Synopsis of the week With the opposition parties struggling for unity and the Conservatives holding a very comfortable lead in opinion polls, Theresa May has decided to call for a general election in the UK. FX markets have quickly decided that the short term chaos of a general election is outweighed by the longer term stability that a healthy Conservative…
Synopsis of the week Monthly Non-Farm payroll figure misses the mark coming in at the lowest levels since June 2016. The FOMC struck a considerably more dovish tone bringing into question how many more rate rises we’ll see in 2017. The US Market struggled as both FOMC comments and US politicians gave investors cause to reassess the likelihood of spending…
Synopsis of the week The UK finally triggered article 50 on Wednesday in an event that barely caused any reaction in the equity markets around Europe. Euro zone inflation fell, weighed down by a big drop in German data. This could reduce the pressure on the ECB to bring the current QE scheme to an end. US Consumer confidence figures…
Synopsis of the week As President Trump has struggled to get his plans for healthcare approved, markets have begun to question his ability to deliver on infrastructure spending too. A week closer to the French elections and Europe still has worries about far-right parties gaining a larger say in future policies. The UK and EU gear up for Theresa May’s…
Synopsis of the week Having been almost 100% factored in the US Fed increased the base rate from 0.75% to 1% triggering a jump in equity markets. Europe looks on in disbelief as internal squabbles between Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and British Prime Minister Theresa May over shadow the anticipated triggering of Article 50. The Bank of England hold…
Synopsis of the week Last week saw equity markets drift lower as investors moved into a risk-off mentality. Mario Draghi, Head of the European Central Bank has once again spoken in enthusiastic terms about the markets and gone some way to quashing fears that the ECB are ready to change their approach to the current quantitative easing scheme. Wednesday’s US…
Synopsis of the week Last weeks speech from President Trump to congress might not have packed a political punch but it certainly contained everything the markets wanted to hear as the Dow kicked higher. Positive sentiment from the US helped the Dax break above 12,000. With the focus now turning to the ECB’s speech this week coupled with German factory…
Synopsis of the week Late rally on Wall Street sees Dow Jones Industrial Average sent to 11th successive record closing high on Friday which makes it the longest run since 1987. Dax flirts with 12,000 but Europe sells off on Friday’s initial US weakness. Futures marginally positive for Monday’s open. Currencies were mostly flat with positive gains in Gold hitting…
Synopsis of the week Crude Oil prices continue to hover around the $56 and with OPEC member’s commitments continuing to be met, might this be the time for a more meaningful move higher? This week has seen the MSCI’s World Index rally to a fresh all-time high showing that equity traders have not lost faith that markets will go higher….
Synopsis of the week We are still some way off the final results of a French election but this week has increased fears of a lame duck government or even a far right victory. French voters look just as dissatisfied with the current government as American voters were only a few months ago. Greece has come back into focus again…
