Trick or treat season

It’s been a bit of a nervous week in equity markets, and not a brilliant week for bonds. In Europe, the ECB did its best to help EU equities; while UK stocks are lagging for several reasons, mostly associated with all things Brexit in the minds of many city commentators.

ECB Monetary policy: lower and longer than a snake’s belly

At a time when economic confidence is not as high as it could be and markets are still feeling a little hesitant, it is encouraging when market expectations generally align with central bank policy. If nothing else, this would seem to indicate that there are no “information gaps” and markets are reading the economic runes in broadly the same way (with a diminishing probability of a policy and/or financial shock).

Saudi Aramco’s IPO: Is oil at a crossroads?

Business leaders and government officials from all over the world flocked to Riyadh in their droves this week, for a conference dubbed “Davos in the desert” by media. Attendees hoped that the summit, hosted by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, would give insight on the economic future of the world’s biggest oil exporter.

Investor psychology: overcoming biases in long-term investing

Next to buying a house, investing might be one of the most important financial decisions a person can make. After eight years of rising capital markets investors have once again become nervous about where markets may be heading over the next few months and years. How one deals with this ‘wall of worry’ might be more complex than first thought.

 

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