Mon 29 Jul 2019
This week saw strong equity market returns, with global stocks up +2.0% in Sterling terms. US equities were up +2.6% for the week, with returns enhanced by Sterling depreciation versus the US Dollar and earnings outperformance from both Google and Starbucks. UK, European and Japanese equities were up +0.6%, +1.1%, and +0.5% respectively. Emerging Market stocks gained only +0.2% in Sterling terms, posting a -0.8% loss in local currency terms. UK 10Y Gilt yields were down -4.7bps this week, while US 10Y Treasury yields were up +1.5bps. 10Y German Bund yields fell -5.2 bps, closing the week at -0.376%, with further stimulus from the ECB looking likely as the economic outlook for the Eurozone continues to deteriorate. Gold was down -0.5% in US dollar terms, and Oil climbed +2.0%, with West Texas Crude closing the week at $56.0 per barrel.
When dealing with Brexit, or other similar significant geopolitical risks, one has to distinguish between “politics” and “policy”. Politics refers to communication. It is often that one set of communications is required for an internal audience and another for external stakeholders. A PM, for example, might be a zealot against the EU but could employ completely different language when actually meeting his European counterparts to discuss Brexit. Policy on the other hand refers to decisions, or intentions, to act, changing the economic and investment decisions for a country’s internal and external stakeholders. Investors are always looking for “policies”, treating “politics” as noise. But, in this particular case, the noise can actually transform into a signal, even if the original intention was never that. When do political positions become policy? Good decisions become policy when they fetch votes, or obtain some tangible long term gain for a country. Bad decisions become policy when they cannot be retracted, because some sort of formal expression of popular will, like an election or a referendum, sets them in stone. All politics is local and also increasingly short-termish. So, assuming a democracy, when investors ask themselves: “Will X political declaration [say Hard Brexit] become reality?”, the answer should be “will decision makers profit from this?”. One can predict this, then their decisions should flow from the answer. If not, uncertainty persists and investors should best hedge their bets.
-George Lagarias, Senior Economist
Global equities were mostly positive in local terms last week, however a fall in the US Dollar, combined with Sterling appreciating, meant that returns for UK investors were generally negative. Weak US Dollar performance was largely due to a statement at Davos by US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin being interpreted as suggesting that the US […]
Read our full Market Update Week 50 Market Update Last week the main driver for UK investor returns was the weakness in Sterling, which fell -1.1% vs USD and -0.5% vs EUR. The majority of the drop came on Friday as Theresa May’s inability to win concessions from the EU created further uncertainty about the future […]
Read our full Market Update Week 49 Market Update US equities sold off significantly last week, down -4.4% in Sterling terms, as trade war concerns weighed on American stocks, erasing the gains made in the previous week. Global equities were down -3.5% in Sterling terms, with all sectors apart from utilities experiencing negative returns. Emerging Market […]
Markets welcomed signs of an easing in geopolitical tensions in October, with risk assets generally outperforming traditional safe havens. The US and Chinese authorities moved closer to agreeing a partial deal on trade, while the UK once again edged back from the precipice of a no-deal Brexit. Global central banks reiterated their dovish stances and […]
Markets continued their recent rocky period, with two separate events causing unease for investors. The first was Jay Powell’s first congressional testimony on Tuesday where he hinted at a faster pace of interest rate rises and stated a preference for rules based interest rate decisions. For example the Taylor Rule proscribes an interest rate for […]
Global stocks were down -0.4% in local currency terms last week, however returns for UK investors were +0.3% after Sterling depreciated versus major global currencies, down -0.5% and -0.3% versus the US Dollar and the Euro respectively. US, UK and European stocks returned +0.3%, +0.4% and -0.3% over the week, whilst Emerging Markets equities posted […]
Read our full Market Update Week 44 Market Update Global stocks rebounded this week, with Emerging Market equites soaring over 5% in GBP terms. The S&P 500 was up 1.9% and Japanese equities saw a healthy rebound returning 3.4%. US 10-year Treasury yields rose to 3.22%, but didn’t break through 3.25%, a resistance level investors are […]
Read our full Market Update Week 33 Market Update Returns were mixed for equities in local terms as, aside from US equities which made a +0.7% return, all major regions fell. Similarly in Sterling all markets were down bar US and global equities which gained +0.8% and +0.1% respectively. Both European and Japanese markets returned […]
Read our full Market Update Week 34 Market Update Last week and Monday was a positive period for risk assets, with global stocks returning +0.7%. EM equities gained the most, up +3.2% in Sterling terms and 4.6% in local terms, buoyed by Donald Trump’s announcement that he is prepared to resume talks with China (although […]
Read our full Market Update Week 36 Market Update Equities saw sizeable falls across the board last week, both in local and Sterling terms. UK stocks fell -2.0% with US and Global stocks down -0.7% and -1.5% in GBP. Other areas fared even worse, as European, Japanese and EM equities lost -2.3%, -2.6% and -2.8% […]
Read our full Market Update Week 37 Market Update Equities rose across the board last week, both in local and Sterling terms. UK stocks gained +0.4% with US and Global stocks up +0.1% and +0.3% in GBP terms. Other areas fared even better, as European and Japanese equities rose +0.8% and +0.6% respectively. However, Emerging […]
Read our full Market Update Week 38 Market Update UK stocks traded higher with the FTSE 100 edging closer to the 7500 level, closing at 7472 point, up +2.65% for the week. In the US the S&P 500 reached new highs, returning +0.8% in GBP terms. Global stocks were up +1.5% in local terms and +1.6% […]
Read our full Market Update Week 42 Market Update US indices rebounded this week, leading the pack with a +1.3% gain after the significant correction that investors have seen in recent weeks. US stocks are climbing as tax cuts have lead to significant EPS growth and many companies, including financials, have beaten earnings estimates. The US […]
New Update! Monday 19 November 2018 After Friday’s dramatic cabinet session, which saw a third Brexit Secretary, Dominic Raab and Work & Pensions Secretary Esther McVeigh resign, there are several possible options on the table: 1) The deal might still go through parliament. Although divisions in the conservative party are high and it is unlikely that other […]
The US goes to the polls today for midterm elections. Every seat of the lower chamber (the House) is up for election (as it is every two years!), while a third of the upper chamber (the Senate) will also be voted on (Senators are elected every six years). For comparison to the UK Parliament, the […]
Read our full Market Update Week 45 Market Update US stocks continued their rebound this week, with energy and financials sectors up +1.4% and +1.5%, while the tech sector suffered as Amazon and Apple saw big falls. General Electric also fell to it lowest level since the GFC. Emerging Market equities were down -2.4% in Sterling […]
Read our full Market Update Week 31 Market Update In local terms, equity markets fell across the board, aside from US equities which made a +0.8% return in USD (+1.5% in GBP). Global equities were flat in local terms but up +0.7% in Sterling as the Pound hit its lowest level since last September amid […]
Read our full Market Update Week 46 Market Update Global stocks continued their rebound this week, with both Global and European equities up +0.3%. Emerging Market equities led the pack, returning +2.5% as the slide in oil prices gave a boost to emerging market currencies. UK Stocks were hit by further Brexit volatility, hardest hit stocks […]
Read our full Market Update Week 48 Market Update Last week US equities had already seen a solid rebound, up over 2% for the week in US Dollar terms, when on Wednesday Jerome Powell’s apparent U-turn on interest rates, stating that “they remain just below the broad range of estimates of the level that would […]
Market Analysis This week saw stocks suffer globally, with global stocks down -1.1% in Sterling terms. US equities suffered their worst week thus far in 2019 as market sentiment was dealt twin blows by disappointing signals from the Fed and the announcement of new tariffs on imports from china. US equities were down -1.2% for […]
UK assets continue to trade at a discount to the rest of the world, however, with so much political uncertainty facing the UK this may be justified. Boris Johnson’s new special adviser Dominic Cummings is by all means unorthodox. Mr. Cummings was the Campaign Director for Vote Leave in 2016, and used machine learning and data […]
Read our full Market Update Week 32 Market Update As the pound continued its decline into last week, in local terms equity markets fell across the board aside from UK equities which made a +0.6% return. In Sterling all markets were up bar European equities, with US and global equities gaining the most with +1.9% […]
Read our full Market Update Week 29 Market Update Sterling took another hit last week as lack of government unity surrounding Brexit saw the currency fall -0.7% vs USD, -1.1% vs EUR and -1.5% vs JPY. These moves increased returns on overseas equities for UK investors, with Japanese equities leading the way with +2.3% and […]
Read our full Market Update Week 30 Market Update Japanese and Emerging Market equities lead markets higher last week, gaining +2.6% and +2.2% respectively in Sterling terms. These regions had their best week in more than two months, as China’s stimulus measures buoyed the region. News of an agreement reached between President of the European Commission […]
With the continued escalation of threats of tariffs between the US and China, markets suffered another week of negative returns. Global equities were down -1.0% in Sterling terms, dragged lower by US equities which returned -1.8%. Emerging Market and Japanese equities also suffered, down -1.1% and -1.0% respectively. European equities were relatively unscathed with a […]
Equities suffered their worst week since 2016 and subsequently fell over 4% on Monday as concerns over rising US Government bond yields spilled over into risk assets. As of Monday, US 10Y Treasury yields were at 2.84%, having increased from 2.4% at year end, resulting in a total return of -3.1% over the period. The […]
Concerns over US Government debt levels, softening global macro data and a potentially hawkish Federal Reserve once again lead to negative equity returns after a significant sell-off in the previous 2 weeks. All global equity markets are now in negative territory for the year in both local and Sterling terms. Last week US markets were […]
Despite a brief panic on Wednesday when US inflation figures came in higher than expected, stoking fears of accelerated interest rate rises, markets had a strong week across the board following 2 weeks of significant market weakness. US markets were up 4.4% in USD terms, however weakness in the currency meant the return in Sterling […]
Over the last month global equity markets have sold off; since the 15th of January the MSCI AC World Index has fallen -4.12%, the S&P 500 -4.22% and the Japanese Nikkei -6.0%. The UK market similarly has tumbled with the FTSE 100 plummeting -6.36% over the last 4 weeks1. With stocks cheaper compared to a […]
The market sell-off at the start of February was largely attributed to fears of rising interest rates in the US, with concerns that planned increases in fiscal stimulus to an already strong economy meant the Fed was getting behind the curve. Last week various members of the FOMC, although notably not the Chair Jay Powell, […]
Markets had a strong run last week with all major equity markets posting gains in both local and GBP terms, except for Japan which suffered a loss in Sterling. The market seems to have fully rebounded following the sell–off at the beginning of February, with the Nasdaq back at a record high. US equities led […]
Both US equities and the US Dollar fell last week when multinational companies such as Boeing were hit as Donald Trump sought to impose new tariffs on China, pressing China to cut its trade surplus with the US by $10bn. As a result, there is an increased likelihood of a trade war between the worlds […]
Donald Trump’s announcement of around $60bn of tariffs against China due to intellectual property violations saw markets experience large losses, as participants feared an escalating trade war. China is expected to hit back with levies aimed at industries and states where Mr Trump’s supporters are concentrated. Equity falls came despite Congress agreeing a $1.3tn spending […]
Markets were volatile last week due to the possibility of air strikes on Syria, however opened slightly up on Monday morning after the US took action over the weekend. Equity markets were positive across the board in local terms last week, however Emerging Market and Japanese equities posted losses in GBP terms as the Pound […]
Read our Full Market Update Week 34 Market Analysis Last week equities continued to decline, both in local and Sterling terms. Emerging Markets led the decline, falling -1.5% in Sterling terms. US, UK and Japanese stocks fell -0.9%, -0.2% and -0.9% respectively. European stocks were flat in Sterling terms. Globally, the best performing sectors were […]
Read our full Market Update Week 16 Market Update Equity markets saw another week of recovery with positive returns across all regions. Returns for UK investors were boosted by a weak return from Sterling, which sold off 1.75% on a trade weighted basis as Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England, made comments […]
Read our full Market Update Week 17 Market Update Global equity markets were flat to positive in local terms last week, however a large sell-off in Sterling due to fading expectations for a rate hike at the next MPC meeting in May meant that returns were positive for UK investors. Global equities returned 1.6%, US […]
Read our full Market Update Week 22 Market Update Markets sold off and yields rose in the first half of the week on fears about repercussions of the Italian President rejecting the populist coalition’s choice of finance minister and attempting to install a technocrat government. There were concerns that a new set of elections would […]
Currencies have historically been extremely volatile, and predicting FX movements is recognised as a very difficult and risky strategy. Exchange rates move on several, often unpredictable, macro-economic factors, including differences in interest rates or inflation, geopolitics or due to government intervention such as capital controls. Many funds have exposure to currency risk from investing in […]
Read our full Market Update Week 23 Market Update Last week markets were back in risk-on mode, as Global equities gained +0.9% in Sterling terms, led by US stocks which were up +1.2%. The gains were fairly evenly dispersed amongst sectors, although Utilities were the main loser as Treasury yields crept higher. Japanese equities were […]
Read our full Monthly Market Update June 2018 May, a month of European volatility Global stocks were mixed last month. A combination of slower global growth, negative trade news and political volatility in Italy and Spain weighed with investors, many of whom chose to reduce their risk levels from more volatile regions. Performance was greatly affected […]
Read our full Market Update Week 26 Market Update Global equities saw a second straight week of negative performance, down -0.7% in Sterling terms, with all major indices experiencing falls in both local and GBP terms. Once again escalating trade tensions were the prime reason for weak performance, although for the second week running UK stocks […]
Read our full Monthly Blueprint July 2018 Month In Review On the face of it, June has not been an exciting month for risk assets. Developed market stocks ended the month roughly in the same place as they started it, while long bond yields were little changed. However, beginning and end figures mask not only […]
Read our full Market Update Week 28 Market Update Global markets were up last week by +1.4%, despite a mid-week blip as once again Donald Trump increased the stakes against China, threatening tariffs on $200bn worth of exports. US stocks were up +1.9% in Sterling terms, however Emerging Market equities gained the most, up +2.0%. […]
Read our full Market Update Week 33 Market Analysis Last week saw equities decline globally, both in local and Sterling terms. US stocks recorded a third straight week of losses as trade and growth worries unsettled investors, down -1.6% in Sterling. The typically defensive consumer staples and utilities sectors performed best within the S&P 500 […]
Equities in most major markets posted large losses last week with global stocks down -1.8% in Sterling terms, driven by a sharp sell off on Friday after news that the new omicron coronavirus variant could be extremely contagious. US stocks were down -1.3% despite positive economic data being published earlier in the week, with weekly jobless claims hitting their lowest level since 1969. European stocks were down -3.8%, as certain countries continued to impose restrictions to curb rising Covid-19 cases. UK stocks were down -2.4%, while emerging market equities fell by -2.7%. The US 10Y Treasury yield was down 7.3bps finishing the week at 1.473%, while the UK 10Y yield was down 5.4bps reaching 0.825%. In US Dollar terms gold fell -1.3%, perhaps surprisingly given the perception it is a defensive asset, while oil was heavily down -10.2% to $68 per barrel.
Read our full Market Update Week 36 Market Update Global stocks were up last week, gaining +1.9% in local terms and +0.9% in Sterling terms as the Pound appreciated after the House of Lords passed a bill giving parliament the power to, in theory, prevent a no-deal Brexit. In addition to this, the Prime Minister […]
Market Update Most major equity market indices ended the year on a positive note. Global stocks gained +0.2% in Sterling terms over the last two weeks of trading to close the year up +12.4% in Sterling terms. Over the year, due in large part to a Tech rally following the early pandemic crisis, US stocks […]
Equities saw a third straight week of strong returns, with Japan the only region experiencing losses in Sterling terms (down -1.6%), although it was also positive in local terms (up +3.1%). US ADP National Employment figures showed fewer job losses, causing an initial spike in equities, which continued later in the week as it was […]
In the past few weeks, we have been experiencing a flurry of better-than-expected economic data, especially in the US, while global equities remained near the recent high levels they have been trading at for almost a month. A casual read of the situation could be that the markets had run ahead of themselves, and as […]
A quarterly report is not normally a difficult document to put together. Usually it consists of an account of the trending state of affairs, the more possible outcomes and risks to those outcomes. In the past few years, these reports were actually made easier. The US Federal Reserve was underwriting risk at such an unprecedented scale, nearly unwavering for more than a decade, in a manner which suppressed all major hazards to the economy and financial markets. Ever since 2010 the question, repeatedly, had been: “With opportunity costs driven down so much for so long, whatever can bring markets down?”
Please read our full Market Update Market Update Stocks posted mixed returns last week, with strong performance in the US as the NASDAQ 100 set new record highs, while UK and Japanese stocks closed down -0.9% and -1.8% in Sterling terms respectively. Emerging Market stocks performed well, gaining +2.4% for the week. Technology, Telecoms and […]
MARKET UPDATED Despite recent strength, equities closed lower last week as tensions between the US and China were ratcheted up, with the forced closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston and the arrest by the US of a Singapore national who has admitted spying for China. In response China has ordered the US consulate in […]
Read our full Market Update Week 37 Market Update Globally stocks were negative in local terms, losing -1.3% for the week. However Sterling weakness, which saw it worst week since March, saw global stocks rise +2.2% in Sterling terms. UK stocks performed well gaining +4.0% for the week, with Housebuilders and Healthcare both rising by […]
Market Update Like clockwork positive vaccine news, this time FDA confirmation of Pfizer/BioNTech results, buoyed markets in the early part of last week. However some of these gains were reversed due to the worsening condition of both Brexit and Covid-19 cases. UK equities were flat for the week, however more domestically exposed mid-caps fell as […]
Market Update A generally positive week for equities in local currency terms was slightly negative in Sterling terms as markets became increasingly optimistic about a UK trade deal with the EU, sending the Pound higher. UK equities were the notable exception for the week, though down only -0.1%. Overall, global stocks gained +1.7% in local […]
While it remains to be seen how long value leadership will last, many of the drivers that led investors to flock to growth stocks have reversed and now favour value stocks.
Hopes for a COVID-19 vaccine saw equity markets rally across the board last week, with global stocks up +2.8% in Sterling terms and +3.2% in local terms. EU equities led the way in Sterling terms, up +4.1%, with UK equities also experiencing strong returns of +3.4%. US equities gained +2.8%, although Emerging Market equities were […]
Markets opened positively this week thanks to the impact of stronger than anticipated US payrolls data released over the bank holiday. Meanwhile, the EU vaccination campaign is finally beginning to pick up pace. US equities rose +3.4% in Sterling terms, reaching further record highs. UK equities rose +2.7% in the final week before the second phase of lockdown easing. European equities rose +3.2% in Sterling terms, supported by the increased likelihood of fiscal stimulus in the region. Emerging market equities fell in local currency terms, but gained +0.1% in Sterling terms. Globally, the best performing sector was information technology, whilst energy was the worst performing. The US 10Y treasury yield fell slightly down 6.3 bps to 1.7%, while the UK 10Y gilt yield fell 2.1 bps to 0.8%. Gold rose +1.6% last week. Oil fell for the second week, down -2.8% to $59. Oil has fallen almost -20% from its earlier surge, driven partly by a more challenging route out of the pandemic than originally forecast.
Market Update Global equities rallied last week, with US equities leading the way, up +1.4% in Sterling terms, boosted by 87% of US firms beating earnings expectations. European equities were up a similar amount in local terms, however up only +0.4% in Sterling terms. UK equities were up +0.2%, however Japanese equities fell -1.3%. With […]
Global stocks were relatively unchanged in Sterling terms (down -0.7% in USD terms) last week amid investors’ skepticism around supply chain issues hampering growth, elevated valuations and future monetary policy. Japanese stocks posted gains for a consecutive week, rising by +1.1%, as campaigning began for the next president of Japan’s ruling LDP. UK stocks fell by -0.9% amid higher than expected inflation, while US stocks were up +0.2% driven by a strengthened US Dollar. Globally, all sectors exhibited losses apart from energy stocks which posted solid gains of +2.8%. The US 10Y Treasury yield was up 2.1bps finishing the week at 1.363%, while the UK 10Y yield was up 8.9bps reaching 0.848%. Sterling fell against the US Dollar by -0.7% and remained flat against the Euro. In US Dollar terms gold lost -1.2%, while oil was up by +4.0%.
Equities in most major markets pulled back amid inflation worries, persistent supply side issues and more contractionary anticipated monetary policy - global stocks were down -1.6% in GBP terms. US stocks were down -1.2% as uncertainty loomed around the federal debt ceiling and the approval of the USD 1 trillion infrastructure bill. EU stocks were down -1.2% amid higher than expected inflation while UK stocks were down -0.3% despite an upward revision of latest GDP figures. Globally, Energy stocks continued their upward trend for another week in a row posting solid gains of +4.9%, with the rest of the sectors pulling back. The US 10Y Treasury yield was up 1.2bps finishing the week at 1.465%, while the UK 10Y yield was up 8.2bps reaching 1.00%. Sterling fell by -1.0% against the USD. In USD terms gold rose by +1.6%, while oil was up by +3.5%.
Equities in most major markets posted gains last week with global stocks up +1.1% in Sterling terms, amid some improved economic figures. US stocks were up +0.8% as the earnings season kicked off strongly with major banks beating earnings expectations. EU stocks were up +1.6% despite a contraction in the industrial sector while UK stocks were up +2.0% amid strong macroeconomic data showing output growth during August. Globally, almost all sectors posted gains with cyclicals outperforming relatively versus more defensive stocks. The US 10Y Treasury yield was up 3.8bps finishing the week at 1.574%, while the UK 10Y yield was up 5.6bps reaching 1.105%. Sterling rose by +1.0% against the US Dollar. In USD terms gold pulled back by -0.4%, while oil was up by +2.5% reaching $82 per barrel.
Seen from a bird’s eye view, the Fed has turned more hawkish in preparation to taper asset purchases. As a result, markets are now more prone to respond with volatility to rising risks, of which there’s no shortage: From soaring natural gas prices to impaired supply chains threatening consumers and businesses; from a new status […]
Equities in most major markets posted gains last week with global stocks up +1.4% in Sterling terms, amid stronger investor sentiment. US stocks were up +1.7% as positive earnings surprises continued for a second week in a row. EU stocks were up +1.2% despite heightened concerns that a rate hike could come sooner than expected, while UK stocks were down -0.4% as the latest inflation readings remained above the BoE’s 2% target. Globally, most sectors posted gains with healthcare and utilities being the best performing, while materials and telecoms underperformed. The US 10Y Treasury yield was up 6.2bps finishing the week at 1.632%, while the UK 10Y yield was up 3.9bps reaching 1.145%. Sterling remained flat against the US Dollar. In US Dollar terms gold was up +1.4%, while oil was up +2.9% reaching $84 per barrel.
Equities in most major markets posted gains last week with global stocks up +1.4% in Sterling terms, amid stronger investor sentiment. US stocks were up +2.0% as positive earnings surprises continued during the busiest week of the earnings season. EU stocks were up +1.2% amid strong corporate earnings, while UK stocks were up +0.5% as the OBR revised its outlook for the UK economy upwards. Globally, consumer discretionary and IT were the best performing sectors while financials and energy were the worst performing. The US 10Y Treasury yield was down 8bps finishing the week at 1.552%, while the UK 10Y yield was down 11.1bps reaching 1.034%. Sterling was down -0.5% against the US Dollar. In US Dollar terms gold was up +0.1%, while oil was down -0.6% to $84.2 per barrel.
For a second week in a row it was green across the board for equities, as global stocks gained +2.4% in Sterling terms and +3.7% in local terms. European stocks were amongst the best performers for a second week, with Japanese equities performing equally well. Early in the week markets focused on the US returning […]
Equity markets sold off across the board last week, declining initially amid fears of a secondary wave of infections and a pessimistic outlook from the Fed, although there was a sharp recovery later in the week on additional stimulus expectations. In local terms global equities fell -2.5%. However due to Sterling weakness, in part due […]
Equities in most major markets posted gains last week with global stocks up +3.3% in Sterling terms, amid continued strong investor sentiment. US stocks were up +2.0% on the back of positive earnings surprises, a dovish Fed meeting and strong employment data. EU stocks were up +3.2%, with the ECB insisting that rates will stay low for the near future. UK stocks were up +1.0% as the BoE unexpectedly kept interest rates unchanged, which caused Sterling to fall -1.4% against the US Dollar. Globally, consumer discretionary and IT were the best performing sectors while financials and healthcare were the worst performing. The US 10Y Treasury yield was down 10.6bps finishing the week at 1.455%, while the UK 10Y yield was down 19.0bps reaching 0.845%. In US Dollar terms gold was up +3.4%, while oil was down -1.3% to $81.2 per barrel.
Read our Full Quarterly Outlook The Power of the Cycle John Kenneth Galbraith, an irreverent but brilliant economist best known for his work on the Great Crash of 1929, famously lamented about his own profession: “the only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable”. As always, we toyed with the idea that […]
In a sluggish week for equities, equities fell in both local and Sterling terms. US, Emerging Markets and European stocks each fell -0.6% in Sterling terms, however European stocks were up marginally +0.1% in local terms. Japanese stocks rose slightly, by +0.5% in Sterling terms, while UK stocks fell -0.3%. Over the week Sterling fell […]
Market Update Major developed market equities gained in Sterling terms this week, due in large part to currency effects. Many of these indices actually fell in local currency. UK equities grew by +1.1% led by utilities and healthcare sectors. US stocks were up +0.4% in Sterling terms but had fallen -1.0% in local currency, this […]
Read our full Market Update Week 40 Global stocks gained throughout the week in local terms, however they fell in Sterling terms after the Pound rallied on news of a potential “pathway” to a Brexit deal. Global stocks fell -1.5% in Sterling terms, with the decline led by weak performance from US and Japanese equities; […]
Read our full Market Update Week 43 Market Update Global stocks were up in both local currency and Sterling terms last week, however due to a fall in the currency versus other major currencies, Sterling-based investors enjoyed a greater gain; global equities were up +2.1% in Sterling terms and +1.3% in local terms. US stocks […]
Global equities were positive last week, however energy stocks fell precipitously on plummeting oil prices, so that overall in local terms returns were +0.8%. Positive sentiment was boosted as the off-again, on-again negotiations between the US and China appear to be on-again, while a revised estimate of Q3 GDP showed the US economy expanded at […]
The election tomorrow is somewhat of a paradox. On the one hand, it has been dubbed “The most important election in decades”, one that can “shape the next generation”. On the other hand, however, it offers little visibility when it comes to UK portfolios. Strange as it may seem, both statements might hold true. Throughout […]
Read our full Market Update Market Update Sterling rallied last week after the Conservative Party won 365 seats in the UK general election, securing a majority of over 80. The Pound was up +1.5% vs the US Dollar and +0.9% vs the Euro, with the result being that although global stocks were up in local […]
Read our full Market Update Market Update Global stocks posted strong gains last week, up +1.3% in local currency terms and +3.7% in Sterling terms after the Pound depreciated versus other major currencies. Sterling fell shortly after the UK general election when Boris Johnson signalled the UK will leave the EU with or without a […]
Read our full Market Update Week 4 Market Update Equities closed the week lower as an outbreak of the coronavirus in China made global headlines. Global stocks fell -0.8% in local terms, which translated into -1.2% in Sterling terms. UK markets fell -1.2% with Financials and Energy the worst performers. Oil has been particularly affected […]
Equity markets continued to steadily recover last week, with all regions positive or flat in Sterling terms and only Emerging Market Equities down in local terms. Markets have been reacting positively to the gradual opening up of economies across the world, even with some signs that the Coronavirus is re-emerging in areas such as Wuhan […]
This is a multi-level chess game, touching politics, intelligence and trade, and a move in each field directly affects the other two.
Market Update Despite concerns about coronavirus continuing to dominate headlines, markets on the whole edged up last week, with global equities gaining +1.2% in local terms, which translated into a +0.1% gain for UK investors. The resignation of UK Chancellor Sajid Javid saw Sterling rise along with gilt yields. Javid’s replacement, Rishi Sunak, is expected […]
Following a flat third quarter, global equities rallied to the end of the year with the MSCI World index up over 7% in local currency terms. Returns for unhedged Sterling based investors were broadly flat as the Pound strengthened following the Conservative’s decisive general election victory. The late final rally was primarily driven by renewed optimism for a ‘phase one’ trade deal between the US and China, and left global equities up 25% for the year. It is of course important to note that, by contrast, markets ended 2018 in very pessimistic mood as the Fed continued to raise interest rates, and therefore a global equity return figure of around 8% from September 2018 is a more useful measure of equity returns.
Download our Full Market Update here Market Update Global stocks saw a sharp sell-off last week after COVID-19 cases spiked in Italy, Iran and South Korea, pushing recession fears higher and expected corporate earnings lower for 2020. Global stocks fell -9.4% in Sterling terms, with US equities experiencing the quickest correction since the Great Depression, […]
By regular standards it was a rocky week for equities, which rallied 2-3% in the first few days, but fell 4-5% later on. However in comparison to preceding weeks market moves were somewhat muted, perhaps because the news-flow has provided little further clarity as to the time-scale and magnitude of the COVID-19 crisis – markets […]
Last week (Friday 3 to Monday 13 April) global stocks rose on the back of an improved narrative regarding the Coronavirus pandemic, as markets see a ‘flattening of the curves’ and a reduced pace of new infections, while many countries weigh reopening their economies. Boris Johnson’s survival helped improve the narrative both for the UK […]
Aside from UK equities, major equity market regions were positive in local currencies, boosted on Friday by reports that suggested a drug had shown positive results against COVID-19 in a clinical trial, as well as some relaxing, both planned and enacted, of restrictions in several countries. Sterling strength meant that some returns for UK investors […]
Markets rallied throughout last week, however US equities closed lower on Friday and down -1.6% in Sterling terms for the week, with other regions following suit this morning, on concerns that tensions between the US and China could escalate due to accusations from the US administration over the origins of the Coronavirus. For the week, […]
Read our full Market Update Week 37 Market Update Global stocks were down -0.2% last week in Sterling terms and up +1.3% in local currency terms as Sterling appreciated versus other major currencies as Boris Johnson adopted a softer stance on the Irish border; increasing the likelihood of a deal being reached before the October […]
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