Labour have won the 2024 UK General Election with a significant majority – gaining over 400 seats and an estimated 35% of the vote. From taxes and pensions to how the stock market has reacted, here’s what a new Labour government could mean for you and your money.
2024 will be a record-breaking year for elections. Election years are typically good years for stocks: the S&P 500 alone has generated an average return of 7% during presidential election years since 1952. CIO Peter Lowman brings you what could end up being his last Lowdown before the next government.
Last week saw the release of the much-anticipated US Consumer Price Index report for April. Broadly speaking, the news is positive: inflation has resumed its downward path following a string of hotter-than-expected reports.
The UK stock market hit a record high this week, as shares were lifted by an easing of geopolitical tensions. The FTSE 100 index of blue-chip stocks listed in London hit 8076 points, surpassing a previous high of 8,047 in February 2023. And yet… the picture is decidedly nuanced.
Potential interest rate cuts are on the horizon in the UK, following a steady rate of 5.25%. On the other side of the world, Japan's central bank has increased borrowing costs, marking the end of negative interest rates globally. These pivotal changes pose pressing questions for what’s next for the current bull market.
Almost nobody is surprised to learn that the UK is now officially in recession. So all eyes are now on the Bank of England, wondering when it is going to cut interest rates and ease pressure on households amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Wall Street has recovered well after a setback earlier this month. Too well? Are things overheating? Major shipping companies have stopped using the Red Sea through which almost 15% of global seaborne trade usually passes. How will this disruption impact inflation?
