Core Viewpoint - The return of Trump to the political scene has introduced unprecedented uncertainty in the markets, affecting macro traders and their strategies [1][2]. Group 1: Market Reactions - Trump's fluctuating policies on trade tariffs and taxes have disrupted established trading strategies, leading to significant market volatility [1]. - The HFRX Macro/CTA Index has dropped 4.3% year-to-date, marking the worst start since records began in 2004, highlighting the struggles of macro traders [3]. - In contrast, the S&P 500 index has risen nearly 2% this week, with a cumulative increase of 6% in May, indicating a divergence in market performance [3]. Group 2: Investment Strategies - Traditional defensive strategies, such as investing in value stocks and fixed-income tools, have failed to protect against market downturns, with defensive stocks lagging behind cyclical stocks by 10 percentage points [4]. - Popular volatility-linked ETFs have also seen declines of at least 25%, resulting in significant losses for investors who sought protection through these instruments [4]. - The best strategy in the current environment appears to be a passive approach, as retail investors have benefitted from the chaos, with $10 billion flowing into popular ETFs like Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) since May [5][6]. Group 3: Economic Resilience - Analysts emphasize that the natural resilience of the economy has been underestimated, suggesting that a more cautious and observant approach may yield better results than aggressive trading [6].