Topline
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett will soon speak at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting, where investors hope the firm’s chairman and CEO could address President Donald Trump’s trade war, the economic uncertainty it has triggered and Berkshire Hathaway’s strategy as it navigates a volatile market.
Key Facts
The annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, will begin at 9 a.m. EDT and run until 2 p.m., with Buffett scheduled to take the stage in addition to other top figures at Berkshire Hathaway.
Buffett, who has remained largely quiet on Trump’s sweeping tariff policy, is anticipated to speak on the subject a few months after he told CBS News tariffs are “an act of war, to some degree,” noting the costs of the president’s tariff policy would be passed on to consumers.
The announcement of Trump’s tariffs last month triggered a stock plunge among major companies and three major U.S. indexes, though the indexes have since recovered from the lows they hit in early April.
As Trump’s economic policies have stoked fears of a recession, Buffett has yet to directly address the matter as leading economists like Apollo Global Management’s Torsten Slok have raised the alarm on a potential recession and the impacts it could have on small businesses and large retailers.
Investors are also curious if the centibillionaire will comment on Berkshire Hathaway’s decision to sell off its over 600 million shares in Apple last year, reducing the tech company’s presence in the investment firm’s portfolio from 50% to 26%.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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Forbes Valuation
We estimate Buffett’s net worth at $168.2 billion, making him the fifth wealthiest person in the world behind Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison ($187.9 billion), Meta co-founder Mark Zuckerberg ($206.4 billion), Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos ($206.7 billion) and Tesla chief Elon Musk ($389.4 billion)
Big Number
145%. That is the eye-popping tariff rate the Trump administration has placed on China. A 10% baseline tariff remains on several U.S. trade partners as a 90-day pause on tariffs remains in effect until July.
Key Background
Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting is a massive event for investors and economic observers, gaining a reputation as the “Woodstock for Capitalists.” The meeting, held in Buffet’s hometown of Omaha, brings around 40,000 attendees from around the world who are primarily interested in gathering business, finance and personal insights from the 94-year-old super investor. The meeting also has an array of events throughout the weekend, including a 5k run and a shopping event featuring products from Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiaries.
Further Reading
‘Never Wished To Create A Dynasty’: Warren Buffett Donates $1.1 Billion In Berkshire Stock And Updates Will (Forbes)
Berkshire Hathaway Stock Rises 4% To New Record—Making Warren Buffett $6 Billion Richer (Forbes)
