Posts Tagged ‘The Pulse’
The Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: December 2024
To Summarize: Stock and bond market performance remains mixed due to uncertainty around expectations of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy. Global bond investors are reacting strongly to budgetary concerns. Despite the U.S. economy showing resilience, the persistence of higher-than-expected Supercore inflation keeps the Federal Reserve’s rate policy tighter than desired. We unpack this and…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: November 2024
To Summarize: The stock and bond markets remain mixed as the Federal Reserve and election dynamics have influenced investor sentiment. Consumers are showing more stability despite stickier inflation. The housing market is feeling the impact of higher mortgage rates. We unpack this and more in the November edition of The Pulse. In the Markets: Domestic…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: October 2024
To Summarize: Stock and bond markets have been mixed as stronger economic growth has slowed expectations for how quickly the Federal Reserve may lower interest rates. Q3 2024 earnings growth is expected to bottom out, but analysts project earnings accelerating to close out the year. Consumers continue to spend and shift to services over goods.…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: September 2024
To Summarize: The markets rose on expectations that the Federal Reserve would be more aggressive in cutting interest rates. Consumer spending trends are split as lower-income groups continue to struggle, while middle- and upper-income groups are still spending, just more cautiously. Economic indicators show mixed signals for the services and manufacturing sectors, and China’s weak…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: August 2024
To Summarize: In August, we saw significant market volatility leading to sell-offs, followed byrecord-setting rallies. Earnings season presented mixed results with stronger profits anddisappointing revenues. The economy is showing mixed signals as growth continues but at aslower rate. Consumers continue to spend but are delaying big ticket purchases until theFederal Reserve (Fed) lowers interest rates.…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: July 2024
To Summarize: The stock and bond markets rallied with a reversal in market leadership. Consumer spending continues to surprise, despite stresses on some segments. Real-time inflation data points towards the Federal Reserve (Fed) reducing interest rates. We unpack this and more in the July edition of The Pulse. In the Markets: The third quarter kicked…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: June 2024
To Summarize: Large technology firms and emerging markets outperform in a mixed market environment for stocks and bonds. Companies are aggressively exploring how to use AI, which has created a slowdown in enterprise software spending. While consumers have shifted their spending to lower-ticket items, the affordable luxury segments, such as beauty, have been resilient. We…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: April 2024
To Summarize: The stock and bond markets forecast a better view of the economy due to a strong performance in equities and oil. For the first time in 16 months, the manufacturing sector is showing growth. Despite healthy balance sheets, small businesses remain concerned about the economy, and the price for cocoa soars presenting issues…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: March 2024
To Summarize: Stock markets are shifting in favor of sectors who benefit from stickier inflation and away from tech-dominated returns. Contrary to perceptions, most consumers remain healthy signaling future spending. Capital markets are open and have led to an increase in corporate growth and M&A activity. We unpack this and more in the March edition…
Read MoreThe Pulse on the Economy and Capital Markets: February 19 – 23, 2023
To Summarize: The U.S. technology giants, also known as the “Magnificent 7,” are driving stock market returns despite higher-than-expected inflation. Rising interest rates are impacting consumer spending, particularly on appliances and automotive purchases. Corporations are accelerating AI spending, yet IT budgets are not being negatively impacted. We unpack this and more in the February edition of…
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