Europe once again in the eye of the storm
To put it mildly, the political sphere is far from quiet at present. Donald Trump’s refusal to extend the Iran nuclear deal and the twists and turns concerning the summit between Kim Jong-un and the US President are clear examples of the current tense geopolitical climate.
The dollar stages a comeback
Under pressure for the past few months, the dollar overcame all odds and bounced back in April, as we were expecting. Beyond this, the renewed strength of the dollar helps to explain – at least partially – a number of significant events that have affected the financial markets in recent weeks.
Markets racked with doubt
March was not an easy month for investors as, in some weeks, risky assets experienced the kind of volatility seen at the end of January. Uncertainty about US monetary policy, which the Federal Reserve’s recent decision to raise key interest rates by a quarter of a point did little to quell, remained central to traders’ concerns.
The expected correction is materialising (at last!)
The correction started at the end of January but it really took hold of the financial markets in February, radically changing the general climate seen at the beginning of the year. The charts provided below highlight some salient facts that have accompanied the drop in share prices. The sell-off was not particularly surprising…
The year is off to a flying start..
January 2018 is looking like a good month for risky assets, continuing the trend of the second half of 2017. Risk appetite has remained strong among investors. Indeed, economic data continues to point to a robust upturn. The World Bank has therefore upgraded its…
