Everything you need to know, Simplified! Warsh walks the walk: from tough talk to tough action Summary Central banks turned more hawkish: The US Federal Reserve (Fed) raised interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) and signalled further hikes, while the Bank of England held its rate but saw three of its Monetary Policy Committee members back an immediate increase; the Bank of Japan also raised rates, though a divided vote weakened the yen Geopolitical tensions escalated: Ukrai

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Markets feel the heat as energy prices and interest rate expectations rise Summary Middle East tensions escalated last week as the US and Iran exchanged attacks on vessels and maritime assets, while the Houthis advanced in Yemen and drone strikes damaged Saudi energy infrastructure, threatening key regional shipping and oil export routes Energy markets were volatile: Brent crude briefly surged above US$109, WTI oil topped US$100 for th

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Have bond markets started calling the shots? Summary Rising energy prices and persistent inflation concerns pushed sovereign bond yields higher, as investors demanded greater compensation for mounting fiscal risks and questionable policy credibility In the US, attention is focused on whether Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Kevin Warsh can reinforce the Fed's inflation-fighting credentials, with a failure to tighten policy risking further u

Everything you need to know, Simplified! AI Optimism returns as investors look beyond the summer slowdown Summary Global equities rose 0.7% in GBP terms, led by a continued recovery in technology shares Technology and communication services outperformed, while energy and healthcare lagged Software stocks rallied strongly as investors increasingly view them as beneficiaries of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption AI-related capital expenditure remains on an extraordinary traj