Description
The Official Cash Rate (OCR) will soon be headed lower, and this will have important implications for savers, borrowers and investors. Financial markets have taken a bolder view than most economists, and they now see at least two (but possibly three) 0.25 per cent cuts before the end of the year. A move in October or November seems assured, while there’s half a chance the Reserve Bank might take a more proactive approach and cut the OCR next month. Whether it happens in three weeks or three months, the upshot is that the monetary policy landscape is about to change markedly. That means many investors might need to rethink their strategy, or at least run the ruler over their current approach to ensure it's positioned for a new market dynamic.
This week is a busy one in terms of international economic releases. The focus will be on the US jobs report, which is out on Friday. This will be a key piece of the puzzle ahead of the Fed's next decision on December 18 (where markets see a 65% chance of another 0.25% cut). We'll also get the...
Published 11/30/24
The US sharemarket has pushed higher since the election, building on the strong gains we saw leading up to it. The S&P 500 index is up 27 per cent (including dividends) so far in 2024, on the back of a similar rise last year. After the 60 per cent return since the end of 2022, is a...
Published 11/26/24