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Markets this week were shaped by politics, as leadership upheavals in France and Japan produced contrasting investor reactions, reflecting the differing economic and policy implications.

Bonds are one of the most fundamental building blocks of investing. We cover what they are and the main types of bonds worth knowing.

Much of the US stock market gains over the past couple of years have been driven by the tech giants – Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, NVIDIA and Tesla, collectively known as the “Magnificent Seven”.

The US government officially entered a shutdown on 1st October after lawmakers were unable to agree on new funding for the fiscal year. While the headlines can sound dramatic, the reality is often more muted.

Global equity markets have posted all-time highs again this week, continuing to climb, up c.10% year to date. This comes despite the volatility in April, when policy uncertainty, prolonged high interest rates, and geopolitical tensions were in the spotlight. A few months have made a remarkable difference.

The Federal Reserve’s (Fed) decision to cut rates this week has drawn sharp attention, but few were surprised. After months of speculation, the first reduction since December 2024 arrived against a backdrop of slowing job growth, rising unemployment claims, and persistent inflation.