Monthly financial markets outlook | September 2024
Developed markets were volatile in August driven by concerns on the continued tightness in the US monetary policy settings, recession fears and rising geopolitical risks. Nonetheless most major indices ended in the green thanks to the dovish speech by the US Fed Chair, Jerome Powell at Jackson Hole. Sentiment was also bolstered by the upward […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | June 2024
May was eventful but closed on a positive note. Domestic equities, as well as offshore bonds and equities, generated healthy returns for investors. Domestic equities could have performed even better without the month-end sell-off, likely triggered by election uncertainty. The most significant event in the domestic space was the general election, in which the African […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | May 2024
April saw a reversal of the trends which dominated the first quarter of 2024. Emerging markets, including, South Africa, outperformed their developed counterparts as concerns about stagflation dampened sentiment. Weaker-than-expected economic data from the US, coupled with hot inflation prints, fuelled these anxieties. An advance estimate of US GDP showed the economy expanded at an […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | April 2024
Financial assets had mixed fortunes during the first quarter. Global equities thrived, fuelled by a confluence of positive macroeconomic data and company-specific factors. Global bonds and domestic equities on the other hand had a tough quarter. Encouragingly, the macroeconomic landscape continued to improve, with resilient economic activity persisting and fundamental drivers of inflation weakening further. […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | March 2024
Developed markets equities had a stellar month as bottom-up factors overpowered a mixed bag of macro data. The MSCI World gained 4.11%, with U.S. equities particularly standing out, rising 5.2% on the back of stellar results from the ‘magnificent 7,’ reinforcing the artificial intelligence (AI) narrative. Nvidia, a key player in AI, released fourth-quarter results […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | February 2024
US equities eked out positive returns despite facing selling pressure in the last week of the month following uninspiring tech earnings and a Fed pushback. Investors continued to shun emerging markets and European equities amid a divergence in economic prospects between the US and the rest of the world. The ALSI bore the brunt of […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | January 2024
2023 was a financial rollercoaster that kept investors on the edge of their seats. Think of it as a Hollywood blockbuster with nail-biting suspense, unexpected twists, but, thankfully, a feel-good finale which investors will talk about for a long time. After a bruising 2022, markets bounced back like a resilient hero in 2023 determined to […]
Monthly financial markets outlook | December 2023
Record returns for bonds and equities as the pivot narrative takes centre stage. This month’s update brings glad tidings as most major asset classes bounced back vigorously from the sell-off that took place between August and October. Markets were buoyed by positive inflation data and signs of a deepening global economic slowdown which cultivated the […]
Is a default in the cards for South Africa?
The recent midterm review of South Africa’s fiscal policy by the National Treasury has sketched a bleak portrait of the nation’s financial well-being. Think of it as more of a “hold onto your seats” moment. Here, we break down the top 4 critical points you need to know. Economic growth limbo: first up, the […]