Higher ground – equities rise on rate hopes and merger activity

Global stocks rise on upbeat US-China trade talks, with technology giants driving the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to record highs. Alphabet is joining the USD 3 trillion club, while Tesla is surging after Elon Musk’s USD 1 billion share purchase. US chip stocks are facing pressure from Chinese antitrust probes, and gold is at an all-time high on rate cut expectations. European markets are gaining despite France’s credit downgrade, with French 10-year government bond yields above their Italian counterparts – a first since 1999. Asian equities reach a 4-year high on strength in technology, and Tencent is launching its first offshore yuan bond. Manuel Villegas from Next Generation Research shares insights on the ‘Buy now, pay later’ industry.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:28) - Markets wrap-up: Mike Rauber, Product & Investment Content (07:21) - Future of finance: Manuel Villegas, Next Generation Research (11:01) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Markets are off to a strong start this week, which will be a critical one with a 'triple-header' of major central bank decisions. The US Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the Bank of Japan are all scheduled to announce their latest monetary policy moves. Recent economic data suggest it may now be time for the Fed to restart its rate-cutting cycle, following a pause that began in January. In today’s discussion, we’re joined by Mensur Pocinci, Head of Technical Analysis, who anticipates further declines in US Treasury yields and the value of the US dollar. He also expects equities to continue their upward momentum, supported by improving technicals.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:28) - Markets wrap-up: Roman Canziani, Head of Product & Investment Content (07:06) - Technical Analysis update: Mensur Pocinci, Head of Technical Analysis (09:58) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

marked a second consecutive pause following eight hikes since last year. In the US, data was mixed: inflation remains sticky but isn’t accelerating, and jobless claims unexpectedly surged. These developments have reinforced expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut next week. Asian markets were lifted overnight by renewed enthusiasm around artificial intelligence. In commodities, gold is trading near record highs, while oil has pulled back from earlier gains this week as investors refocus on fundamentals. Joining us today is Dario Messi, Head of Fixed Income Research, who shares his insights on what the ECB’s decision and US inflation data mean for bond markets.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:35) - Markets wrap-up: Lucija Caculovic, Product & Investment Content (07:07) - Fixed income markets after ECB and US inflation data: Dario Messi, Head of Fixed Income Research (12:43) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

US equities surged again yesterday, closing off their intraday highs but nevertheless achieving new records. US PPI data confirmed that growth is slowing, providing more of the data that the Fed needs to start cutting rates again – markets will now scrutinise today’s CPI data for more clues. Oracle’s near 36% rally yesterday was sparked by astonishing cloud demand numbers. Asian tech also drove markets there higher. Norbert Rücker, Head of Economics & Next Generation Research, explains why his team believes oil prices should trend lower and gold higher in the next 12 months, whilst Nicolas Jordan, CIO Strategy & Investment Analysis, provides some insights into relative trends in equity style factor performance and why they are important when making portfolio decisions.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:35) - Markets wrap-up: Bernadette Anderko, Product & Investment Content (05:35) - Oil and gold: Norbert Rücker, Head of Economics & Next Generation Research (10:05) - Update from the CIO Office: Nicolas Jordan, CIO Strategy & Investment Analysis (14:12) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Stocks in the US hit another all-time high on expectations that the Federal Reserve will fight the slowdown in jobs growth with interest rate cuts. US inflation data out today and tomorrow will be the next test for markets. The Anglo/Teck ‘merger-of-equals’ creates a premier global player in copper and critical minerals. Today, we are joined by Mathieu Racheter, Head of Equity Strategy, who explains why he believes markets will grind higher into year-end, and Tim Gagie, Head of FX/PMPrivate Banking Sales Geneva, who shares his current insights on currencies and metals markets.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:35) - Markets wrap-up: Roman Canziani, Head of Product & Investment Content (07:39) - Equity market update: Mathieu Racheter, Head of Equity Strategy Research (13:03) - FX and metals: Tim Gagie, Head of FX/PM PB Geneva (17:14) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

French Prime Minister Bayrou lost the confidence vote yesterday, triggering the collapse of his government. European markets had no chance to react, as the decision came after trading ended. The political uncertainty adds fresh strain to the eurozone, where stock markets actually started the week on a high. Speaking of highs, the Nasdaq hit a fresh record, driven by strength in tech and AI-related stocks, while gold also rallied to a new peak, supported by expectations of a US rate cut and ongoing geopoliticaltensions. Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei 225 briefly touched a record intraday high before turning negative, as investors assess the implications of Prime Minister Ishiba’s resignation. Joining us today is Manuel Villegas from Next Generation Research, who provides an update on the video game industry and the structural transformation it’s undergoing.(00:00) - Introduction: Bernadette Anderko, Product & Investment Content (00:35) - Markets wrap-up: Lucija Caculovic, Product & Investment Content (05:40) - Video game industry undergoing structural transformation: Manuel Villegas, Next Generation Research (09:06) - Closing remarks: Bernadette Anderko, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Nikkei 225 was up around 1.5% and the Topix hit a record high this morning after Japan’s prime minister resigned over the weekend. It’s hoped that a new regime should provide greater longer-term policy and political stability, and a more conducive pro-growth environment for the equities market. Asia’s stock markets rallied after the US jobs report on Friday provided further justification for data-based Fed rate cuts.At the start of a big week including inflation data, a vote of confidence in the French government and the September ECB meeting, Mensur Pocinci, Head of Technical Analysis, explains why he believes that there’s room for both US equities and the price of gold to rally further and for US Treasury yields to keep falling.  (00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:28) - Markets wrap-up: Bernadette Anderko, Product & Investment Content (06:31) - Technical Analysis update: Mensur Pocinci, Head of Technical Analysis (09:03) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

The S&P 500 is trading at fresh all-time highs ahead of today’s crucial US non-farm payrolls report, which iswidely seen as the final piece of the puzzle that could give the Federal Reserve the go-ahead to resume cutting interest rates. Meanwhile, Asian markets are rising, buoyed by positive trade developments out of Japan and broader optimism in the region. Joining us today is Tim Gagie, Head of Private Banking Sales in Geneva for FX and Precious Metals, to discuss which currencies – beyond the usual suspects – could benefit from a renewed weakening of the US dollar.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:25) - Markets wrap-up: Roman Canziani, Head of Product & Investment Content (07:03) - FX and metals: Tim Gagie, Head of FX/PM PB Geneva (11:37) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Google avoiding worst-case penalties in its antitrust case lifted tech stocks yesterday, which drove the good performance of both the Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500. Meanwhile, US job openings data provided a boost to US Treasuries, fuelling hopes of a September rate cut. Asia joined the rally, with the notable exception of China and Hong Kong. The latter had news specific to Nidec Corp to digest but China’s dropcame on the back of news that financial regulators are said to be considering a number of cooling measures for the stock market following its spectacular rally since the start of August. Carsten Menke, Head of Next Generation Research, joins the show to shed light on the latest moves in the gold and silver markets.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:42) - Markets wrap-up: Bernadette Anderko, Product & Investment Content (05:53) - Gold and silver: Carsten Menke, Head of Next Generation Research (09:49) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Global long-term government bond yields spike amid renewed concerns over fiscal sustainability. This has put pressure on equities, which declined broadly – though certain sectors held up better, including luxury stocks. In the US, both major indices ended the session lower, though they recovered somewhat from their intraday lows. Meanwhile, gold emerged as a key beneficiary, climbing to new all-time highs as investorssought safe-haven assets. Alphabet and Apple shares surged in extended trading following a favourable court ruling. Joining us today is Dario Messi, Head of Fixed Income Research, and he explains why he isn’t overly alarmed by the rise in long-end yields.(00:00) - Introduction: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content (00:25) - Markets wrap-up: Roman Canziani, Head of Product & Investment Content (07:47) - Fixed income markets: Dario Messi, Head of Fixed Income Research (11:28) - Closing remarks: Helen Freer, Product & Investment Content Would you like to support this show? Please leave us a review and star rating on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.