Weekly economic and market update – week ending 28 February, 2024

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Investment markets and key developments US and European shares rose further over the past week helped by okay economic data and expectations for rate cuts this year. News from central... Read more continue reading

Seven lasting impacts from the COVID pandemic

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Key points Seven key lasting impacts from the Coronavirus pandemic are: “bigger” government; tighter labour markets; reduced globalisation and increased geopolitical tensions; higher inflation; worse housing affordability; working from home;... Read more continue reading

Weekly economic and market update – week ending 22 March, 2024

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Investment markets and key developments US, European and Japanese shares rose to new record highs over the last week helped by solid economic data, further falls in inflation and indications... Read more continue reading

On the other hand

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“Give me a one-handed Economist. All my economists say ‘on the one hand…’, then ‘but on the other…” – Harry Truman (US President 1945-52) Despite a plethora of central bank... Read more continue reading

The Fed is signalling that it really wants to cut rates

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To no-one’s surprise, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) chose to keep the benchmark policy rate at 5.25% – 5.50% yesterday. More significantly, the latest dot plot revealed the committee... Read more continue reading

Fed sticks to rate cut outlook despite stubborn inflation

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Key takeaways With inflation still climbing at an above-target rate, the Fed left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the fifth straight monetary policy meeting. Consumers are feeling the effects... Read more continue reading

RBA: the narrow path resembles a tightrope; a “verbal pivot” in the offing? The Fed: Déjà vu all over again?!

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The Fed: Déjà vu all over again?! Yogi Berra was a US baseball coach renowned for his mangling of expression. He is most famous for coining the phrase “déjà vu... Read more continue reading

Weekly economic and market update – week ending 18 March, 2024

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Shares were mixed over the last week. US and Eurozone shares rose to new record highs, with US inflation not as high as feared even though money market expectations for... Read more continue reading

Bitcoin to infinity and beyond…again

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After another 80% or so plunge from its high in 2021 to its low in 2022, Bitcoin has rebounded again to a new record high. The next chart shows Bitcoin’s... Read more continue reading

Weekly economic and market update – week ending 8 March, 2024

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Investment markets and key developments US and Eurozone shares rose to new record highs over the last week as the ECB and Fed provided dovish comments, flagging rate cuts ahead.... Read more continue reading