TRG Fast Facts

By TRG Advisors on June 27, 2025

Weekly data-driven insights on the markets and economy

Tesla Tumbles Again

Tesla announced on Wednesday that new car sales in Europe dropped nearly 28% year-over-year in May, marking the fifth consecutive monthly decline as buyers shift toward more affordable Chinese electric vehicles. The company’s market share in the region fell to 1.2%, due to rising competition and CEO Elon Musk’s political controversies further straining the brand. Despite hopes pinned on the revamped Model Y, Tesla continues to face mounting pressure from both traditional automakers and fast-growing Chinese rivals.^[i]

Trump’s Tight Timeline

As of Wednesday, President Trump faces a high-stakes stretch racing to pass a sweeping tax and spending bill by July 4 and decide the fate of paused global tariffs by July 9—all while managing a fragile Israel-Iran ceasefire and pressure from NATO allies. With global markets on edge and domestic politics in flux, Trump’s ability to deliver on his promises is under scrutiny.^[ii]

Home Sales Slide

Reported on Wednesday, sales of new single-family homes fell 13.7% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 623,000 units—well below analyst expectations and historical averages. Persistently high mortgage rates near 7% continue to dampen buyer activity and affordability, prompting mixed pricing strategies among major homebuilders. The resulting slowdown pushed new home supply to its highest level since 2022, with a 9.8-month inventory on the market.^[iii]

Gold Retreats

Gold prices fell more than 1% on Tuesday, hitting a two-week low, after President Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, reducing demand for the safe-haven asset. Spot gold dropped to $3,301.99 an ounce, while U.S. gold futures slipped 2.2%. Analysts say the dip reflects rising risk appetite and optimism, though support remains near $3,300 amid ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty.^[iv]

Compass Sues Zillow

Compass filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against Zillow, accusing the home-search giant of anticompetitive practices aimed at monopolizing online real estate listings. The center of the dispute is Zillow’s new rule requiring listings to appear on its platform within 24 hours of being marketed elsewhere—a policy that Compass claims undermines its multi-phase marketing strategy. This case could reshape how listings are shared online and intensifies the broader battle between brokerages and search platforms over control of the digital housing market.^[v]

Novo Nordisk Nixes Knockoffs

Novo Nordisk announced on Monday it is ending its partnership with Hims & Hers due to concerns about the telehealth company’s sales and promotion of cheaper knockoffs of the weight loss drug Wegovy. The decision follows allegations of deceptive marketing and legal violations, which triggered a more than 34% drop in Hims & Hers’ stock.^[vi]

[i] Meredith, Sam. “Tesla’s European car sales nosedive for fifth month as customers switch to Chinese EVs.” CNBC, 25 June 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/25/teslas-european-car-sales-fall-as-customers-switch-to-chinese-evs.html.Accessed June 25, 2025.

[ii] Cook, Nancy. “Trump Enters Fraught Two-Week Run as Tax, Trade Deadlines Loom.” Bloomberg, 24 June 2025. Republished on MSN, https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/trump-enters-fraught-two-week-run-as-tax-trade-deadlines-loom/ar-AA1HmAwb?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds.Accessed June 24, 2025.

[iii] Olick, Diana. “Sales of new homes tanked in May, pushing supply up to a 3-year high.” CNBC, 25 June 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/25/may-2025-new-home-sales.html. Accessed June 25, 2025.

[iv] “Gold falls to two-week low as Israel-Iran ceasefire erodes safe-haven demand.” Reuters, 24 June 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/24/gold-at-near-2-week-low-after-trump-announces-israel-iran-ceasefire.html. Accessed June 24, 2025.

[v] Delouya, Samantha. “Compass sues Zillow as fight over privately marketed listings heats up.” CNN, 23 June 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/23/business/compass-lawsuit-zillow-home-listings. Accessed June 24, 2025.

[vi] Kim Constantino, Annika. “Novo Nordisk ends deal with Hims & Hers over sales of Wegovy copycats; HIMS drops 34%.” CNBC, 23 June 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/23/novo-nordisk-ends-wegovy-deal-with-hims-hers.html.Accessed June 24, 2025.