Month: July 2023
Market Update: Business belies negative data
Equity markets continue to be buoyant after the rate rises in Europe and the US. Some market participants have been calling this the ‘Teflon market’ because nothing sticks to it. We would rather think of it as a sort of running machine; no matter how steep the incline of the treadmill, markets seem able to keep running upwards.
Market Update: Another inflation driver turns over
Last week’s markets have, yet again, revolved around inflation, wages and profit margins. In the UK, we finally got a little of the good news that has been stoking US markets. Inflation wise, June turns out to have been not so bad. Inflation data showed a notable slowing while retail sales were perky, possibly because we were all pinky from the hot weather.
Normal Minimum Pension Age Update – what you need to know
A significant change is on the horizon that may affect when you can access your pension money. We’ll guide you through this change and its potential implications, so you can confidently prepare for retirement.
Market Update: Core inflation slowdown equals an upbeat week for equity markets
We wrote at the start of last week that markets had come to expect another round of significant interest rate rises from central banks, and that risk assets such as equities were likely to come under some pressure. At the end of last week, however, equity markets have risen sharply, with most more than reversing their losses of the previous week.
Market Update: Markets sour on news of resilient economy
Last week we commented how the second quarter’s positive stock market returns were driven by a somewhat surprising improvement in investor sentiment. Surprising, because at the end of March there was much fear that the crisis amongst US regional banks would lead to a serious deterioration in lending conditions, leading to a quicker and more pronounced slowdown than had been previously anticipated.
Market Update: A glass half-full half year
Half-way through 2023 and, all in all, things have been fair-to-middling for markets. We’ll have a more detailed run-through of asset class performances in next week’s Weekly, but an assessment of the changing economic and markets landscape over the quarter seem appropriate for this week’s edition.