UK borrowing set to rise another £31bn in December

Yesterday’s European session turned out to be a disappointing one, despite a positive start, as stocks struggled for direction

22 Jan 2021

Bonds warn as tech soars

Asia Pacific investors are bracing for a rough day after international markets diverged overnight. Sellers returned to lift bond yields across the board, and gold remained well supported in signs of deteriorating sentiment. European shares fell, but US tech shares rose again, led by Apple as it touched all-time highs.

22 Jan 2021

Europe slips, drab ECB update, Ford accelerates

Stock markets are on track to end the session a little in the red as it has been a fairly dull day in terms of news flow.

22 Jan 2021

ECB set to stay on hold, despite tightening virus restrictions

Financial markets on both sides of the pond had a positive day yesterday, when Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States.

21 Jan 2021

Pricing perfection

Market confidence soared as the 46th US President was sworn into office overnight. Asset prices now reflect a perfect 2021 – ongoing stimulus and economies roaring back to life as vaccinations banish the Covid-19 virus. The US dollar and the Euro slid as safe haven demand switched to gold, and the Nasdaq 100 set yet another record high.

21 Jan 2021

Risk-on as Biden awaits top job, Netflix flies

Traders are in risk-on mode as Joe Biden will be sworn in as the next US president later today. Mr Biden is keen to stimulate the economy.

21 Jan 2021

Biden his time as Trump leaves the stage

The return of US markets from the Martin Luther King holiday saw stocks drive higher as the US gets ready to swear in a new president for the next four years.

20 Jan 2021

Yellen US-China cold war comment fails to puncture risk-on behaviour

The US stock market started the week on a positive note after it resumed trading from a public holiday on Monday.

20 Jan 2021

Yellen testimony re-assures

Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen testimony to the US Senate overnight re-assured markets that policy is on track to support the economy. Bond yields eased and the US dollar slipped, despite her rejection of any weak dollar policy. Share investors’ focussed on her pleas to target small businesses and the unemployed for fiscal support, lifting technology stocks and smaller companies.

20 Jan 2021

No signs of chill in Netflix share price after Q4 results

Online streaming platforms have been the big winners of the last 12 months, with the Netflix share price up over 50% in that period

20 Jan 2021

Sentiment muted as Yellen speaks

Traders spent much of the day waiting to hear from Janet Yellen, the future US Treasury Secretary, so volatility has been low.

20 Jan 2021

No negative feedback loop from BOJ’s tapering guidance; Hong Kong & China Tech outperforms

Despite the closure of US stock market yesterday, 18 January for a public holiday, Asian stock markets were still able to find a solid footing.

19 Jan 2021

European stocks set for higher open, as Yellen prepares to face US lawmakers

A lacklustre trading session for Europe in the absence of US markets yesterday, saw European equities finish the day rather mixed

19 Jan 2021

Earnings to drive the week

A benign market calendar and a US holiday overnight indicate that corporate earnings could drive action for the rest of the week. Yesterday’s stronger than forecast China GDP and industrial production data boost the macro outlook, balancing the economic risks of rising Covid restrictions.

19 Jan 2021

Markets quiet amid US holiday, oil stocks impair FTSE 100

Volatility in stocks has been low today because there have been no exciting headlines to spark interest in one direction or another.

18 Jan 2021

Is London set for IPO bonanza?

2021 looks like it could see a strong start for the London IPO market, with the announcement of a couple of new issues.

18 Jan 2021