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Regaining confidence after July’s drought Stocks and bond prices are heading higher as the week starts, with US employment data showing enough softness to reduce inflation pressures, diminishing the chances of rate rises.Another Iran “deal” buoyed markets last week, with Iran and...

The announcement of yet another Iran deal buoyed stock markets this week. Iran and Oman reportedly agreed a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, which would temporarily solve the issue that collapsed the US-Iran ceasefire last month. The normalisation of...

Learn to make your mind up We open this week in a positive frame following a week where multi-asset portfolios will have shown either small losses or, more likely, small gains. Diversification proved its worth as bonds, currencies and many high-profile stocks...

This week has seen marked volatility in bonds and a number of major high-profile stocks. Some of it has been a little concerning and yet, most portfolios will probably show a reasonably positive outcome. That’s what diversification is all about. The major...

Hiatus in optimismMarkets had a rough week, as Brent crude oil pushed back above $100 per barrel and long-term government bond yields rose sharply. This week starts on a better note, with US and Iran ceasing their attacks at least for now....

Equity and bond markets came under pressure this week, as oil prices rose above $100 per barrel again. The downside was clearest in bond markets, with long-term government yields moving up sharply. Stocks held up a little better in aggregate in the...

AI froth coming offChip stocks have swung from euphoria to despondency without any real bad news. Other than that, markets are in a lull, trading up and down over the same themes they have for months: war, interest rates, and the durability...

The summer lull has arrived early. Broad stock indices, bonds and even oil prices have bounced up and down over the last two weeks without any clear direction. The previous AI winners, particularly semiconductors (chips), are the exception: they have swung from...

For professional financial advisers only For the second time in four years, war has led to a global energy crisis. But, despite the Middle East war turning the world’s attention to oil and gas, it is renewables that have benefitted the most...

Markets keep calm and carry on with businessJust as markets had downgraded Middle East risks, they flared up again – and once more the reaction was strikingly measured. Spot oil spiked 12% after Iran targeted ships in the Strait and US forces...

Markets keep calm and carry on with businessJust as markets had downgraded the risks emanating from the Middle East, they flared up again. Yet again, however, it is telling how measured the market’s reaction has been to ships being set ablaze in...

Global stocks recovered from last week’s sell-off, but are still only roughly flat from a month ago. Once again, the previous big winners – like US tech – are the most under pressure. Last week, we put these moves down to institutional...

Much appreciated slowing downGlobal stocks bounced from the previous week’s sell-off, but they’re still roughly flat over the past month. The previous big winners were, again, under the most pressure. Some are worried this might be more than quarter-end profit-taking, but the...

Mind the money flow at quarter-endMarkets wobbled thanks to quarter-end rebalancing. Institutional investors are selling winners to bring portfolios back in line after a strong quarter. Rebalancing is temporary, although the scale of the sell-off hints that liquidity is becoming less abundant...

Stock markets, predictably, wobbled this week. Investors have seen great returns this quarter despite intense global risks, so now many institutional investment managers must rebalance their asset weightings back to target – by selling the assets that have done well. Rebalancing selling...

From Wars to WarshThe US-Iran deal extending the ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz buoyed markets last week. Oil prices fell, global stocks rose and long-term bond yields settled. The Israel-Hezbollah exchange reminds us that the deal is fragile but, for...

The deal between US and Iran, which extends the ceasefire and opens the Strait of Hormuz, is unequivocally good news for markets. Oil prices are sharply down, global stocks are up and long-term bond yields have calmed.  We can be sceptical about...

Stall, correction and reboundEquities started poorly but finished strong last week. The Trump 80th birthday present of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has ensured that equity markets are starting this week 1-2% above last week’s close. Bonds are also rejoicing...

Equities started the week poorly but ended strong – a reversal of last week. Trading liquidity was initially tight as investors contemplated a glut of newly issued shares, most notably today’s SpaceX IPO, but liquidity returned on Friday amid good news stories....

Markets decelerateA mostly quiet week ended with a jolt, after May’s stronger-than-expected US jobs report sent bond yields higher and equity markets lower. Investors had been rotating out of tech, but the jobs number shifted focus to potential rate rises, rather than...