resolved, "we would have the decks cleared for the headline risk." She concludes by emphasizing that "it is the uncertainty that is driving this volatility." To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination here. This post was written by Angel Smith
