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As of Friday, approximately 11% of S&P 500 constituents have reported their Q3 2024 earnings. The blended earnings per share (EPS), which includes both reported results and estimates for those yet to announce, indicates earnings growth of about 2.8% compared to the same quarter in 2023, according to FactSet. This marks a significant slowdown from […]

Although August began with notable volatility, global markets performed well during the third quarter of 2024, with gains across both equities and fixed income. This positive momentum was largely supported by interest rate cuts from key central banks, including the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. Additionally, a more dovish approach from Japanese […]

China has responded to mounting public pressure by implementing a series of significant policy actions after months of gradual measures. The initial steps centered on monetary policy, quickly followed by fiscal pledges, some aimed directly at boosting the stock market. This unexpectedly strong response triggered a surge in Chinese equities. By the end of the […]

This week saw significant monetary policy shifts across major economies, with the Federal Reserve and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) implementing their first interest rate cuts in years. The U.S. Federal Reserve made its first rate cut in over four years, reducing its key lending rate by 0.5 percentage points to 4.75%-5%. Fed Chair […]

Gold surged to new record highs this week, driven by a weakened US dollar. Spot gold closed the week at $2,577 per ounce, marking a 3.2% increase. The rise in the gold price is attributed to an expected interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve's meeting on September 17-18, along with easing inflationary pressures. Typically, […]

The S&P 500 Index experienced its steepest weekly decline in 18 months, driven by growing concerns over an economic slowdown. The information technology sector led the downturn, with Nvidia shares particularly hard hit. Energy stocks also suffered as oil prices fell, further weighing on the index. The week's economic data releases largely fell short of […]

Global equities faced a challenging start to August, with the S&P 500 dropping over 6% in the first three trading days and the Magnificent Seven falling nearly 10% in the first week. However, despite the initial downturn, the market rebounded sharply, resulting in another positive month for global equities, with the MSCI World Index rising […]

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signalled that the Fed is gearing up for a series of interest rate cuts during his annual address at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, stating, 'The time has come for policy to adjust’. He emphasized that while the direction toward rate cuts is clear, the exact timing and pace will be guided […]

U.S. retail sales exceeded expectations in July, rising by 1.0% following a downwardly revised 0.2% decline in June, according to the Commerce Department's Census Bureau. This marks the strongest performance in 18 months and may ease concerns of a sharp economic slowdown. The gains were led by the volatile auto sector, but increases were widespread, […]

Global financial markets experienced renewed volatility this week, driven by concerns over a potential U.S. recession, which many consider premature. The week began with a sharp drop in global equity markets, sparking headlines about a potential crash. Despite significant fluctuations, the stock market ultimately saw only modest changes. While recent volatility is noteworthy, it’s crucial […]