Global markets experienced another volatile week as investors weighed renewed concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) investment, rising energy prices and the outlook for interest rates. Technology shares came under pressure, while defensive sectors and government bonds benefited from a shift in investor sentiment. Meanwhile, escalating tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices higher, adding to inflation concerns ahead of several important central bank meetings. In

The AI trade ran into a harder question this week: not whether the technology will deliver, but who is financing the build-out and at what price. Investors turned their attention to the scale of borrowing behind the expansion, and the scrutiny quickly spilled into credit markets, where the cost of insuring debt issued by several AI-linked companies rose sharply. The Nasdaq fell 4.48% and the S&P 500 gave up 1.95%, while the more value-orientated Dow managed a 0.67% gain. The

Markets experienced another unsettled week as investors weighed rising oil prices, developments in the Middle East and the possibility of further interest-rate increases. US shares finished higher, while European and Asian markets were mixed, and South African shares managed a modest gain despite difficult economic news. US shares advanced, with the S&P 500 gaining 1.15%, the Dow Jones rising 0.93% and the Nasdaq adding 0.64%. Consumer staples, utilities and energy stocks p

Hedge funds can sound mysterious because they sit outside the everyday investing conversation. Most people hear the term during market crashes, billionaire profiles, or stories about big Wall Street bets. Yet the basic idea is simple: a hedge fund is an investment fund that uses a wider set of tools than a traditional unit trust or index fund. Those tools can help manage risk, seek higher returns, or profit when markets fall. They can also increase losses when used badly. Tha

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nonfarm payrolls rose by just 29,000 in September, well below consensus expectations of around 90,000, while downward revisions cut a combined 60,000 jobs from July and August, leaving July with a net loss of 10,000. The unemployment rate edged up to 4.2% from 4.1%, partly reflecting a rise in the labour force participation rate to 61.8%, while wage growth was sluggish. BLS data also showed job openings falling to 7.08 mill

Global equity markets ended a turbulent week on a positive note, with US shares rallying on Friday despite a sharp rise in government bond yields that unsettled investors earlier in the week. The Dow Jones finished the week 0.3% higher, while the broader S&P 500 gained 1.2% and the technology-heavy Nasdaq rose 2%. Sentiment was also helped by a pullback in oil prices, with Brent crude falling 2.1% to $104.32 a barrel on renewed hopes that the Strait of Hormuz, one of the worl

Global markets navigated another eventful week as investors balanced tighter monetary policy, elevated energy prices and mixed economic data. Central banks remained firmly in focus, with the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan raising rates, while the Bank of England remained on hold. Against this backdrop, equity markets were mixed, bond yields remained volatile and energy prices continued to influence the inflation outlook. In the US, technology shares proved relatively

Hedge funds frequently appear mysterious because they usually aren't included in standard investment conversations. People often hear about them in stories involving wealthy investors, market declines, or high-risk trading. However, the basic idea is easier to understand than their reputation suggests. This post introduces our Hedge Fund 101 category series. It summarizes the main ideas from the introductory video below, explains the basics in plain language, and sets out wha

Global equities ended the week lower amid renewed US-Iran conflict, with Brent crude climbing to $104.35 per barrel. The International Energy Agency pushed back its forecast for a full recovery in Middle Eastern oil supplies to 2027, while projecting global oil demand to decline by 2.5 million barrels per day in 2026. Government bonds came under pressure across global markets, with yields reaching fresh 2026 highs in the US, UK and Germany. Higher energy prices reinforced e

US employment data surprised to the upside in August, with nonfarm payrolls rising by 162,000, well ahead of expectations, while upward revisions to June and July added a further 55,000 jobs. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, while the labour force participation rate increased to 61.6%. Other labour market indicators during the week were somewhat mixed, with job openings edging higher to 7.27 million but falling short of expectations, while initial jobless claims wer

Global markets ended the week modestly higher as strong NVIDIA earnings renewed enthusiasm around artificial intelligence, while falling oil prices eased some inflation concerns. These gains were tempered by Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s Jackson Hole address, which reaffirmed the Fed’s commitment to its inflation target and kept further tightening on the table. South African assets also performed relatively well. Gains in financial, industrial and property shares offs

US equities closed the week on a firmer note, with Friday's session pausing a run of losses after data showed business activity expanding at its fastest pace in more than four years. The S&P 500 added 0.4%, the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.3%, and the Dow gained 518 points on the day. That relief came too late to rescue the week, however, as elevated Treasury yields, renewed US-Iran tensions, higher oil prices and weakness in semiconductor and AI-related names weighed broadly on sentime

After several data-heavy weeks, markets entered a quieter period, with investor sentiment remaining constructive and volatility falling back towards its 2026 lows despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. Inflation remained the key focus, with signs of renewed moderation helping to ease concerns around persistent price pressures and supporting fresh highs in parts of the US equity market. With the Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting only in September, att

Global equities extended their advance this week, with the S&P 500 up 3.6% and the Nasdaq surging 5.2% on a chip stock rebound, both indices posting their best weekly performance since April. The catalyst was a surprisingly weak July US jobs report: nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 against expectations of an 83,000 gain, while unemployment ticked down to 4.1% as participation dropped to a five-year low. Markets read the print as a green light for the Fed to stay on hold, with

Key Highlights | Minister Enoch Godongwana | 25 February 2026 Please see below the highlights of this year's budget.

In June, U.S. consumer and producer price data hinted at the early effects of rising tariffs, but overall figures remained modest,...

Global markets were rattled this week by renewed trade tensions, with President Trump confirming the imposition of 25% tariffs on...

U.S. lawmakers made meaningful progress on the long-debated budget reconciliation bill this week. The Senate passed the legislation on...

U.S. stocks rallied over the week, lifted by a string of positive developments, including easing tensions in the Middle East, dovish...

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 4.25%–4.5% for a fourth consecutive meeting, maintaining a cautious stance amid...