Japan’s stock market hit its highest value since 1996 after the re-election of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party lead coalition retained its two thirds parliamentary majority thus encouraging markets that Mr Abe’s economic reforms would continue.…
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Last year, oil prices averaged US$45 per barrel but Brent Crude oil is now edging US$60pb.This is over double the price it was in spring 2016. The price is based upon global growth strengthening and an agreement between Russia and…
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Gold demand has fallen this year by 9% in Q3 as the market was hit by slowing demand and a new sales tax in India. Inflows into gold bullion exchange traded funds which track the price of gold were also…
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The global upswing continued with strong economic. This expansion combined with only modest inflation has allowing the Federal Reserve Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) to withdraw monetary stimulus. The FOMC started to withdraw assets at a rate of US$10bn per…
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The Government laid out its vision for post-Brexit arrangements in two key areas this week; the customs union and the Northern Ireland border. A Whitehall paper published on Tuesday detailed the UK’s wish to remain part of the customs union…
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Central Bank commentary is raising the probability that quantitative easing support for long-term assets will start to be removed soon. The Fed’s minutes for its last meeting told us as much. This week, the Fed holds its annual meeting at…
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Equity markets performed well in Q1 as investors responded to evidence of an improving global recovery. Markets showed resilience in the face of the US interest rate hike of 0.25% in March. However, investors are starting to question the implementation…
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Since the summer of 2016, when evidence of China’s economic stimulus started to impact upon markets, the hopes of a rise in global growth and a return of inflation have grown. This hope gained impetus when Donald Trump was elected…
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One immediate outcome of the General Election result was that sterling fell in value by 2% to US$1.27. A fall in the value of the pound will increase the impact of imported inflation. British manufactures and exporters have benefited from…
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