Yesterday there was an increase in demand for the American currency against the background of the release of positive statistics and growth in the US government bonds yield. In July, the consumer confidence index increased by 3.2% to 121.1. Experts expected the indicator at the level of 116.5. The 10-year US bonds yield rose sharply […]

After getting past a variety of elections—most notably the French presidential election—without anti-market sentiment spreading throughout Europe, we have seen a relatively large shift in equity market performance. Fundamentals within Europe were allowed to drive performance as opposed to equity markets needing to be wary of Brexit or Trump-like election surprises. Europe’s fundamentals and, particularly, rebounding earnings have been […]

CPI Falls Back over 2Q Australian CPI came in below expected over the 2Q printing 1.9% year over year, well beneath the 2.2% level forecast. Despite the decline underlying measures of inflation, which the RBA focus on, were in line with expectations at 0.5% quarter over quarter. However, annual underlying inflation remains below the bank’s […]

Designing and managing asset allocation strategies based on factors is promoted in some corners as a better way to build portfolios. Not surprisingly, there’s no shortage of studies that support this view. But the jury’s still out on whether it’s prudent to throw out the standard asset-class buckets. Factor-based investing can play a productive role […]

GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK – Free Report) , one of the largest health care companies, reshaped its business following the Mar 2015 completion of the three-part, inter-conditional transaction with Novartis related to its Consumer Healthcare, Vaccines and Oncology businesses. Under the deal, Glaxo sold its oncology assets to Novartis and acquired Novartis’ Vaccines business (excluding influenza vaccines). […]