Market Update

Investment markets and key developments Global share markets were mixed over the last week with uncertainty about the US debt ceiling and interest rates along with worries about the Chinese recovery, but a strong boost to some US tech stocks from strong AI related demand. After a solid gain on Thursday and Friday on the back of AI enthusiasm and confidence that a debt ceiling deal will be reached US shares rose 0.3% for the week. The Japanese share market [...]

Investment markets and key developments Global share markets rose over the last week helped by optimism that a US debt ceiling deal will soon be reached and with economic data still holding up. Despite a messy session on Friday, with US shares initially up with Fed Chair Powell signalling an inclination to pause on rates and then falling to end down 0.1% as debt ceiling talks paused over an impasse on spending cuts, for the week US shares gained 1.7%. [...]

Investment markets and key developments It was a quieter week in financial markets. Issues around the banking sector have again faded into the background, but it's too early to say that they are completely resolved. US debt ceiling negotiations are progressing. US President Biden hosted a White House meeting with House Speaker McCarthy and others. While there was no outcome from the meeting (although that was expected), talks between the policymakers are expected to keep going later this week which [...]

Investment markets and key developments Global share markets mostly fell over the last week with further rate hikes and ongoing concerns about US banks and the US debt ceiling. Despite strong rallies on Friday as US banks bounced and as solid US payrolls tempered recession fears a bit, for the week US shares lost 0.8% and Eurozone shares fell 0.5%. Chinese shares fell 0.3% and Japanese shares rose 1%. Australian shares fell by another 1.2% not helped by the surprise [...]

Investment markets and key developments Global share markets were mixed over the last week with US shares initially down but then boosted by tech sector earnings to be up 0.9% and Japanese shares rose 1%, but Eurozone shares fell 0.9% and Chinese shares fell 0.1%. Australian shares fell 0.3% with falls in resources stocks and utilities offsetting gains in telcos, property and IT shares. Bond yields fell, as did oil, metal and iron ore prices fell. The $A fell despite [...]

Investment markets and key developments Global share markets were mixed and mostly little changed over the last week amidst mixed economic data. US shares fell 0.1% for the week but Eurozone shares rose 0.3% and Japanese shares rose 0.2%. Chinese shares fell 1.5% though. Australian shares fell 0.4% with falls in resources stocks offsetting gains in finance, industrial and property shares. Bond yields rose, but oil, metal and iron ore prices fell. The $A fell slightly with a slight rise in [...]

Investment markets and key developments Global share markets had a strong week helped by a further fall in US inflation adding to expectations that the Fed is at or close to the top. For the week US shares rose 0.8%, Eurozone shares gained 1.7%, Japanese shares rose 3.5% but Chinese shares fell 0.8%. The positive global lead helped boost Australian shares which rose 2% for the week with gains led by material, IT, property and energy stocks. Bond yields rose [...]

Investment markets and key developments Concerns about the banking system have eased this week but have not been completely erased. Expectations for fewer central bank interest rate hikes (because of the risks in the banking system and the tightening in lending standards which will weigh on economic growth and is a de facto monetary tightening) is helping to lift shares, with the US up 3.5% this week, Australia +3.2%, Eurozone +4.5%, Japan +2.4% and China +0.6%. Bond yields rose over [...]

Investment markets and key developments Global share markets had a volatile week with ongoing worries about banking contagion, but managed to rise helped by some settling of concerns in the US and hopes that central banks are near the top on rates. For the week US shares gained 1.4%, Eurozone shares rose 1% (despite a fall in Deutsche Bank shares on Friday), Japanese shares rose 0.2% and Chinese shares rose 1.7%. However, Australian shares remained under pressure falling by 0.6% for [...]

Investment markets and key developmentsGlobal share markets had a volatile week reflecting the problems in banks but with banking system backstops and hopes of less central bank rate hikes providing some support. US shares actually rose 1.4% for the week having fallen further than other markets the week before in an initial response to the banking problems. But Eurozone shares fell 4.2%, Japanese shares fell 2.9% and Chinese lost 0.2%. Australian shares fell 2.1% playing catchup to the falls in US [...]