Everything you need to know, Simplified! Markets stay calm as politics, oil and inflation risks keep pressure on bonds Summary A quiet week for markets, but a busy one for sport – equity indices ended broadly unchanged and bond yields pushed higher, against a backdrop of Wimbledon and England's quarter-final success US–Iran ceasefire collapsed, lifting oil prices and inflation concerns, but markets stayed sceptical of a material escalation given little US appetite to be drawn

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Markets rise, but investors keep one eye on politics and policy Summary Many UK investors head into the week in a celebratory mood as England progress to the World Cup quarterfinals, capping a generally constructive week for markets Global equities ended the week higher, despite a mid-week chipmaker selloff, driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) overcapacity fears European and UK stocks outperformed, insulated from AI fears by their l

Everything you need to know, Simplified! The AI reality check: a warning from Korea's rally Summary The Bloomberg Korea Large & Mid Cap index surged over 422% at its peak from the April 2025 tariff-related low, driven almost entirely by Samsung and SK Hynix, which together accounted for 75% of the index The rally left valuations looking increasingly stretched, with Korea representing the clearest example of where the AI trade has gone too far - the index fell 7% last week Kor

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Change at the top of UK politics and a reset at the US Federal Reserve: How will markets be affected? Summary In the UK, all eyes are on 10 Downing Street after Keir Starmer’s resignation as Prime Minister this morning Elsewhere… central banks US Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Bank of England (BoE) held rates; the Bank of Japan (BoJ) hiked the base rate to 1.0% (highest since 1995), with markets largely steady Geopolitics remain fragile

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Space X: What the biggest IPO in history says about markets today Summary SpaceX’s record US$75bn stock market listing, known as an IPO, highlights strong risk appetite and the premium attached to frontier technology companies, reinforcing public markets as a viable destination for large-scale capital Equities recovered into the weekend after a softer start to June, with retail participation signalling a continued willingness to pay up

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Markets pause as inflation and interest rate concerns return to focus Summary US equities paused after a strong run, as stronger economic data and renewed inflation concerns led investors to question whether interest rates may need to stay higher for longer A stronger-than-expected US payrolls report reinforced the picture of labour market resilience, but markets treated the news negatively as it added to fears that policy could remain

Everything you need to know, Simplified! The rally keeps rallying as earnings continue to power markets Summary US equities rose to another record high last week, with technology once again leading the market higher The backdrop also improved as oil prices fell, hopes of a US-Iran ceasefire increased and global bond yields moved lower The rally continues to look earnings-led rather than purely valuation-driven, with record forward earnings extending beyond mega-cap technology

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Markets hold firm despite ongoing US-Iran tensions Summary US launches new ‘self-defence’ strikes in southern Iran despite apparent progress in peace talks between the two nations Key sticking points remain unresolved, including control of both the enriched uranium and the Strait of Hormuz Last week, US Treasury market yields initially rose before retracing, while UK gilts outperformed amid falling oil prices and weaker UK data Equitie

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary UK gilts (UK government bonds) have come under pressure from a confluence of factors, including rising political uncertainty following Labour’s election losses, a deteriorating fiscal outlook, sensitivity to higher global energy prices amid the conflict in the Middle East and persistent inflation against a backdrop of weak growth Shorter-dated gilts have been more resilient, with current yields offering a cushion and markets ar

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary US equities rose as earnings continued to impress, with technology leading on AI-driven demand and improving sentiment helped by signs of easing US‑Iran tensions The US labour backdrop stayed resilient, with payroll growth beating expectations and continuing claims falling, although labour force participation weakened Hard data was firmer than expected, with construction spending and factory orders both surprising on the upside

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary Global equities rose 0.76% on the week and 10.15% in April, with the US leading thanks to exceptionally strong and broad‑based earnings The ‘Magnificent Seven’ delivered across-the-board earnings beats, though market reactions were mixed; the group finished the week up 0.45% amid excitement over Artificial Intelligence (AI)‑driven demand offset by scrutiny of rising expenses and investment AI‑related capital expenditure remains

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary Equity markets paused after a sharp April rebound, with US strength supported by corporate earnings, while Europe and other regions lagged amid ongoing Middle East uncertainty Oil has surged to $105 per barrel (bbl) but the market has adapted well to the historic supply shock through rerouted flows and emergency supply The energy shock is feeding into inflation, with UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising to 3.3%, though pressure

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary Equities rebound sharply to record highs, with global markets up 3.9% in USD terms, supported by strong earnings, resilient data and easing geopolitical tensions The ceasefire between the US and Iran supports sentiment but risks linger, with lower oil prices offset by ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and fragile regional dynamics Gilt demand surges despite higher yields, with a record UK syndication highlighting stron

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary Markets rallied sharply on the two-week ceasefire in Iran, with global equities up 4.1% in USD terms and credit tightening back towards pre-conflict levels Performance was broad-based, led by US technology, while energy lagged as oil prices fell back below US$100 per barrel (Bbl) Inflation is rising, driven by energy, while growth expectations are being revised lower The current state of the ceasefire is opaque, with ongoing di

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary Markets rebounded despite volatility, with equities and bonds both gaining as optimism around a potential ceasefire in the Middle East improved sentiment Price action remains reactive, with markets at times driven more by headlines and Truth Social than underlying fundamentals Beneath the surface, fundamentals are holding up, with resilient economic data and expanding corporate margins Sector leadership reflected the conflict,

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary Volatility rose sharply, with the VIX Index at its highest since 2025, as Middle East developments dominated a quiet data week Equity and credit markets remained resilient despite the shock, suggesting a benign growth and inflation outlook is still being priced Continued weakness in UK government bonds saw yields move higher on fears of a more persistent inflation impulse Markets are now pricing two conflicting narratives: resi

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary Geopolitical risk remained elevated as the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran intensified, disrupting energy markets and keeping investors focused on the risk of a prolonged shock to oil and gas supply through the Strait of Hormuz Global equity markets declined as rising energy prices, renewed inflation concerns and mixed central bank communication weighed on sentiment, with US equities leading declines, though energy sto

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary The escalating conflict in Iran kept markets volatile, with Brent crude briefly reaching $120 per barrel (bbl) before ending the week up 10.8%, leaving the Iran war responsible for roughly one-third of the current oil price Rising energy prices pushed short-dated bond yields sharply higher, particularly in the UK, where the two-year gilt (UK government bond) yield has risen 61 basis points (bps) since the end of February as mar

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary The conflict with Iran escalated sharply, with drone and missile strikes disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz (a critical passageway for oil supplies), raising the risk of a prolonged regional conflict Energy markets reacted violently, with Brent crude rising to US$108 / barrel (bbl) and UK natural gas surging to £1.57/therm (a unit of British thermal energy, leaving both commodities dramatically higher year- to-date

Everything you need to know, Simplified! Summary Geopolitical tensions surged as the US and Israel launched strikes killing Iran’s Supreme Leader, prompting widespread regional retaliation and raising fears of a major oil supply shock US equities fell amid continued AI disruption concerns and heightened trade policy uncertainty following the US Supreme Court’s tariff ruling In contrast, UK, European and Japanese markets rallied as investors rotated away from US mega cap techn