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As we bid farewell to June and conclude the second quarter of 2023, it’s essential to reflect on the plethora of news and data that has shaped the past three months. From inflation and interest rates to GDP figures, US debt ceiling negotiations, and the rand at (repeated) record lows against the US dollar, the […]

After a strong performance in the first half of 2023, markets experienced a slight setback in the first week of the third quarter. The catalyst behind this week’s pullback was the release of the Fed’s minutes and stronger-than-expected U.S. services data, increasing expectations for an extended period of higher interest rates. Minutes from the Federal […]

As we bid farewell to June and conclude the second quarter of 2023, it's essential to reflect on the plethora of news and data that has shaped the past three months. From inflation and interest rates to GDP figures, US debt ceiling negotiations, and attempted coups in Russia, the market has experienced a whirlwind of […]

On Thursday, the Bank of England, implemented a 50 basis point interest rate hike (pushing the lending rate to 5%), surprising markets that had priced in a 60% chance of a 25 bps hike. Following the decision, markets saw a nearly 50% chance that Bank Rate would peak at 6.25% by the end of this […]

On Thursday, the S&P500 index experienced a significant development as it entered a bull market. The broad equities benchmark demonstrated a 0.6% increase, concluding the day at 4,292.93 points. This surge represents a notable 20% leap from its lowest point on October 12, 2022, when it stood at 3,577.03 points. Investors reacted favourably to indications […]

Almost half-way through 2023 and the month of May has witnessed an interesting mix of news across global markets with the U.S. agreeing on an in-principle deal to increase its debt ceiling, Germany slipping into recession, high volatility seen in gold and crude oil prices, as well as the local Rand hitting record lows against […]

This week marked the end of May, with the S&P 500 reaching its highest level since mid-August 2022 and the Nasdaq Composite hitting its best level since mid-April 2022. The agreement reached between the White House and Republican congressional leaders to raise the federal debt limit and avoid a default did not significantly impact investor […]

President Joe Biden, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and their negotiators reached a tentative agreement to raise the debt ceiling on Saturday evening, ending a months-long stalemate. President Joe Biden described the agreement as a “compromise”, while House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said it “has historic reductions in spending”. Republicans have been seeking spending cuts in areas […]

Market concern eased late in the week, with investors less worried that the U.S. Department of the Treasury will default on its debt in early June. On Thursday, investors were buoyed by comments from Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, who said he hopes to have legislation raising the debt cap on the […]

Following a report released by the Labor Department on Wednesday, the U.S. consumer price index (CPI), a widely recognized measure of inflation that assesses the cost of a diverse range of goods and services, showed a monthly increase of 0.4%. This figure aligns with the estimated value provided by Dow Jones. On an annual basis, […]