Moving Markets

Equity markets found their footing as oil prices and Treasury yields paused their recent rise, while US economic data and Fed commentary reinforced a resilient growth outlook. The Fed's Beige Book pointed to continued expansion, albeit with persistent inflation pressures and geopolitical uncertainty. Higher energy prices weighed on sentiment in Europe, while the yen strengthened on expectations of...

Renewed fighting in the Middle East sent oil prices and bond yields higher yesterday as gold lost its lustre and equity markets retreated. Inflation data in the eurozone did not help matters, rising to 3.3% in August, up from 2.9% in July. Markets are now pricing in a 25 basis point hike from the ECB next week, and concerns are mounting about whether the Fed will also raise rates in September. Dar...

Renewed US-Iran tensions impacted global markets yesterday, pushing oil prices higher and weighing on equities. Bond yields rose, with Japan’s 10-year bond yield actually hitting 3% this morning for the first time since 1996. Tesla gained 5.5%, making it the best performer in the S&P 500 yesterday. Today’s key economic releases include US ISM manufacturing data, but the highlight will undoubte...

Following hawkish remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh at Jackson Hole, markets have repriced expectations for US monetary policy, with traders now assigning a 60% probability to a rate hike at the Fed's mid-September meeting. Meanwhile, Asian markets have started the week on the back foot, although they have recovered somewhat from their session lows. In today's episode, Chief Economist...

With yields at historically attractive levels and the yield curve offering attractive opportunities, fixed income is drawing renewed attention from investors seeking both income and capital preservation. But is the short end of the curve really as appealing as it seems—and what should investors know about the risks and rewards? In this episode, Ayako Lehmann, Head of Webcasts & Video at Julius...

NVIDIA added USD 442 billion to its market capitalisation yesterday, with gains spreading beyond chipmakers into software and cybersecurity stocks amid strong earnings releases. Political uncertainty and debt concerns weighed on French markets ahead of the country's first presidential debate yesterday evening. A two-year Japanese government bond auction saw relatively weak demand amid growing expe...

Markets traded largely sideways ahead of the earnings release from NVIDIA, the world’s most valuable company by market capitalisation. After the US market close, the company once again exceeded expectations, delivering stronger-than-anticipated guidance and sending its shares more than 4% higher in after-hours trading. Elsewhere, US inflation data came in slightly above forecasts, prompting a mode...

Markets found their footing yesterday despite an intensification of US sanctions on Iran, as traders focused on the shift towards economic rather than military pressure and the resulting decline in oil prices. Equity markets generally moved higher, led by gains in technology shares, while Germany’s stronger-than-expected economic growth figures added to the constructive backdrop. Attention now tur...

Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite ended Monday's trading session lower as chip stocks faltered, while the Dow Jones gained 0.25% on the day. It was a similar story in Asia this morning as investors digested the potential ramifications of 'Operation Economic Outcast', while awaiting not only Nvidia's and Marvell Technology's results and US PCE data tomorrow, but also a highly anticipate...

Stronger-than-expected US PMI data could not save equities from a down week as rising bond yields and the Treasury's bond-buying intervention renewed dollar debasement fears, fuelling a blistering rally in gold and Bitcoin. Trade tensions returned as US-Canada talks collapsed over the weekend, and investors brace for a pivotal week featuring NVIDIA earnings and Fed Chair Warsh's Jackson Hole addre...

The Q2 earnings season delivered a strong set of results, with positive surprises across sectors and regions. As investors look ahead to the remainder of the year, the broadening of earnings growth and market participation is creating opportunities beyond the dominant AI and technology themes. In this episode, Mathieu Racheter, Head of Equity Strategy at Julius Baer, talks to Helen Freer about the...

Markets largely dipped yesterday as geopolitical tensions, rising oil prices and disappointing guidance from Walmart weighed on investor sentiment. After yields fell on Wednesday following the announcement from the US Treasury of doubling buybacks of longer-term debt, yesterday they resumed their upward trend, even after Treasury Secretary Bessent suggested further increases to the buyback program...

The US Treasury provided a boost to bond and equity markets yesterday, announcing that it will more than double repurchases of 10, 20, and 30-year debt in the next few months. This saw the long bond yield fall 10 bps from its 19-year high on Tuesday, to 5.184%. Gold had its best day since March. US stock markets also closed up on the day with Moderna and Merck providing a boost. Asian equity marke...

A global bond sell-off sent yields to multi-year highs, dragging equities lower as tech stocks bore the brunt amid persistent inflation concerns. Yet Bank of America's fund manager survey reveals remarkably bullish positioning, with investors reducing cash and piling into equities on hopes of a soft landing and faith in the AI boom. Dario Messi, Head of Fixed Income Research, shares his views on t...

Higher oil prices and rising bond yields weighed on equity markets, pushing global stocks lower at the start of the week. US Treasury yields remained in focus as strong corporate bond issuance added to concerns over US fiscal deficits. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence remained a standout theme, with Anthropic's rapid growth boosting sentiment across the sector. Enrico Chinello, Next Generation R...

Global market performance was mixed last week, with Japanese equities emerging as the standout winner, driven by strong gains in technology and semiconductor stocks. Meanwhile, oil prices surged around 6% amid renewed geopolitical tensions, and longer-term government bond yields moved higher despite softer-than-expected signals from US inflation and consumer data. In this episode, we are joined by...

With Korean semiconductor stocks down nearly 50% from their June peak, has the AI correction finally run its course? Where could the next leg of the AI rally come from, and how are China’s cheaper AI models — including DeepSeek’s rumoured new release — reshaping the competitive landscape? Richard Tang, Head of Research Hong Kong at Julius Baer, speaks with Hong Hao, Managing Partner and CIO of Lot...

US equities continued their upward climb this week, supported by a series of encouraging inflation releases, while European stocks have taken a breather after hitting record highs earlier in the week. In fixed income markets, government bond yields moved lower as investors scaled back expectations for rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. Joining us today is Norbert Rücker, Head of Economics &...

The latest US inflation data came in in line with expectations and reinforced the view that the Federal Reserve is likely to keep interest rates unchanged in September. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite both finished the day in positive territory yesterday, with technology stocks leading the gains. Earlier in Europe, equities eased as investors balanced earnings releases with ongoing geopol...

Markets struggled for direction yesterday, with investors balancing geopolitical tensions, higher oil prices and a busy corporate news flow. US equities fell for a second straight session as technology shares came under pressure, while European stocks consolidated near record highs and Asian markets traded mixed overnight. With markets searching for direction, the spotlight now shifts to today's U...

Eurozone growth expectations have improved, supported by a strong earnings season. Oil prices rose on renewed Strait of Hormuz tensions, while OPEC output recovered in July. AI investment remained in focus, with Intel raising capital, Nvidia securing funding for AI infrastructure, and regulatory changes supporting additional financing channels. However, this did not support the Nasdaq, which edged...

Markets are starting the week on a strong footing. Softer US jobs data, falling bond yields, robust corporate earnings, and Berkshire Hathaway's return to share buybacks have fuelled optimism among investors. Mensur Pocinci, Head of Technical Analysis, discusses what the latest signals mean for equities, the US dollar, gold, and silver, and why he believes key market trends still have room to run....

Amid rising market volatility and a shift beyond the dominant AI-driven rally, investor interest is turning to hedge funds. In this episode, we examine the appeal of market-neutral, Asia-focused multi-manager hedge funds and how institutional investors are incorporating them into diversified portfolios to pursue resilient outcomes.   William Fong, Head of Alternatives Specialists for Asia and the...

Three themes dominated markets yesterday: earnings, AI and macro risks. Strong results boosted stocks such as Deutsche Telekom and Diageo, while disappointments weighed on several industrial and technology names. AI remained a key driver, supporting China's trade data and attracting strong demand for Alphabet's USD 25 billion bond offering. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions lifted oil prices and bon...

With changing sentiment around Middle East tensions and a busy earnings season driving market moves, the Dow Jones recorded its fifth consecutive gain yesterday and a third straight record close. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq both slipped, with the latter weighted down by declines in SpaceX and AMD, while European equities reached a fresh all-time high. Dario Messi, Head of Fixed Incom...