Economic and market insight
Review of the week
Review of the week: Sprouts of spring
Flowers, hopes and yields are rising as spring approaches. Still, the UK government is only very cautiously reopening as vaccinations continue apace.
7 mins
Review of the week: Profits are back
Company profits are bouncing back earlier than expected. How quickly will our economies come back to life once vaccinations are finished? And how different will they be?
5 mins
Review of the week: Ghosts of the past
Are we due a re-run of the Roaring Twenties? And if so, what does that mean? A look back at the world’s last post-pandemic recovery and a bit more besides.
8 mins
Review of the week: Like birds in the sky
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. The GameStop upheaval on Wall Street is part of the ongoing democratisation of finance. Ignore its effects at your peril.
7 mins
Review of the week: Everything is up
Markets have had a stellar run, despite mixed news on inoculations. It’s in everyone’s interests for asset prices to remain high, but that’s no guarantee they will stay that way. As always, diversification is key.
6 mins
Review of the week: E pluribus unum
One President will be sworn in as his predecessor is set to be impeached. What matters for the US now is a united front from lawmakers to support the economy against the latest wave of COVID-19.
7 mins
Review of the week: A Christmas like no other
While we were all cooped up inside, everything was happening out there. Breakthroughs on Brexit and COVID-19 collided with political strife and big moves in bond yields.
7 mins
Review of the week: Playing fair by trade
Brexit was always going to be hard. The tortuous negotiation of a trade deal highlights the difficult compromise at its heart: the freedom of sovereignty or the prosperity that comes with smooth trade.
7 mins
Review of the week: Making sense of the numbers
Stock markets shot the lights out in November as news of promising vaccines hit the wires. The realities of distribution have lessened the glow a bit recently, leading investors to start reassessing their approach.
7 mins
Review of the week: Thanksgiving may be a super-spreader; will vaccine news bring holiday cheer?
Thanksgiving may be a super-spreader event this year, as governments around the world try to plan their way through the upcoming festive season. But investors have been given a boost from good vaccine news.
5 mins
Review of the week: The race to roll out a vaccine is on as markets soar
News of a potentially viable vaccine is welcome, yet markets have rocketed back extremely quickly considering it is yet to be approved. With COVID-19 spreading rapidly once again, time is of the essence.
7 mins
Review of the week: Telling stories
When it comes to grabbing headlines and stealing attention, reality is at a disadvantage to imagination. Our chief investment officer, Julian Chillingworth, ponders what it means for politics and investments.
8 mins
Negative interest rates: a ’70s rerun?
Are we entering another era of stagflation? As Swiss banks start to bill their rich depositors, maybe we’re already there, notes our head of multi-asset investments, David Coombs.
3 mins
Too little risk – a dangerous thing
So much emphasis on ensuring people don’t take on too much investment risk could be creating a different problem, argues David Coombs, our head of multi-asset investments. Case study: dear old dad.
4 mins
Brexit reset
What would a Martian think of the Brexit argument – or the Hammersmith & City line for that matter? David Coombs, our head of multi-asset investments, explains his thinking as Boris Johnson takes power in the UK.
3 mins
Time to break up?
The honeymoon for US tech giants may be over, but is it time to break up? Chief investment officer Julian Chillingworth discusses the intensifying antitrust scrutiny of America’s tech titans and how their future may rest on political machinations.
3 mins
In pursuit of green
Sustainable investing isn’t just about avoiding the risks of outdated businesses or environmental PR disasters, explains our Global Sustainability Fund manager, David Harrison. It’s also about spotting opportunities that can be captured if you keep your eyes on the future instead of the past.
3 mins
10 years ago, I dreamed a dream
They used to call David Coombs crazy. When he set up our multi-asset funds 10 years ago, many people didn’t get why we were setting targets for return and risk that investors could hold us to.
3 mins
A ray of sunshine
David Coombs gets his grump on about the state of global politics. But our head of multi-asset investments is refreshed by the approach of a pragmatic and thoughtful businessman.
3 mins
Lights will stay on
Rathbones equity analyst Camilla Ayling reflects on the disruption to traditional retail, something of concern for investment managers when looking to invest clients’ funds in the sector. But it isn’t all about online, and Camilla points to a light at the end of the tunnel for some store-based retailers.
3 mins
Cooling Britannia
Edward Smith, our head of asset allocation strategy, sheds some light on Britain’s future in the world at this significant moment in history.
3 mins
Winner takes all
Our asset allocation strategy team considers whether the field of outperforming stocks is narrowing, and comes to an unexpected conclusion worth considering when advising your clients on investments.
3 mins
Another can gets kicked
Some optimism has helped to bolster markets which have rebounded from the dog box they were in. Julian Chillingworth, Rathbones chief investment officer, explains why we are cautiously confident but still mindful of the looming threats to global growth.
4 mins
Detachment from market mood swings
With markets lurching from greed to fear and back again, Rathbones head of multi-asset investments discusses the importance of having good shock absorbers in your portfolio.
3 mins