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This week, investors remained closely attuned to Wednesday's U.S. inflation report for April, which revealed figures largely in line with or slightly below expectations. This tempered concerns regarding a resurgence in inflationary pressures, following three consecutive months of higher-than-anticipated readings. Notably, the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.3% month-on-month, slightly below the projected […]

After five consecutive months of gains, most major global markets, except for a few outliers, ended April in the red. Much of this was down to the ongoing presence of inflation in the US, fuelling discussions about the Fed's potential reluctance to reduce rates in the near future. Tensions in the Middle East also persisted, dampening […]

In the US, initial filings for unemployment benefits have surged to their highest level since late August 2023, suggesting a potential shift in what has otherwise been a robust labour market. According to the Labor Department's report on Thursday, jobless claims totalled a seasonally adjusted 231,000 for the week ending on May 4, marking a […]

Ahead of Wednesday’s press conference following the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, markets anticipated a hawkish response due to recent higher-than-expected inflation figures. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell surprised by stating that a rate hike is "unlikely" and that rate cuts remain the Fed’s primary scenario, albeit delayed. Amidst a plethora of data […]

The Commerce Department’s advanced GDP print released on Thursday showed the U.S. economy grew 1.6% in the January-through-March period (Q1) of 2024, much weaker than was expected and the slowest pace of growth in nearly two years. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for an increase of 2.4% following a 3.4% gain in […]

U.S. equities saw their third consecutive week of losses, influenced by concerns over Middle East tensions and enduring high U.S. interest rates. Mega-cap technology shares were hit by rising rates, leading to a higher theoretical discount on future earnings. Additionally, the technology sector was impacted by a first-quarter revenue miss from ASML Holdings, reducing optimism […]

All three major U.S. indices moved higher this week, with the S&P 500 gaining 2.3%. The Dow was also up 1.97% for its best week since December. The Nasdaq was the outperformer of the three, gaining 2.85%. The main driver of positive investor sentiment for markets was the conclusion of the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy […]

Financial markets got off to a quiet start this week, as investors awaited the release of the U.S. consumer inflation data on Tuesday. While CPI for February met expectations at 0.4% (MoM), core prices exceeded forecasts, primarily due to rising shelter costs. On Thursday, producer inflation surprised on the upside, causing concerns about potential consumer […]

Following a promising start to 2024, the global equity market continued to gain momentum throughout February, amidst economic resilience in the US. The MSCI All Country World Index closed the month at an all-time high (+4.3% MoM), with the large cap S&P 500 index also boasting a record close of +5.3%. This marks gains in […]

U.S. stock markets experienced mixed performance as long-term interest rates fell amid concerns about a cooling labour market. While the S&P 500 Index reached record highs earlier in the week, they pulled back late Friday. Small-cap and value shares outperformed, while mega-cap tech shares lagged due to reports of slowing iPhone sales in China. Novo […]