Despite an increasingly clouded economic backdrop, share prices around the world generally rose during July. Investor sentiment was buoyed by encouraging US earnings reports and by hopes that central banks might moderate their tightening activity in order to avoid undermining economic growth.

The first six months of 2022 may have seen all asset classes sell off, but diversification has still helped preserve investors’ returns.

After a lengthy period when bonds looked unappealing, current valuations should alert investors.

There was another round of startling inflation statistics this week, with UK CPI reaching its highest point since 1982.

Surging inflation and slowing economic growth continue to create a headache for the Bank of England (BoE).

Markets were choppy during May as investors’ ongoing preoccupation over inflation was compounded by a raft of interest rate increases.

This has been a tough period in markets. However, it is difficult to see a reversal in fortunes in the short-term.

China’s economic weakness has spooked markets, but is its weakness likely to be short or long term?

Investor sentiment was undermined during April by concerns over inflation, fears relating to the war in Ukraine, and worries about the wider economic impact of Covid outbreaks in China.

The dramatic moves in government bond markets since the start of the year are changing the landscape for wider financial markets.