Moving Markets

Global equities are heading for their best weekly gains since November last year after another set of lower than expected US inflation data. In Asia, optimism over policy support in China as well as the easing of some restrictions on artificial intelligence is supporting markets. Currencies have also seen some movement this week, with the US Dollar Index struggling. David Kohl, our Chief Economist...

US equities rose, bond yields fell, gold advanced, and the US dollar dropped after US inflation data showed that core inflation fell to 4.8%. The lower inflation means that the real (inflation-adjusted) Fed Funds rate has turned positive for the first time in this economic cycle. Norbert Rücker, Head of Macro & Next Generation Research, talks about the clean energy investment theme, noting tha...

US markets closed higher on Tuesday with the S&P 500 seeing Energy, Utilities & Industrials all outperforming. Asia Pacific markets were mixed, with Japan's Nikkei 225 trading lower and China's CSI 300 down 0.4% this morning, a sign that local investors would like to see more stimulus to support the ailing economy. Microsoft moved closer to completing its USD 69 billion bid for Activision....

China has signalled that it will extend a number of policies and concrete economic support measures to support its ailing real estate sector. Asian markets are trading higher on the news today. And we hear from Manuel Villegas, Next Generation Research, who talks to us about digital assets and provides an update on Solana. 00:14 Introduction by Helen Freer (Investment Writing) 00:32 Markets wrap-u...

US markets closed lower on the day and the week on Friday after non-farm payrolls data indicated that the Fed might raise rates at their forthcoming July meeting. Inflation data coming on Thursday and Friday will complete the final piece of the rate-hike puzzle. Meanwhile China’s disappointing CPI/PPI data this morning has heightened expectations of more monetary policy support being required. As...

Equity markets have suffered steep losses in recent hours on the back of better-than-expected private employment data - today's official US non-farm payrolls report for June is likely to shed further light on the resilience of the US economy. Tim Gagie, our Head of FX & PM Solutions Geneva, shares his thoughts on how these figures could impact currencies and metals. And Kelly Chia, Deputy Head...

The Fed minutes released yesterday revealed some disagreement among committee members regarding the future path of interest-rate policy. After their June ‘pause’ it seems that members do expect to resume hiking rates but perhaps at a slower pace. US and Asian markets closed lower, with Asian stocks also impacted by the recent disappointing data from China. Norbert Rücker, Head of Macro and Next Ge...

China’s services sector activity is seeing a deceleration in its growth rate, as some firms reported softer than expected market demand, denting investor sentiment ahead of US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's visit to China. And we hear from Mathieu Racheter, Head of Equity Strategy, who shares with us his outlook for developed market equities in the second half of 2023. 00:14 Introduction by Ber...

Asia-Pacific markets were mixed overnight as investors continued to assess the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to keep interest rates on hold. China has decided to restrict exports of critical minerals and electric vehicle manufacturers had one of their best days yesterday after Tesla and BYD reported strong Q2 electric vehicle sales figures. Manuel Villegas of the Next Generation Research te...

The Nasdaq 100 index had its best first half-year ever, up 39%, as the emergence of the artificial intelligence product cycle drove these and other major US equities higher. The 10-year US Treasury yield came within striking distance of 4.0% last week, and strong electric vehicle sales and talk of the first approval of a physically-backed Bitcoin ETF are also in focus this Monday morning. Mensur P...

US Treasury yields rose yesterday on better-than-expected economic data, but stocks continued to climb the wall of worry. The all-important US PCE deflator figures for May will decide the fate of the markets on the last trading day of the half year. And there is a lot going on in the currency markets these days - hear what our Head of FX & PM Solutions in Geneva, Tim Gagie, has to say about th...

At the ECB forum in Sintra, Federal Reserve Chairman Powell, ECB President Lagarde and Bank of England Governor Bailey all said that they still have some way to go in raising interest rates to fight inflation. The 23 largest US banks passed the Federal Reserve's annual stress test. And both the Japanese yen and the Chinese yuan are in focus as authorities worry about the weakness of their currenci...

A raft of strong data underscores the resilience of the US’s economy in the face of stickier-than-expected inflation. Investors will closely be watching the ECB forum today, when top central bankers will speak on a policy panel to discuss how to combat unrelenting inflation. And we hear from Roman Frey, Head of Fixed Income Investment Management, who shares with us why now is such a good time to c...

US stock markets didn’t have the best start to the week as tech stocks led indices lower. The Nasdaq Composite was the worst performer, falling more than 1%. But this bad start to the week needs to be put into context: the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are still on track to finish June more than 3% higher, while the Dow Jones is currently set for a monthly gain of nearly 2.5%. As rates starts to bite and...

Markets are eerily calm this morning following the dramatic end to an armed uprising in Russia. This week marks the last week of trading for the first half of the year, so the first conclusions will be drawn with regard to market performance this year. The headlines this week are likely to include the ECB’s Bank Forum in Sintra, the release of the Fed’s favourite inflation gauge (the Personal Cons...

Asian equities and European stock futures are in a sea of red this Friday morning as major developed market central banks go on inflation alert. However, artificial intelligence (AI) stocks continue to shine. Meanwhile, the Japanese yen is falling again as traders look ahead to possible intervention to support the currency. In today's podcast, David Meier, Senior Economist, and Tim Gagie, Head of...

Stock markets are lower for the third day in a row as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell delivers a hawkish message on monetary policy, and data points to slower growth ahead. And European natural gas prices are on the rise again - listen to Norbert Rücker, our Head of Macro & Next Generation Research, to find out whether he thinks Europe is once again on the brink of an energy crisis. 00:14...

Global equity markets struggle ahead of US Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s semi-annual report to Congress today, when he is expected to reinforce the message that interest rates need to stay higher for longer. Dario Messi, Fixed Income Research, provides his thoughts on why investors should not be chasing the rally in high yield bonds. And Adrienne Järsvall, Head of Fund Advisors, shares with us why now...

European markets fell at the start of the new trading week with investors nervous about the economic outlook. US markets were shut for the Juneteenth holiday on Monday. Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed overnight as investors digested China’s central bank decision to cut its one-year and five-year loan prime rate. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had his meeting with China's President Xi J...

The main story this morning is the visit to China by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, which has shown the first tentative signs of progress. However, Asian equities are still lower today as investors reset their expectations for further stimulus from China. Despite a generally quiet morning, the week ahead will be busy for investors with a total of 12 central banks due to announce their lates...

After a flurry of interest rate decisions by major central banks, global equities are mostly higher and the USD is mostly weaker - although it is rising against the JPY as the Bank of Japan remains on its lonely monetary policy island. The rally in US equities appears to be broadening, while Chinese equities are rallying on stimulus hopes. Tim Gagie, Head of FX & PM Solutions Geneva, discusses...

The US Federal Reserve left rates unchanged yesterday and sees two small hikes by the end of 2023, as it deals with a stronger-than-expected economy and a slower decline in inflation. Our Chief Economist David Kohl shares his thoughts on how the Fed will move from here, and Nicolas Jordan, from the CIO Strategy & Investment Analysis team, provides an update from our CIO’s Investment Committee....

The stock market rally extended yesterday after US inflation figures reassured investors. The US Federal Reserve (Fed) is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged today, but much of the focus will be on Fed Chair Powell's remarks at the press conference. Dario Messi, Fixed Income Research, expects some words of caution.  00:14 Introduction by Bernadette Anderko (Investment Writing) 00:33...

Apple closed at an all-time high and the S&P 500 index ended the day above 4325 points its intra-day high from last August and so a key level for technical analysts – the focus is now on today’s US inflation release. China’s central bank in a surprise move lowered its short-term policy rate today amidst faltering growth figures – the big question is now if more stimulus is to come out of the w...

This week is a busy one with central banks around the world expected to announce their latest interest rate decisions, including the US, Eurozone, Japan and China. There will also be a raft of macroeconomic data for investors to digest. Mensur Pocinci, Head of Technical Analysis, joins today's episode to talk more about the VIX index hitting a new 3-year low and equity markets hitting a 52-week hi...