Tim Fox

Articles

The US Federal Reserve last month hastened plans for a move towards tapering and will probably feel that it can observe the economy for a little longer before feeling any pressure to act. Reuters
Why it may not be plain sailing for the Fed on inflation

There are widespread indications that price pressures are building across several sectors

July 05, 2021, 4:00 AM
A currency exchange worker counts Turkish lira banknotes in Istanbul. The sacking of Turkish Central Bank governor Naci Agbal triggered a sharp sell-off in the Turkish lira. Photo: AFP
Turkey reopens ‘self-inflicted’ wounds with its unorthodox monetary policies

Markets are concerned that the new central bank chief could reverse recent monetary policy tightening

March 28, 2021, 7:44 AM
 Pedestrians pass the New York Stock Exchange in New York. AP 
US market sentiment weakens as bond yields and inflation concerns remain in focus

The Fed is taking a relaxed view of firming yields, but the UK offers a glimpse of a post-Covid-19 recovery earlier than expected

March 07, 2021, 10:21 AM
While the US Federal Reserve may currently be patiently accommodative, by how much and for how long it can remain so is unclear. Reuters
Will the rise in US bond yields trigger an equity markets slide?

Inflation is key as evidence emerges that energy, housing, agricultural and commodity prices are rising

February 21, 2021, 9:21 AM
The Bank of England left the policy rate unchanged at 0.1 per cent and voted to keep the size of its bond buying programme steady at £895 billion. Photo: AFP
Pound gains on BoE’s upbeat analysis and strong vaccine rollout

Bank of England raises longer-term economic forecasts despite hinting at negative interest rates

February 07, 2021, 1:35 PM
The Federal Reserve building in Washington, D.C. The Fed is not likely to act preemptively to rein in price pressures, instead allowing inflation to overshoot as it continues with quantitative easing and to monetise the Treasury’s debt. Photo: Bloomberg
Market focus moves on from Biden handover to challenge of passing stimulus bill

The Federal Reserve has, and will act to avoid the risk of a correction in markets

January 25, 2021, 5:50 AM
The UK will launch legislation to bring back trading in Swiss shares on to the London Stock Exchange, having lost the bulk of volume of trading in European Union shares due to Brexit. AFP
Vaccine rollouts and prospect of political stability drive market optimism

Investors ignored the clashes in Washington and focused on the bigger picture

January 10, 2021, 10:47 AM
The initial public offering frenzy in the technology space continued last week, with Airbnb making its debut on the Nasdeq in New York. EPA
Markets remain buoyant despite continuing Covid-19 headwinds

Ongoing stock rally causes concern, with analysts warning inflation could begin to recover in 2021 as a vaccine-charged recovery takes hold

December 13, 2020, 9:55 AM
November looks likely to be a very strong month for equity markets, with global stocks on course for one of their biggest monthly rises on record. Reuters
Investor optimism in global equity markets faces risks

Strict virus control measures could weigh on economic data and Biden’s reforms may be impeded by a gridlock in the Senate

November 29, 2020, 1:31 PM
The mood of equity investors has been buoyant, with new historic highs on the Dow and S&P 500, up 4.08 per cent and 2.16 per cent, respectively. AP Photo
Markets pivot 180 degrees as normality begins to take hold

Biden’s win and the Covid-19 vaccine breakthrough caused equities to rally and bond markets to question how long zero rates and QE will persist

November 15, 2020, 1:50 PM
Even with former vice president Joe Biden leading in both the national opinion polls and in many of the key swing states, memories of President Donald Trump’s surprise 2016 victory are still vivid, meaning that with hours to go, nothing can be taken for granted. Saul Loeb / AFP
A contested US presidential election will trigger a flight to safety

It could create more volatility across the board and prompt the Fed to increase quantitative easing

November 02, 2020, 10:00 AM
The International Monetary Fund reduced the extent of the global contraction expected this year to -4.4 per cent from -5.2 per cent in June, and signalled a still relatively strong rebound in 2021 of 5.2 per cent. Reuters
Is the IMF's global economic outlook upgrade at odds with reality?

With many countries confronting a second phase of Covid-19, economic activity is likely to slump again

October 19, 2020, 6:31 AM
A trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. After news of Donald Trump testing positive for the coronavirus, there is increasing likelihood that market pressures will persist now that the presidential election is less than one month away. AFP
Markets brace for turbulent times after Trump's Covid-19 diagnosis

Absence of a vaccine, no news on a pending US fiscal stimulus and ongoing US-China friction add to the uncertainty

October 04, 2020, 6:43 AM
The US Federal Reserve said is looking to maintain zero interest rates until inflation has risen to 2 per cent and then stays moderately above that level for some time. Reuters
Why markets shunned the Fed’s dovish stance

The US central bank's commitment to achieving inflation goals fails to ignite market confidence

September 20, 2020, 1:20 PM
Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell announced a significant policy shift in the way the Fed targets inflation at his Jackson Hole speech a fortnight ago, moving away from a rigid 2 per cent inflation target and replacing it with a 'a flexible form of average inflation targeting'. AFP
Federal Reserve reignites euro-dollar currency tensions

Change to the Fed’s inflation target sets off renewed dollar weakness and triggers alarm in the eurozone

September 06, 2020, 12:09 PM