AXA IM Select Updates

Volatility levels rose in equity markets rocked by speculative trading, while corporate earnings reports and central bank commentary failed to provide reassurance. This week brings Amazon and Alphabet earnings, as well as the closely watched US unemployment data for January. Presented by Asim Qadri CFA, Investment Analyst, Alex Burn CFA, Investment Manager and Patrick Good, Investment Manager. Hos...

US equity markets touched new highs, boosted by hopes for President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan and a strong rebound in corporate earnings. As China fell way short of the ‘phase one’ import targets for 2020, new Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen promised further action on trade. Quarterly earnings from Apple, Facebook and Microsoft look set to dominate the headlines this week. Present...

Equity markets enjoyed a risk on week, with the promise of further major stimulus in the US. China closed 2020 with strong GDP growth numbers, powered by exports and industrial production. The week ahead will be dominated by the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the US. Presented by Asim Qadri CFA, Investment Analyst and Patrick Good, Investment Manager. Hosted by Lorna Denny, Inv...

In 2020, the boom in financial markets contrasted with the disastrous economic effects of Covid-19. The market narrative played ‘catch up’ with the market action, attempting to justify soaring valuations. This year has seen a switch, and now a strong narrative is boosting markets to new highs. Huge stimulus programmes and vaccine rollouts; ultra-low interest rates and pent up consumer spending. Th...

US equity markets were boosted by the Democrat clean sweep, anticipating greater fiscal stimulus. Conversely, US bond markets were troubled by the prospect of more reflationary policy, impacting government bonds in many developed markets. Meanwhile, increasing strength saw China’s renminbi break through a significant level against the US dollar. This week the major banks will kick off the Q4 repor...

US equity markets ended the year in bullish form, while government bonds marked time. The last minute Brexit trade deal was well received by both equity and currency markets. This week’s Georgia Senate run off in the US could find markets caught off guard by a double Democrat victory. Presented by Seamus Lyons CFA, Senior Investment Manager, Alex Burn CFA, Investment Manager and Niall McDonnell, C...

A risk off week saw US jobless claims jump, reflecting a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, while support packages buoyed government bond markets. This week brings the final US Federal Reserve meeting of the year, with new guidance expected on an extension to the bond purchasing package. Presented by Seamus Lyons CFA, Senior Investment Manager, Alex Burn CFA, Investment Manager. Hosted by Lorna Denny,...

It’s been called ‘the year to forget’, but there is no denying that 2020 has been a memorable year. Markets hit new peaks in February, before the Covid-19 pandemic struck home and caused a spike in financial market volatility. Since then, with huge rescue packages in place and abundant liquidity, many markets recovered their nerve. Boosted further by the prospect of a reflationary new US president...

Equity and commodity markets rallied further on a raft of positive news, including developments on the Covid-19 vaccine and the long-awaited US stimulus package. This week’s European Council meeting could finally bring agreement on post-Brexit trade arrangements. Presented by Seamus Lyons, CFA, Senior Investment Manager, Alex Burn, CFA, Investment Manager, and Asim Qadri, CFA, Investment Analyst....

Markets moved towards a strong close to November, boosted by positive sentiment on both vaccines and economic reflation. This week, however, major economies PMIs and US unemployment data could bring a reality check. Presented by Seamus Lyons, CFA, Senior Investment Manager, Niall McDonnell, CFA, Senior Investment Manager and Alex Burn, CFA, Investment Manager. Hosted by Lorna Denny, Investment Spe...

Equity markets were boosted by positive Covid-19 vaccine news, with Europe a marked outperformer. We look at the pan-Asian RCEP trade agreement and its possible impact on US global trade dominance, while Brexit trade talks approach the end game. Presented by Alex Burn, CFA, Investment Manager, Richard Byrne, Investment Manager, and Asim Qadri, CFA. Hosted by Lorna Denny, Investment Specialist. Thi...

In a classic risk-on response, equity and credit markets were boosted by more clarity on the US election results, as well as promising developments on a Covid-19 vaccine. This week could see the final push towards a Brexit trade agreement, while elsewhere rising Covid-19 infection rates will be weighed against further vaccine news. Presented by Seamus Lyons, CFA, Senior Investment Manager and Patr...

It now seems clear that Joe Biden will be the 46th President of the United States. Financial markets had discounted this result over the last weeks, but the so-called Blue Wave, with the Democrats controlling all three houses of Congress, has so far proved out of reach. Biden has become the president-elect, but political gridlock could now stand in the way of his plans for the US economy. We discu...

We examine financial market reactions to the US election results last week, before Joe Biden emerged as president-elect over the weekend. Also reactions in Asia to a new US administration, as well as to the last-minute postponement of the giant Ant Group IPO. Presented by Seamus Lyons CFA, Senior Investment Manager, Niall McDonnell CFA, Senior Investment Manager and Asim Qadri CFA, Investment Anal...

US equity markets were knocked by dual uncertainty, namely the spread of Covid-19 and imminent presidential elections, while US bond markets responded negatively to prospects of greater government spending under Biden. Latest polls for the US elections this week indicate a ‘blue wave’, that is a Biden win, with the Democrats controlling the Senate and the House of Representatives. Presented by Sea...

US equity markets were treading water ahead of the presidential election and an agreement on the fiscal stimulus package, while China’s Q3 GDP growth fell short of expectations. The week ahead brings a raft of quarterly earnings figures for the US tech sector, as well as indications of the strength of the rebound in US GDP for the third quarter. Presented by Nathan Sweeney, Senior Investment Manag...

Brexit trade talks failed to reach agreement, missing UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s deadline, which left government bonds in the UK and Europe very much in favour. Gold proved unusually volatile, given this uncertain backdrop. Brexit talks will continue this week, while in the US the final presidential debate is set to focus on Covid-19 containment, climate change and national security. Presen...

The US presidential election is only weeks away and the challenger remains ahead in the polls. Unusually, this time around the election result might not hold centre stage, as far as the markets are concerned. The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown the world’s economies into such a state of uncertainty that another huge stimulus package, or the discovery of a reliable vaccine, could push the election win...

US markets reacted positively to further fiscal stimulus proposals, as well as President Trump’s successful treatment for Covid-19. Commodity markets were also lifted by the news, although the reaction of government bond markets was predictably more downbeat. Presented by Nathan Sweeney, Senior Investment Manager, Mayank Markanday CFA, Senior Investment Manager and Tom Woodfield, Responsible Inves...

A good week for US market’s as investors focused on the potential for an additional stimulus package. This is all despite the tweet from Trump that he had tested positive for coronavirus last week. There was promising Brexit news as an agreement was reached to formally extend Brexit trade talk for another month. Elsewhere, developments in increasing board diversity and inclusion in listed companie...

A risk off week for many asset classes, with the pace of the US recovery slowing, even as Covid-19 infection rates were forecast to rise sharply. Weakness rolled into the commodity markets, and gold had its worst week for several months. The first of the US Presidential Debates will be held this week, so the intentions of swing voters will be closely monitored. Presented by Nathan Sweeney, Senior...

Combine vast stimulus packages with huge liquidity injections, and the result can be a spike in inflation. The new policy framework from the US Federal Reserve (Fed) allows an overshoot on inflation, without triggering an interest rate hike. A precautionary measure perhaps? We discuss the risk of inflation running out of control, set against deflationary forces pulling prices down. And the impact...

The US Federal Reserve reinforced guidance on monetary policy, with ultra-low interest rates set to stretch out to the end of 2023. Meanwhile, the US saw a big week for IPOs (initial public offerings) and issuance remained strong in the high yield markets. The week ahead should bring further clues as to the pace of recovery, with initial PMI releases for September. Presented by Nathan Sweeney, Sen...

Brexit trade talks approached a crisis, battering sterling, while Japanese markets were boosted by the choice of a new prime minister. Oil suffered from adverse supply/demand dynamics in a positive week for government bonds. Brexit will likely remain high on the agenda for the coming week. Presented by Mayank Markanday CFA, Senior Investment Manager, Alex Burn, CFA, Investment Manager and Jen Caus...

US tech stocks saw a bout of profit taking and government bond markets also experienced a volatile week. Meanwhile green bond issuance continues, with the German state and Daimler looking to finance specific environmental projects. This week the European Central Bank could change its rhetoric, in the face of recent deflation data, while round eight of the Brexit trade talks could herald further vo...