MARKET INSIGHTS

Weekly market commentary

2025-11-03
  • BlackRock Investment Institute

Mega forces playing out in real time

Market take

Weekly video_20251103

Devan Nathwani

Portfolio Strategist, BlackRock Investment Institute

Opening frame: What’s driving markets? Market take

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Last week, the US and China reached a trade truce and mega cap tech companies upped planned AI build-out spending. These big developments highlight why mega forces matter now. The AI mega force remains a key equity driver, yet we track how it is broadening out across a wider array of markets and commodities.

Title slide: Mega forces playing out in real time

1: Trade truce shows immutable laws at work

Months of the US tariff threats and countermeasures ultimately resulted in limited disruptions between two of the world’s biggest trading partners. China has suspended export controls on rare earths – a vital input across several technologies including AI infrastructure – for a year in return for the US reducing tariffs and easing measures on ports and shipbuilding.

It’s a model of how an immutable economic law – supply chains can’t be rewired overnight – can constrain policy outcomes.

2: Geopolitical fragmentation ongoing

Yet strategic competition between the US and China is still deepening – reflecting ongoing geopolitical fragmentation, another key mega force. Beijing’s new five-year economic plan, focused on self-reliance, aims to help China develop its economy and achieve independence from the rest of the world. It faces several challenges, including a weak housing market, low consumer confidence and a fast-aging workforce. That keeps us neutral on Chinese stocks overall.

3: AI theme broadening

The AI theme remains a key driver of stocks. Several of the Magnificent Seven mega cap companies announced higher spending in their earnings calls last week as they pour money into chips and data centers. But we’ve seen the AI theme broaden to a wider array of markets and commodities this year. South Korea and Taiwan’s equity indices have surged, as have commodities like copper, needed for the AI buildout. Private markets like infrastructure – which are complex and not suitable for all investors – are also increasingly important for this buildout.

Outro: Here’s our Market take

Mega forces – particularly geopolitical fragmentation and AI – are a key investment lens for the short-term, not just the long-term. We stay overweight US stocks on the AI theme and Fed rate cuts, but watch as it broadens out to other asset classes and regions. 

Closing frame: Read details: blackrock.com/weekly-commentary

Mega forces matter now

The US-China trade truce and last week's tech earnings highlight why mega forces are a key lens today. We stay overweight US stocks on the AI theme.

Market backdrop

US stocks pushed to new all-time highs on solid tech earnings. The Fed played down rate cut expectations for December, but we think it will likely cut again.

Week ahead

We await the release of US trade data for signs of tariff impacts before the US-China trade truce, and look to China trade data to see how exports held up.

The US-China trade truce plus mega cap tech earnings last week underscore why mega forces – or big structural changes – are key for near-term returns, not just the long term. The trade agreement highlights how immutable economic laws limit policy extremes even amid ongoing geopolitical fragmentation. Earnings updates from mega cap tech companies show how the AI buildout remains a key equity driver. We stay overweight US stocks, supported by Federal Reserve rate cuts.

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Biggest lift from net exports since pandemic

Value of China's exports, 2015-2025

The chart shows the value of China exports increased this year despite tariff threats and an increase in strategic competition with the US China exports were a key contributor to Beijing's GDP this year.

Source: LSEG DataStream, China Customs, chart by BlackRock Investment Institute, November 2025. Note: Values are the sum, i.e. the yearly volume of the 12-month moving average, based on monthly data.

Last week’s big developments – the US and China reaching a trade truce and mega cap tech companies upping planned AI buildout spending – highlight how mega forces are playing out in real time. The truce shows how immutable economic laws – supply chains can’t be rewired overnight – can limit policy outcomes even as strategic competition between the US and China deepens. Yet even with all the tariffs and threats this year, China’s export engine has stayed remarkably strong – partially due to countries front-loading imports earlier this year before tariffs took effect. See the chart. Exports have served as a key growth driver for China’s sluggish economy. The net export contribution to GDP growth this year is on track to be the largest since 2020 when demand for its goods soared during the pandemic – and excluding that, the largest in two decades, according to Haver Analytics data.

China has suspended export controls on rare earths - a vital input across several technologies including AI infrastructure – for a year in return for the US reducing tariffs and easing measures on ports and shipbuilding. We think this should bring some near-term stability to US-China relations even amid the ongoing competition and broader geopolitical fragmentation rewiring supply chains. With its new five-year economic plan unveiled this week, Beijing is focusing on “self-reliance” in developing its economy and achieving independence from the US and rest of world – especially on technological developments such as quantum computing and nuclear fusion. China’s economy is still struggling with a weak housing market, low consumer confidence and structural challenges, notably a fast-aging workforce. That’s why we stay neutral on Chinese stocks overall but favor selective exposures such as the AI theme that has helped Hong Kong-listed Chinese shares – concentrated in tech – surge 28% this year, outperforming the US so far.

Trade truce and tech bets shape global dynamics

Last week also reinforced the AI mega force is a key driver of stocks. Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta together spent about $60 billion on capex last quarter – a major step-up - and all flagged higher spending ahead as they pour money into chips and data centers, according to earnings reports. Yet we are seeing more differentiated share performance and investor focus on how companies are earning revenues tied to this investment – and how they are financing it as these companies become more capital-intense, highlighted by Meta’s upsized $30 billion bond sale. We stay overweight US equities on the AI theme.

We’ve seen the AI theme broaden to a wider array of markets this year. Case in point: South Korean shares have surged 70% in local currency terms, especially with its chipmakers signing up for deals with OpenAI, while Taiwan’s local index has gained 23%. Copper has jumped nearly 30% to all-time highs as a key input to the wiring across mega forces, with power grids needing upgrades or expansion to drive AI data centers amid constrained copper supply. Private markets including infrastructure – which are complex and not suitable to all investors – are increasingly core to financing the AI buildout.

Our bottom line

Mega forces – notably geopolitical fragmentation and AI – are a key investment lens for the short-term, not just the long term. We stay overweight US stocks on the broadening AI theme, with risk appetite supported by Fed rate cuts.

Market backdrop

The S&P 500 climbed 3%, supported by strong tech earnings in a bumpy October and is set to notch its longest run of monthly gains since 2021. US 10-year Treasury yields rose to near 4.10% after the Federal Reserve cooled expectations for a December rate cut. We think the Fed will cut in December given that the central bank signaled as much in September – but the shift highlights committee divisions. Gold rebounded to around $4,000 after sliding from all-time highs.

The ongoing US government shutdown – now the second-longest in history – will likely delay September trade data. That leaves markets without a key indicator of tariff impacts before the US and China struck a truce on trade. China trade will give a snapshot on how its exports have held up heading into the truce. China inflation data will show whether Beijing’s stimulus efforts are helping pull the economy out of deflation. The Bank of England is expected to keep rates on hold.

Week ahead

The chart shows that gold is the best performing asset year to date among a selected group of assets, while brent crude is the worst.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. Indexes are unmanaged and do not account for fees. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Sources: BlackRock Investment Institute, with data from LSEG Datastream as of October 30, 2025. Notes: The two ends of the bars show the lowest and highest returns at any point year to date, and the dots represent current year-to-date returns. Emerging market (EM), high yield and global corporate investment grade (IG) returns are denominated in US dollars, and the rest in local currencies. Indexes or prices used are: spot Brent crude, ICE US Dollar Index (DXY), spot gold, spot bitcoin, MSCI Emerging Markets Index, MSCI Europe Index, LSEG Datastream 10-year benchmark government bond index (US, Germany and Italy), Bloomberg Global High Yield Index, J.P. Morgan EMBI Index, Bloomberg Global Corporate Index and MSCI USA Index.

Nov. 4

US trade data (scheduled)

Nov. 6

BOE policy decision; China trade data

Nov. 8

China CPI and PPI

Read our past weekly commentaries here.

Big calls

Our highest conviction views on six- to 12-month (tactical) and over five-year (strategic) horizons, November 2025

Note: Views are from a US dollar perspective, November 2025. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon by the reader as research or investment advice regarding any particular funds, strategy or security.

Tactical granular views

Six- to 12-month tactical views on selected assets vs. broad global asset classes by level of conviction, November 2025

Legend Granular

We have lengthened our tactical investment horizon back to six to 12 months. The table below reflects this and, importantly, leaves aside the opportunity for alpha, or the potential to generate above-benchmark returns – especially at a time of heightened volatility.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Note: Views are from a US dollar perspective. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast or guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon as investment advice regarding any particular fund, strategy or security.

Euro-denominated tactical granular views

Six to 12-month tactical views on selected assets vs. broad global asset classes by level of conviction, November 2025

Legend Granular

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Note: Views are from a euro perspective, November 2025. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast or guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon as investment advice regarding any particular fund, strategy or security.

Meet the authors

Jean Boivin
Head – BlackRock Investment Institute
Wei Li
Global Chief Investment Strategist – BlackRock Investment Institute
Glenn Purves
Global Head of Macro – BlackRock Investment Institute
Devan Nathwani
Portfolio Strategist – BlackRock Investment Institute

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