This week’s economic indicators and market performance signal cautious optimism, with inflation cooling in key regions and corporate earnings boosting confidence. In the U.S. the consumer price index (CPI) increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in December, bringing the 12-month inflation rate to 2.9%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the headline […]
Markets started the week on a high note following reports of a softer stance on tariffs from the incoming U.S. administration. However, optimism waned as President-elect Donald Trump dismissed these claims, reviving concerns over trade policy. This triggered significant market volatility, with the U.S. dollar falling briefly before recovering. U.S. economic data showed a mixed […]
Major stock indexes showed mixed performance during the holiday-shortened week, though a strong rally on Friday helped mitigate earlier losses. For 2024, the S&P 500 (-0.48% w/w) posted its second consecutive annual gain of over 20%, marking the best two-year performance in 25 years. The Nasdaq Composite (-0.51% w/w) also ended the year with over […]
Revised figures from the UK's Office for National Statistics revealed that the economy showed no growth in the three months to September. This marks a downgrade from the preliminary estimate of 0.1% GDP growth published earlier. French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a new cabinet under Prime Minister François Bayrou, following the collapse of the […]
US Treasuries faced negative returns this week as the 10-year yield climbed to its highest level since May, surpassing 4.50%. On Thursday, the Federal Reserve implemented an expected 0.25% rate cut, lowering the federal funds target range to 4.25%-4.50%. However, the Fed signalled a more cautious stance on future cuts, emphasising it will carefully assess […]
The European Central Bank (ECB) cut its deposit rate by 25 basis points to 3.0% but signalled a cautious stance on future easing, while the Swiss National Bank (SNB) surprised with a larger cut of 50 basis points to 0.5% amid easing inflationary pressures. Meanwhile, UK GDP unexpectedly contracted by 0.1% in October on weak […]
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 […]
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