Tag: Portfolio Commentary

DPMS Portfolio Commentary February 2024

2024 had a relatively rocket start with inflation coming in higher than expected across developed markets driving bond yields upwards and capital values down, the Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) surveys showing relatively weak results and geo-political instability in the Middle East unnerved investors. However, recent weeks have seen a reversal of this with some strong Q4 earnings results, improved consumer sentiment and optimism towards the first interest rate cuts since 2020.

/ 16th February 2024

DPMS Portfolio Commentary June 2023

After a frustrating Q1 2023, with a sustained market recovery derailed by banking failures, Q2 2023 has been a generally more positive quarter. This comes despite continued nervousness in the market related to the US debt ceiling being called into question (and swiftly resolved), sticky inflation in the UK, US & Europe and possible further interest rate hikes  and China’s sluggish economic recovery.

/ 12th June 2023

DPMS Portfolio Commentary March 2023

March 2023 has been somewhat of a rollercoaster ride as investors have processed a variety of information, led by markets absorbing news of a number of bank bail outs started with the run on Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and smaller New York based Signature Bank and the impending impact on interest rate policy led by the US Fed.

/ 15th March 2023

DPMS Portfolio Commentary February

Given our more cautiously positive outlook for 2023, including a mild economic recession, continuously high interest rates and the reopening of the Chinese economy, the Vizion Wealth Investment Committee have agreed to a shift towards a balance of Defensive and Cyclical equities utilising both Growth and Value styles. This comes in the form of a move towards Value funds in the UK, Europe & North America which have historically outperformed during periods of interest rate increases and a move towards Growth funds in Asia and Emerging Markets in conjunction with the Chinese economy reopening and supply chains becoming re-established.

/ 8th February 2023

DPMS Portfolio Commentary December

So far, Q4 of 2022 has been more positive than some anticipated with better-than expected American inflation data and hopes of The Federal Reserve easing rate rises, a less severe beginning to Winter for Europe, hints that China may begin to ease it’s zero-COVID policy and the return of traditional fixed interest as an attractive long term investment following Jeremy Hunt’s reversal of the mini-budget. This all comes despite Central Banks continuing to raise interest rates and warnings of recession across the globe.

/ 13th December 2022

DPMS Portfolio Commentary November

As we are expecting the remainder of 2022 to remain volatile with further interest rate hikes and the effects of a recession, the Vizion Wealth Investment Committee have agreed to remain maintain a more defensive style to portfolios, further reduce exposure to Small-Cap Equities, balance our Chinese & Indian Equity exposure and start to increase positioning towards traditional fixed interest given the recent sell off of bond capital values.

/ 12th November 2022

DPMS Portfolio Commentary September

Q3 of 2022 has proved much more positive than the first half of the year despite the backdrop of recessionary warnings across the globe. Whilst Central Banks have continued to push interest rates higher at each opportunity, global inflationary figures have started to look as though they are starting to peak, with the US proving the key indicator for global inflation. However, there remain concerns for economic growth forecasts across developed economies being dampened by inflationary pressure and subsequent interest rate rises.

/ 16th September 2022

DPMS Portfolio Commentary August

The second quarter of 2022 proved to be as volatile as the first, with equities and bonds alike suffering declines as inflation soared to record highs across the globe, above almost all economists’ forecasts. Interest rates also began to see increases in an attempt to combat inflation but did little to curb mammoth increases in the cost-of-living, deepening the risk of recession across global economies. The start of Q3 has proved slightly more positive than expected due to better-than-expected Q2 earnings reports from larger US companies, such as Meta, Twitter and Tesla, and President Biden’s announced Infrastructure plans to help...

/ 8th August 2022

DPMS Portfolio Commentary

Welcome to the first Vizion Wealth Discretionary Portfolio Management Service Update. We appreciate the last 5 months has been an extremely turbulent time for the investment markets with high inflation and increasing interest rates which when combined with major global events such as a Ukrainian invasion and further lockdown issues in China has dampened risk appetite. As part of our decision making process in managing your investments, the Vizion Wealth Investment Committee consider the natural cycle of the markets, the current economic environment and projections of various economic variables to help formulate our portfolios.

/ 16th May 2022