Global equities ended 2021 with a bang as strong earnings growth and positive risk asset sentiment bolstered returns in December. In the U.S., the S&P 500 Index gained 4.5%, pushing year-to-date returns to a whopping 28.7%. Non-U.S. equities were also … Continued
Risk assets sold off in November as investor sentiment weakened amid concerns around ongoing inflation and the pandemic. In the U.S., October Consumer Price Index data revealed higher-than-expected prices with headline CPI increasing 6.2% year-over-year. In an unexpected shift, the … Continued
U.S. equities moved higher in October as strong corporate earnings and a relatively positive macroeconomic backdrop pushed the S&P 500 Index to a record high, with the index gaining 7% last month. During this period, non-U.S. equities were also in … Continued
Global equities sold off in September as inflationary concerns pushed yields higher. The Federal Open Market Committee assumed a more hawkish tone in its meeting last month as the median policy rate forecast increased to three hikes in the Fed … Continued
Risk assets pushed higher in August with encouraging economic data, still-accommodative monetary policy, and strong corporate earnings underpinning positive sentiment. Despite another month of robust returns, concerns loomed over the continued spread of the Delta variant, negatively impacting consumer sentiment … Continued
Global equities were mostly negative in September as continuing growth concerns in China permeated markets and worried investors and central bankers alike. In the US, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) elected not to raise its target interest rate. As … Continued
August was a difficult month as China’s surprise devaluation of the yuan fueled concerns around global growth and unleashed a wave of volatility, sparing few asset classes. For instance, the MSCI EM Index fell 9% as emerging market equities—especially China’s … Continued
The Greek debt crisis and a steep sell-off of overheated local equities in China dominated headlines in July. However, it was slowing growth out of China—the world’s second largest economy—that seemed to have the most pervasive impact on markets. Commodity … Continued
Financial markets reversed course in February as global equities rallied. The MSCI EAFE Index returned 6.0% amid investor anticipation of the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing program, which kicks off this month. The gains were also driven by strong returns … Continued
Global equities were a mixed bag in January as investors responded to diverging monetary policies and the resulting potential for an uptick in volatility. The S&P 500 fell 3.0% on the month while emerging markets were modestly positive as the … Continued