FinSec Post

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Global share markets rose over the last week with Japanese shares up 2.5%, Eurozone shares up 0.7%, Chinese shares up 0.2% and US shares up 0.1%. However Australian shares were down 0.2% on rate hike fears and falls in the iron ore price. Bond yields rose as global data remained solid and the Fed continued its process of monetary tightening. Oil and metal prices rose but the iron ore price fell 12%. The [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week The news flow was generally positive over the past week as investors were encouraged by signs that US Republican tax reform plans were still in play, a lift in inflation across advanced economies and indications that the impact of the hurricanes in the US caused less disruptions and disaster than initially feared. Global equities mostly finished the week higher - US +0.5%, Eurozone +0.6%, Japan +1.9%, China +0.1% while Australian shares were down 0.3%. Positive [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets mostly fell over the last week as worries around North Korea provocation continue, combining with concern about the impact of hurricanes on US growth. That said, most markets remain in the range they have been in for a while and have proven quite resilient in the face of bad news thanks to solid global growth and supportive monetary policy. While Eurozone shares rose 0.1%, US shares lost 0.4%, Japanese shares fell [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets were impacted earlier in the week by the latest North Korean provocation but bounced back helped by continuing good economic data. US shares rose 1.4% over the week, Eurozone shares gained 0.2%, Japanese shares rose 1.2% and Chinese shares rose 0.4% but Australian shares lost 0.3%. Bond yields were largely flat. While oil prices fell slightly metals and iron ore rose. The A$ drifted up slightly. While the noise continues around [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets were mixed over the last week with good global data but ongoing concerns about US politics, currency gyrations and mixed earnings results in Australia. Chinese shares rose 1.9% and US shares rose 0.7% on the back of positive indications regarding tax reform, but Eurozone shares fell 0.2% as the Euro rose further, Japanese shares fell 0.1% and Australian shares fell 0.1%. Bond yields were mostly down slightly, commodity prices were mixed [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets were mixed over the last week with a rebound early on as North Korea decided against shooting a missile towards Guam but renewed mayhem around President Trump and a terror attack in Barcelona weighing later in the week. US shares fell 0.6% and Japanese shares fell 1.3%, but Eurozone shares rose 1.2% (after losing 2.6% the week before), Chinese shares rose 2.1% and Australian shares rose 0.9%. Bond yields were flat [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets fell over the last week on the back of escalating fears around conflict with North Korea. US shares fell 1.4%, Eurozone shares lost 2.6%, Japanese shares fell 1.5%, Chinese shares lost 1.6% and Australian shares fell 0.5%. Bonds benefitted from a flight to safety and continuing low inflation readings in the US, pushing yields down slightly. Commodity prices were mixed though with oil down but copper, iron ore and gold up. [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets were soft over the last week. Eurozone shares rose 0.2%, US shares were flat despite good earnings news but Japanese shares fell 0.7%, Chinese shares fell 0.2% and Australian shares lost 0.4%. Bond yields generally rose but the main development was the continuing softness in the US dollar not helped by a dovish interpretation of the Fed and ongoing mayhem around the Trump Administration. This and rising commodity prices and saw [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets were mixed over the last week, with US shares up 0.5% helped by good earnings news and Chinese shares up 0.7%, but Japanese down 0.1%, Eurozone shares down 2% on the back of a rising euro and Australian shares down 0.7% on the back of perceptions that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has become more hawkish. Bond yields fell. Oil prices fell but metals and iron ore rose, helped by [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Global equities finished the week higher with US shares up by 1.4%, Australia +1.1%, Eurozone +1.9%, Japan +1.1% and China +1.3%. Markets benefitted from the slightly dovish tone to US Federal Reserve Chair Yellen's testimony before Congress. US 10-year bond yields are slightly lower over the week while commodities like oil and iron ore are firmer. Central bank activity dominated markets again this week. Yellen's testimony before Congress very much stuck to the script [...]