Ukraine crisis: what does it mean for asset allocation? City Talk Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is having devastating human consequences, has increased the risk of a stagflation environment – one of slowing economic growth but high inflation. How should investors prepare for this possible scenario? Our analysis reveals which asset classes are likely to outperform if it comes to pass. Our live blog on the Ukraine crisis [...]
How might higher inflation affect your investments? City Talk The latest figures for US consumer prices showed that the rate of inflation increased the most since September 2008. This is raising fears that we are headed for a sustained bout of inflation. Rapid price increases lower a currency’s purchasing power, reducing the amount of goods and services you can buy with money. This damage [...]
Which equity sectors can combat higher inflation? City Talk Some investors are worried that inflation is set to rise. We look at which equity sectors could prove to be the most resilient. The sharp rise in bond yields over recent weeks has rattled equity markets amid fears that fiscal stimulus and a post-pandemic spending splurge could stoke higher inflation. Five-year inflation expectations, as measured [...]
Where to find shelter from rising inflation February 10, 2021 In the wake of Covid-19, investors have started debating whether long-dormant inflation risks will soon resurface. Stay-at-home orders and government spending have left consumers with extra savings and pent-up demand that could eventually drive a spending splurge. At the same time, lockdowns have kept many businesses shut, destroying capacity in some sectors of the economy [...]
Biden vs Trump: what are markets telling us? November 2, 2020 With less than a week to go until the US presidential election, will Biden’s lead in the polls be enough to convince investors that Trump is poised for defeat? Many think not. After all, the polls notoriously got it wrong four years ago when Trump beat Hillary Clinton. For this reason, there has been heightened [...]
Big Tech’s market might in five charts September 21, 2020 The largest US technology stocks – Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook and Google (Alphabet) – known as the “FAMAGs”, tumbled sharply at the beginning of this month, after supercharging the US stock market from the depths of the Covid-pandemic in March. These “superstar” firms have largely benefitted from the economic fallout of the crisis, as more people [...]
How might stocks react to a Biden win? September 1, 2020 Our analysis suggests such an assumption would be premature. It’s not just Covid-19 and the economic slump it has caused that are on investors’ minds. They’re also beginning to worry about the risks surrounding the 2020 US presidential election. The latest polls show that the presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, is poised to win and the [...]
What has driven stock market returns and what could drive them in the future? July 29, 2020 Increasing valuations have been the main driver of stock market returns since Covid-19, but when we look over the past five years, we find a different set of drivers. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, markets have climbed a wall of worry, despite cuts to corporate earnings, forecasts and dividends. Increasing valuations have been the main [...]
Video: Is Big Tech under threat? July 28, 2020 In this short video Sean Markowicz explains why the market dominance of big tech firms might prove to be a threat to their own future performance. While many businesses are struggling under the global lockdown, the largest technology companies are thriving. Firms such as Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Google and Facebook have all seen increased demand [...]
Move over, US: time for a new stock market leader? July 1, 2020 The US has dominated stock market returns globally ever since the Global Financial Crisis. But nothing lasts forever… Dominance in almost any walk of life goes in cycles. Just ask Manchester United fans or MySpace users… Well, the same can be said of markets. They also go through periods when certain regions (or companies) seem [...]
