How should investors navigate the collapse in energy prices, potential US rate rises and Europe's debt crisis?

• Published in: Investment Week p. 22
• Main Authors: Vaillancourt, Jason, Schoen, Robert
• Format: Trade Publication Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Incisive Media Limited 13.04.2015
• Subjects: Bond markets; Central banks; Consumers; Economic recovery; Emerging markets; Energy prices; Equity; Geopolitics; Inflation; Interest rates; International; Investor behavior; Monetary policy; Volatility; United Kingdom > UK

The global economic recovery continues to be uneven in nature, with a clear divergence in monetary policy beginning to emerge. On one side stand the US and UK, both inching towards tightening as employment data, industrial output, and consumer spending all show improvement. Bond markets remain well supported as a result, while equity markets -- despite a pick-up in volatility in recent months -- continue to advance. Navigating around a potential hike in short-term interest rates by the US Fed and the Bank of England continues to be a worry for investors too. Europe has continued to struggle with its debt crisis. Deleveraging in both public and private sectors has resulted in increased reliance on central bank stimulus as the solution to the region's financial troubles.