Corporate bankruptcies and defaults are witnessing an unprecedented surge in the United States. Corporate defaults have jumped to 41, which is over twice as many as the same period in 2022. Moody’s Investor Services corroborates this data, painting a grim picture of a corporate landscape where companies are struggling to cope with uncertain economic conditions and burgeoning debt loads.
We are on the cusp of a potentially transformative shift in the stock market, driven by the increasingly significant role of Artificial Intelligence (AI). A recent report from Goldman Sachs Research, penned by analyst Ryan Hammond, sheds light on these fascinating projections.
After weeks of high-stakes negotiations, U.S. President Joe Biden and House Republicans have arrived at a preliminary agreement to manage the debt limit and curtail spending. Though it’s far from finalised, this agreement has started to reshape the political and economic landscape. Leaders from both parties now face the challenge of swaying their members to back the agreement, which includes elements that don’t entirely align with either party’s agenda.
The U.S. market has experienced a significant shift in recent years, with a handful of tech giants commanding a larger share of the S&P 500 index. This has led traders to seek ways to hedge their short index positions and protect their portfolios. In this article, we will delve deeper into the growing dominance of Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp. in the S&P 500 and explore how these secular stocks can help balance the risks associated with short positioning in index trading.
Over the past few decades, the United States has experienced several periods of monetary policy tightening, characterised by increases in the Federal Funds Rate (FFR). These rate hikes have significant implications on the financial environment, particularly on firms’ ability to access credit. This article examines the correlation between monetary policy tightening and lending standards, discussing the potential risks and benefits associated with further rate hikes on the U.S. economy.
The global copper demand, driven by the green energy revolution and infrastructure projects, is facing a potentially debilitating supply crunch. With copper playing an essential role in renewable energy infrastructure, electric vehicles (EVs), and traditional industries like construction, electronics, and power generation, the pressure to meet the growing demand is mounting.