Global Market Overview – July 2021
July was a reminder that there are still a lot of unsettled issues which the financial world is trying to price. Fears and freedom are increasing together. Different variants of COVID-19 are still very much a problem – especially for countries with low numbers of vaccinations. At the same time, lots of countries are still trying to open up, and return to a mo...
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RiverPeak Wealth Monthly Update for June 2021
Global Market Overview – June 2021
June has been somewhat of an emotional whirlwind in UK domestic politics. On 14 June, we found out that we would have to wait another four weeks for full post-lockdown freedom. Two days later, Dominic Cummings released WhatsApp conversations in which Boris Johnson branded Health Secretary Matt Hancock as hopeless. Always nice to know the boss has faith in you…...
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RiverPeak Wealth Monthly Update for May 2021
Global Market Overview – May 2021
The media found a new worry in May as the Indian variant took over newspapers. With all headlines, especially COVID-related ones, it’s important to remember that the goal of a journalist isn’t always to produce useful and informative news; it might be to write something that will sell. We can’t be sure that new COVID variants won’t jeopardise lifting of UK rest...
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RiverPeak Wealth Monthly Update for April 2021
Global Market Overview – April 2021
During the first month of Q2, headlines have been a complete mix of good, bad, and hysterical. The increase in COVID deaths and cases through the developing world have been tragic. And unfortunately, it’s more than likely that the numbers in places such as India will get worse before they get better. At the end of April, India recorded over 360,000 confirmed ...
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RiverPeak Wealth Monthly Update for March 2021
Global Market Overview – March 2021
March marked the one-year anniversary of the first COVID lockdown. Although it might not feel like it, the end is very much in sight. The “third wave” COVID headlines will dominate, but we believe that the ongoing vaccine programmes still offer an overwhelming reason to be positive.
In the UK, cases are still falling and deaths are plummeting as most of t...
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RiverPeak Wealth Monthly Update for February 2021
Global Market Overview – February 2021
After publishing some devastatingly high COVID-19 case numbers in January, the UK has turned its situation around and looks likely to be the first major economy to vaccinate itself out of lockdown. More than ever, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Over 20 million UK citizens have had their first jab, and daily cases in the UK have fallen from ...
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RiverPeak Wealth Monthly Update for January 2021
Global Market Overview – January 2021
2021 kicked off with yet another historic moment. Mobs of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol after the then president demanded support for the claim that he, not Biden, was the real election victor. Despite this attempt to overthrow democracy, the US congress confirmed Biden as president of America. Putting Trump in the rear view mirror might now be m...
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RiverPeak Wealth Monthly Update for December 2020
Global Market Overview – December 2020
Socially, December 2020 was always going to be one of the strangest ever experienced in the UK, with restrictions curtailing the usual holiday festivities. However, the continued shifting of exactly what the government’s social distancing policies entailed, meant that the month was even more disrupted than we had expected – with the bad news culminating in...
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Coronavirus Update
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Final 2020 Update
Shortly after our last update, following a lacklustre period for share prices, it was announced on 6th November that Pfizer BioNTech’s vaccine was over 90% effective, prompting a rally in global equity markets. This was led by the UK which rose 14.34% from 3rd November to 17th December outperforming the MSCI World index which rose 9.74%. (Source: FE Ana...
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RiverPeak Wealth Monthly Update for October 2020
Global Market Overview – October 2020
October was dominated by negative COVID-19 headlines, with a splash of US election fear added to the mix. As virus case numbers climb, and lockdowns begin again, it can be difficult to separate near-term emotions from the long-term outlook. However it is important to think about the big picture.
When we step back, we remain optimistic about a global reco...
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