Hawks are back [Video]

Ipek Ozkardeskaya Swissquote Bank Ltd

The week hasn’t been pleasant for the market bulls. On Wednesday, the FOMC minutes showed the disturbing truth that ‘many’ Fed members wondered whether keeping the rates ‘high for longer’ was sufficiently restrictive to tame inflation, and if hiking the rates wouldn’t be a better idea. Then, the UK PM Sunak announced a general election beginning of July – way earlier than many expected – abating the slightest glimmer of hope to see the Bank of England (BoE) cut its rates in June. Meanwhile, the latest British CPI data came in hotter-than-expected, anyway, warning that the policy easing wouldn’t necessarily be on the pipeline for June. Across the Channel, the data released this week showed that wage growth in the euro area increased 4.7% in Q1 – a red flag for officials who have been banking on a slowdown to keep inflation in check. And finally, a set of too-strong-to-be-pleasant data from the US gave a final punch to the bulls. Global yields rose, appetite in equities fell, oil, commodities and cryptocurrencies sold off from ATH levels.

Happily, Nvidia lived up to the lofty expectations. The stock price made it above the $1000 mark and could see further appetite above this level.

Author

Ipek Ozkardeskaya

Swissquote Bank Ltd

Ipek Ozkardeskaya began her financial career in 2010 in the structured products desk of the Swiss Banque Cantonale Vaudoise. She worked in HSBC Private Bank in Geneva in relation to high and ultra-high-net-worth clients.

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