On 23rd January 2025, the S&P 500 reached a new all-time high, closing at 6,118.71 This milestone was driven by a combination of strong fourth-quarter earnings results and a significant announcement from President Trump regarding a $500 billion investment in AI infrastructure. The investment, led by OpenAI, SoftBank Group Corp.,Read More →
The Bank of Japan recently raised its interest rate by 25 basis points to 0.5%, marking the highest level since 2008 This decision was influenced by sustained inflation and rising wages, signalling a cycle in the economy. The move was expected by many economists and resulted in the Japanese yenRead More →
Stocks rose on Wednesday 22nd January 2024 with the S&P 500 reaching a new all-time high, as technology shares including Nvidia and Oracle surged on optimism surrounding artificial intelligence and President Donald Trump’s new term in office. The S&P 500 advanced after hitting an intraday record of 6,100.81, exceeding the last milestoneRead More →
The FTSE 100, the UK’s premier stock market index, has recently reached unprecedented new highs, marking a significant milestone in the UK financial world. On 20th January 2025, the FTSE 100 closed at a record high of 8,548, surpassing the 8,500 barrier for the first time. This achievement is aRead More →
China’s economy expanded by 5.4% in the fourth quarter, surpassing market expectations, as a series of stimulus measures propelled the economy to meet Beijing’s growth target This final-quarter surge helped elevate China’s full-year GDP growth to 5.0% in 2024, with the official target of around 5%. In December 2024, retailRead More →
The UK economy grew for the first time in three months – but only just. The tiny growth was driven in part by an increase in trade for pubs, restaurants, and the construction industry. Official figures showed an expansion of 0.1% after the economy contracted in each of the twoRead More →
The U.S. Consumer Price Index rose by a seasonally adjusted 0.4% for the month, resulting in a 12-month inflation rate of 2.9%. This figure was consistent with forecasts. Core CPI annual rate was 3.2%, down from the month before and slightly better than the 3.3% outlook. Stock markets surged followingRead More →
The latest U.S. producer price index (PPI) data indicates that wholesale inflation increased by 0.2% in December 2024, primarily driven by higher energy costs This rise was slightly less than the 0.4% gain witnessed in November 2024. Compared to a year earlier, producer prices were up by 3.3%. The riseRead More →
The pound has continued to fall after UK government borrowing costs rose and concerns grew about public finances Sterling dropped as UK 10-year borrowing costs surged to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis when bank borrowing virtually ground to a halt. Economists have warned the rising costs couldRead More →
The annual inflation rate in euro zone increased for the consecutive month reaching 2.4% in December 2024, according to the statistics released on Tuesday 7th January 2024 by Eurostat The reading, according to economists’ forecasts, indicated an increase from a revised 2.2% figure in November 2024. Core inflation remained steadyRead More →
Revised official figures indicate that the UK economy was weaker than initially estimated between July and September 2024. The economy experienced zero growth in these three months, down from an earlier estimate of 0.1%. UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves reportedly stated that the challenge to fix the economy “after 15 yearsRead More →
The PCE price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, showed an increase of just 0.1% from October and a 2.4% annual rate – which was below expectations. Excluding food and energy, core PCE also increased 0.1% monthly and was 2.8% higher from a year ago, with both readings being 0.1%Read More →
Russia’s central bank on Friday 20th December 2024 left its key interest rates unchanged at 21% surprising markets The central bank reportedly cited monetary tightness as Moscow wages an ongoing battle with sky-high inflation. What is the rate of inflation in Russia As of November 2024, the rate of inflationRead More →
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut its borrowing rate to a range of 4.25% – 4.50%, mirroring its December 2022 level. The Fed indicated that it probably would only lower twice more in 2025, according to the closely watched ‘dot plot’ matrix of individual members’ future rate expectations WhileRead More →
The Dow Industrial Average dropped 1,123 points to 42,326.87, marking its 10th consecutive day of decline and the longest since 1974. The Dow is lining up for potentially its worst weekly performance since March 2023. The S&P 500 fell 2.95% to 5,872.16, while the Nasdaq Composite decreased 3.56% 19,392.69 asRead More →
The UK inflation rate has gone up for the second month in a row, rising at the fastest pace since March 2024. The UK inflation rate rose to 2.6% in the year to November 2024, according to official figures. However, the rise was predicted by economists and was apparently withinRead More →
The U.K. economy contracted unexpectedly in October 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell by an estimated 0.1% on a monthly basis, the ONS said Friday 13th December 2024, attributing the downturn to a decline in production output. It marked the second consecutiveRead More →
U.S. consumer prices rose at a faster annual pace in November 2024, a reminder that inflation remains an issue both for households and policymakers. The consumer price index (CPI) showed a 12-month inflation rate of 2.7% after increasing 0.3% on the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday 11th November 2024.Read More →
Tesla shares soared to an all-time high on Wednesday exceeding their previous record set in 2021, driven by a post-election rally and heightened enthusiasm Wall Street for Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company. The stock increased to an intraday high of $415, exceeding its previous peak by 50 cents and closedRead More →
In November 2024, business confidence in the U.K. dropped to its lowest point since January 2023, as reported by BDO, a business advisory and accountancy firm. Concurrently, KPMG noted that UK job vacancies decreased at the quickest pace since the pandemic began. This downturn coincides with warnings from businesses thatRead More →
Annual euro zone inflation rose to 2.3% in November 2024, statistics agency Eurostat said Friday 29th November 2024, climbing back above the European Central Bank’s 2% target. Analysts had expected the 2.3% annual rate for the month, up from 2% in October. Markets have fully priced in a 0.25% interestRead More →
The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index announced 27th November 2025, rose by 0.2% monthly, matching a 12-month inflation rate of 2.3%, aligning with expectations. Core U.S. inflation recorded more robust figures, climbing 0.3% monthly and reaching an annual rate of 2.8%, but also in accordance with forecasts. Consumer spendingRead More →
In October 2024, China’s industrial profits fell by 10% compared to the previous year, indicating that the stimulus measures have not yet countered the downturn in corporate earnings. This decline represents the third consecutive month of falling profits, succeeding a 27% year-on-year drop in September 2024, which was the mostRead More →
The U.S. stock market has been a topic of much debate among investors and analysts, especially regarding its valuation levels. As of the end of 2024, several indicators suggest that U.S. stocks might be overvalued. Buffet indicator One of the most watched metrics is the Buffett Indicator, named after theRead More →
The inflation rate, which measures price changes, hit 2.3% in the year to October 2024, a bigger-than-expected increase from 1.7% in September 2024. The increase was in part due to an increase in the regulator-set energy price cap that took effect in October 2024, which is expected to increase energyRead More →
The inauguration of Chancay Port in Peru represents a significant development in China-Peru relations and is set to revolutionise trade facilities within Latin America. This $3.5 billion mega port, opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, is a component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)Read More →