Latest investment update

Published: April 2025

More than a week after US President Donald Trump announced America’s global tariff rollout, what have we learnt?

While President Trump’s pause on tariffs provided some relief to investors earlier in the week, the ongoing tensions between the US and China continue to influence markets.

The back-and-forth between the two countries means volatility is likely to continue for the time being. But over the long term, the experts at Coutts, the investment manager behind Royal Bank Invest, still see positive opportunities for investors.

It’s important investors focus on a longer-term time horizon when market conditions are changing, as markets could rise as swiftly as they fall. Those who stay invested during these times could benefit when the environment becomes more stable.

Despite recent dramatic market movements, the global economy appears to be in reasonably good shape at the moment and company balance sheets are healthy. This is why we still see long-term opportunities ahead. 

Our Royal Bank Invest funds are globally diversified, which means they invest in a broad range of countries and regions as well as different types of assets such as equities and bonds. They are picked depending on their expected return in the future.

The team at Coutts continue to monitor developments closely and are ready to make changes if necessary. But overall, they still see encouraging long-term opportunities in their current holdings.

Fahad Kamal, Chief Investment Officer at Coutts, explained: “We want to make sure our funds are built so they have the potential to absorb the changes in markets while still capturing gains when markets perform well.

“Diversification therefore plays a key role in our investment strategy. A well-diversified fund could help cushion investments during times of market volatility and spread the opportunity for returns.”

Here you’ll find our previous investment market updates.