End of a stormy quarter

29 March 2018

Investors might think it appropriate that the first quarter of the year should end with a damp Easter bank holiday weekend (at least in the UK). After a pleasing last quarter of 2017, investors enjoyed what we refer to as a ‘melt-up’...

Now we know it’s risky!

23 March 2018

Equity markets have taken a turn for the worse following the US’ probable imposition of “section 301” tariffs on China. Undoubtedly, events that increase uncertainty about the likely path of profits are bad news for any...

Back to Normal?

16 March 2018

Over the course of last week it felt very much as though things were returning to normal after the short sharp shock in equity markets in early February. Stock markets in the US have returned to their previous long term trading...

Tariffs to growth

9 March 2018

It has been one of those weeks where it is hard to decide where to start, where to end and what to leave out. Most welcome for investors were the ECB’s monthly announcement and the thawing of the relations between North Korea...

Time to take some profits

2 March 2018

February brought a sudden, even if long expected end to the calm and steady rising equity market conditions. We wrote at length during the month what triggered the correction and what it is likely to mean going forward. In a nutshell,...

Change of direction or gradual normalisation?

23 February 2018

The end of the low volatility goldilocks stock market environment has been unnerving for investors, but it has also triggered a fascinating debate amongst economists and market strategist about where we may be heading from here....

Breathing easier for the moment

16 February 2018

This week has been quite quiet in the UK. Of note, wages look set to rise more than 3% this year, stronger than 2.6% rise for last year. Subsequently, the Bank of England will probably deliver a rate rise at their March meeting....

Meteoric stock markets crash back

9 February 2018

After the prolonged period of calmly up-trending stock markets, the market correction that occurred over the last 10 days was perhaps overdue and did not come entirely unexpected as regular readers will know. As I wrote in my...

Good news turns bad news – again!

2 February 2018

Globally, stock markets finished one of the best Januaries on record only to start February with their worst week for two years. Of course, from a UK investor or rather £-Sterling perspective January 2018 was not such a great...

Surprises

26 January 2018

Stocks around the globe rose for yet another week while the US$ continued its downward trend. What made the week interesting, however was the change in direction of some variables that many had not expected. In the UK, economic...