Markets Retreat on Fading Rate Cut Hopes Before Late Rally
August 2, 2024
Risk assets broadly declined last week as economic data showed resilience and central banks pushed back against aggressive market pricing for rate cuts, puncturing investor hopes.
Last week saw a notable upswing in global equities, driven by optimism over a potential economic stimulus in China and dubious results in corporate earnings.
Amid a mixed bag of US corporate earnings and a strong jobs report fueling rate hike expectations, global markets face contrasting fortunes, highlighting the complexity of forecasting economic trends in a time of technological growth and geopolitical uncertainty.
Unpacking a Volatile Week Amid Inflation Warnings and Surprising Strengths
August 2, 2024
Markets gyrated last week as hotter-than-expected US inflation data sparked an initial tech rout before recovering. Meanwhile better-than-feared earnings results and recession-resilient emerging markets outperformed.
Markets were fairly soft all week, but the real action happened just after the European close when Gazprom announced it would not reopen the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which had been closed for maintenance due to ‘malfunctions’.
Are we there yet, or is is just another short squeeze?
August 2, 2024
Markets were up last week, led by the US which finished up 3% having been down 2% earlier in the week. Other markets were less volatile but were mostly also in positive territory for the week.
Markets face biggest one day drop since March 2020
August 2, 2024
Markets suffered their biggest one day fall since the height of the pandemic provoked market crisis in March 2020, with the US Nasdaq down 5.5% and the S&P 500 down 4.3% after the latest US inflation numbers showed core inflation still on the rise even though energy prices have been on the wane.
Will the Fed's continued tightening cause something to break?
August 2, 2024
Markets continued to fall last week, touching the lows seen in mid-June and leading many to question whether the buy on the dip trade was finally dead. Not coincidentally, long-term bond yields also pushed through the highs seen in June, as the US Fed raised rates another 0.75% and Jerome Powell reiterated the Fed’s commitment to fighting inflation via interest rate policy.
Markets finished the month with another down week (about -3% for most markets), leaving equity markets down around 10% for the month and around 5% for the quarter.
It felt like we had a full business cycle last week with market euphoria earlier in the week give way to more worries about rising interest rates later on, leaving markets up a percent or so after a 6% round trip.
In recent years professional investors have got increasingly used to the fact that good news is bad news for markets because higher interest rates are likely to be necessary, and of course vice-versa. However, last week the effect was stronger than ever and stocks rallied mid-week amidst reports of widespread lay-offs and expectations of a weak US jobs report.
The US market finally market caught a bid last week. Early in the week the market was down few percent after an earnings miss by ad dependent social media platform Snap (of Snapchat fame) combined with weak guidance raised more doubts about the economy and economic resilience of tech companies.
US momentarily dips into official bear market territory
August 2, 2024
The seventh negative week in a row for the US sent it briefly into official bear market territory before it recovered slightly late on Friday. The world’s largest stocks (Apple, Microsoft Amazon and Google) are all down 25%.
Join Jonathan Ramsay and Andrew Hunt as they discuss what the future holds for the Chinese growth model, Where to from here, and what will the implications be for the west…
Carbon credits and investing – is it the outcome we expect?
August 2, 2024
ETFs that invest in carbon credits are now available. Why should we assume that their price will go up over time? And does buying a carbon credit ETF actually contribute positively to emissions reduction? Will it actually generate the outcome investors are expecting? This article explores the issues around investing in carbon credits.
Better World makes a difference with investment in renewables
August 2, 2024
There are many direct assets and funds that contribute positively to climate action within the InvestSense Better World Portfolios. Meridian Energy is one of the stand-out direct assets in the portfolio with a climate energy focus.
In recent years professional investors have got increasingly used to the fact that good news is bad news for markets because higher interest rates are likely to be necessary, and of course vice-versa. However, last week the effect was stronger than ever and stocks rallied mid-week amidst reports of widespread lay-offs and expectations of a weak US jobs report.
The US market finally market caught a bid last week. Early in the week the market was down few percent after an earnings miss by ad dependent social media platform Snap (of Snapchat fame) combined with weak guidance raised more doubts about the economy and economic resilience of tech companies.
US momentarily dips into official bear market territory
August 2, 2024
The seventh negative week in a row for the US sent it briefly into official bear market territory before it recovered slightly late on Friday. The world’s largest stocks (Apple, Microsoft Amazon and Google) are all down 25%.
How Mark Lewin saved 13 hours a week with Managed Accounts
August 2, 2024
Mark Lewin was a financial planner, but is now the Director of Back Office Heros. In his planning business he gained significant efficiencies by recommending and implementing managed accounts for his clients. He tells us how...