AHR Weekly Market Update Podcast AHR Weekly Market Update

On this week’s AHR Market review.

Stock markets suffered their third straight week of losses amid concerns about Middle East tensions and the likelihood of U.S. interest rates staying higher for longer. 

In economic news, robust figures from the U.S. Commerce Department indicated that retail sales in March surged by 0.7%, significantly exceeding the expected 0.3%, and up from a revised 0.9% increase in February. 

In the UK, consumer price inflation dropped to 3.2% in March, the lowest in two and a half years but slightly less than analysts had anticipated. 

China reported a better-than-expected 5.3% economic growth for the first quarter of 2024, bolstered by a 6.1% increase in industrial output.

U.S. stock indices fell by 3% over the week, with technology stocks particularly affected, dropping by 5.5% as investors re-adjusted their rate expectations.

Yields of U.S. government bonds rose for the third week in a row as investors continued to rein in their expectations for near-term interest-rate cuts.

Oil prices experienced volatility, with U.S. crude briefly topping $85 per barrel due to the tensions between Israel and Iran. 

That’s all for this week’s AHR Weekly Podcast. Thank you for listening and for further investment insights head over to ahrprivatewealth.com.

On this week’s AHR Market review.

Equity markets fell over the week following hotter than expected US CPI data and heightened tensions in the Middle East following Iran’s attempted missile strikes on Israel.
Just one month ago markets had placed a high probability that the US Federal Reserve would cut its interest rates at it’s upcoming June and July meetings. 
Later in the week stocks pulled back sharply, in the wake of reports that Iran was preparing to directly attack facilities on Israeli soil for the first time. 
US equity markets fell 1.6% over the week, with small and midcap stocks fairing worse than mega-cap growth names. 
In the wake of Wednesday’s inflation report, the yield of the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond rose to the highest level in five months, as it climbed as high as 4.59% at one point. 
That’s all for this week’s AHR Weekly Podcast. Thank you for listening and for further investment insights head over to ahrprivatewealth.com.

On this week’s AHR Market review.

In a week that capped off the end of the first quarter, equity markets finished slightly higher ahead of the Easter break. 

In the latest dispatch from the economic front, the U.S. Federal Reserve's favoured barometer for monitoring inflation - the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index - has unveiled a more moderate ascent in consumer prices. 

Meanwhile, a surge in consumer spending has led to an upward revision of the final quarter's economic expansion figures in the US.

US equity markets ended the holiday shortened week at record highs, finishing up 0.4%. European equities advanced 0.59% despite softer economic data from Germany suggesting slower growth throughout 2024.

On the commodities front, both gold and oil have continued their impressive performance, notching substantial weekly gains.

That’s all for this week’s AHR Weekly Podcast. Thank you for listening and for further investment insights head over to ahrprivatewealth.com.

On this week’s AHR Market review.

Global equity markets enjoyed a week of solid gains following a host of key Central bank meetings from around the world.

On Wednesday the US Federal Reserve held its March Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting and also released an updated set of economic projections.

A similar narrative was relayed in the UK as the Bank of England's rate-setters voted 8-1 to keep borrowing costs at their 16-year high of 5.25% on Thursday, as the two officials who had previously called for higher rates changed their stance.

In contrast, the Bank of Japan raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years, ending the world’s last remaining policy of negative rates.

All major US equity indices posted returns in excess of 2% over the week following the dovish tone set by the Federal Reserve. 

That’s all for this week’s AHR Weekly Podcast. Thank you for listening and for further investment insights head over to ahrprivatewealth.com.

On this week’s AHR Market review.

Welcome to this week’s AHR market review for the week ending 17th March 2024.

Inflation data from the US came in slightly above expectations, leading to a second week of declines for US equity markets whilst European equities etched out gains

The US consumer price index rose 0.4% last month after climbing 0.3% in January. Gasoline prices rebounded 3.8% after declining in January.

The producer price index (PPI) rose 0.6% in February, roughly double consensus estimates and the most in six months.

In the UK the unemployment rate unexpectedly rose from 3.8% to 3.9% in the three months to the end of January.

US equities finished the week marginally negative following mixed inflation data announcements.

Yields of U.S. government bonds rose as the latest inflation data produced a slight shift in the interest-rate outlook.

Looking to the week ahead the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at its meeting that concludes Wednesday, and Fed observers will watch for any clues about the timing of eventual rate cuts this year.

That’s all for this week’s AHR Weekly Podcast. Thank you for listening and for further investment insights head over to ahrprivatewealth.com.

On this week’s AHR Market review.

Global equity markets ended the week mixed as fixed income markets posted gains following key central bank announcements and US employment data that showed a healthy but slowing US labour market.

The U.S. nonfarm-jobs report last week was somewhat mixed but overall pointed to early signals of a U.S. labour market that is cooling. 

In testimony before Congress, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank's intention to cut interest rates at some point this year, provided inflation data continues to show continued easing. 

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt, in his last Spring Budget before a general election, unveiled a reduction in national insurance rates that would amount to a GBP 10 billion payroll tax cut.

US equities finished slightly lower for the week whilst US technology fell -1.2%. European equities rose 1.14% to record highs whilst the UK market fell 0.3%. 

The yield of the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond fell to its lowest level in five weeks. 

In commodities, oil prices fell -2.7% over the week whilst the price of gold futures surged more than 6% to a record high of around $2,200 an ounce on Friday afternoon. 

That’s all for this week’s AHR Weekly Podcast. Thank you for listening and for further investment insights head over to ahrprivatewealth.com.