Great Scott! A Trade Deal? Maybe the Muggles are Getting it Right!

Blimey! A Spot of Good News?

Honestly you wouldn't believe it if you read it in *Hogwarts: A History* but it seems the Muggles might be stumbling towards something resembling sense when it comes to trade! Wall Street was practically doing the Hippogriff mating dance on Thursday. Apparently there's a shiny new trade agreement outline between the U.S. and the U.K. I'm as shocked as when I found out Ron had been made a prefect... but good shocked obviously.

Small Caps Big Cheer!

The Russell 2000 – apparently it's some sort of 'barometer for confidence' – outperformed its larger brethren. Honestly sometimes these Muggle terms are as baffling as Professor Binns' lectures! Still it suggests there's a glimmer of hope that even smaller businesses might benefit. I suppose even house elves deserve decent wages… metaphorical ones in this case of course. I'm all for fair trade just ask S.P.E.W.!

From Turmoil to...Truce?

Martin Frandsen from Principal Asset Management – sounds like a rather important wizard in the Muggle world – said this deal is a 'sign that after months of turmoil we may be incrementally moving towards de escalation of the global trade war.' 'De escalation'! A rather fancy term isn't it? Like using 'levitation' instead of 'float'. Still the hope is this tiny spark could lead to a proper roaring fire of international cooperation. As Dumbledore always said 'Dark and difficult times lie ahead'...but even he admitted there's always a chance for things to improve.

China on the Horizon!

The real gamble of course is whether this U.K. agreement is a mere puff of smoke or a precursor to a real breakthrough with China. Trump – yes *that* Trump – thinks the discussions will be 'substantive'. I'll believe it when I see it! But U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says lowering tariffs is 'on the table'. It's a start I suppose. Progress even if it's slower than Neville trying to remember Herbology is still progress!

Square Pegs and Round Holes... Or is it?

Greer also said something about China being a 'square peg' trying to fit into a 'circle' that is the U.S. economy. Honestly sometimes Muggles do come up with rather colorful ways to describe things. Let's hope these talks can at least find a 'stable place'. Maybe just maybe this is the foundation for something more substantial. Because frankly the world needs less 'you know who' behavior and more compromise. 'Books! And cleverness! There are more important things – friendship and bravery.'

The Future is...Cautiously Optimistic?

So there you have it. A potential glimmer of hope in the murky world of international trade. I for one am cautiously optimistic. Though let's be honest I'll be much more impressed when they invent a self stirring cauldron. Now *that* would be a true innovation!