Welcome to the North Carolina Land Market. If you own land in North Carolina, you might be wondering, “Is now the right time to sell, or should I sit tight and see what happens?” Well, you’re not alone.

Yesterday brought the first policy decision of 2025 for The Federal Reserve, and despite pressure from Donald Trump last week stating interest rates should be lower, the central bank opted to keep rates on hold.

USD has shown strength this week, rebounding from two-week lows against the GBP and EUR. Most recent development, seeing US stock markets taking big losses out of fear in the technology sector regarding artificial intelligence, saw stocks plummeting.

Last week, we saw the “Trump Trade” unwind as the Dollar softened on speculation that President Trump’s tariff policies may not be as aggressive as initially feared. This shift led to a 2% rise in both GBPUSD and EURUSD, bringing some welcome relief to Sterling and Euro sellers who had previously faced challenges.

Portugal has long been a favored destination for expatriates, thanks in part to its Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) program. This program, introduced in 2009, offered significant tax benefits to foreign residents for a period of ten years.

Dollar uncertainty and volatility has continued into Wednesday as traders were still left guessing on the Donald Trump's plans for tariffs and what impact this may have on trading partners.

Yesterday marked President Trump’s inauguration, a highly anticipated event that has already begun to influence global markets. His return to the White House has reinvigorated discussions around U.S. fiscal policy, trade agreements, and potential shifts in geopolitical dynamics—all of which hold significant implications for the U.S. Dollar (USD).

Last week was challenging for Sterling, with disappointing data culminating in weak retail sales figures. This pushed GBPEUR to 1.18 and GBPUSD to 1.21.