As optimism over a quick return to growth in the U.S. has waned, many investors have begun to turn their attention to rising superpowers in the developing world. This trend, combined with ongoing speculation over further easing measures, have sent the U.S. dollar tumbling in recent sessions, as several rival currencies have touched new record highs against the greenback. The slide in the dollar has helped to fuel impressive rallies in nearly every corner of the commodity market, as precious metals and industrial metals, grains, and softs have all soared higher. [click to continue…]
This week brought more ups and downs to uphold the uncertainty of what investors are calling “Grim May.” An up-and-down week ended on a negative note, with a downgrade of Spain increasing investor anxiety over the spread of the debt crisis beyond Greece. This week features the close of a tumultuous month for markets all [...]
Equity markets trended higher in a shortened week, and a generally positive jobs report will likely set the tone for a continued rally when traders return on Monday. “It’s just the beginning of a rise in private hiring that will help sustain the recovery,” said Stuart Hoffman, chief economist at PNC Financial Services Group, noting [...]
Since the most recent global recession began (and the subsequent stimulus measures took effect), many of the relationships between asset classes that have historically guided investment decisions have weakened considerably. The correlation between U.S. equity and bond markets has gone through the roof, an indication of an increasingly liquidity-driven market. Commodities, which have traditionally been [...]
Investors returned from a long holiday weekend with an abundance of optimism on Tuesday, as encouraging news from Asia helped to boost markets. Europe, which recently replaced Japan as the unofficial drag on the global economy, surged as well, as confidence in the Greece bailout efforts picked up. In takeover news, Simon offered $10 billion [...]
December has been a quiet month for most equity benchmarks, with the week following Christmas living up to its reputation as one of the slowest of the year. But not all asset classes have gone into early hibernation. One of the most active assets in the final month of the year may also be one [...]
As U.S. equity markets have soared in recent months, the dollar has steadily declined against most of its major rivals, recently falling below the key $1.50 level against the euro for the first time since August of last year. This extended fall has investors wondering if the dollar’s decline reflects temporary volatility, or a long-term [...]
With a roller coaster six months behind us that saw no shortage of interesting twists and turns and unsuspected headlines, we’ve finally reached the midway point of 2009. Ahead of us is the highly anticipated “second half of 2009,” which for months we’ve heard will hold returns to growth, a recovering economy, and enough green [...]
