Good morning — you’re reading The Closer, your 10-minute guide to what's driving markets and deals.
Below you'll see the week-ahead calendar and top reads, in addition to a deeper look at how Trump’s “freeze” on tech tariffs to woo Beijing is a reset that could redraw supply chains, test alliances, and lock the U.S. into a self-feeding cycle of economic and political dependency. From Europe’s reluctant concessions to India’s tariff shock and Nvidia’s high-stakes lobbying, the move shows how a short-term bluff can morph into a long-term trap.
Plus: the “walk at ~1%” platform tactic—and why credibility is your strongest currency.
— Bradley
Monday Smart-Start
11 August 2025
Numbers and talking points to look like the prepared one at 9 a.m.
GLOBAL INDICES (Fri close)
S&P 500
6,389.45
+2.4% w/w
FTSE 100
9,095.73
+0.3% w/w
Nikkei 225
41,820.48
+2.5% w/w
COMMODITIES • RATES • FX (Fri close)
Brent crude
$66.59/bbl
−4.8% w/w
Gold (spot)
$3,394/oz
+1.0% w/w
U.S. 10-yr Treasury
4.27%
+4 bp w/w
€ / $
1.1655
+0.46% w/w
Bitcoin
$117,463
+1.5% w/w
