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The Santa rally paused towards the end of the week as investors assessed the speed at which the recovery is moving, with the most telling comment from a Goldman Sachs analyst who said: “there are no bears left”.

By Tim Treadgold.

The economic recovery, which is laying the foundations for 2024 to be a bumper year for investors, became a little clearer this week as U.S. growth accelerated, inflation fell in Australia and the OECD said Australian interest rates have peaked.

By Tim Treadgold.

Uranium set the pace in a strong week for commodities, hitting a 15-year high of US$80.25 a pound, with gold and iron ore not far behind, as reminders of last week’s suggestion in this column that financial markets have reached an inflection point ahead of a strong New Year.

It’s a bold prediction but this might be the week when financial markets passed an inflection point as positive news, such as peaking U.S. interest rates, overpowered negative events, laying the foundation for a strong recovery next year.

By Tim Treadgold.

It’s not Christmas yet but there were hints this week of early presents for investors, including a dramatic improvement in Australia’s relationship with China, and signs that interest rates are peaking, or have peaked.

By Tim Treadgold.

Billionaires played another round of lithium asset acquisition as the Australian stock market rebounded this week but next week it will all eyes on the Melbourne Cup and the odds-on favourite, Rising Rates.

By Tim Treadgold.

Fear of another interest rate increase after a higher-than-expected inflation reading was a dampener on the Australian stock market this week, though the battery metals duo of graphite and lithium provided a much-needed spark.

By Tim Treadgold.

It’s been said before, but Christmas really can’t come fast enough for investors after the latest roller-coaster ride this week caused by war in Gaza, a pointless referendum in Australia, the U.S. 10-year bond yield approaching 5% -- and a hint of better news from China.

By Tim Treadgold

By Tim Treadgold| Investors shrugged off the first week of the latest war in the Middle East but it might be wise to look ahead for future effects on three key wartime commodities, gold, oil and copper, which could all surge higher as the fighting continues.

By Tim Treadgold | Markets suffered a bad case of financial flashbacks this week as the reality of interest rates staying higher for longer rocked investor confidence, leaving unanswered a tricky question: is it time to go bargain-hunting?

By Tim Treadgold | Uranium starred again this week against the backdrop of a flat Australian market as the price of the nuclear fuel hit US$70 a pound, a 12-year high, driving local uranium stocks to fresh price peaks while also masking a series of significant deals in other sectors.

Uranium went from red hot to white hot this week as investors piled into a revival story being driven by doubts about future supplies of energy for a global economy which is electrifying everything.

By Tim Treadgold.

Lithium, uranium and oil were the winners on financial markets this week with that “all things energy” theme likely to be a winner for the rest of the year, and beyond.

By Tim Treadgold.

A lithium rush led by Albemarle’s $6 billion bid for Liontown and an offer by Mineral Resources to buy the Bald Hill mine saved the Australian market from the worst effects of a mid-week sell-off which hit the U.S. after interest rates resumed their upward march.

By Tim Treadgold.

By Tim Treadgold   Andrew Forrest returned to centre-stage this week with a starring performance that rescued the share price of his Fortescue mining group, but it wasn’t the only big event as annual results poured in and prices moved higher, with a few notable exceptions.

Hints of a pause in the U.S. interest rate rising cycle buoyed investment markets towards the end of the week as bankers gathered in the Wyoming ski resort of Jackson Hole to hear the latest plans of Federal Reserve chairman, Jay Powell.

By Tim Treadgold.

A blast of corporate action in Australia’s red hot lithium sector saved local investors this week from the full effects of a global sell-off sparked by a double whammy of property and banking crises in China and the threat of another round of U.S. interest rate increases.

By Tim Treadgold

Lithium dominated investor interest this week but it wasn’t one-way traffic and it wasn’t the only game in town.

By Tim Treadgold

A promising stock market recovery early this week was snuffed out by the deeply significant downgrading of U.S. Government debt by Fitch Ratings, just as an event that will trigger the next boom – a cash mountain – moved into sight.

By Tim Treadgold.

Another 0.25% increase in the U.S. benchmark interest rate to a 22-year high of 5.5% was the biggest event in an exceptionally busy few days on financial markets this week with all eyes now on the Reserve Bank of Australia to see if it follows.

By Tim Treadgold.