In this episode, I talk to co-founder Piers Curran about the latest FOMC meeting where Fed Chair Jerome Powell backed a March liftoff and said would not rule out a hike at every meeting.Markets are now pricing in the probability of 5 rate hikes this year and even the prospect of a rate 50bps move at the March meeting, but is this expectation right, or will the Fed change tactics once more?We also look at the latest earnings from the likes of Microsoft, Tesla, and Apple, while also discussing the performance of Deutsche Bank which has just closed out its most profitable year in a decade. How did they achieve this and why is the German bank an important financial institution in a global context.Finally, we talk about the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine after weeks of intense diplomacy over a buildup of more than 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s border. What are the geopolitical risks and find out why wheat and palladium may well be the best barometer of judging sentiment over the situation.Sign up for the daily Market Maker newsletter www.amplifyme.com/market-maker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.