Switzer Daily
3 May 2021
Share markets were flat to down over
the last week. Good economic activity data, strong earnings and more US stimulus
saw US shares push to a new record high, but they ended flat for the week with
inflation concerns resurfacing on Friday. Eurozone shares fell -0.5% over the
last week, Japanese shares fell -0.7% and Chinese shares lost -0.2%. For April
as a whole US shares rose 5.2% and global shares gained 3.9%. While Australian
shares gained 3.5% in April, they fell -0.5% over the past week as the local
market continues to work off technically overbought conditions after its
Switzer Daily
26 April 2021
Share markets generally fell over the
last week with first worries about the resurgence in global coronavirus cases
and then reports that President Biden will propose a doubling in capital gains
tax for high income earners weighing on markets. Although Chinese shares
managed to rise from a double bottom after sharp falls since February, US,
European and Japanese shares fell. Despite the weak US lead, Australian shares
were little changed, with sharp falls in energy, IT and property stocks being
partly offset by gains in health, industrial and material shares. Bond yields
fell slightly in the US, Japan and Australia but were flat in Europe. The
Switzer Daily
19 April 2021
While Japanese shares fell -0.3% over
the last week and Chinese shares lost -1.4%, US shares rose 1.4% to a new
record high and European shares rose 1.3% to their highest since the year 2000
pushed higher by good economic data, a strong start to the US earnings
reporting season, ongoing dovish comments from the Fed and tame bond yields.Reflecting
the strong US lead, strong local data on confidence and jobs and a bit of
catch-up Australian shares rose 1% to a new bull market high and are now just
1.4% away from an all-time high. The market was led higher by particularly
Switzer Daily
7 reasons why shares are up
12 April 2021
Here are 7 reasons why shares have
broken higher recently – with US shares reaching a new record, Eurozone shares
rising well above pre-Covid levels and getting close to breaking above tech
boom highs, Japanese shares around their highest since the early 1990s, and
Australian shares at their highest since February last year. The break higher
has been driven by a combination of things:
1. Evidence that vaccines are working.
2. Optimism about reopening now or in
the months ahead.
3. Extra US stimulus.
5. Ongoing earnings upgrades.
6. A pause in the rebound in bond
yields; and central banks remaining patient and dovish with the Fed and
Switzer Daily
6 April 2021
Global share markets saw strong gains
over the past week on the back of solid economic data, President Biden’s infrastructure
spending plan and optimism about reopening. For the week, US shares rose 1.1%
and although the US share market was closed on Good Friday, US futures gained
an additional 0.4% in response to stronger-than-expected payroll jobs data for
March. Australian shares missed out on the global rally at the end of the week
though so only rose 0.1% through the holiday shortened week till Thursday, with
strong gains in industrial and material shares being offset by weakness in
utilities, energy, retail and health care stocks. Bond yields generally rose as