Weekly Market Update: The return of quantitative tightening

Mon 11 Apr 2022

My first degree was in Operations and Change management. Here’s what I learned. For change to happen, it needs to be:

Swift
Forceful
Inspiring

Various studies have shown that 60% to 70% of all organisational change fails. (Interestingly enough, the number hasn’t changed much since my own student years, which might tell you something about the value of MBAs). Chances for successful change are slim at best in business organisations, most of which feature only a few thousand employees and are run hierarchically. Goals there are simple, stakeholder demographics are clear and, quite frankly, issuing orders from the top is easy. Imagine then how much more difficult it is to achieve transformational change in western democratic politics, which balance powers, all within the chaotic context of a globalised world.

Last night, we saw the first round of the French elections. Pundits notice that Macron won easily, but in the second round he has his work cut out for him. Mr Macron needs some of the Left’s votes (not very many) to secure re-election. Both candidates will need to raise their voices and warn of destruction of their opponent is elected, in order to close ranks on their own potential voters. The stakes are high and thus in the next two weeks investors should not be too surprised at the high levels of alarmism over the fate of France and, subsequently, Europe. The Euro gave up early gains in the morning as investors were taking in the results.

For Ms LePen to win she would have to successfully both muster all kindred political forces and see virtually all of the Left voters stay at home in the 24^th of August.

The larger probability event, excluding surprises, is that Mr Macron will be re-elected. However, what this means for Europe and the Euro is greatly exaggerated. In 2017 Mr Macron was a hopeful young politician who had swept France off its feet and given hope to Europeans that unification was possible under him. In 2022 he’s an embattled incumbent who can hope for a slim-medium victory. His political clout in Europe will not grow stronger. How could it? Internationalism and integration have given way to national rhetoric in Europe for more than a decade. Meanwhile, Germany’s Olaf Scholtz, heading an extremely fragile coalition, is still reticent about issuing common debt and supporting quantitative easing while no negotiation has taken place towards completing a banking union. Europe’s weakness is apparent in the recent Ukrainian war. Where the UK and America were ready to offer weapons and assistance, the EU is grumblingly enforcing economic sanctions. The true power, or rather the only bulwark, of the Eurozone is ECB President Christine Lagarde, whose own potency is weakening as the central bank is increasingly coming under fire for bucking the Anglo-Saxon trend and keeping interest rates low. In short, Mr Macron may well be re-elected in two weeks, but a slim victory will not help his European cause. Longer term considerations for the Euro’s survival will probably remain the same well after the 24^th of April. In case Ms Lepen wins, pressures on the common currency could significantly intensify.

Meanwhile in the US we saw another set of very hawkish minutes from the FOMC. Markets are now pricing in eight interest rate hikes, up from three in January. I wonder, at times, if the Fed is acting more hawkish than it really is. If one can’t actually raise interest rates at a level that would meet inflation (that is close to 10%, a level not seen since the second Reagan administration), one might as well “talk” rates up. This would help the central bank maintain some credibility that it can carry out its primary mission, price stability, without having to completely strangle the economy to get there. Currently, markets price in rates for 2022 much higher than where the median FOMC member does. We shouldn’t hold it against them, however. Markets lost their monetary tether and are currently drifting trendless. The point is that we should take the FOMC minutes with a pinch of salt. What should worry markets more, as with politics, is the lack of inspired leadership within the Fed. Mr Powell is a compromise political solution, reflecting a divided US Senate, a lawyer by training who rules by consensus. Conversely, his predecessors, especially Messers Bernanke and Greenspan and, to a degree Ms Yellen, were actively trying to woo markets and opted for fostering growth. This inflationary episode is the first such instance in nearly fifty years where rates rise but banks, which helped growth balance in the 1980s, remain shackled to heavy regulations. Lack of inspirational leadership by the Fed has left the markets in search of a new trend.

Which brings us to the real issue. Portfolio managers have no guidance from neither the past, nor the powers that be. Equity resilience is baffling pundits. When equities go up, bonds are supposed to follow from a distance. When equities drop, bonds are supposed to be resilient.

The picture of negative returns, but one where equities outperform bonds is turning Harry Markowitz’s portfolio theory on its head and fund managers spinning their wheels. But one just has to see that in context of inflation. What used to move risk assets, monetary accommodation, doesn’t work now. Thus, asset classes must be seen in their own merit. Investing in bonds which yield 2%-3% when inflation is at 8% makes much less sense than investing in bonds yielding 1% when inflation was at 1.5%. Investing in equities on a relative basis seems much more sensible, especially as recent earnings have helped bring valuation levels lower. Having said that, the general picture is one of fear and lack of direction.

How should portfolio holders react? They shouldn’t. When one finds oneself in the middle of a tornado, the best idea is probably to stay anchored in the centre and wait. In this maelstrom, we don’t expect policymakers, shackled by inflation to do much, at least for another six months. Two years ago, we saw global stocks drop 34% in a few days, only to perform one of the biggest turnarounds in history. At this point, a lot of activity is driven by robots. But as conventional portfolio theory goes out of the window, along with the previous financial paradigm, asset allocators should wait to see how the new market paradigm will shape and who, if any will lead it. Which is why in our recent investment committee we decided to maintain our headline bond and equity weightings at underweight and neutral respectively, while reducing risks within equities.

George Lagarias – Chief Economist

Beyond the Middle East and Yields: How the Wealth Management Industry navigates turmoil

Since September, there have been two issues dominating markets: high yields and geopolitics. In the past few weeks, both have been exhausted.

Long-term yields come with risks

Last week added two key pieces of information: A robust (ish) US labour market, and a flare-up of tensions in the Middle East. Both of these are important to portfolio holders, especially those with a large allocation in bonds, especially long-dated bonds.

The world remains lopsided: What this means for asset allocation

This inflation cycle is nearing its completion. In the US, core Personal Consumption Expenditure, the Fed’s favourite inflation gauge, fell below 4% for the first time since June 2021.

How long is “Higher for Longer”?

A consistent element of this rate hike cycle has been the differential between market optimism and Fed intentions. Since early 2022, markets were never really convinced about how far the Fed was willing to take things. Expectations have consistently fallen short of reality in terms of rate hikes.

From Stagflation to Goldilocks, portfolio managers start thinking small

Going into the final stretch of the year, the one thing we can tell with any level of certainty is that we now know even less than we did going into it.

Capitalism 101: Watch the Fed, Buy the Dips

“Sell in May and go away”, the old traders say. This is not because markets fall in the summer. It is because volumes are low and signals are not trustworthy. In September traders return, and the month is usually the second worst for stocks.

Irrational consumption can only last so long

The world’s eyes were set on the Fed’s annual symposium last week. Thousands of analysts stood at the ready to dissect even the tiniest morsel of new information.

Stop acting like you haven’t seen positive real yields before

In the past few weeks, bond yields, especially at the longer end of the curve have been rising.

A central bank’s balancing act

The latest 25bps rate hike by the Bank of England takes the base rate to 5.25%. Interest rates in the UK haven’t reached these levels since March 2008 – the depths of the Global Financial Crisis.

The recession that never came

The Bank of Japan captured most of the headlines last week, quite rightfully, as they began to unwind a decade of ultra-loose monetary policy.

The Three Things Note: Policy is not uncertain. Traders are.

Alexander the Great was the first of the world’s great conquerors. Originally intent to exact revenge from Persia (modern-day Iran), he turned his adventure into global conquest and exploration. He marched his Greeks from Macedonia to modern-day Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, then back up to Iraq, finally conquering modern-day Iran.

Sticky inflation = sticky rates= volatility

Sticky inflation means sticky rates. And sticky rates mean market volatility as well as financial and policy divergence. In this world, money managers should remain sanguine about risk and recognise that their best friends in the past decade, central bankers, are not there anymore.

The Bank of England should be worried about Russia

I consider myself a fairly open-minded person when it comes to investments. For the better part of two decades, I only had one absolute rule: “Don’t take active bets in Japan, it will just make you look bad”. As of yesterday, I added a second axiom: “Never write your weekly early when Russia is involved”.

To hike or not to hike. That is definitively NOT the question.

This week, the FOMC will decide whether it will hike interest rates once more, or whether it will pause. Traders and investors, who are faced with the dilemma of whether the Fed will hike or not, face, pretty much, the same situation as Hamlet: A false dilemma.

The year that homework will pay off

The debt ceiling drama-that-wasn’t is squarely behind us. An eleventh-hour deal was signed, averting the wanton default of the biggest economy in the world, and the global risk-free asset, the US Dollar, marking the 79th straight time that the debt ceiling was successfully raised.

A US debt default could happen. What then?

The inevitable US debt ceiling drama is upon us. With the earnings season now mostly behind us, the eyes of investors will inevitably turn towards Washington DC. Investor surveys suggest that this is now the larger risk in financial markets.

Should stocks be so darn happy?

The collapse of SVB and Credit Suisse seemed to be one of those watershed moments where it became clear that tightening conditions were claiming their first victims: problematic banks. Yet a month after that episode, global equities are near their highest levels in over a year. Should stocks be so darn happy?

Investing Money at a time of Volatility

This is not garden variety volatility. Underlying everything are two themes. A big geopolitical shift away from the post-soviet unipolar world, and the war against all that is not sustainable.

The mini-Banking Crisis is (mostly) over. That’s no reason to relax

In my nearly 20 years in investments there’s one rule that seems to work under any circumstance: Warren Buffet’s “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.”

How central banks finally pivoted

Last week, the ECB hiked twice, defiant of the Credit Suisse debacle. In her initial speech, Christine Lagarde focused solely on inflation, not acknowledging rising financial risks.

SVB is not a Lehman moment, and probably won’t become one.

One of the things that puzzled us in the past few weeks, was that despite the sharp rate hikes, the Fed hadn’t broken anything.

Want a way back to economic and political sanity? Look at Britain.

Volatility. The end of the macroeconomic “Great Moderation”. This was our theme entering 2023. We are already seeing data that is volatile, and contradictive.

Sticky growth or a Wiley E. Consumer Moment?

Before children’s cartoons turned philosophical, opting to promote role-modelling and self-actualisation, they were mostly about slapstick comedy and serious self, or otherwise-inflicted, injury.

The Next Five Bull Markets

If investors collectively believe in the second coming of QE, then at some point, we should expect a severe market retrenchment. But what if markets are more sanguine than that? What will be the major catalyst, to unleash market forces for risk assets to escape their narrow bands?

How ChatGPT will change the world -and financial advice? #writtenbyahuman

Markets didn’t move much last week. However, one event stood out. Google’s stock lost 10%, nearly $100 Billion in market cap, after it’s Bard AI made an error.

Are bulls headed towards the cliff? We aren’t so sure.

Equity and bond markets continue to rally, with the FTSE 100 hitting all-time highs last week. However, the economic realities of last week are in antithesis with this bull market. In the past fifteen days, the Fed raised rates into a cooling economy and warned markets that it will continue to do so in the coming months.

The risk of a financial accident is being removed

One of the key risks we persistently flagged in the second part of last year has been the swiftly rising risks in the bond market. Bond risks are not like equities. They are not linear, which means that they can escalate very quickly.

Expert Sinologists Needed

Fund managers consider an inflation resurgence as 2023’s biggest risk. This is the known unknown. Higher inflation would force central banks to maintain tight conditions, even as we are heading for an economic downturn.

Inflation is improving. We’re still not fighting the Fed

Despite the Fed’s persistently hawkish rhetoric, since the last quarter of 2022, markets have embraced a more positive narrative, mostly on the back of increasingly benign US inflation numbers. Last week’s reading further reinforced the positive narrative, sending the S&P 500 one point shy of 4000 and bond yields lower.

Opportunities need swift entry and a lot of patience

Outlooks, our own included, paint quite a grim economic picture at the start of the year. Inflation is really an independent variable and, even if the rate of price rises moderates, prices themselves are set to remain high. Meanwhile, central banks are determined to put the brakes on economic growth in a bid to prevent inflation from becoming entrenched.

Stability should never be seen as the ‘normal’ state of things

Stability should never be seen as the ‘normal’ state of things. And that’s well and truly better for truly long-term investors.

A positive message for 2023: The world is rebooting, and that’s good

It is an uncomfortable message that we end the year with, yet a necessary one. Stability should never be seen as the ‘normal’ state of things. And that’s well and truly better for truly long-term investors.

Three Predictions for 2023 – and what they mean for your portfolio

The confluence of a global cost-of-living crisis causing the end to a decade-long economic and financial paradigm, simmering geopolitical tensions, Chinese economic convulsions and US political ones is creating a world with increasingly uncertain outcomes. So how is one to predict anything about the next year?

The Outlook 2023: The world we have

Outlooks. The time-honoured financial industry tradition of toiling to write 30-40 pages of annual forecasts promptly binned by April- at the very latest. Yet, the industry gods demand it and deliver we must.

Difficult decisions and difficult truths

It’s bad news for our ‘pivoting’ camp, a word that in the past few months has been grossly and infuriatingly overused. Not only is the Fed speeding up the rate of Quantitative Tightening, but it is also showing no signs that it is ready to change its aggressive tightening policy.

What will the Pivot look like?

If there’s anything we know in this profession, it is the people’s yearning for certainty in an uncertain world. Yet, speaking with some authority on the matter, we have never really seen what certainty looks like. If anything, we have learned to fear those who are ‘100%’ sure of anything.

Christmas… in October?

The British Autumn drama entered its third act, and the worst seems behind us. The UK has what may pass for an equivalent to the Euro-crisis technocratic governments in Italy and Greece. That particular playbook would, at this point, see market volatility ebb. Indeed the UK’s 30Y bond is now almost at the same place […]

The three things that matter: 10 Downing Street is not among them

In history, the lie that is most often told is that of iconic leaders, who won simply because of the merits of their personalities. Henry V won in Agincourt because he was smarter than the French. So did Elizabeth I when the Spanish Armada invaded. All of them brave and unique, to be sure. But also lucky.

The clash between fiscal and monetary policy

How is it that within the space of a few weeks Kwasi Kwarteng was as unceremoniously sacked as Greek Gianis Varoufakis in 2015, and Liz Truss’s position is as, if not more, precarious than Silvio Berlusconi’s in 2012? The answer is really not that surprising: It’s Quantitative Tightening meeting political moral hazard.

How to invest in an unbalanced world

The global financial system is trying to cope with a series of exogenous shocks increasing in magnitude using internal tools. So far this has not been working. The shocks keep coming in and markets remain very volatile. Last week, OPEC+ announced a surprise decision to reduce oil production by 2m barrels per day.

‘Bad news’ is on its way to becoming ‘Good news’ again

Quantitative easing is the ultimate tool to pacify markets. Once it was applied with success, it became very difficult for policymakers to consider other options to restore market calm. They can stop QE, and even reverse it for a while, but the moment markets become too wobbly, they will not hesitate to deploy it.

The Price of Action

UK financial markets were rocked last week by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini budget, which promised a slew of tax cuts in a bid to stimulate economic growth.

Enter the fall

Last week saw the further retrenchment of the S&P 500 below the 4000-point mark as markets continued to digest more hawkish comments by the Fed. Meanwhile, the US 10y bond is back above 3.1% as the sell-off was wide.

It’s not the equity volatility that worries us. It’s what comes after.

A lot can happen in eight minutes. You can boil an egg. You can read eight pages of a novel. You can brew a coffee. Apparently, you can also wipe $78 billion out of existence.

Paradigm Shift Deferred, For Now

The S&P 500 has rebounded 15% from its lows and is now close to 10% from its highs. This movement is difficult to reconcile with a looming recession, slower earnings, especially for Big Tech, an energy crunch in Europe, wobbly real estate markets and a China still in obvious trouble.

The thing about bear market rallies

In the past four weeks, the S&P 500 has quietly rallied 15% and is now 10% shy of its all-time highs. For the most part, this is due to the market’s belief that US inflation is at or near its peak and should begin to come down going forward. A slightly better-than-expected earnings season is helpful too.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Both of the UK’s Conservative Party’s leadership hopefuls have campaigned on the soundness of their economic policies although they would do well to remember that actions speak louder than words.

Pavlov’s dogs aren’t good at investing

If, a year ago, anyone suggested that the US Federal Reserve, the world’s de facto central bank, would produce a triple rate hike, and that this rate hike would be celebrated with a 5% rally in equities, they would probably be laughed out of the room.

It’s still ‘Whatever it takes’. It just sounds different now

Last week, the ECB ended years of negative rates with a bold 50bps hike. Then, the bank introduced the Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI). This tool will allow the ECB to purchase bonds of countries where spreads have risen significantly. TPI solves the ‘how do you raise rates without endangering Italy’ conundrum.

The turmoil of political volatility

Politics are always messy. Often unfair and sometimes even undemocratic. But for long term investors, what matters is not the stability of politics, but the stability of underlying policy decision making. Are institutions robust enough to withstand political volatility? For the time being they are. But make no mistake. Protracted political convulsions will eventually erode major capitalist institutions.

The Great Deflation of 2023

Last week featured more volatility, with the world’s leading indices anchoring at bear-market levels in anticipation of new sharp rate hikes by the Fed. Yet, we feel that markets might once again be missing the forest for the trees.

The abandonment of perpetual QE: economic pressure points

Equities rebounded somewhat at the back end of last week in what was mostly a relief rally. Far from being considered a full recovery, last week illustrates how high market volatility is and how fragile sentiment remains.

Quelling inflation: The Fed’s sole objective

Markets have sustained significant losses in the past few days, as a result of persisting inflation driving interest rates sharply higher and undermining growth. Global stocks are now 22% and global investment-grade bonds 19.6% below their December highs. Volatility is significant.

What do you do when the ‘only game in town’ is a bad one?

Markets crashed at the back end of last week, as US inflation surprised again on the upside, registering a new cycle-high. The S&P 500 is back below 4000 points, as investors are pricing in a more aggressive policy stance.

Hawkish central banks and the Fed Put amid a world of rising costs

It may come as a surprise, but financial markets are less interested in interest rates (which take a lot of time to feed into the real economy, especially from such low levels), and more about two other factors: Quantitative Tightening (QT) and the Fed Put.

Stocks Rise following Release of Federal Reserve Minutes

Last week we saw the best equity performance since November 2020, after the Fed’s Minutes suggested that they will not be more aggressive than already anticipated. Ostensibly, everything in this move screams “Bear Market rally”.

The seesaw effect: falling equities amid ever-rising inflation

The strict definition of a 'Bear Market' is one where an index has dropped more than 20% from its high point. In an age of algo-driven volatility, which amplifies upward and downward movements, it's probably safe to discard that definition.

Federal Reserve remains ‘the only game in town’

On Thursday, US equities experienced one of their worst days in the last two years. The global equity benchmark S&P 500 index lost 3.56% and the Dow Jones shed around 1000 points, a number which usually makes headlines.

Weekly Market Update: Another hawkish signal from the Federal Reserve

Last week, global equities once again came under pressure, falling -0.9%, as the Federal Reserve raised the possibility of several 50 basis point interest rate hikes over the coming months in an attempt to tackle rampant inflation and cool robust demand.

Weekly Market Update: UK Growth slows as inflation Surges

Equities did not stray far from their initial levels this week in GBP terms, as markets closed a day early in observance of Good Friday. US equities initially rose following the release of inflation numbers, as core inflation was lower than expected, but fell -0.7% over the week as oil prices rebounded.

Weekly Market Update: Risk-on sentiment in markets despite weakening fundamentals

It takes a confluence rather than individual risks to cause catastrophe, as any veteran of the Global Financial Crisis will attest. We believe that there’s a mounting probability that we are seeing such a confluence of risks now, one that could significantly hurt growth:

Weekly Market Update: Stocks rise as central banks hike

Stocks rallied globally last week, as investors saw falling oil prices and possible negotiations between Russia and Ukraine as reasons for optimism. US stocks appeared unfazed by the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise interest rates by 0.25%, rising +5% over the week, while 10 Treasury yields rose by 15.8 bps.

Weekly Market Update: A week for inflation and commodities

Last week, markets were whipsawed by further escalation and uncertainty surrounding the invasion of Ukraine, as well as US inflation figures, now comfortably situated at levels not seen since the early 1980s. US stocks fell -1.5%, whilst European markets posted significant gains of +4.0%, recouping some of the considerable losses over the last month. UK equities continued the trend of relative outperformance last week, posting gains of +2.8%. However, both emerging market and Japanese stocks fell -3.7% and -3.1% respectively. While risk-off sentiment in markets is often accompanied by a flock to safety into government bonds, this was not observed last week as yields rose. The US 10Y rose 26.1 bps, finishing the week at 1.992%. The German 10Y Bund also recorded similar outflows, with yields rising 31.8 bps to 0.249%. In the commodities space, news that the London Metals Exchange (LME) cancelled trades as a short squeeze forced the price of nickel to skyrocket unsettled traders and investors alike. Metals returned +0.9% in GBP terms whilst gold continued to perform well, up +2.3% on the week.

Weekly Market Update: A high-risk future filled with uncertainty

The fallout from the invasion of Ukraine continued to rock markets last week, as the attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant gained widespread media attention and represented a further escalation of the conflict. Most major indices posted losses last week, although geographical location significantly influenced price action. US stocks remained relatively stable, down -0.1%, whilst European markets suffered losses of -9.1% on concerns over rising energy prices and the potential for further supply chain disruption. The risk-off sentiment and subsequent flock to safety by investors saw bond yields fall. The US 10Y fell 23.1 bps, finishing the week at 1.731%. The German 10Y Bund recorded similar inflows as the yield crossed back into negative territory, finishing the week at -0.069%. Russia’s role in the global economy as exporter of many commodities has encouraged sharp price rises. Oil rose a staggering +26.4% to $125.5 per barrel, whilst metals returned +12.0% in GBP terms. Gold also performed well, up 5.5% on the week. The US Dollar also benefitted from the safety trade and performed well relative to the Euro and Sterling.

Weekly Market Update: US inflation data and Ukraine tensions unsettle markets

Equity markets were rocked last week, as inflation in the US surged past estimates to 7.5%, causing yet more problems for the Federal Reserve in their attempts to combat inflation without triggering a market shock. To further add to economic uncertainty, the White House also signalled that an imminent invasion of Ukraine by Russia was becoming increasingly likely, triggering a sell-off in US equities on Friday afternoon. The build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border has caused many NATO member countries great concern, with UK nationals now being advised to evacuate Ukraine immediately. US equities finished the week down -2.3% in Sterling terms, whilst Europe did not have the chance to catch up with Friday’s price

Weekly Market Update: Volatility spikes on hawkish remarks from the Federal Reserve

Market Update Global stocks continued their fall throughout a volatile week, with most regions again falling significantly. However a rally in US stocks late on Friday, on the back of strong earnings in Apple (which rose 7%), saw US equities finish the week up +0.8% in US Dollar terms and +2.1% in Sterling terms. Other […]

Weekly Market Update: Mixed economic data contributes to market volatility

Market Update It was a volatile week for global equities as investors were presented with a mixed array of economic data. US and EU stocks fell -0.8% and -1.5% respectively, while heavy exposure to the energy sector continued to favour UK equity markets which gained +0.8%. Emerging market stocks posted a rebound after a prolonged […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks retreat as bond yields advance

Market Update Equities broadly retreated during the first week of 2022, as the minutes of the Federal Reserve meeting and Friday’s US jobs report both raised market expectations for interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. US and EU stocks suffered losses led by falls in the technology sector, whilst UK stocks fared well due […]

Weekly Market Update: 2022 could be volatile

Market Update Equities in major markets retreated last week as tightening central banks and the prospect of further coronavirus restrictions due to the Omicron variant gave rise to renewed volatility. US, UK and EU stocks slipped following the decisions of the Federal Reserve to taper at a faster rate than expected, the Bank of England […]

Weekly Market Update: Easing omicron worries help stocks rebound

Market Update Equities in major markets rebounded last week, as fears over the impact of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 appeared to subside due to the news that booster vaccine shots may be effective against the new strain. Many indices returned to, or exceeded, levels seen before the initial news of the Omicron variant triggered […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks slide after US jobs report sends mixed signals on the economy

Market Update Equities in major markets saw mixed returns in the past week, with global stocks down -0.7% after a volatile week of trading. US stocks were down -0.5% over concerns that the Federal Reserve could taper its asset purchases at a faster rate and that the Omicron variant may hamper the economic recovery. European […]

Weekly Market Update: A game of variants

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.

Weekly Market Update: Inflationary pressures may be moderating. Supply chain pressures aren’t.

Equities in most major markets posted losses last week with global stocks down -0.4% in Sterling terms, as inflation concerns, supply chain issues and rising coronavirus cases dampened investor sentiment. US stocks were up +0.1% with growth stocks exhibiting solid gains, outweighing the losses in more cyclical firms. European stocks were down -1.8%, as countries within the region started imposing restrictions to curb rising Covid-19 cases. UK stocks were down -1.6% amid CPI inflation figures hitting a ten-year high, while EM equities fell by -1.7%. The US 10Y Treasury yield was down 2.2bps finishing the week at 1.548%, while the UK 10Y yield was down 3.5bps reaching 0.880%. In US Dollar terms gold lost some of its previous weeks’ gains, down -1.3%, while oil was heavily down -6.2% to $76 per barrel.

Weekly Market Update: Operations Managers are the new economists

Equities in most major markets posted minor gains last week with global stocks up +0.3% in Sterling terms, as inflation concerns seem to have stemmed a previously strong investor sentiment. US stocks were up +0.2% as multi-year high inflation data offset positive news on employment data. EU stocks were up +0.2%, despite Covid-19 cases surging in most countries in the region. UK stocks were up +0.7% while EM equities rose by +2.2%, driven by China’s announcement that it would propose easing measures to aid indebted real estate firms. The US 10Y Treasury yield was up 11.0bps finishing the week at 1.561%, while the UK 10Y yield was up 6.9bps reaching 0.914%. In US Dollar terms gold posted solid gains for the second week in a row, up +3.1%, while oil was down -0.1% to $80.4 per barrel.

Weekly Market Update: Was it a good idea for the BoE to surprise markets? Probably not.

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.

Weekly Market Update: From pandemic to Sustain-omics: The end of liberal capitalism?

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.

Weekly Market Update: Santa rally, or not, we remain equal weight

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.

Weekly Market Update: Look it’s China

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.

Weekly Market Update: Port congestion isn’t dealt with interest rate hikes

Equities in most major markets edged higher last week, partly offsetting the previous week’s losses, with global stocks up +0.3% in GBP terms. US stocks were up +0.4% despite the disappointing jobs report published on Friday. European stocks were up +0.2% amid high volatility while UK stocks were up +1.0% despite the BoE’s new Chief Economist raising the alarms on inflation’s persistence in the coming months. Globally, energy stocks outperformed all sectors for a fifth week in a row, posting solid gains of +4.9%, followed by financials, utilities and materials. The US 10Y Treasury yield was up 15.0bps, finishing the week at 1.612%, while the UK 10Y yield was up 15.6bps reaching 1.158%. Sterling rose by +0.5% against the US Dollar. In USD terms gold pulled back by -0.6%, while oil was up by +4.1%, reaching $81 per barrel.

Weekly Market Update: Reducing to equal weight

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%.

Fight the Fed… when it’s hawkish (and a few words about Germany)

Stock indices in most developed market regions rebounded strongly after Monday’s acute sell off amid fears of Evergrande’s default - global stocks were up +0.7% in GBP terms. EU stocks were up +1.7% despite business activity losing steam, while US stocks rose +1.0% after recording their biggest daily drop since May 12th, on Monday. UK stocks rose by +1.0% as the BoE announced that rates will be unchanged; however holding a more hawkish stance. Globally, Energy stocks continued their upward trend posting solid gains of +4.0% followed by financials, IT and consumer discretionary. The US 10Y Treasury yield was up 8.9bps finishing the week at 1.453%, while the UK 10Y yield was up 7.4bps reaching 0.922%. Sterling fell by -0.4% and -0.3% against the USD and the Euro respectively. In US Dollar terms gold rose by +0.2%, while oil was up by +3.4%.

Weekly Market Update: China’s ‘LTCM moment’ may be the least of its problems, and ours.

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%.

Weekly market update: How much longer can liquidity mask reality?

Global stocks were down -1.1% in Sterling terms last week amid fears of momentum fading and growth concerns due to the persistence of supply chain issues. Japanese stocks were the only region to post gains, rising by +3.8% in Sterling terms, buoyed by news of prime minister Suga stepping down and expectations of further stimulus. UK, US and European equities were all down -1.5% driven by inflation concerns and uncertainty about the economic outlook. Globally, all sectors exhibited losses apart from consumer discretionary. The US 10Y Treasury yields were up 1.7bps, finishing the week at 1.343%. German 10Y Bund yields were up +2.6bps to -0.332% after the ECB announced it would reduce the pace of its pandemic asset purchasing programme. Sterling fell against the US Dollar by -0.2% and rose by +0.4% vs the Euro. In US Dollar terms gold lost -2.1%, while oil was up by +0.7%.

Weekly market update: The Fed is not the answer to everything!

US, UK and European equities were relatively unchanged in Sterling terms last week, faring -0.1%, +0.1% and -0.1% respectively, amid concerns that the rate of global growth could start decelerating. Japanese equities were up +4.0% despite the resignation of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, while emerging market equities were up +2.7%, positive for a second week in a row after the Chinese tech sector had fallen significantly in previous weeks. Globally, stocks were up +0.3%, with energy and financials being the only sectors exhibiting losses. The US 10Y Treasury yield was down -1.5bps finishing the week at 1.322%. The German 10Y Bund yield was up +6.2bps amid higher than expected inflation in the euro area. Sterling was up +0.8% against the US Dollar and unchanged relative to the Euro. In US Dollar terms gold lost -0.1%, while oil prices rose slightly by +0.1%.

Weekly Market Update: markets take a step back

Market Update US equities ended the week on a positive note, but the omnipresent uncertainties of the Delta variant, Fed tapering, and geopolitical issues put the other major indexes in the red for the week. Emerging market equities were down -2.9% as China’s continued regulatory crackdown on big businesses, mainly the technology sector, remained a […]

Weekly Market Update: equities continue their rally, yields end the week lower

Market Update Global equities rallied again last week, however this time it was Japanese equities leading the way, up +2.1% in Sterling terms, having lagged behind in recent weeks. UK and European equities were also up +1.7%, with US equities gaining +0.8%. The only region to fall was emerging markets, down -0.8% in Sterling terms. […]

Weekly Market Update: US equities near all time highs as earning beat expectations

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: developed market stock indices modestly retreat from previous week’s highs

Market Update Developed markets were off slightly over the course of the week. US technology companies registered a new high during the week as Microsoft and Alphabet recorded strong Q2 earnings, but Amazon’s miss on revenues pulled the technology index down slightly on Friday. In the US and abroad the rise of the delta variant […]

Weekly Market Update: stocks rebound on strong quarterly earnings

Market Update Following a tumultuous start to the week, global equities rallied to finish in positive territory. The decision by OPEC+ to increase production contributed to markets selling-off on the Monday, with energy the worst performing sector for the week, while most other sectors recovered to finish up or almost flat. In particular telecoms, IT […]

Weekly Market Update: stocks retreat from previous highs

Market Update Global equities fell -0.3% last week in Sterling terms, with a stark dispersion in returns. UK equities fell the most, down -1.6%, with US and European equities falling -0.4% and -0.3% respectively. Energy stocks were the worst performing globally, with financials also weak, both of which contributed to the UK’s underperformance. However Japanese […]

Weekly Market Update: a mixed week for markets

Market Update In a week where global equities fell -0.1%, European stocks were flat and UK stocks rose +0.1%, we shouldn’t be deceived by the apparent calm. Global equities were shaken on Thursday due to concerns about slowing global growth and this caused a sharp sell off across developed markets. However, on Friday the realisation […]

Weekly Market Update: major U.S. stock indices post record highs, bond yields pull back

Market Update Global yields fell last week on concerns about the spread of the delta variant and its possible effect on the ability of economies to recover from the pandemic. US 10Y yields fell 10bps to 1.424%, with UK and German 10Y yields also falling 7.5 and 8bps respectively. The result for global stocks was […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets rise as Powell reiterates patient approach

Market Update Global equities rebounded last week after a period of weak performance. US equities led the way in Sterling terms, up +2.1%. UK, European and emerging market equities gained +1.8%, +1.1% and +0.8% respectively. Although up in local terms, weak Yen performance saw Japanese equities fall -0.3% in Sterling terms. US equities are now […]

Weekly Market Update: sentiment wobbles amid risk of the Fed raising rates

Market Update Global equity markets fell last week in local terms, selling-off on hawkish comments from the Federal Open Markets Committee that suggested two interest rate hikes in 2023. Further hawkish comments from FOMC members, including the possibility of a tapering of asset purchases, were also seen as contributing to weak equity performance. What was […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks Shrug Off Higher Inflation

Market Update Global markets were again positive for the week, although with global yields falling markedly, it was the growth and bond-proxy sectors which were positive, with healthcare and IT the standout gainers. Meanwhile cyclical stocks, which have seen upturned performance since the positive vaccine news in November, had a poor week. Financials, materials and […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets Provide Contrasting Inflation Signals

Market Update It was a steadily positive week for equity markets last week, with all major regions gaining in Sterling terms. Emerging markets equities were the strongest performing, up +1.8%, while Yen strength saw Japanese equities returning +1.2%. Energy was the strongest performing sector globally, as oil prices reached their highest level in two years. […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets Grapple With Eventual Tapering of Asset Purchases

In a relatively volatile week of equity market trading, ultimately most major equity markets ended nearly unchanged. Following on from US inflation last week, there was increased focus on the UK and EU readings this week, with investors looking for any evidence of a potential shift in monetary policy. US equities fell most of major equity markets for British investors, down -0.7% in Sterling terms, although more modestly in local currency terms. UK equities ended a mixed week down -0.2% as the effects of stronger than anticipated labour market data and inflation played out. Emerging markets and Japanese equities saw a role reversal last week as they moved from laggards to leading markets, with emerging market equities providing the best returns to Sterling investors up +1.4% on the week. European equities rose +0.6% in Sterling terms. The US 10Y yield fell -0.7bps to 1.6%, while the UK 10Y fell -2.7bps to 0.8%. In commodity markets, gold rose +1.7%, while oil fell -2.9% to $64.1 a barrell.

Weekly Market Update: US Inflation Unnerves Equity Markets

Global economies are reopening, and moving into the recovery phase, this pickup in activity has lead investors to question the potential impact on inflation. Investors are cautious of whether inflationary effects will be transitory or long-lasting. The US inflation reading unnerved markets and all major equity markets fell last week. US equities fell -2.2% in Sterling terms, partly driven by currency effects, markets had sold off sharply at the start of the week before recovering in the latter half. UK equities, which typically move inversely to Sterling, due to high levels of overseas earnings, fell -1.2%. Japanese equities fared worst last week, caught in global equity volatility and increased lockdowns, falling -4.0% last week. Despite strong Chinese equity performance, emerging market equities fell -3.8% in Sterling terms. The US 10Y yield rose 5.1bps to 1.6%, while the UK 10Y rose 8.2bps to 0.9%. Both gold and oil were nearly unchanged, falling -0.2% and -0.1% on the week respectively.

Weekly Market Update: Mixed Results in Equity Markets as Economies Reopen but US Jobs Disappoint

With many regions operating a shortened trading week, returns varied significantly across major equity markets. UK equities provided the best returns to Sterling investors, up +2.4%. The rise in UK equities was helped in part by rising commodity prices, with miners and energy firms benefiting from rising metal and oil prices. European equities provided the next best returns, up +1.7% in Sterling terms. US equities rose a modest +0.2% in Sterling terms, though up +1.3% in local currency terms, as the rotation from growth to value impacted returns. Emerging markets fell -1.0% in Sterling terms. Japanese equities rose +1.3% in Sterling terms, not quite enough to move the region into positive territory year-to-date. The US 10Y yield fell temporarily on bad jobs data, although recovered somewhat, ending down 4.9bps to 1.6%, while the UK 10Y fell 6.7bps to 0.8%. Gold rose +2.4% on the week, while oil rose a further +1.0% to $65.4.

Weekly Market Update: Consumer-Led Recovery at Close to Fastest Pace in Modern History

Once again many major equity markets finished the week not far from where they started. Market attention was squarely focused on the Federal Reserve, where chairman Jerome Powell promised not to raise rates in the near term; as a consequence, markets did not sharply react in either direction. US equities were flat in US Dollar terms, but up +0.2% in Sterling terms. UK equities were the best performing region, up +0.5% last week. European equities fell for the second consecutive week, down -0.8% in Sterling terms. Emerging markets fell -0.2% in Sterling terms. Japan was the clear laggard, where earnings failed to meet expectations and the Bank of Japan kept policy unchanged. Japanese equities fell -1.9% in Sterling terms. The US 10Y yield rose on improved economic data, up 6.8bps to 1.6%, while the UK 10Y rose 9.8bps to 0.8%. Gold fell -0.3% on the week. The better than expected economic data helped oil to rise +2.4% last week to $64.4.

Weekly Market Update: Indian Covid Crisis Captures Attention of Markets

Equity markets ended the week largely unchanged, with the largest movements seen in Japanese and UK stocks. UK equities fell -1.1%, driven in part by a falling oil price, as the global economic outlook increasingly uncertain, with clear inequality in the vaccination progress between regions, dampening expected demand for oil. US equities fell -0.3% in Sterling terms, with plans to raise capital gains tax only making a slight impact on US markets. European equities rose +0.2% in Sterling terms due to currency effects, having fallen -0.4% in local currency terms. Emerging markets were the only risers in local currency terms, and were up +0.1% in Sterling terms. Globally the best performing sector was healthcare, whilst energy was the worst performing. The US 10Y yield fell slightly by 2.2 bps to 1.6%, while the UK 10Y fell 2 bps to 0.7%. Gold fell -0.2% on the week. Oil fell as the economic outlook deteriorated, down -1.7% on the week to $62.1.

Weekly Market Update: Caveat Emptor

UK equities reached the highest level in over a year as part of a broad-based rally in equities globally. Equity markets continue to benefit from increasing risk appetite as investors become increasingly bullish on a 2021 recovery. UK equities rose +1.6%, although it remains one of just a few regions not back to all time highs.US equities rose +0.7% in Sterling terms, the stronger growth moderated by Sterling rising +0.9% against the US Dollar. Globally the best performing sector was materials, whilst telecoms lagged other sectors. The US 10Y yield fell 7.9 bps to 1.6%. The UK 10Y yield was more or less unchanged, down just 1.0 bps to 0.8%. Gold rose +1.1% on the week, although it remains -7.6% so far this year. Oil rose +5.7% last week to $63.1 a barrel. Oil is up +28.5% this year. The jump in oil prices comes in spite of global coronavirus cases beginning to rise in many regions, with several European and Asian economies looking likely to increase the stringency of lockdowns.

Weekly Market Update: Rational Exuberance

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.

Weekly Market Update: Suez Canal Blockage Adds to Supply Chain Strains

Relative to the year so far, last week saw quite a heterogeneous response to news by markets. On one hand there is continued and growing positivity surrounding the opening of economies, but this has lead to some inflationary concerns. Meanwhile, the Suez Canal blockage raised concerns about supply chain disruptions. US equities rose +2.2% in Sterling terms, hitting record highs, helped by a more optimistic vaccine schedule from President Biden. UK equities rose a more modest +0.6%. Globally the best performing sectors were more defensive names such as consumer staples and utilities, whilst telecoms was once again the worst performing. Japanese equities fell -1.5%, moving back into contractionary territory this year. The US 10Y yield fell slightly, down 4.5bps to 1.7%, while the UK 10Y fell 8.1bps to 0.8%. Neither gold nor oil were much changed, both down -0.1% on the week, with oil trading just under $60 a barrel.

Weekly Market Update: The Yield, Not “Inflation” Will Determine the Rotation

Equity market gains early last week were, broadly speaking, eroded as bond yields continued to rise, reaching one-year highs. Amid falling oil prices and rising political uncertainty caused by potential bans on vaccine exports coming out of the EU, many major equity markets fell last week. US equities fell -0.5% from record highs in Sterling terms, despite the country surpassing 100 million vaccinations on Friday. UK equities fell -0.7%, now down -2.4% from their 52-week highs in January. Globally the best performing sector was healthcare, whilst energy, due to oil prices, was the worst performing. Japanese equities rose +3.6% and are the best performing major equity markets this year. The US 10Y yield continued its rise up 9.6bps to 1.7%, while the UK 10Y rose 1.6bps to 0.8%. Gold rose +1.3% on the week. Oil has seen back-to-back weekly declines, down -6.1% to $61.2 a barrel, due to a glut of supply and weakening demand forecasts.

Weekly Market Update: Stocks ended the week near all time highs

A positive week for equities saw all major equity markets close the week positive in local currency terms. With Sterling continuing its bullish start to the year this pushed EM equities down to a flat week in Sterling terms. US equities rose +2.0% in Sterling terms, hitting record highs. US equities were helped by falling bond yields, from Tuesday, which helped boost equity investor sentiment. UK equities rose +2.1%. Globally the best performing sector was consumer discretionary, whilst telecoms was the worst performing. Japanese equities rose +1.5%, erasing their losses year-to-date. The US 10Y yield continued its rise, although more modestly, up 5.9 bps to 1.6%, while the UK 10Y rose 6.6bps to 0.8%, reversing last week’s fall. Gold rose +0.8% on the week. Oil fell, after last week’s strong rise, down -1.4% on the week to $65.8. Oil is up +32.6% on the year, highlighting the extent to which vaccination programmes are increasing forecasters’ outlooks for economic activity later this year.

Weekly Market Update: Investors dilemma: Cheaper bonds or returning dividends?

Markets returned to positive territory this week, supported in part by progress on the Biden stimulus bill. However, chair of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell’s speech, with a lack of updates to current policy, disappointed investors leading to a sell-off on Thursday afternoon. US equities rose +1.7% in Sterling terms. UK equities rose +2.5%, with UK equity markets benefiting from rising oil prices. Emerging Markets grew +0.9% in Sterling terms, although this was a more moderate +0.1% in local currency terms. Globally the best performing sector was Energy, whilst IT was the worst performing, as the rising yield environment impacted valuations. Japanese equities rose +1.0%. The US 10Y yield continued its rise, up 16.1 bps to 1.6%, while the UK 10Y fell 6.4bps to 0.8%. Gold fell -1.1% on the week. Oil rose sharply, up +8.4% on the week to $66.5 following the OPEC meeting where it was decided to hold production at current levels, when a rise in production had been anticipated.

Weekly Market Update: Bonds Sell Off Spills Over to Wider Market

A significant rise in US Treasury yields unsettled markets last week. US equities fell -1.9% in Sterling terms, with Tech stocks suffering their worst week in nearly six months. UK equities fell -1.9%, with Energy and Financials the only two positive sectors for the week. Emerging Markets suffered the greatest sell-off, having led global equity markets so far this year. UK and Emerging Markets are the only major equity markets still positive for the year in Sterling terms. Globally the only positive sector was Energy which was supported by rising oil prices. Investors will keep a keen eye on the OPEC+ meeting this week for any indication of increased oil supply. Japanese equities fell -2.4% in Sterling terms, the worst performing region year-to-date for UK investors. The US 10Y yield continued its rise, up 6.9 bps to 1.4%, at one point hitting 1.6%, and the UK 10Y rose 12.2 bps to 0.8%. Long-term yields are now trading at their highest level since the pandemic. Gold fell -2.3% on the week, while Oil rose +4.4% to $62.7.

Weekly Market Update: Markets Rally for Second Week as Inflation Expectations Return

Global equities continued last week’s gains, rising +0.7% in Sterling terms. UK equities, amongst the top performing major markets, rose by +1.6%. They were supported by rising oil prices and positive returns from energy companies, as the domestic market is overweight to the Energy sector. European equities, amid high volatility, were up +0.8%, due to improved coronavirus infection rates and hopes of a large U.S. economic stimulus. US equities rose +0.4%, the worst performing major region. Globally, Energy was the best performing sector whilst Utilities and Cons. Discretionary were the only sectors to finish the week down. Emerging Markets maintained their strong performance since the start of the year, posting gains of +1.5%. Sterling rose +0.8% and +0.3% against the US Dollar and Euro respectively, continuing its strengthening trend this year. The US 10Y yield rose 4.5bps to 1.2% and the UK 10Y rose 3.5bps to 0.52%. Gold fell -2.0% on the week, while Oil rose +3.7%.

Weekly Market Update: Improving Economic Outlook and Falling Volatility Support Equity Markets

Global equities rebounded from their sharp sell-off last week, rising +4.0% in Sterling terms. US equities were some of the best performing, rising +4.5% and more than recovering the previous week’s losses in spite of weaker than anticipated labour market data. UK equities rose +1.3%, the worst performing major region. Energy particularly struggled, in spite of rising oil prices, as UK energy giants BP posted its first annual loss in a decade, while Royal Dutch Shell profits fell 71%. European equities rose +2.8%. Emerging Market equities fared best, up +4.8%, reverting back to their trend of equity leadership in 2021. Globally, all sectors were positive with the Technology sector the strongest. Sterling rose +0.2% and +1.0% against the US Dollar and Euro respectively, continuing its strengthening trend this year. The US 10Y yield rose 9.8bps to 1.16%, while the UK 10Y rose 15.5bps to 0.38%. Gold fell -2.0% on the week, while Oil rose +8.7%.

Weekly Market Update: Global Equities Slide as Volatility and Covid-19 Cases Rise

Global equity markets were down last week amid delayed growth recovery expectations. US equities fell -3.5% in Sterling terms, with volume skyrocketing mid-week to a record high of 23 billion share transactions as market attention centred on retail investors purchasing highly shorted stocks. UK equities fell -4.3% due, in part, to Energy underperforming other sectors. European equities fell -3.5% amid fear of a slowdown due to the pandemic, and delays in the distributions of vaccines. Emerging Market equities fared worst, down -4.7%, bucking a trend of strong performance since the start of the year. Globally, all sectors were down with the Energy sector performing the worst. Sterling strengthened up +0.2% and +0.4% against the US Dollar and Euro respectively. The US 10Y was down 2bps to 1.07%, while the UK 10Y rose 1.9bps to 0.33%. Gold fell -0.6% on the week whilst Oil fell -0.3%.

Weekly Market Update: Vaccine and Stimulus Sentiment Help Equities to Set New Highs

With the exceptions of the UK and Japan, equity markets were positive last week. Technology stocks performed particularly well in the US where Netflix was boosted by a larger than expected subscriber gain during the pandemic. US equities, up +1.4%, were supported by political tailwinds, with substantial stimulus expected under the new Biden administration. UK equities fell -0.6% due partly to Sterling strength, as a large portion of the index’s earnings are overseas, and Oil weakness. Globally, Telecoms and IT led whilst Financials and Energy lagged. Emerging Market equities continued their strong start to the year up +2.0% to a +7.7% rise year-to-date. The US 10Y was largely unchanged, the yield up 0.2bps to 1.086%. The UK 10Y rose +2.0bps to 0.31% on positive vaccine news and improved sentiment about the economic outlook in UK PMI data. Gold rose +0.9% on the week whilst Oil fell -0.7% to US $52.7.

Weekly Market Update: Disappointing US retail sales and mixed earnings results push stocks lower

Market Update Global equity markets were generally down last week, with weaker than expected earnings reports seeing a sell-off on Friday. The only positive regions in Sterling terms were Emerging Markets and Japan, both +0.1%. European equities fared the worst, down -2.1%, with the Euro falling -1.4% vs Sterling significantly contributing to the weak performance. […]

Weekly Market Update: Equity Markets Look Past Civil Unrest to Begin New Year Strongly

Market Update Major equity indices enjoyed a positive start to the new year. UK equities provided the best returns up +6.4% for the week. UK equities were supported by a steepening yield curve and rising oil prices, since the market is overweight to the Bank and Energy sectors. Globally, Energy was the best performing sector […]

Weekly Market Update: Major indices end the year on a positive note

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Sterling Strength Erodes Equity Gains

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Brexit Tempers Vaccine Regulatory Headwinds

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Vaccine-driven exuberance drives markets despite rising Covid-19 cases and patchy economic data

Market Update Markets continued the rally stoked by the early November news of successful Covid-19 vaccines. US markets are now at all-time highs having rallied +1.7% last week, although US Dollar weakness meant the return for UK investors was +0.6%. UK equities were in fact the strongest performing major region, rallying +2.9%. Overall global stocks […]

Weekly Market Update: UK Equities on Track for Second-Best Month on Vaccine Rally

Market Update Once again vaccine optimism supported global equity markets; this time it was the turn of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which can be more readily stored and transported. Global equities rose +2.1% for the week in Sterling terms. Financials and Energy were the two best performing sectors, as both sectors would benefit greatly from a […]

Weekly Market Update: value stocks lead market rally on positive vaccine news

Market Update Global equities rose +0.4% in local currency terms, although currency movements eroded this gain for British investors, leaving global equities down -0.2% in Sterling terms. Equities were once again supported by vaccine news, with Moderna’s vaccine showing similar levels of efficacy to the already announced Pfizer data. European equities rose for the third […]

Weekly Market Update: Covid-19 vaccine breakthrough fuels global equity rally

Market Update Global equities rallied strongly last week on news that early data shows Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine, one of many in development, is effective in 90% of cases. Equities rallied sharply in the first half of the week before ceding some of their gains later on as attention turned back to the near-term, where Covid-19 […]

Weekly Market Update: Likely Biden Victory Helps Equities to Best Week in Over Six Months

Market Update Global equities rallied last week with US stocks in particular posting their largest weekly gains since April as investors reacted to the increased possibility of a divided government, with a potential Biden win and continued Republican control of the Senate. In Sterling terms US stocks were up +5.6% while both UK and Global […]

Weekly Market Update: Lockdowns and US Election Raise Market Volatility

Market Update Global equities suffered their worst week since March, with the sell-off attributed to renewed virus related lockdowns across most of Europe and the final stretch of the hotly contested US presidential campaign. Global and US equities were both down -5.0%. This was despite the fact that Tech giants Alphabet, Amazon, Apple and Facebook […]

Weekly Market Update: European Lockdowns Weigh on Equity Markets

Market Update European equities sold-off as economic data begins to point towards a stalling recovery and coronavirus infection trends point towards tighter restrictions. European equities were down -1.4% in local currency terms, narrowing to a -1.2% loss in Sterling terms. UK stocks improved in the second half of the week, buoyed by increased employment support […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets Mixed As Lockdowns Reimposed Over Second Wave Concerns

Market Update Global equities were narrowly down -0.3% on the week in local terms, however Sterling weakness once again boosted returns to British investors. The US was the best performing region, up +1.0% in Sterling terms. This coming week will kickstart earnings season in the US, where earnings are expected to fall sharply relative to […]

Weekly Market Update: Increasing Likelihood of US Government Trifecta Lifts Equity Markets

Read our Full Weekly Market Update Market Update A reduction in uncertainty in the United States helped US equities to their best week in three months, up +3.2% in Sterling terms, as investors begin to price in a Biden presidential victory. UK stocks looked past weaker than anticipated GDP growth to rally +2.0%. Investors appeared […]

Weekly Market Update: Rising Equities Shrug off Political Uncertainty

Read our full Market Update Market Update Major global markets were generally positive in local currency terms, but a strengthening Sterling, up +1.5% for the week against the US Dollar, eroded gains for British investors. US stocks recovered from their four-week losing streak to rise +1.5% in US Dollar terms, but would return -0.2% due […]

Weekly market update: stocks decline on fears of a second wave of covid and stimulus uncertainty

Read our full Market Update Week 39 Market Update Major global markets were negative in local currency terms, whilst a weaker Sterling which was down -1.3% for the week against the US Dollar and -0.4% against the Yen ensured some pockets of growth for British investors. US stocks moved into correction territory (down 10% from […]

Weekly Market Update: Virus Fear and Bank of England Comments Drag Down Equities

Read Our Full Market Update Market Update Globally stocks were negative in local terms for the second successive week, losing -1.2%. Sterling recovered some of its losses against the US Dollar, up +0.9% despite comments from the Bank of England suggesting an increased likelihood of rate cuts. UK stocks outperformed global stocks in Sterling terms, […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks edge higher, bolstered by stumbling sterling

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets fall on tech selloff

Read our full Market Update Week 36 Market Update US Tech stocks saw their momentum reversed on Thursday, dragging other sectors and regions into negative territory for the week. Apple, Amazon, Alphabet (Google), Microsoft and Facebook all fell between -4% and -8% on Thursday, with US equities as a whole down -3.5% on the day. […]

Weekly Market Update: Flexible Federal Reserve Sends Cable and Yields Higher

Read our full Market Update Market Update US equities climbed +1.4% last week with, major indices setting new record highs, as US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced a shift in how the Fed views inflation, saying it won’t increase interest rates to respond to low unemployment levels and also won’t worry as much about […]

Weekly Market Update: Increasing COVID-19 case count caps equity market rally

Read our full Market Update Market Update Global equities traded higher last week, up +0.5% in Sterling terms. US equities climbed +0.9% with housebuilders, buoyed by promising housing data, leading the way. Other developed markets did not fare as well. UK and European stocks were down -1.3% and -1.1% respectively, driven by both the negative […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks continue their ascent, sovereign bonds sell-off

Read our full Market Update Market Update All major developed market equity indices posted positive returns last week, while Emerging Market stocks closed marginally down. Global equities gained +0.8% in Sterling terms and the S&P 500 traded +0.2% higher, with the index just below its February peak. Japanese stocks rallied +4.0% in Sterling terms, partly […]

Weekly Market Update: Equity Markets Rebound, Gold continues to soar

Read our Full Market Update Market Update Bucking the trend of two consecutive weeks of falling equity markets, all major indices were positive last week. Global equities gained +2.7% in Sterling terms, with the Nasdaq Composite reaching new highs, and the S&P 500 now close to its February peak. After a poor week last week, […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets fall after record low US GDP data

Read our full Market Update Week 31 Market Update Major indices closed down for a second week running, with investors reacting to a flood of quarterly earnings reports and some prominent economic data. US corporate earnings were in the spotlight during the week, with tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Alphabet reporting mostly healthy gains […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: MARKETS SLIDE ON US-CHINA CONSULATE CLOSINGS

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Stock markets post mixed returns on virus fears

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Technology stocks push equity markets higher

Please read our full Market Update Market Update Stock markets closed up last week, with the technology-heavy NASDAQ 100 even reaching an all-time high. Cyclical sectors such as Oil and Financials lagged as economic conditions remain weak and second wave fears continue to build, with increased use of local lockdowns. The rally in risk assets […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks sell-off on COVID-19 second wave fears

Read our full Market Update Market Update Stock markets closed down last week on the back of a COVID-19 case count resurgence. Growth stocks outperformed value stocks as fears of a second wave of the virus caused market participants to raise their expectations of a second lockdown. Banking stocks were particularly volatile as news that […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks climb on promising economic data

Read our full Market Update Market Update Stock markets rebounded last week, posting gains in both local currency and Sterling terms, with news that the Fed will be expanding its corporate bond buying programme sending stocks higher. The move from ETF purchases to individual bond issues by the Fed has been viewed as a significant […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: Markets fall on second wave fears, gloomy Fed

Read our full Market Update Market Update The rally in risk assets came to a grinding halt last week on fears of a second wave of infections in the US, with virus rates up in many states, and the Federal Reserve offering up a gloomy economic outlook. Stocks are also down this morning on news […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: UPBEAT US JOBS FIGURES BOOST EQUITIES

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Equity Momentum Continues

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 […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: EQUITY STRENGTH DESPITE WEAK DATA

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 […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: SECOND WAVE FEARS SEE MARKET JITTERS

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 […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: EASING OF LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS BOOSTS EQUITIES

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 […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: US-CHINA RHETORIC UNNERVES MARKETS

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, […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: VALUATIONS REMAIN HIGH

After several weeks of recovery, equities fell in all major regions last week. Due to weak Sterling, both US and Japanese equities were flat for UK investors. However European (-0.5%), UK (-0.5%) and Emerging Market (-1.1%) equities were all negative in Sterling terms. The Energy sector was the best performing globally, even though the outlook […]

Weekly Market Update: Nobody Wants Your Oil

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 […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: IS THIS RALLY A “HEAD FAKE”?

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 […]

WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE: A MORE SANGUINE WEEK FOR MARKETS

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Fiscal stimulus plans revive global equities, bond yields fall on additional QE measures

Read our full Market Update Stock markets ended their losing streak with many major indices posting their largest daily gains since 1933, or indeed for many on record, on the Tuesday of last week. Reasons for the rally include investors rebalancing multi-asset portfolios, short positions being covered and the US fiscal strategy offering downside protection […]

Weekly Market Update: Monetary Policy Struggles to Support Markets

Read Our Full Market Update Market Update The market sell-off continued last week, despite government pledges of further fiscal support and central bank liquidity injections, as countries moved into lockdown and tightened border controls to contain the coronavirus outbreak. UK equities were down -3.2% with Housebuilders, Industrials and Energy companies experiencing the brunt of the […]

Weekly Market Update: Stock markets suffer record daily falls, central banks cut interest rates to combat coronavirus induced slowdown

Read our full Market Update Week 11 Market Update UK equities were down over 8% this morning, with the FTSE 100 down -32% over the last month as markets are now starting to price in a coronavirus induced global recession. Oil prices continued to slip, down nearly 50% YTD in USD terms. This fall has […]

Stocks fall across the globe as COVID-19 cases climb, Oil prices drop as Russia refuses supply cuts

Please check out our full Market Update Week 10 Market Update UK equities were down nearly 9% this morning, with the natural resource and banking heavy indices experiencing weakness for three prime reasons. First, coronavirus fears continued to rise as Italy quarantined 16 million residents, with investors fearful of this impact on the global economy […]

US 10 Year Yield at all time low in response to Coronavirus fears

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, […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks decline on COVID-19 fears, Bonds and Gold rally

Read our full Market Update Week 8 Market Update Fears that COVID-19 could weigh on consumption and global growth increased last week as the number of cases spiked in both Iran and Italy. Concerns that the virus could impact critical global supply chains have increased, with tech titan Apple widening their earnings estimates given the […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks Steady on US Earnings Growth

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks hit record highs on earnings data, bond yields rise

Read our full Market Update Week 6 Market Update Global stocks saw strong gains last week, returning +2.7% in local currency terms and +5.0% in Sterling terms after the Pound depreciated versus most major currencies. The rally was driven by hopes that coronavirus fears had been overstated and US earnings coming in ahead of expectations. […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks continue their decline on coronavirus fears

Read our full Market Update Week 5 Market Update Coronavirus fears saw markets sell-off across the board last week, with global equites returning -3.1% in Sterling terms. More cyclical sectors such as energy and materials were worst hit, while stocks such as utilities and consumer staples which can behave like bond proxies were largely flat. […]

Weekly Market Update: Oil and stocks sell-off on coronavirus fears

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks rally on US & China “phase 1 deal”, Sterling declines as muted inflation increases rate cut probability

Read our full Market Update Market Update Risk assets gained last week on the signing of the ‘phase 1’ trade deal between the US and China. Global stocks were up +1.9% in Sterling terms and +1.6% in local terms, reaching greater all-time highs. Returns for Sterling investors were pushed higher as the Pound fell on […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets Rattled by Iran Tensions

Read our full Market Update Market Update U.S. stocks declined modestly last week, after a sharp rally at year-end and a new record high on the first trading day of the year, as tensions rose between the US and Iran following an airstrike in Iraq that killed a prominent Iranian general. US equities were down […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks continue their climb, Sterling declines

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Sterling rallies on UK general election result

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks trade higher on US jobs numbers, Sterling gains versus Dollar and Euro

Read our full Market Update Market Update A second straight week of strong performance for Sterling, up +1.7% vs the US Dollar and +1.2% vs the Euro as markets further priced in a Conservative victory at the coming General Election, once again mean that although global stocks were up in local terms, UK investors experienced […]

Weekly Market Update: Stock gains muted despite signs of a trade deal

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Sterling depreciation buoys Global Equities, bond yields fall

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Global Equities Rise, but Sterling Rallies More

Market Update Global stocks rose +0.7% in local currency terms, which translated into a -0.4% fall in Sterling terms. Returns were mixed in local terms, however were universally down in Sterling term as the currency rose +1.0% vs the US Dollar to just short of the $1.30 mark. Emerging Markets had a challenging week falling […]

Weekly Market Update: Bond yields rise, gold price declines

Read our full Market Update Week 45 Market Update Global stocks rose +0.8% in local currency terms and +2.1% in Sterling terms in yet another positive week for risk assets. Meanwhile yields rose sharply and Gold had its worst week in three years as there was a flight from defensive assets. In Sterling terms US […]

Weekly Market Update: Fed cuts rates, Sterling rises on news of a general election

Read our full Market Update Week 44 Market Update Global stocks rose +1.3% in local currency terms and +0.4% in Sterling terms in a positive week for risk assets. Sterling rose against major currencies, up +0.9% against the US Dollar and +0.1% against the Euro, against a backdrop of polls suggesting the Conservative Party hold […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks gain globally, Sterling back below 1.30 vs Dollar

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Sterling rallies on potential Brexit deal

Read our full Market Update Week 42 Market Update Global stocks gained during the week in local terms, however they fell in Sterling terms after the Pound rallied versus major currencies as the UK and EU agreed a Brexit deal; one not dissimilar to Theresa May’s. However, this deal still needs to be approved by […]

Weekly Market Update: Bond yields rise, Pound rallies on potential Brexit “pathway”

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; […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks fall as economic data disappoints

Read our full Market Update Week 40 Global stock markets fell throughout the week, both in local currency terms and Sterling terms. UK assets led the decline, down -3.5% on the news of weaker economic data out from the services industry. US stocks were down up -0.4% in Sterling terms, with similar returns observed in local […]

Weekly Market Update: Weak Week for Sterling

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Worrying signs for German manufacturing

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks gain in local currency terms, Oil rallies on drone attack

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Global markets rally amid Brexit uncertainty

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Sterling depreciates as no-deal probability increases

Read our full Market Update Week 35 Market Analysis There were gains across the board last week, as China indicated it had no immediate plans to retaliate to the latest round of US tariffs. In Sterling terms, global equities were up +3.0%, led by US equities which were up +3.7%, as trade-sensitive technology and industrial […]

Weekly Market Update: Global equities decline as trade war escalates

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Yield curve inversion spooks markets

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks sink as the Fed disappoints traders

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Global equities rally, Sterling depreciates as likelihood of a no-deal increases

Market Analysis 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. […]

Weekly Market Update: Sterling continues to depreciate, global yields

Market Update This week saw mixed equity returns, with global stocks down -0.3% in Sterling terms. Emerging Markets posted a strong gain of +1.3%, which was supported by the Sterling depreciation observed across the period, while US stocks were down -0.7% for the week. Japanese equities fell -0.8% in local currency, however, the GBP/JPY rate […]

Weekly Market Update: S&P 500 hits all-time high, Chinese economic growth slows to multi-decade lows

Read our full Market Update Week 28 Market Update Despite a mixed week for equities, the S&P 500 set new records on Friday, closing above 3,000 for the first time at 3,013.77. US equities gained +0.4% in Sterling terms, with all other major regions down. Emerging Market equities fell the most, down -1.2%, European equities […]

Weekly Market Update: Global equities rally amid strong economic data

Read our full Market Update Week 27 Market Update US equities hit record highs last week as data on Wednesday showed the US trade deficit rose to a five-month high while services sector data showed a slowdown in activity, increasing hopes that the Fed would turn more dovish. These hopes were curtailed on Friday as nonfarm […]

Global stocks continue their decline as trade tensions escalate

Market Update Last week was torrid for stock markets as the US-China trade war continued to dominate markets. Over the weekend, China released a report on the state of US trade talks criticising the US for “exorbitant demands” and for “resorting to intimidation and coercion”. The result, again, was US equities led global equities lower, […]

US stocks hit all-time highs, yields continue to fall

Oil volatile on tanker blasts, Sterling declines on Johnson’s race to PM

Market Update Equities finished the week strongly last week after selling off in the first few days. All regions were up slightly in local terms, however non-UK regions saw stronger returns in Sterling terms as the increasing likelihood of Boris Johnson winning the Conservative leadership election, and thus a hard Brexit, saw weakness in the […]

Markets rebound amid mixed economic data

Market Update Equity markets rebounded last week as a combination of hopes of a delay to US tariffs on Mexico, and increased expectations for interest rate cuts in the US, saw positive performance every day from Wednesday onwards. Weak nonfarm payrolls on Friday of just 75,000, below expectations of 185,000, offered further evidence to those […]

Global stocks down on trade disputes

Market Update Global equity markets saw a rebound last week, with the exception of Emerging Market equities which were down -1.3% in Sterling terms, as the US-China tariff fight appeared to escalate. European equities saw the strongest gains, up +3.2%, with Japanese and UK equities up +2.4% and +2.3% respectively. US equity returns were relatively […]

Global stocks slide, Sterling falls on May’s resignation plans

Market Update Last week reports about trade wars oscillated between good news and bad, with tech stocks rallying on news of the US easing curbs on China’s Huawei Technologies, only to reverse as it emerged that the US is considering sanctions on other China tech firms. These events overshadowed the release of FOMC minutes which […]

Both yields and equities fall as US-China trade war escalates

Market Update With slow progress in US-China trade talks prompting the US President to confirm a hike in tariffs on a further $300bln of Chinese goods to 25%, it was no surprise that equity markets suffered last week. All regions were down, although as often happens when concerns rise about trade, Emerging Market equities bore […]

Weekly Market Update: US equities reach all-time highs, Global yields fall

Read our full Market Update Week 17 Market Update Last week saw diverging performance in global markets as US equities delivered +1.6% in Sterling terms, however Emerging Market, UK and European equities returned -0.8%, -0.3% and +0.1% respectively. Robust earnings from tech giants and a stronger than expected Q1 annualised growth figure of 3.2% meant […]

Weekly Market Update: Equities continue to climb, Pound gains vs Dollar and Yen

Read our full Market Update Week 15 Market Update Global equity markets were mixed last week following a period of strong returns. In Sterling terms global equities were down -0.1%, although in local terms were up +0.5%. In Sterling terms European equities were the only positive region, up +0.2%. US and UK equities were both […]

Weekly Market Update: Oil trades higher on low supply and continued sanctions, global equities post gains

Read our full Market Update Week 14 Market Update Global equity markets saw a second consecutive week of positive performance, with US equities moving within 2% of their highs. Markets have ben in a positive mood since the Fed became more dovish early in the year, with positive signs on trade talks between the US and […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks rally, UK house prices decline

Read our full Market Update Week 13 Market Update Global equity markets rallied last week, continuing the pattern of rising after a poor week. US equities lead the way, up +2.9% in Sterling terms, with European equities also performing well, up +2.1%. Emerging Market equities gained +1.5%, UK equities +1.1% and Japanese equities +0.4%. Sterling fell […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets mixed as yields curve inverts

Read our full Market Update Week 12 Market Update Global financial markets are starting to hint at an impending recession, with Japanese equities down over 3% in Monday’s trading, with other Asian stock markets also down markedly. Further, the US yield curve has inverted and last week 10Y Bund yields fell back into negative territory, although […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks rally while Brexit outcome remains uncertain

Read our full Market Update Week 11 Global equity markets rallied last week, with Sterling returns positive in all major regions aside from Japan which was down -0.6%, although equities there did gain +1.9% in local terms. UK equities lead the way, gaining 1.8%, with European equities also up +1.4%, both buoyed by Parliament’s vote against […]

Weekly Market Update: Equities fall on signs of global slowdown

Read our full Market Update Week 10 Market Update Sterling reversed the previous week’s gains, falling -1.4% vs the US Dollar and -0.3% vs the Euro, with few signs that negotiations between the EU and the UK are likely to yield an agreement on the future of the Irish border. There was also weak performance in […]

Weekly Market Update: Sterling rallies on hopes that Hard Brexit is unlikely

Read our full Market Update Week 9 Market Update Strong Sterling performance saw large-cap UK equities retreat last week, down -0.8%. Markets are growing more confident that either Theresa May’s deal will pass Parliament or that the date for leaving the EU will be delayed in order to avoid a ‘Hard Brexit’, which has fed […]

Weekly Market Update: Pound rallies and UK wages continue to grow

Read our full Market Update Week 8 Market Update Equities were on the whole positive in local terms last week, however strong Sterling performance meant that performance for non-UK stocks was mixed for UK investors. The Pound rallied 1.3% vs the US Dollar and 0.9% vs the Euro on a steady flow of news suggesting that […]

Weekly Market Update: Oil rallies and UK stocks trade higher on retail sales numbers

Read our full Market Update Week 7 Market Update It was an excellent week for equity investors, with most major indices posting gains. US stocks closed the week up +3.0% in Sterling terms, despite poor retail sales figures. The impressive returns were evenly spread, with UK, European and Japanese equities returning +2.6%, +3.3% and +2.2% respectively. […]

Weekly Market Update: BoE keeps rates on hold

Read our full Market Update Week 6 Market Update It was a mixed week for equities, with US stocks ending the week up +1.3%, despite President Trump ruling out a meeting with President Xi before March 1 to strike a trade deal and put trade concerns to rest. It was also a positive week for UK […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks rally on dovish Fed

Read our full Market Update Week 5 Market Update Last week was a great week for markets with both real and financial assets posting positive returns. Equities were up in Sterling terms with UK stocks, the best performers of the week up +3.1%. Global stocks returned +2.1% and US stocks returned +2.3%; the S&P 500 is […]

Weekly Market Update: US government reopens for now

Read our full Market Update Week 4 Market Update Equities were mostly up in local terms, however down in Sterling which again rallied on expectations for a delayed or soft Brexit. The Pound was up +2.6% vs the US Dollar, +2.2% vs the Euro and +2.4% vs the Yen. In Sterling terms global equities were […]

Weekly Market Update: Sterling jumps as Parliament rejects May’s Brexit deal

Read our full Market Update Week 3 Market Update Equities continued the recovery seen in the new year, with Friday seeing a broad-based rally after the Wall Street Journal reported that the US was considering lifting tariffs on China. In Sterling terms global equities were up +2.0%, with US equities gaining +2.7%. Emerging Market equities […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks rally and Sterling higher ahead of Brexit vote

Read our full Market Update Week 2 Market Update Stock markets rebounded having moved into oversold territory on a technical basis and early US earnings figures beating expectations. Meanwhile a strong US December jobs report showed that wages for production and nonsupervisory workers increased by 3.3% year-on-year and consumer prices grew at just 1.9%. Inflation has […]

Weekly Market Update: Fed’s ‘patient’ comment boosts markets in the new year

Read our full Market Update Week 1 Market Update Stock markets carried over into the New Year the volatile behaviour seen towards the end of 2018, as economic news continued to point to a slowing global economy. Figures showed that China’s manufacturing sector contracted for the first time in 19 months in December, while Apple issued […]

Weekly Market Update: China concerns see market volatility

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Equities sell off on renewed trade war fears

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks rally with US stocks higher after Fed’s comments

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Oil prices fall and Tech leads US equities lower

Read our full Market Update Week 47 Market Update Equities fell across the globe last week, with the US suffering the largest decline as technology mega-caps sold off. Facebook is down over 25% year-to-date, suffering from both idiosyncratic factors, such as an ageing user base and political scandals, and sector specific issues such as regulation. Emerging […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks continue their rebound while Oil prices drop further and Brexit uncertainty heightens

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: US Equities continue their rebound, oil enters bear market and Democrats win the House

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Equities rally ahead of US midterms

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks down for the week, capital flows to US bonds, UK budget contingent on Brexit

Read our full Market Upate Week 43 Market Update Global stocks continued to slide this week, with US stocks leading indices lower, the S&P 500 falling -2.2% in Sterling terms. The NASDAQ lost -3% due to disappointing results from Tech companies and a drop in the Consumer Discretionary sector following a disappointing sales outlook from […]

Weekly Market Update: Global equities rebound, US treasury yields pick up, Italy still turbulent

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Stocks sell off globally on rising bond yields

Read our full Market Update Week 41 Market Update Global indices suffered significant falls last week, down -4.1% in local terms and -4.5% in Sterling terms. US equities led the weak performance, experiencing their biggest losses in 8 months on Wednesday. Technology stocks were particularly affected as market participants reacted badly to rising bond yields. […]

Weekly Market Update: US treasury yields hit 7-year highs; European risk renewed

Read our full Market Update Week 40 Market Update US indices ended the week lower, with S&P 500 holding up more compared to the technology rich Nasdaq, as giants such as Amazon slipped. Financials stocks performed well given rising yields. The US 10-year Treasury yield closed the week at 3.23%, a 7-year high. UK stocks […]

Weekly Market Update: Fed hikes rates as oil hits year highs

Read our Full Market Update Week 39 Market Update US stocks dropped -0.2% in Sterling terms last week, as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.25%, with investors concerned about the elimination of the word “accommodative” from the Fed’s policy statement. UK stocks were up +0.3% and UK 10 Year Gilts were up +2.0 […]

Weekly Markets Update: US Equities reach highs; May’s Chequers plans ambushed

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% […]

Weekly Market Update: Bank of England and ECB keep rates unchanged

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets correct on NAFTA and Tech concerns

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% […]

Weekly update: Sterling Strength and Fresh US Highs

Read our full Market Update Week 35 It was a good week for most global stocks, except for the UK, where a rebound in Pound Sterling (up 0.9% vs the Dollar and 1% vs the Euro) following the extension of an olive branch by the EU caused British equities to underperform, in a relationship which […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets rally, Tesla delisting cancelled

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: US sanctions further Turkish instability

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% […]

Weekly Market Update: BoE raises rates to highest level since 2009

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Equities rally despite no one liking Facebook’s outlook

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Trump questions Fed policy

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Global stocks up heading into earnings season

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%. […]

Weekly Market Update: Oil spikes as US inflation hits Fed target

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: BoE’s Chief Economist dissents to put 2018 rate hike on table

Read our full Market Update Week 25 Market Update Global stocks turned negative last week following two weeks of positive performance. Emerging Market equities were the worst hit, falling -2.0% in Sterling terms, as rising trade war fears also weighed on global equities, which were down -0.7%. Japan was also badly hit due to its […]

Weekly Market Update: Global central banks turning hawkish?

Read our full Market Update Week 24 Market Update Global markets had a second straight week of gains in Sterling terms, again led by US equities (+1.0%, +0.1% in local), with European equities also faring well (+1.0%, +1.5% in local). Japanese equities also gained +0.4%, however UK equities and Emerging Market equities were down -0.6% […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets shrug off US G7 communique snub

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Italian populist government calms markets, US populist tariffs re-ignite concerns

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 […]

Weekly Market Update: Italian risks rising

Read our full Market Update Week 21 Market Update Global equity markets were mixed last week, down in local terms -0.4%, although up in Sterling terms +0.8% due to the Pound falling as UK inflation data fell to a 13-month low, denting the chances of a rate hike in the near term. Equities in general […]

Weekly Market Update: UK equities benefit from Oil rally

Read our full Market Update Week 19 Market Update Last week saw equity markets retreat in local terms, offsetting the previous week’s gains. Emerging markets sold off the most, falling -2.3% in local terms (-1.8% in GBP) weighed down by a stronger US Dollar and rising US Treasury yields. EM were followed by US equities […]

Weekly Market Update: Markets unfazed by US withdrawal from Iran Deal

Read our full Market Update Week 18 Market Update Last week saw equity markets across the board in positive territory in both local and GBP terms. Emerging markets lead the way with a +2.5% gain (+2.4% in local), followed by both US (+2.5% in Dollars) and UK large caps at +2.4% in Sterling. Japanese and […]

Mazars Weekly Market Update: Weak UK growth sees Sterling sell-off

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 […]

Mazars Weekly Market Update: Apple sours market recovery

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 […]

Macro of the Week – UK GDP sees marginal improvement

The NIESR GDP growth estimate for the 3 months to March was revised up to 0.2% from 0.1% in February, having been revised down from 0.3%. However the figure is still a reduction from the 0.4% growth seen in Q4 2017. Quarterly growth of 0.2% equates to just 0.8% annual growth. According to Amit Kara, […]

Weekly Market Overview – Markets shrug off US strikes on Syria

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 […]

Macro of the Week – John Williams takes over NY Fed

In a move that was expected, John Williams will move from the San Francisco Fed president post to take the same position at the New York Fed. He takes over from William Dudley, who late last year announced he would be leaving by mid-2018. The role comes with vice-chairpersonship of the FOMC – the Fed’s […]

Weekly Market Overview – Despite US assurances, trade war fears still weigh on markets

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 […]

Macro of the Week – Fed hikes rates, more expected

As widely expected the FOMC raised the Fed Funds Rate target by 0.25% to a range of 1.5% – 1.75%, in what was a unanimous decision by the committee. It was the sixth rate hike since the GFC as the central bank looks to ‘normalise’ interest rate policy and was the first major decision under […]

Weekly Market Overview – Despite scheduled talks, looming trade war roils markets

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 […]

Macro of the Week – US confidence indicators soaring

The recent tumult in equity markets arrived despite robust macroeconomic data in the US, for example the latest earnings season saw 73% of companies beating expectations for earnings. Recent data for consumers and businesses appears to support this view. The NFIB Small Business Optimism index for February rose to 107.6 from 106.9 – the highest […]

Weekly Market Overview – Trade war concerns weigh on markets

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 […]

Macro of the Week – US nonfarm payrolls strong

In a reversal of the recent trend where good data is bad news for stocks, and bad data is good news, US equities rallied on Friday after the latest nonfarm payrolls report. The report showed the highest job creation […]

Weekly Market Overview – US jobs report eases inflation fears

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 […]

Weekly Market Overview – Markets fear Taylorisation of Fed and trade wars

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 […]

Macro of the Week – UK GDP slowing

The UK economy grew more slowly than previously estimated in Q4 2017, increasing by 0.4% quarter-on-quarter according to the second estimate by the ONS. This figure was a 0.1% downgrade from the original estimate. The downward revision was due to slower […]

Weekly Market Overview – Recovery continues despite rates normalisation talk by Fed

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, […]

Macro of the Week – US inflation accelerates

US CPI inflation surprised markets, remaining unchanged in January at 2.1%, driven by sharp increases in clothing and energy costs. There had been expectations for a fall to 1.9%. Core inflation was also stable at 1.8%, again above expectations […]

Macroeconomic View – French unemployment down

French ILO unemployment dropped unexpectedly from 9.6% to 8.9%. It was further proof of the strength in the French, and subsequently, the European economy. European equities lost 1.5% briefly after the US inflation report was released, with figures higher than expected. The market recovered, but the move is indicative of the factors that affect traders. […]

Market Comment – Mind the earnings

Traders were worried again last week, as US inflation figures came in higher than expected, suggesting the possibility of steep interest rate hikes. With heightened volatility, a very good US earnings quarter went almost unnoticed. With the reporting season almost over, 75% of companies beat earnings estimates and 78% beat sales estimates. This is the […]

Weekly Market Overview – Equity markets bounce despite inflation scare

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 […]

Macro of the Week – US rate hike still on the cards

The recent sell-off in markets and spike in volatility has so far been met by a wall of silence from the new Fed Chair Jay Powell. On the day of being sworn in, Powell faced a drop of 1,175 […]

Weekly Market Overview – Nervous equity markets continue to slide

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 […]

Macro of the Week – US wages accelerate

US hiring picked up in January and wages rose at the fastest pace since the GFC. Hourly earnings increased 0.3%, resulting in an unexpected year-on-year increase of 2.9%, up from 2.7% in December (which was also revised up from 2.5%). This was on the back of a nonfarm payrolls increase of 200k, which was upwardly […]

Weekly Market Overview– Equities fall on rising US yields

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 […]

Macro of the Week – US GDP disappoints

Provisional readings for US Q4 2017 GDP growth came in at 2.6%, slightly below the 3% figure expected by the market. This is an annualised figure and therefore growth for the quarter was actually only 0.1% behind expectations. Strong imports were the main reason for the surprise to the downside, subtracting 1.1% from the growth. […]

Weekly Market Overview – US Dollar slide sees negative equity returns for UK investors

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 […]

Macro of the Week – German coalition considerations

German elections in November were met with cautious optimism by markets, with Angela Merkel’s CDU party gaining the most seats and seemingly in position to lead a coalition, so maintaining the status-quo in German politics. However negotiations have proven more difficult. The SDP, which claimed the second most seats, initially planned to be the main […]

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Weekly Market Update: The return of quantitative tightening

Weekly Market Update: The return of quantitative tightening