https://www.scmp.com/rss/327016/feed Varun Ghotgalkar is an equity strategist at AXA Investment Managers en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com A mix of slowing macro momentum, rising interest rates and growing political uncertainty have raised the possibility that we are heading for a bear market. Although late-cycle warnings are visible, it may still be too early for such a call, given encouraging earnings figures and other positive economic signs. Regional equity performance was mixed in May with the UK and US outperforming the global benchmark, while Swiss equities, emerging markets and Japan lagged. The euro area, hit by the recent... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2150425/bear-market-around-corner-not-yet-some-caution-and-strategic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2150425/bear-market-around-corner-not-yet-some-caution-and-strategic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Jun 2018 04:01:44 +0000 Stock repurchases by corporations have been by far the most dominant source of demand for American equities in the current bull market. Equity buy-backs for S&P 500 companies have exceeded US$3.5 trillion since the global financial crisis, and topped US$7 trillion since 2001.  The increasing use of stock repurchases to pay back equity investors (instead of dividend payments) has often been attributed to the decreasing cost of debt financing, driven by falling interest rates, regulatory changes... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2144170/why-stock-buy-backs-continue-drive-growth-us-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2144170/why-stock-buy-backs-continue-drive-growth-us-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 May 2018 02:57:05 +0000