Opening Note…

Welcome back!

If you watched my videos this week, you’ll be well informed about the blackouts, cyber attacks, and even recent bank system failures. If you missed it, there’s now ‘electrical grid’ experts raising the alarm on how the net-zero plan has started to backfire, and the fallout is hitting everyday people the hardest (blackouts). The experts (including the former head of the Spanish electrical grid) claim that there just isn’t enough inertia in the system due to renewables.

Right now, Europe is seeing a lot of chaos. In fact, the World is seeing a lot of chaos… and this is just the beginning. As you know, I always try to give you any tips I can to protect yourself and your family. On Monday’s video, I shared with my viewers why you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed during a blackout. It’s all about preparedness.

I could honestly share with you dozens of things that I’ve prepared for such events, but it would fill the entire newsletter! So instead I tend to just give small tips here and there to build up gradually. One of the things I found surprising was just how much panic there was around water this week… but there doesn't need to be!

For example, on Monday I talked about the water drinking straw that I use when I go on long hikes, especially when I’m carrying a lot of weight on my back or going over rugged terrain. Because it means I don’t need to carry as much water (water is heavy!) This is what we used to carry on long range patrols when I operated in the military, where every single extra pound of weight mattered!

But you don't need to use it in such extreme cases, you could simply have one of these in your backpack on the way to work. You could have another in your kitchen… another in your car (you get the idea). People often feel overwhelmed, because they think there's no solution, but they're always is.

If you’re interested, here’s a link to the straw I use (with up to a 63% discount because I know the owner of the company): https://nmwfinance.com/4iBrJ5i

The other initial fear this week was that the blackouts were caused by an EMP/EMF device or even a solar flare! (These fears were quickly diminished), but it still left the lingering concern in people’s minds, well, again, there’s a solution for this too which I use, it‘s called an EMF/EMP Bag https://nmwfinance.com/432WnA2 - again, I still use these even after the military for my personal devices.

I hope these 2 tips help, the straw alone could save someone’s life one day.

Lets now break down the top stories from this week...

Table of Contents

• 1. Weekly Spotlight

• 2. Quick Takes

• 3. Important Video of The Week

• 4. Chart of the Week

• 5. Market Overview

• 6. Faith & Success

• 7. Join the Conversation 💬

1. Weekly Spotlight

US Focus: Revisiting Trump’s First 100 Days

President Trump has broken a modern record: 143 executive orders in 100 days.

Let’s break it down:

• Sanctuary Cities: Federal funds cut to jurisdictions that shield illegal immigrants; new penalties for universities offering in-state tuition to undocumented students. ​

• Gender Policy: Federal recognition of transgender identities revoked; only male and female options on government forms; trans athletes barred from women’s sports; sex changes for minors defunded. ​

• Federal Workforce: Over 30,000 federal employees dismissed; DEI offices shut down; collective bargaining rights for many federal workers eliminated. ​

• Education Reform: Department of Education dismantled; funding redirected to private school vouchers; strict discipline policies reinstated in public schools. ​

• Energy & Environment: Restrictions on oil and gas drilling lifted; coal production expanded; U.S. exits Paris Climate Agreement.

• Foreign Policy: U.S. withdraws from the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council; USAID dismantled; sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court. ​

• Law Enforcement: Death penalty reinstated for certain federal crimes; over 1,500 January 6th defendants pardoned; new executive order strengthens law enforcement authority. ​

• Language Policy: English designated as the official language of the U.S. government; all federal documents and services standardized accordingly. ​

• Trade & Economy: Sovereign wealth fund established; strategic bitcoin reserve created; corporate taxes slashed to incentivize domestic investment. ​

President Trump made it clear this week: “This isn’t my economy yet.” Trump blamed the Biden administration for: inflation, interest rate hikes, and spending policies for the slow Q1 start. He’s asking Americans for patience, promising that a real turnaround will come once his full agenda takes effect.

Kamala Harris has plenty to say on the matter, she started by dismissing Trump’s attempt to distance himself from the current economy. She said, “You don’t get to break the system with executive orders and then say it’s not your mess.” Harris warned that the working class will bear the brunt before any so-called recovery takes hold. Framing the moment as a battle for the soul of the country, she added, “This isn’t just about economics. It’s about whether we’re going to let one man rewrite the rules for everyone else.” 

Neil: The fact is, most voters assume that the US economy wouldn’t be ‘fixed’ in 100 days and that there would be ups and downs. I still think it’s too soon to make any calls or forecasts yet, I want to wait for the data. The numbers won’t lie, either Trump will fix things, or break things - there’s not much middle ground when you take emotion out of the picture.

2. Quick Takes

Here are the top stories shaping the week, updated with more details and stories as you requested!

• China’s Xi To Attend Russia's Victory Day, As Zelensky Hints At Attacking Event
  President Xi Jinping is confirmed to attend Russia’s May 9th Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II. Leaders from Brazil, Venezuela, Belarus, Serbia, Slovakia, and North Korea are also expected to participate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that Ukraine may target the event, criticizing Russia's proposed three-day ceasefire as insufficient and advocating for a longer, unconditional truce.

• DeSantis Offers to Fly Illegal Aliens to El Salvador — Says He’s Ready to Round Up 10,000 Within 72 Hours If DHS Approves Plan
  Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida is prepared to deport 10,000 illegal immigrants to El Salvador within 72 hours, pending approval from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This initiative follows "Operation Tidal Wave," a joint operation involving federal and state law enforcement agencies, which resulted in over 1,100 arrests across Florida, including 378 individuals with final deportation orders.

• Gold Price Sinks as China Dumps Stockpiles
  Gold prices fell over 2% this week, dropping from a record high of $3,500.05 on April 22nd to around $3,232 on May 1st. Chinese investors' pause in gold buying, particularly through local gold-backed ETFs, contributed to the price drop.

Oh before I forget: For more in-depth financial analysis, including a 1 hour monthly macro investment video AND access to my personal investment spreadsheet & forecasts, you can see all that here: https://www.patreon.com/neilmccoyward

• Deal with Ukraine Aimed at Ensuring Kiev Repays US for Aid it Has Received
  The U.S. and Ukraine have signed a minerals agreement establishing a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund. Under the deal, Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from natural resources like minerals, oil, and gas to the fund, while retaining ownership of these assets. The agreement does not require repayment for past U.S. aid but allows future military assistance to be counted as contributions to the fund.

• ‘EU Wants to Protract Ukraine Conflict’, Prevent Normalization of Russia-US Ties - (claims Russia)
  Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu accused the European Union of deliberately prolonging the Ukraine conflict to hinder the normalization of Russia-U.S. relations. Shoigu claimed that European countries are encouraging Kyiv to continue hostilities, thereby obstructing potential diplomatic progress between Moscow and Washington.

• Europe Preparing New Package of Sanctions Against Russia
  The European Union is preparing its 14th sanctions package against Russia, focusing on the liquefied natural gas sector. Measures include a ban on transshipping Russian LNG through EU ports to third countries, new restrictions on investment and technology for Russian energy projects, and limits on LNG imports to terminals not connected to the EU grid.

• Washington Calls Out Europe’s Energy Fantasy
  U.S. officials criticized Europe’s energy strategy as unrealistic, citing continued reliance on Russian gas and limited diversification. The warning came just days after a major blackout swept through Spain, Portugal & parts of France leaving millions without power.

• EU to Unveil Its Proposals for Trade Talks With US Next Week
  Despite all the tough talk by Ursula, Lagarde, Macron & the usual leaders… The European Union plans to present a new trade proposal to the U.S. next week, aiming to ease tensions sparked by recent U.S. tariffs. The proposal includes increasing EU purchases of American goods by €50 billion, particularly in liquefied natural gas and agriculture. Didn’t they say they’d never ‘bend the knee’ to Trump? The EU also seeks cooperation on global challenges like China's steel overcapacity. Negotiations are ongoing, with the EU emphasizing the need for a balanced and fair deal.

• RFK Jr. Shatters The Measles Narrative With One Brilliant Point
  RFK Jr. argued that during his childhood, the U.S. saw millions of measles cases annually with minimal public alarm, yet today's smaller outbreaks receive outsized media attention. He contrasted this with the growing burden of chronic conditions like diabetes and autism, questioning current public health priorities.

• Assisted Dying Impact Assessment to Put Price on Procedure in England and Wales
  An upcoming assessment will quantify the financial implications of introducing assisted dying legislation in England and Wales. The legislation targets terminally ill individuals with less than six months to live. Parliament is set to vote on the amended bill on May 16th, with a final decision likely by June 13th.

• Second Italian Journalist Allegedly Targeted With ‘Mercenary Spyware’
  Ciro Pellegrino, a journalist at Fanpage, received an Apple alert indicating his iPhone was targeted by mercenary spyware. He is the second journalist from Fanpage to be notified, following editor-in-chief Francesco Cancellato, who was previously alerted about spyware linked to Israeli firm Paragon Solutions. The spyware has also reportedly targeted activists and clergy in Italy.

3. Important Video of The Week

Massive Cyber Attack Hits Supermarkets… EU Chaos continues…

Earlier in the week, we saw chaos ripple across the UK and Europe. Power cuts, supermarket outages, and banking system failures... Watch Full Video On Youtube

4. Chart of the Week

Ranked: The World’s Most and Least Popular Leaders in 2025

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the world’s most approved leader, holding a strong 73% approval rating, despite a slight drop from 75% in January. In Canada, Mark Carney became Prime Minister following Justin Trudeau’s resignation and now holds a 50% approval rating, a notable increase from Trudeau’s 35% at the end of his government. U.S. President Donald Trump posted a 48% approval rating in April, down from 52% in January.

5. Market Overview

Global Markets: Global markets have shown cautious optimism over the last five days, with many indices posting modest gains driven by tech earnings and trade deal hopes. The S&P 500’s eight-day winning streak stands out, while the FTSE 100, TSX Composite, and ASX 200 exhibit stability with minor fluctuations. Other indices, like Japan’s Nikkei 225 (+1.13% on April 30th) and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (+0.51%), also reflected positive momentum.

• 🇺🇸 United States – S&P 500
  The S&P 500 is treading water as tariff headlines continue to fuel uncertainty. Investors are cautious, watching for inflation data and Q2 earnings forecasts.

• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom – FTSE 100
  The FTSE 100 remains in a period of low growth, supported by commodity-heavy sectors.

• 🇨🇦 Canada – TSX Composite
  The TSX saw modest gains this week, supported by energy and mining stocks.

• 🇦🇺 Australia – ASX 200
  The ASX 200 is volatile, with weakness in retail and real estate. Strong commodity exports, especially iron ore and LNG, remain the backbone of market stability.

Cryptocurrency:

• Bitcoin (BTC): Surged 3.7% to ~$97,117.99, approaching $100,000 with strong momentum.

• Ethereum (ETH): Gained 4.9% to ~$1,809.69–$1,860.95, recovering from recent lows.

• Tether (USDT) & USDC: Remained flat at $1.00, acting as stable liquidity anchors. Regulatory scrutiny, like USDT’s EU delisting, has minimal short-term impact.

• XRP: Rose 4.2% to ~$2.20–$2.25, rebounding from a weekly low.

• BNB: Slightly up 1.3% to ~$599.84–$602.92, lagging other altcoins. Binance ecosystem supports stability, but lacks strong catalysts for growth.

• Solana (SOL): Jumped 7.2% to ~$149.08–$152.99, showing robust weekly performance.

• Cardano (ADA): Rallied 4.2% to ~$0.69–$0.71, breaking above key technical levels.

Neil’s Summary: Markets are ticking upward, but I’d still urge caution. The S&P 500 posted eight straight days of gains, mostly on tech momentum, but under the surface, investors are still cautious. Bitcoin’s rally and renewed interest in altcoins show risk appetite is creeping back in, but it’s still fragile.

My stance hasn’t changed: with blackouts in Europe, tariffs in play, and Governments in a debt/low GDP spiral, tangible assets remain the smartest plays. My priority is on wealth preservation for 2025. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be your too, there are plenty of ways to make a strong return this year, you’ve just got to be laser focused on your method of doing this. Don’t take the scattergun approach, be laser focused on 1 or 2 strategies.

6. Faith & Success

“The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” – Proverbs 22:3

There’s wisdom in taking shelter sometimes, in effect - letting the storm ride out. As the world shifts around us, many are gambling on big returns and speculations hoping to strike it BIG. But scripture reminds us that we don’t always need to rush into the storm, it’s usually safer to ‘sit this one out’. Don’t feel as though you need to rush in, it’s totally fine to ‘sit this one out’ and wait for the storm to pass.

7. Join the Conversation 💬

Last week, many shared what you wanted more of in this newsletter. This week, I’ve adjusted the content to reflect your feedback - thank you for that. I’m so grateful as the newsletter continues to grow with new members every single week. And if you’re enjoying this newsletter, why not share it with a friend, or a group that you’re a part of?

Thank you again for all your support! Here’s the link again for the straw & EMP/EMF bags: (Straw): https://nmwfinance.com/4iBrJ5i 
(EMF/EMP Bag): https://nmwfinance.com/432WnA2

Stay Informed, Stay Empowered! Stay Blessed!

See you next time,

Your Friend,

Neil,

DISCLAIMER
This newsletter is 100% FREE & is designed to help your thinking, not direct it. These newsletters shall NOT be construed as tax, legal, or financial advice and may be outdated or inaccurate; all decisions made as a result of this information are yours alone.

Trading/Liability: Neil McCoy-Ward operates/trades under a private Ltd company within the Isle Of Man.