Gold and oil aren’t behaving as predicted, US inflation data for October came in below consensus expectations and will the S&P 500 rally for the year-end? Each week, the Syz investment team takes you through the last seven days in seven charts.

Soft US CPI sparks bonds & stocks buying spree The S&P 500 Index (+2.2%) built on its strong gains over the previous two weeks and moved above the 4,500 barrier for the 1st time since September. The week’s advance was notably broad, with the S&P 500 Index equally-weighted outperforming the S&P 500 by 1%. Value and small-cap indexes also outperformed. US Retailers earnings results were mixed; Target surged nearly 18% on Wednesday after beating consensus expectations while Walmart fell over 8% on Thursday, after it lowered guidance on increasing customer caution and falling prices for some goods. On Tuesday, the Labor Department reported that headline US CPI had remained unchanged in October, driven in part by a sharp drop in energy costs.

Fixed income investments thrived this week, benefiting from the perfect cocktail of a larger-than-expected decline in US inflation and a significant deterioration in the job market, marked by higher-than-anticipated US initial jobless claims.

The cost of US debt now exceeds $1 trillion per year, Gold is close to its all-time high and contrary to popular belief, portfolio diversification is not one of Warren Buffet's principles! Each week, the Syz investment team takes you through the last seven days in seven charts.

Big-Tech & Bitcoin Bid; Bonds & Bullion Battered The major US equity indexes finished mixed for the week. We note however that the S&P 500 Index came close to matching its longest winning streak in nearly two decades. Indeed, on Wednesday, the S&P 500 notched its eighth straight gain, while the Nasdaq marked its ninth. The market’s strength was exceptionally narrow, however, with an equally weighted version of the S&P 500 Index lagging its market-weighted counterpart by 190 basis points. Upside earnings surprises from some tech firms appeared to provide support to growth stocks. On Thursday, a $24 billion auction of 30-year U.S. Treasury bonds, which was met with the weakest demand in two years, triggered some profit taking on stocks as US Treasury yields climbed.

The US fixed income market witnessed some volatility this week, fueled by both supply factors and comments from the Fed. The US Treasuries yield curve concluded the week flatter by 15bps, indicating that the fight against inflation is still not ”close” to being done!

The Fed Committee maintains unchanged key interest rates for second consecutive month, Japan's equity markets present numerous investment prospects and WeWork files for Chapter 11. Each week, the Syz investment team takes you through the last seven days in seven charts.

The #sp500 Index recorded its strongest weekly gain in nearly a year. Signs of a slowing economy and a rather dovish #FOMC meeting led to a sharp decrease in long-term bond yields. The gains were broad-based and led by the small-cap Russell 2000 Index, which scored its best weekly gain since October 2022. On Wednesday, the #Fed left rates steady, as expected, but investors appeared encouraged by the post-meeting statement, which signaled that the recent runup in long-term Treasury yields had achieved some of policymakers’ intended tightening in financial conditions. Friday’s US payrolls report seemed to confirm that the labor market was cooling. Employers added 150,000 jobs in October, below expectations and the lowest level since June, and September’s strong gain was revised lower.

The reduction of short-term uncertainties—Fed decisions, the Quarterly US Treasury issuance program, and the BoJ—alongside worsening US economic and job data, has swiftly taken the edge off the October yield surge!

Strong US Economy proves resilient in face of tightening financial conditions. In October, global stocks declined due to concerns about rising interest rates and the Israel-Hamas conflict, while the US economy remained strong. The US dollar strengthened for the third consecutive month, reaching its highest monthly close since November 2022. Gold continued to be a top choice for hedging against economic uncertainties, and Bitcoin experienced its best month since January 2023, with its price surpassing $35,000. Each month, the Syz investment team takes you through the last month in ten charts.