Global equities continued to trend higher in August, with the MSCI World index rising 2.7%. Emerging market equities marginally outperformed developed markets, while Europe and the UK were up around 2%. Best performing sectors were communication services and technology up 3.9% and 3.8% respectively while the laggards were more cyclical […]
Since mid-June, financial market performance has been very mixed. Regional equity market performance has varied, US benchmarks have made steady gains (+2.5%) led by a rebound in the technology sector, whilst European and UK markets have slipped -2.5% and -4.0% respectively. In the US, the yield curve has flattened, with […]
As we passed the one-year mark from the onset of COVID-19, business activity is recovering from lockdowns amidst a progressive rollout of vaccines. In combination with fiscal stimulus, the gradual reopening of economies threatens to push global output above potential levels, triggering inflation. A look back at the late 1960s […]
In recent weeks, financial markets have delivered steady positive returns with government bonds, corporate credit and equities all making gains. Since mid-May, European stocks have outperformed the US. Sector performance has been mixed with less leadership from cyclically sensitive stocks and a recovery in technology names. US 10-year treasury yields […]
After a strong month for financial markets in April, conditions in May have been more volatile. Global equity benchmarks have been choppy and US equity indices are lower on the back of technology sector underperformance. US 10-year treasury yields have seen little change month to date at 1.64%, but have […]
Vaccine deployment is beginning to allow pent-up demand in service industries to materialise, but with notable differences across countries and sectors. The recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases may be partially explained by higher global mobility, as some policymakers are prepared to loosen restrictions as long as cases […]
Financial markets have started April strongly and the rotations that characterised much of the first quarter have eased. The move higher in US Treasury yields that had triggered market and asset class shifts peaked at the end of March, briefly touching 1.75% in the US 10-year Treasury yields, before falling […]
The dominant market story of recent weeks has been the rise in US government bond yields and the implications for asset markets and policy makers. Longer-dated government yields have been gradually rising from a low base since the middle of last year, reflective of recovering growth and inflation prospects. However, […]
After starting the year on a firm footing, volatility in global equity markets picked up sharply in the final week of January. The move lower in equity markets was sparked by extraordinary retail investor buying, of stocks unfancied by hedge funds and institutional investors who had previously sold (shorted) the […]