Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast
UK Growth Stops, EU Response to Trump + Several Stocks We Follow 3-15-25
Sat, 15 Mar 2025
In this episode, Scott Becker discusses the UK’s slowing economy, the EU’s response to Trump’s trade policies, and key stock market movers—including Palantir, Peloton, and Tempus AI.
Chapter 1: What is the current state of the UK economy?
This is Scott Becker with the Becker Private Equity and Business Podcast. Today's discussion is the British aren't coming, the EU struggles, and more. So here's the story today. The United Kingdom, the great British economy, is moving towards recession. It had negative growth the last two months. Again, the definition of recession is negative growth for two quarters in a row.
Chapter 2: How are tariffs affecting the EU's economy?
And again, you can't blame this on President Trump that we're seeing this negative impact on the British economy. The second thing you're looking at is the EU economy. getting upset at President Trump for his tariff efforts and so forth. Oh, my goodness. And this is complicated because I'm not a big fan of the tariffs.
Chapter 3: What historical factors contribute to trade deficits?
And the strange thing that happens in my own mind is that when these other countries respond negatively to President Trump, Then I look at more of the facts of we've had this horrible trade deficit for literally decades now. We've allowed other countries to impose tariffs on us, but we've not imposed tariffs on their goods. They've been very protectionist. We have not.
Chapter 4: How does President Trump's tariff policy impact international relations?
And then all of a sudden I find myself in this reactionary mindset, not cheering against President Trump and his terrorist efforts, particularly when the French complain about, you know, what they've been selling to us and how it's going to be too expensive to sell to us and so forth. I sort of I hate the back and forth of the Trump tariff policy.
Chapter 5: What are the implications of trade deficits on the US economy?
But then I see some of these foreign leaders react to them. I'm reminded that our trade deficits hit record highs the last several years. Our overall deficit record size over the last several years. Then I sort of get on board a little bit. I don't I'm not proud of that, but it's just the human reaction to it.
And it's fascinating for me to watch the different reactions of these different leaders to President Trump. And it is fascinating. And not here nor there on it. There's a lot of pieces to it. The last thing I'll talk about quickly is three stocks that are driving up on Friday. Some of these we've not seen go up in a while. Two of them I hold individually. This podcast will come out on Saturday.
But midday on Friday, Astera Labs was up 8%. It's been down year to date. Palantir, which has been getting crushed, is also up 8%. about 7%. It's still up 12% year to date, but overall it's been a disaster. Astera Labs, which I'm a holder of, is up about 8% today, but it is down literally 46% year to date. So that's not been a great winning stock pick for me. Peloton, Peloton.
And again, I joke that Peloton, we've got two different subscriptions, one for one of the kids in New York, one in Chicago. both those don't seem to be getting used very much. As far as I can tell, it's up 9% today, maybe because we keep on paying the subscription, but nobody uses it. But it's down 23% year to date.
Finally, I will also take a quick note on Tempest AI owned by one of the richest guys I know. That's up 7% today and still up 33% year to date. So again, Don't worry about the economics of the Levkoski family. They seem to be fine. Thank you for listening to the Becker Private Equity and Business Podcast. Again, UK growth slows, EU response to Trump, and several stocks we watch.
Thank you for listening to the Becker Private Equity and Business Podcast.
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