2025: A Year of Bravery and Brave Calls on Wall Street

2025: The Year Wall Street Learned to Love the Rollercoaster

Forget steady gains; 2025 was a masterclass in navigating chaos, a year where volatility wasn't a bug, but the main feature. From AI's seismic shifts to geopolitical tremors, investors who stayed brave and nimble reaped the rewards, while the faint of heart were left dizzy.

The year kicked off with a bang, or rather, a digital shockwave. DeepSeek's AI launch sent Nvidia into a tailspin, wiping out nearly $600 billion in market value overnight (Bloomberg, Jan. 28, 2025). Yet, for those who saw beyond the panic, like Nancy Tengler, it was an opportunity to buy the dip, a strategy that proved prescient as the Nasdaq 100 rebounded swiftly.

Then came April 2nd, a day that felt like a modern-day Black Monday, as President Trump unleashed a barrage of tariffs, shaking the foundations of global trade. Markets tumbled, recession fears flared, and even safe-haven Treasuries faltered. It was a stark reminder of how quickly geopolitical pronouncements could rewrite financial narratives, much like the uncertainty that followed the 2008 crisis.

But just as quickly as fear set in, euphoria followed. A 90-day tariff pause on April 9th sent the S&P 500 soaring 7% in minutes, a historic surge that cemented the "Trump Always Chickens Out" (TACO) trade. This dynamic, where selloffs became buying opportunities, defined much of the year's market action.

Even the bombing of Iran in June, a move that threatened to ignite a wider conflict, ultimately led to a market rally as de-escalation followed. Crypto, however, faced its own reckoning in October, as a threatened 100% tariff on China sent Bitcoin spiraling, bucking the year's prevailing buy-the-dip mantra.

What Matters:

• Nimbleness is paramount: Adaptability to rapid news cycles is key.
• Volatility as opportunity: Fearful selloffs can present strategic buying chances.
• Geopolitics as a market driver: Understand how global events impact asset prices.

As 2025 drew to a close, a collective sigh of relief echoed through Wall Street, a testament to surviving the year's wild ride.

For informational purposes. Not investment advice.