South China Morning Post (December 19)
“China reduced its US Treasury holdings in October to its lowest level in 17 years, as mounting concerns over US debt sustainability and the Federal Reserve’s independence further eroded confidence in dollar-backed assets. The country’s stockpile fell to US$688.7 billion in October, down from US$700.5 billion in September.” At the peak in 2013, China held approximately US$1.32 trillion in Treasuries.
Tags: 2013, Assets, China, Concerns, Confidence, Debt sustainability, Federal Reserve, Independence, Lowest, Peak, S, Treasuries, U
Investment Week (September 12)
“Over the summer, the FTSE 100, S&P 500, Nasdaq and Japan’s main equity indices enjoyed record highs. Usually, you would think that this was great news…. But, instead, investors are pouring out of funds, as the background noise ratchets up ever higher.” Investor confidence has tumbled “across all global markets, with the biggest hit coming in North America.”
Tags: Confidence, Equity indices, FTSE 100, Funds, Global markets, Investors, Japan, Nasdaq, Noise, North America, S&P 500, Tumbled
Wall Street Journal (September 1)
“America is becoming a nation of economic pessimists.” A recent Wall Street Journal-NORC poll found that “the share of people who say they have a good chance of improving their standard of living fell to 25%, a record low in surveys dating to 1987.” Over three-quarters of respondents lacked “confidence that life for the next generation will be better than their own.” Over two-thirds “believe the American dream—that if you work hard, you will get ahead—no longer holds true or never did, the highest level in nearly 15 years of surveys.”
Tags: 1987, American dream, Confidence, Economic pessimists, Next-generation, NORC, Poll, Record low, Respondents, Standard of living, U.S.
Bloomberg (August 28)
“US companies are planning to buy back shares at a historic pace, a sign of Corporate America’s confidence in the economy.” In July, “announced share repurchases totaled $166 billion, the highest dollar value on record.” Subsequently, these went on to surpass “$1 trillion on Aug. 20, marking the shortest amount of time needed to reach that level.”
Tags: $1 trillion, Buy back, Companies, Confidence, Corporate America, Economy, Historic, Record, Share repurchases, Shares, Surpass, U.S.
South China Morning Post (June 3)
“Hong Kong companies favour markets closer to home and in Southeast Asia to grow their businesses because of higher tariffs and other trade barriers in the US and Europe, according to a survey by HSBC, with many expressing confidence about their expansion plans.” Following the disruption of Trump tariffs, the new pivot is being “supported by Hong Kong and Beijing’s efforts to forge stronger ties with markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East as US-China trade ties remain tense.”
Tags: Businesses, China, Companies, Confidence, Disruption, Europe, Expansion plans, Hong Kong, HSBC, Markets, Middle East, Pivot, Southeast Asia, Survey, Tariffs, Trade barriers, Trump, U.S.
Market Watch (May 17)
“President Donald Trump’s move to defuse an ugly trade war with China not only sparked a massive stock-market rally but also drove down the chances of a recession — for now.” Though it’s a welcome sign of relief, numerous obstacles remain. Nobody can rest assured. “Ongoing trade wars have not gone away, for one thing. Trump could change his mind or the U.S. could fail to strike more economic-friendly deals with China, after that 90-day pause, and other countries.” Moreover, the uncertainty has “made households and business hesitant to spend, hire and invest. Confidence has plunged in the past few months, and anxiety is unlikely to fade quickly.” U.S. growth remains likely “to taper off sharply this year.”
Tags: 90-day pause, China, Confidence, Deals, Defuse, Hire, Households, Invest, Obstacles, Recession, Relief, Spend, Stock-market rally, Trade war, Trump, U.S., Ugly, Uncertainty
MarketWatch (February 18)
In the U.S., “home-builder confidence plunged to the lowest level in five months as concerns over tariffs and how they could raise the cost of housing weighed on the industry.” According to the National Association of Home Builders, its “monthly confidence index fell five points to 42 in February…. a significant change in sentiment among home builders” who are increasingly being spooked by Trump’s tariffs and rising material costs. “For buyers, the sentiment shift only adds to the likelihood that home prices could go up in an already expensive housing market.”
Tags: Buyers, Confidence, Confidence index, Home builders, Housing market, Material costs, Plunged, Sentiment, Spooked, Tariffs, Trump, U.S.
CNN (October 9)
“The S&P 500 index has gained roughly 21% for the year, notching dozens of record highs along the way as artificial intelligence enthusiasm helps drive stocks higher.” Amid “rising confidence that the US economy will achieve a soft landing” and recent data points suggesting strong economic footing, investors will be “looking to the upcoming earnings season for clues about the US economy’s health.”
Tags: 21%, Artificial intelligence, Clues, Confidence, Earnings season, Economy, Enthusiasm, Health, https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/09/investing/earnings-companies-stocks/index.html S&P 500, Investors, Record highs, Soft landing, US
Investment Week (April 26)
“Managers have expressed confidence in the performance of sterling and its future potential, but the uncertainty surrounding the UK and global economies, as well as the upcoming general election, could pose headwinds to the asset’s performance.”
Tags: Asset, Confidence, Future, General election, Global economies, Headwinds, Managers, Performance, Potential, Sterling, UK, Uncertainty
Business Insider (March 31)
Japan’s “stock market is ripping; the Nikkei recently exceeded the all-time highs it set 34 years ago. Analysts at Goldman Sachs are telling clients there’s still more upside to be had as corporate-governance reforms and a new era of sustainable inflation take hold. The Bank of Japan this month hiked interest rates above zero for the first time since 2007, a sign of confidence in the country’s recovery.”
Tags: Analysts, BOJ, Clients, Confidence, Corporate governance, Goldman Sachs, Highs, Inflation, Interest rates, Japan, Nikkei, Reforms, Ripping, Stock market, Upside
