Synopsis of the week US equities remain strong this week driven higher by Apple’s announcement to increase investment in the US. This was encouraged by the recent changes in US Tax laws the Trump administration have managed to push through. Brent Crude Oil prices have hit three-year highs briefly breaking above US$70 a barrel up 147% from their January 2016…
Synopsis of the week US equities have added to the momentum seen in 2017 and even the prospect of a long bank holiday weekend has not triggered profit-taking. The Euro has also enjoyed plenty of support this year and against the US Dollar has broken above last years highs. The Euro strength has subsequently seen a sell-off in the export-driven…
Synopsis of 2017 Most major equity markets enjoyed double-digit growth during 2017; even the FTSE, while having to contend with Brexit negotiations, managed to grow by over 8% year on year. European general elections have all helped create a stable political platform for the EU and the Franco/German relationship looks strong. While in Asia, confirmation that Xi Jinping will remain…
Synopsis of the week Central banks kept to the script with the US Fed raising rates for the third time this year while the Bank of England and the Swiss National Bank both kept rates unchanged. Last week’s EU Manufacturing PMI data was the strongest seen since the summer of 2011 and servicing PMI data for the EU region is…
Synopsis of the week The Bulls were once again in control of the US markets as the S&P 500, Nasdaq and the Dow all set new highs during the course of the week. Last week’s meeting in Vienna saw the OPEC nations agreeing to cut production through to 2018. This unified action helped send Oil prices to two and a…
Synopsis of the week The volume of equities traded this week was low as the US took Thursday off for Thanksgiving and enjoyed an early close to Friday’s session. The DAX rallied into the close of the week as the chances of Angela Merkel forming a coalition government improved. This was due to opposition SPD leader Martin Schulz confirming his…
Synopsis of the week EUR/CHF has traded as high as 1.1720 this week breaking above last month’s highs following encouraging words from ECB President Mario Draghi. Central Bankers have dominated the week with twelve different speeches from the heads of the US, UK & EU central banks in only a five day period. Only weeks after CEO Jamie Dimon lambasted…
Synopsis of the week European and US equity markets sold off last week as Friday’s bank holiday in America encouraged traders to take short term profits before the long weekend. Theresa May has had to make a second cabinet change in the last two weeks, begging the question for many as to how long she can remain in power and…
Synopsis of the week The nomination of Jerome Powell was taken by the markets as a signal that the FED would continue on a steady path of rate rises, an environment that should continue to help US equity markets. For the first time in a decade, the Bank of England increased interest rates, but futures markets do not expect the…
Synopsis of the week On Thursday 26 October, Euro bulls drove the EUR/CHF to fresh two year highs above 1.1700 ahead of President Draghi’s much anticipated QE speech. The Bank of England looks set to join the US Fed in moving towards rate normalisation by raising interest rates for the first time in over a decade. Futures markets are suggesting…
