Stock Take Last week, a sluggish FTSE 100 suggested that markets are still nervous about the British economy, despite the UK Chancellor talking up its performance during his Autumn statement. One of the biggest highlights from the budget included a reduction in National Insurance from 12% to 10%, a tax cut for around 27 million…

Stock Take After the risk-off mood in October, world markets have staged a strong recovery so far this month, as investors increased their bets that the major central banks have ended their lengthy run of interest rate hikes. Last week was packed with events that could have put a big dent in investors’ confidence. As…

Stock Take UK equities ended last week on a down note, after figures revealed the UK economy was flat in the third quarter. Despite a recent pause, the Bank of England has aggressively increased interest rates for much of 2022 and 2023, with an eye on reducing inflation. These higher rates have helped slow already…

Stock Take Global equity markets, particularly those containing small and medium sized companies, rallied strongly last week as optimism that central banks had reached the end of their tightening cycle, gathered momentum. The question is, what comes next? In the UK, interest rates were kept at a steady 5.25%. However, messaging from the Bank of…

Stock Take Last week saw the anniversary of the 1929 Stock Market crash, an event which led directly into the great depression. 94 years later, the current market is going through its own struggles, yet the world is a very different place. While macro-economic and geopolitical challenges remain, the US economy has actually been performing…

Stock Take  Global markets remained firmly on the back foot last week, as inflationary and political developments continued to cause issues for investors. In the UK, the FTSE 100 fell 2.6% after inflation data proved disappointing. On Wednesday, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that headline inflation remained at 6.7% in September, the same…

Stock Take Geopolitical worries and mixed economic news across the West presented a challenging environment for investors last week. In the UK, The Office for National Statistics revealed that monthly GDP grew 0.2% in August, but also revised down its estimate for July’s figure from -0.5% to -0.6%. July was an especially bad month for…

Stock Take Dramatic events across the globe last week had a notable impact on investment performance. The developing situation in the Middle East is likely to put pressure on oil prices. Brent crude prices rose nearly 5% at the start of Monday in the aftermath of the weekend attacks. Concerns relating to future demand weighed…

Stock Take The phrase ‘data is the new oil’ has been common for much of the twentieth century. Technology companies have turned into trillion-dollar businesses, built around the collection and analysis of data, while green energy should mean the days of oil are limited. However, recent events have proven claims around the demise of oil…

Stock Take Established in 1668, Sweden’s Riksbank was the first institution recognised as a central bank. It was one of a host holding rate-setting meetings last week in a bonanza for central bank watchers, as inflation and interest rates continued to preoccupy investors. As it turned out, there were both expected and surprise announcements. The…