The death of yields in six charts October 30, 2019 | City Talk There has been a relentless downward move in global bond yields since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. This trend – underpinned by highly supportive central bank policies and stubbornly low inflation – has been a defining characteristic of the post-crisis world. Another defining trait of this period, and a landmark for financial markets, has been [...]
What do negative bond yields mean for investors? October 28, 2019 | City Talk As the synchronised slowdown in the global economy continues, central banks have yet again stepped in to attempt to extend what has already been the longest economic and stock market expansion in history. With interest rates across the world already low and in some cases negative, the stark reality is that the future impact of [...]
The six biggest bull runs since 1962 (and their corrections) October 28, 2019 | City Talk The current bull market in US stocks started in March 2009 at the height of the global financial crisis and is the longest in recent history, beating the rally between July 1962 and May 1970 by over four years. At the time of writing, the bull market is still going. US stocks are up more [...]
The regulator’s intervention on car finance hides an underlying reality October 28, 2019 The UK’s car finance boom has been a cause for concern for some time now, and the regulator is finally cracking down on questionable practices. One common complaint of this sector has been the practice whereby a car dealer or broker will make commission on the interest rate of the loan. By setting a higher [...]
Which stock markets are “cheap” entering the final quarter of 2019? October 25, 2019 | City Talk There are plenty of reasons why investors could justifiably feel pessimistic about the future, but stock market valuations are not one of them. In 2019 the global economy has gone into a marked slowdown. US-China relations have remained tense. Drones have attacked oil infrastructure in the Middle East. Global corporate earnings growth has collapsed towards [...]
Litigation finance comes of age October 24, 2019 | Sponsored Once the preserve of hedge funds and other large institutions, private investors can now share in the potential high returns offered by litigation finance. The UK’s first litigation crowdfunding platform, AxiaFunder, which launched in January, enables primarily high-net-worth and sophisticated investors to provide funding to claimants who can’t afford to pay for their legal disputes. [...]
The three fastest-growing trends in healthcare October 23, 2019 | City Talk Healthcare providers around the world are seeking to change the way that care is delivered to patients, due to increased pressure on budgets and higher demand for services. A small minority of patients (with chronic or long-term conditions) often account for a large percentage of overall spending. By treating these patients more effectively and taking [...]
US equity outlook – more gains to come? October 22, 2019 | City Talk The S&P 500 is near record highs, the US economy continues to grow, and the Fed is gently cutting rates in order to help sustain the expansion. Yet sentiment remains fragile at best. Investors are it seems determined to find the ‘next 2008’ at every turn, fretting that a US recession is near and that [...]
Is oil’s relationship with energy stocks slipping? October 21, 2019 | City Talk Our chart of the month shows that the link between energy stocks and oil appears to be on the slide. What’s happening? Typically, the US energy sector trades in tandem with oil prices. The sector is largely made up of household names like Exxon and Chevron, involved in exploration and production. They are known as [...]
Moneysupermarket share price sinks as it warns of money segment weakness October 17, 2019 Moneysupermarket’s share price dropped 10 per cent today as product availability problems hampered one of its core businesses. The comparison website’s money division shrank five per cent to £20.6m for the three months to the end of September, the comparison site said in a trading update. Read more: How to avoid the grey suit mentality [...]