Four views: Is crypto coming in from the cold?
Portfolio Adviser asks a panel of experts whether they see cryptocurrency becoming more widely adopted by the mainstream going forward
Portfolio Adviser asks a panel of experts whether they see cryptocurrency becoming more widely adopted by the mainstream going forward
US base rate up to a target range of 5.25% to 5.5%
The Federal Reserve’s dot plot unsettled markets as Jerome Powell delivered a widely expected rate hike in his first meeting since succeeding Janet Yellen as chair of the central bank.
As the Federal Open Market Committee settles into another two day meeting, investors would be right to have low expectations on the level of clarity they will get as a result.
Despite seven years on the zero bound, bond market reaction to the Fed’s first rate hike in nine years was pretty muted, which is what the FOMC would have been going for.
About the right amount of ‘dovishness’ seems to be the initial verdict from market commentators pronouncing on what had been billed as the biggest event in financial markets since the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
Markets responded positively to the release of the Federal Open Market Committee minutes, which showed a December rate rise is increasingly likely.
US interest rates may still be below 1% in five years’ time, says Martin Currie’s Tom Walker, and equity investors should be happy with 5% annual returns.
If any further evidence was needed of the long term direction of travel for global financial markets, one need look no further than Aberdeen Asset Management’s announcement that it has been granted a business licence to operate in China.
Further yuan devaluation could make asset allocation even tougher going forward, says Tilney Bestinvest’s Seager-Scott.
S&P’s surprise downgrade of Brazil’s credit rating yesterday has added another layer of complexity to the decision facing the members of the Federal Open Market Committee next week.
The Federal Reserve is edging towards its first interest rate rise in almost 10 years, says Royal London’s Ian Kernohan, but another round of decent economic data is needed to seal the deal.