Economic and market insight
Review of the week: Fortune-telling statistics
Official statistics are in flux as UK policymakers ponder their plans for the future. Meanwhile, third-quarter US company reporting is off to a great start.
Review of the week: Tug-of-war
Investors grapple with change as inflation rides higher and economic growth bounces back. Central bankers must come to terms with the new environment as well or risk making bad decisions.
Review of the week: Bonds go bananas
Bondholders sell government debt aggressively as inflation concerns mount, but are investors overpaying for inflation protection?
Review of the week: Furlough’s end
Arguably the greatest welfare programme in UK history has come to an end. That should bring clarity to labour markets and free up workers for more resilient businesses.
Review of the week: The price of money
Higher inflation is starting to leak into central bankers’ plans for interest rate hikes and ‘tapering’ of QE. Meanwhile, the UK suffers an energy crisis as the COP26 climate summit approaches.
Review of the week: Breathing space
The children have returned to classes and the adults seem to be drifting back to the office. The pandemic still looms large though, affecting travel, spending and taxes.
Review of the week: Are labour markets working?
Labour markets are struggling to get to grips with new post-pandemic supply and demand dynamics. Meanwhile, tighter scrutiny is increasing tech companies’ costs of doing business.
Review of the week: Red dawn
China reminds everyone that communists like to meddle in markets. Meanwhile earnings are booming in the West as the recovery rolls on despite investor nervousness.
Review of the week: Reaching for the heavens
Virgin Galactic pushes the frontiers of tourism yet higher with a successful passenger shuttle flight into the mesosphere. Miles below, COVID-19 continues to spread.
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Will it be a good COP?
The eyes of the world are watching the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. As the parties begin their deliberations this week in Glasgow, Matt Crossman concludes this two-part series by laying out what needs to happen.
Cult classic
Scaredy-cat David Coombs, our head of multi-asset investments, explains why assets with overly reverent devotees give him the creeps.
Good COP, bad COP?
The eyes of the world will be watching the COP26 global climate summit next week. Our stewardship director Matt Crossman asks: what will make it a good COP? And how will we know if it’s a bad one?
Demanding supply chains
Reopening economies have strained global networks of distribution and upended labour markets. Silver linings though: it’s saved our head of multi-asset investments David Coombs £85.
Green eating
Environmental impacts, health awareness and growing intolerances are rapidly changing people’s appetites. Our head of multi-asset investments, David Coombs, has been gluten-free since before the kids started doing it, so he believes he has some wisdom to share.
Fuelish
The petrol crunch has caught out Will McIntosh-Whyte, our multi-asset portfolios fund manager, much to the glee of his electric car owning stepfather.
That old-time service
Hours-long queues for petrol focuses the mind on the importance of businesses that have been dismissed as ‘old-economy’. Rathbone Income Fund co-manager Carl Stick explains why he’s been adding to a few of them this year.
Stretching subscriptions
Subscription-driven cash flows have been the gold standard for many industries for decades now. Senior multi-asset investment specialist Craig Brown takes pause at coffee-as-a-service.
Spicy stocks and birthday treats
Punchy valuations for high-growth stocks are at risk of getting upended by any rise in bond yields. Our head of multi-asset investments, David Coombs, explains why he’s building up his cash.