Knowledge and Insight

A King is crowned and most of England went to the polls last week. Coming up is a Bank of England rate hike and an update for American inflation.

A regional bank caught up in the March banking crisis has been forcibly sold by an American regulator. Hopefully this marks the end of the chapter.

Rathbones and 5 x 15 present the Four Elements: Fire - bringing in experts from different disciplines to discuss the future of our planet at this critical time and examine what actions investors can take to make a difference.

Investors are fearful of an earnings recession as reporting season steams ahead. Meanwhile, China’s first-quarter GDP estimate suggests its recovery is proving uneven

Following China’s ‘great reopening’, growth is likely to accelerate this year. But we’re sceptical that it will be as successful as many are currently assuming. We expect the road ahead to be bumpy, the same sawtooth pattern that characterised other post-COVID re-openings. Longer term, this cyclical rebound is likely to give way to structurally slower growth.

Markets are riven over weighty questions about the economic strength of our households and businesses clashing with higher living costs, and all the while lurks the menace of unknown consequences created by a rapidly changed world.

Rathbones’ Edward Smith, co-chief investment officer, and Jing Hu, senior asset allocation analyst, give an update on some of the key themes shaping the investment outlook including the banking sector, the outlook for inflation and interest rates as well as a review of China.

In 'Air', Rosie Boycott chairs our panel of experts with Jared Farmer on ancient trees and atmospheres, Rathbone Greenbank's Kate Elliot, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi- Debrah on air pollution in cities and Gabrielle Walker on carbon removals.

We’ve certainly had a difficult start to the year, but what is the investment outlook as we look forward to sunnier days ahead? Our latest Investment Insights considers some of the key themes – such as expectations versus reality for US company profits and the search for inflation protection. 

Money was easy to come by in the 2010s, for businesses, households and governments. With interest rates now much higher, hard decisions loom.

A year of rapid-fire interest rate hikes by central banks is yet to be fully felt by the wider economy. Rathbones’ co-chief investment officer Ed Smith explains why that makes us cautious.

Rathbones announces combination of Rathbones Group and Investec Wealth & Investment UK to create the UK’s leading discretionary wealth manager. Read the market announcement here.