International share markets registered further strong gains in the first three months of 2024. A resilient US economy and ongoing investment enthusiasm for companies associated with artificial intelligence technologies were two key drivers. US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell attempted to cool expectations of imminent interest rate cuts, but with the latest “dot plot” detailing […]
2024 Q1: Key Market Movements Read More »
Diversified investors had more reasons to smile as the markets began this year exactly as they left off last year – with another strong gain by most international share markets. Without any major new economic or geopolitical shocks, investment sentiment continued to be closely linked to changes in the inflation and interest rate landscape. On
Economic Commentary Autumn 2024 Read More »
Can artificial intelligence help pick stocks? More specifically, can investors use AI to determine the fair price of a stock or a bond? I bet a lot of people right now would say yes, given recent advances that allow for the processing of ever greater amounts of information.
I think my AI is better than all the other ones out there. My AI is the market.
David Booth in the Financial Times: Why the Wisdom of the Market Crowd Beats AI Read More »
It was most appropriate that the fourth quarter of 2023 included Christmas, as it was indeed a quarter of many happy returns. Global share markets delivered strong gains as market expectations about the future trajectory of interest rates changed markedly over the quarter. While the consensus view in the September quarter was for interest rates
Economic Commentary Summer 2023 Read More »
International share markets rebounded with a strong rally over the final three months of the year. US inflation and economic growth rates both slowed further over the quarter, and Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, indicated they were aware of the risk of keeping interest rates at restrictive levels for too long. This reinforced market expectations
2023 Q4: Key Market Movements Read More »
Q3: 30 September 2023 After a generally good performance over the first half of 2023, international share markets gave up some of their gains in the July to September quarter. Slowing growth and the prospect of a sustained period of higher interest rates in the US weighed on the influential American share market, with the
2023 Q3: Key market movements Read More »
In some welcome news, the world economy is showing signs of resilience this year despite lingering inflation and a sluggish recovery in China. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its latest World Economic Outlook in July, noting that this resilience increases the odds that a global recession may be avoided. These signs of optimism may
Economic Commentary Spring 2023 Read More »
Q2: 30 June 2023 Central banks maintained their laser-like focus on combatting inflation by raising interest rates globally during the quarter. With the Eurozone and New Zealand economies already in a mild recession and other regions facing a lower growth outlook, at least in the near term, share markets were not burdened by high expectations.
2023 Q2: Key Market Movements Read More »
As the grey clouds gather for winter, it’s pleasing to report that the sun still shines on portfolios. Global share markets advanced again during the quarter, with the gains led by developed markets and, most notably, large US technology companies. Global investor sentiment remained generally positive with moderating US inflation and signs that the American
Economic Commentary Winter 2023 Read More »
Q1: 31 March 2023 Global share markets delivered further positive results in the first quarter, buoyed by a reduction in recession concerns across leading developed markets. That these gains came despite a sharp, but short-lived, elevation in fears across the global banking sector in early March, highlighted a degree of market resilience that was absent
Key Market Movements Read More »
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