Market Update 07 May Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets mostly rose over the last week helped by good earnings and dovish central banks. US, European and Japanese shares rose but Chinese shares fell. Helped by the positive global lead and a dovish RBA the Australian share market also rose making a new recovery high with very strong gains in materials, energy and financial stocks. While the ASX200 has …
Market Update 30 April Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets were mixed over the last week with US shares rising to new record highs helped by good economic data, strong earnings and more stimulus and Chinese shares rising but European and Japanese shares fell. Australian shares also fell back slightly as the local market continues to work off technically overbought conditions after its early April surge. Weakness in retailers, …
Market Update 23 April 2021 Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets generally fell over the last week with first worries about the resurgence in global coronavirus cases and then reports that President Biden will propose a doubling in capital gains tax for high income earners weighing on markets. Although Chinese shares managed to rise from a double bottom after sharp falls since February, US, European and Japanese shares fell. Despite the …
Econosights: Australian economic policy beyond COVID-19 Key points The post-pandemic economic rebound is strong in Australia. But, after the initial bounce in activity, there is a need to reinvigorate the drivers of long-run economic growth. Productivity growth has been low in Australia and needs to lift to see a rise in incomes and living standards. Higher productivity growth is achieved through economic reform. Areas in Australia that deserve policy attention include: lifting household incomes …
Market Update 26 March 2021 Investment markets and key developments over the past week Market sentiment was more cautious this week on concern about the economic reopening from rising COVID-19 cases and vaccine delays. Seasonal impacts affect sharemarkets as well and quarter-end profit taking may also be contributing to sharemarket weakness. US shares on the S&P500 were just negative over the week at -0.1% while the heavier tech NASDAQ index was down by 1.8%. NASDAQ …
Econosights: Outlook for the US economy in 2021 Key points The US is due for a strong economic recovery in 2021, driven by a large injection of fiscal stimulus. US GDP should have recovered its 2020 COVID losses in the March quarter and be back to its pre-COVID trend level of GDP by end of the year. Fiscal stimulus could overheat the economy in late 2021/early 2022. Consumer inflation expectations are already at multi-year highs. …
The bond crash of 2021? Seven things for investors to consider Key points Higher bond yields are normal in economic recovery and should not be a major problem for shares if they are matched by rising earnings. But too rapid a rise in bond yields risks driving a deeper correction in shares. Central banks want higher inflation but will look through any short-term spike. The 40-year downtrend in inflation and bond yields is likely over. …
Market Update 05 February 2021 Investment markets and key developments over the past week Global share markets rebounded over the last week helped by good economic data and earnings news, reduced concerns around vaccines and as worries about the Reddit/day trader crowd adding to volatility fizzled. This saw the US share market rise to a new record high. Reflecting the positive global lead along with strong Australian data and a very dovish message from the RBA …
US political protests, inflation and rising bond yields Key points US protests are only an issue for investment markets if they significantly impact economic activity. Global and Australian recovery will boost bond yields and there is good reason to believe that (after yet another false ending) the now nearly 40-year super cycle decline in bond yields may be at or close to over. But the end of the bond bull market is likely to …
Market Update 18 December 2020 Investment markets and key developments over the past week Global share markets pushed higher again over the last week as the roll out of vaccines and US stimulus optimism offset uncertainties about the near-term impact from lockdowns. While the latest coronavirus outbreak in Sydney weighed on Australian shares on Friday, the local share market still rose for a seventh week in a row helped by the positive global lead and stronger …
