Latest news and financial insights

Week ending 9th October 2026

As you can see from the accompanying table, global equity markets delivered mixed returns last week, amid further volatility in oil prices, government bonds and technology shares. The US index gained 1.24%, while UK equities rose 0.95%, outperforming both broader European markets and Irish equities.

Market update – 7th October 2026

Markets have made a strong start to the week, with sentiment supported by easing inflationary pressures and lower bond yields. European equities finished mostly higher on Tuesday as softer oil prices and a slight fall in French government bond yields boosted investor confidence.

Week ending 2nd October 2026

Much of the attention has been on bond markets. The US 10-year Treasury yield briefly reached 5.34% on Thursday, its highest level since 2002, while the 30-year yield moved towards 5.7%. In the UK, the 30-year gilt yield moved above 6% for the first time since 1998, with longer-term borrowing costs also rising across Europe and Japan.

Market update – 30th September 2026

Markets have had a cautious start to the week, with equities drifting lower as a selloff in government bonds weighed on risk appetite. U.S. Treasury yields spiked on Tuesday as investors increasingly priced in a higher-for-longer interest rate environment, with the move reverberating across global fixed income markets and pushing sovereign bond yields higher in other major economies.

Week ending 25th September 2026

Much of the focus this week remained on geopolitics. Oil prices see-sawed throughout the week, while government bond yields moved higher across the UK, U.S. and Europe as stronger-than-expected economic data added to expectations that central banks may need to raise interest rates further.

Market update – 23rd September 2026

It has been a relatively quiet week for markets from a global macroeconomic perspective. In the UK, attention is turning towards next month’s much-anticipated Autumn Budget, with the latest public finance figures providing an important backdrop. Government borrowing rose to £18.3 billion in August, exceeding forecasts of around £15 billion. Despite this, the UK’s debt-to-GDP ratio remained broadly stable at just under 94%.