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New look for the High Street?
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
COVID-19 has delivered another blow to Britain’s retailers, and that will have an impact on the High Street. But the powers of creative destruction always generate fresh opportunities, too. Can the hearts of our towns and cities find a new life and raison d’être?
Ed Smith, Head of Asset Allocation Research at Rathbones comments on the Chancellor’s ‘Polyfilla policies’
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
Before today’s announcements, public sector net borrowing was on track to increase by around £310bn this year – so, around 15% of GDP. That marks the country’s largest fiscal response in modern peacetime history, and is nearly double the peak during the Global Financial Crisis, when government borrowing peaked at 8.2% GDP. Today the Chancellor announced tax cuts and additional spending that could tally up to another £30bn.
Are the bears in hibernation, or just napping?
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
With the groundwork laid for a rapid recovery, equity markets reflected continued optimism in June. But as chief investment officer Julian Chillingworth notes, significant risks remain.
Review of the week: Harder than you think
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
For months, the American economy has shrugged off a muddled response to the pandemic, posting better-than-expected numbers. Reality may finally have caught up, notes chief investment officer Julian Chillingworth.
Where the wind blows
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
Rathbone Global Sustainability Fund manager David Harrison discusses the rise of renewable energy and how it is making a more sustainable world.
How quickly will the world recover from the coronavirus pandemic?
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
The global economy is waking up from its medically induced coma as lockdown measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 are eased. With high levels of unemployment, ongoing social distancing measures and the risk of a second wave, what will economic activity look like over the coming months?
Rathbone Multi Asset Portfolios webcast - Wednesday 5 August
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
Join our latest webcast with co-fund manager Will McIntosh-Whyte for an update on the Rathbone Multi-Asset Portfolios.
Investment Update: Inflation should stay well anchored
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
Will the extraordinary quantity of monetary and fiscal stimulus result in abnormally high inflation? Words to that effect form one of our most frequently asked questions this year. It’s an important one: returns from ‘fixed income’ assets such as conventional bonds can be decimated by unanticipated inflation, and although equities tend to do best in periods of slightly above-average inflation, very high inflation is a threat to their returns too.
Review of the week: Foxes and storks
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
Investors have piled into gold as the reality of US-China diplomacy starts to resemble Aesop’s fabled fox and stork. Chief investment officer Julian Chillingworth also ponders whether US tech shares are priced for perfection as he looks ahead to some big earnings results this week.
Review of the week: Control the message
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
Corporate results fared well during lockdowns, yet they are still well below pre-pandemic levels. Chief investment officer Julian Chillingworth examines why gold has hit record highs and why ‘riskier’ banks have done better than vanilla ones.
There may be a silver lining to the cloud hanging over income
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
For the first time in modern history, the world has experienced a synchronised shutdown of the majority of economic activity and the enforced quarantine of almost entire populations. This situation has created an unprecedented dilemma for companies, with large numbers of them withdrawing completely from providing any estimate of their future sales and profits.
Review of the week: White House rescue
Last Updated: September 30, 2025
Congress failed to seal a benefit extension for unemployed Americans or figure out how to support cash-strapped states as the summer recess looms. It fell to the President to come up with a contested stopgap.