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The British stock market experienced a cautious trading week, in which geopolitical tensions created some noise but caused no lasting damage. Threats from the United States regarding additional import tariffs briefly stirred up market jitters, but these quickly faded following diplomatic talks at the World Economic Forum. This shift gave markets the space to stabilise. In London, the impact remained limited, partly due to the defensive composition of the FTSE, where energy, commodities, and financials offered protection against uncertainty.

And so, investors concluded a hectic week on the markets. Markets were flooded with news from Washington, where concerns resurfaced about the independence of the Federal Reserve. At the same time, geopolitical tensions escalated, with Iran and, unexpectedly, Greenland emerging as flashpoints. That unrest intensified on Friday after President Trump threatened import tariffs on countries he claimed were “not cooperating on the Greenland issue.”

The stock market began the year with confidence. The FTSE 100 broke through the 10,000-point barrier, signalling that investor optimism remains very much alive. Interestingly, this strength did not come from the usual growth stories, but rather from the more “boring” corners of the market. Energy and defence stocks were in the spotlight, driven by geopolitical tensions and a growing focus on security and strategic independence. Investors were seeking stability, visible cash flows and companies positioned to benefit from an increasingly turbulent world. At the same time, the macroeconomic backdrop remained surprisingly constructive. Inflation figures failed to trigger fresh market jitters, and investors continued to believe that central banks may have room to cut interest rates later this year. This created an uneasy but powerful combination: on the one hand, caution around valuations; on the other, enough confidence to continue taking risk. The result was a market that did not surge, but continued to edge higher, step by step.

We wish everyone a happy New Year. With fresh energy, a clear outlook, and new ambitions, we step into 2026. But for anyone who thought the year would begin quietly, reality had other plans. Not even a week in, the world was shaken by an event that seemed taken straight from a film script. In less than five hours, the United States abducted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro straight out of Caracas. A meticulously planned military operation, executed by the elite of the US armed forces and followed live by President Trump. Helicopters, drones, cyberattacks, disabled air defences, and a lightning-fast extraction. It was a demonstration of US military dominance in its purest form and caused global astonishment. Regime change, sovereignty, and geopolitical escalation are suddenly no longer abstract terms but very real developments.