Today
Traders dial up rate cut bets after Fed cuts US growth outlook
Bond markets are expecting the US Federal Reserve to cut interest rates at least twice this year as it navigates the whiplash of Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
This Month
The market ‘fracture’ the professionals are all watching
Wall Street had another good night, but there’s a part of financial markets that investors are getting increasingly worried about.
The stressful life of Sydney’s left-of-field distressed debt broker
Ben Madsen has long had a low profile. Now he’s found himself the centre of unwanted attention, and is fighting for his home. Can he come back from the brink?
Donald Trump delivers the 60/40 strategy’s biggest test in decades
For years, balancing stocks with bonds was a comforting failsafe for investors. The tumult gripping Wall Street has created questions about its effectiveness.
Why a weak US dollar may be part of Trump’s plan
Investors and strategists are pondering whether Trump’s unorthodox ideas to revive US manufacturing will succeed.
In this trade war, one thing is even more damaging than the tariffs
Australia risks getting caught in a double-barrelled Trump hit, as stocks and bonds are battered by uncertainty and fears of an economic slowdown.
The Trump trade that matters most for property
What impact does the US president and yields on 10-year US bonds have on commercial property investment? Quite a lot, actually.
Fear of a ‘Trumpcession’ is growing. Here’s why
Fears of a sharp US downturn are permeating financial markets. Even so, Perpetual and BlackRock remain optimistic about the US economy.
Hedge fund giant Bridgewater bets against Australian stocks and bonds
Founded by Ray Dalio, the American investment giant will gain if the sharemarket falls and if long-term interest rates increase, new disclosures show.
An Australian perma bear ends retirement as markets turn upside down
Russell Clark was one of the world’s most bearish, and successful, hedge fund operators. After four years, he sees plenty of pain and is back for a second act.
Why Trump’s economic gamble will force the Fed’s hand
Donald Trump’s strategy to crush demand while giving US companies a boost is driving the world’s largest economy toward the edge, but it could be all part of the plan.
Powell says Fed will wait for clarity on Trump policy shifts
“We are focused on separating the signal from the noise as the outlook evolves,” the Fed boss said, adding the US economy is in “a good place”.
ECB cuts key rate to 2.5pc, signals easing phase nears end
Christine Lagarde says the central bank is switching “to a more evolutionary approach” as it will take longer for inflation to cool towards its 2 per cent target.
Credit funds raise $1b in rush to list on the ASX
The hunt for yield is fuelling a surge in listed credit funds. Realm, MA Financial, Gryphon and Qualitas are among those scrambling to tap investor demand.
Fed’s preferred measure of underlying inflation rises 0.3pc
The latest report offers respite on the inflation front after other reports on prices have suggested progress has not only stalled but is now reversing.
February
Sanjeev Gupta’s last best asset faces a Ben Brazil-shaped problem
The former Macquarie dealmaker says the British industrialist’s InfraBuild must buy back $800 million in bonds. The company says it is a “nuisance complaint”.
Investors take profits on two of last year’s hottest trades
The heavy sell-down in bitcoin has dragged the cryptocurrency into a bear market, and gold tumbled after hitting a record. Here’s why.
PIMCO’s top bond fundie in Australia bows out
Despite his retirement as a managing director, Robert Mead will continue as the firm’s Australia chairman and as an adviser.
Don’t believe the doomsayers – more rate cuts are on the way
The bond market is pricing in two to three rate cuts this year and history suggests it always tends to get it right.
Bessent says US ‘long way’ from boosting longer-term debt sales
In a wide-ranging interview, the US treasury secretary reiterates his view that the world’s second-largest economy is dangerously unbalanced.