Opinion – Monday 4 August 2014

Despite a solid US Payrolls Report on Friday, where the headline number came in at just below expectations at 209k, there were upward revisions of 15k to both May and June. However Equity markets were looking to softer aspects of the report such as the rise in the...

Opinion – Friday 1 August 2014

Equity markets lost significant ground yesterday with the Dow and S&P closing down 1.9% and 2.0%, respectively, to post their biggest losses since April. European markets averaged a 1.3% decline with the Dax losing nearly 2.0%. A run of poor corporate earnings in...

Opinion – Thursday 31 July 2014

As expected the US FOMC continued its tapering program, announcing a further $10 billion taper down to $25 billion and remaining on track to end its QE stimulus program in October. The accompanying statement was relatively dovish on the labour market, with the Fed...

Opinion – Wednesday 30 July 2014

As Europe and the US co-ordinated sanctions against Russia, the heat was taken out of the earlier buoyant equity market. European equities were stronger and Bond Yields at their lows perhaps in anticipation of more ECB action. Bond Yields are now at record lows which...

Opinion – Tuesday 29 July 2014

Equity markets closed little changed yesterday in the absence of any key data. US Equities made small gains, the Dow was up 0.13% and the S&P was up 0.03% whilst European markets were mostly lower, averaging a 0.2% fall. Europe was again weighed down by Middle...

Opinion – Monday 28 July 2014

Last Friday was a poor day for global equity markets. Europe especially, after a weaker than expected German IFO Survey and amid signs the EU was moving towards stronger sanctions against Russia. The German DAX lost 1.5%, France’s CAC 40 lost 1.8% and the Euro...