Japanese Bonds, Greenland Brinkmanship and Iran Threats. When Risks Outweigh Rewards: Taking 10% to Cash

This week, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris Fellingham unpack one of the most volatile macro weeks of the year, from Japan’s bond market shock to Trump’s Davos comments, rising geopolitical tension, and a sharp shift in momentum across assets.

With Japanese yields spiking to multi-decade highs, markets wobbling on Greenland headlines, and gold once again leading the leaderboard, the team debate whether this is a temporary scare… or the early warning signs of something bigger. Crucially, they also make a major portfolio decision, raising cash and reassessing risk after a strong run of returns.

Expect macro depth, proper portfolio debate, and a real-time look at how professional investors react when markets move fast.

This Week’s Highlights:

🇯🇵 Japan Bond Shock

40-year Japanese government bond yields spike, triggering global bond and equity volatility.

🌍 Geopolitics Returns

Greenland, NATO tensions and Trump’s Davos comments briefly rattle markets before a sharp relief rally.

📉 Momentum Rotates

Gold and mining stocks surge while crypto and copper lag as capital chases safety and trend.

🪙 Crypto vs Gold

Bitcoin slides while gold hits new highs, reigniting the “digital gold” debate.

🏦 Central Bank Power

The Bank of Japan draws a clear line in the sand, reminding markets who’s really in control.

Portfolio Snapshot:

Weekly performance: –0.7%

Total return since inception: +15.5%

Top Performers (WoW)

🥇 iShares Physical Gold ETC: +4.83%

🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +2.54%

🥉 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETF: +1.14%

Underperformers (WoW)

📉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: –4.66%

📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: –4.15%

📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: –3.49%

Big Decisions This Week:

🔄 Raising Cash

The team reduce exposure to gold and US equities, moving 10% of the portfolio into cash to reassess risk after strong gains.

💬 Live Debate

Should profits be locked in after a big run, or is stepping aside the biggest risk of all?

What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why Japan’s bond market matters far beyond Tokyo

✔️ How central banks really control market stress

✔️ Why momentum dominates during uncertain periods

✔️ When raising cash is smart, and when it’s costly

✔️ How professionals manage portfolios during fast-moving macro shocks

📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides

View the portfolio breakdown: here

📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com

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Disclaimer:

This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes.

Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in.

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