Tag: Economic Predictions/Forecasts

Optimism Abounds on Wall Street This New Year
World

Optimism Abounds on Wall Street This New Year

Wall Street is feeling sunny about the stock market as the calendar flips to 2024.Last year’s widespread skepticism proved to be misplaced. Stocks rose through much of 2023, powered by the rise of artificial intelligence and an economy that stayed stronger than nearly all of Wall Street had anticipated. The recession that investors had largely agreed was imminent never came.Copyright ©2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Optimism Abounds on Wall Street This New Year
Money

Optimism Abounds on Wall Street This New Year

Wall Street is feeling sunny about the stock market as the calendar flips to 2024.Last year’s widespread skepticism proved to be misplaced. Stocks rose through much of 2023, powered by the rise of artificial intelligence and an economy that stayed stronger than nearly all of Wall Street had anticipated. The recession that investors had largely agreed was imminent never came.Copyright ©2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
How I, and Everyone Else, Got 2023 So Wrong
Money

How I, and Everyone Else, Got 2023 So Wrong

It is good practice to learn from your mistakes, but even better is to learn from other people’s mistakes. My biggest error in 2023 was the same as everyone else’s: being in the consensus that the fastest rate hikes in 40 years would cause a recession. They didn’t, but there is still deep disagreement on why—and the direction of your portfolio depends on the answer.As a reminder, at this time in 2022, predictions of recession were the norm—and on some measures stronger than they had ever been outside an actual recession. I wasn’t persuaded by the economic models, because they paid no heed to the effects of the pandemic on supply and demand. But I thought it unlikely that the nascent stock rally would continue, because it was a bet on inflation’s coming down without the economy being hit. ...
OPEC Leaves Global Oil-Demand Views Unchanged
World

OPEC Leaves Global Oil-Demand Views Unchanged

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries left its expectations for global oil demand unchanged for this year and next and raised its 2023 global economic growth forecast, against a backdrop of falling oil prices the cartel has been unable to halt.The Vienna-based oil-producers’ cartel said in its monthly oil-market report that it expects oil demand to grow by 2.2 million barrels a day next year, in line with its previous estimates. Its forecast for 2023 was also steady at 2.5 million barrels a day.Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
ADB Raises Growth Forecasts for Asia Despite Continued Headwinds
World

ADB Raises Growth Forecasts for Asia Despite Continued Headwinds

The economic outlook for Asia seems upbeat despite global challenges, the Asian Development Bank said as it raised growth forecasts for the region.Citing resilient economic activity in the face of persistent headwinds, the Manila-based multilateral bank now expects developing Asia to record growth of 4.9% for 2023. That is up from the 4.7% it had projected in September. It kept its 2024 forecast for the area, which comprises 46 of its members, including China, South Korea and India, at 4.8%.Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Gold to Take Hit if U.S. Economy Has Soft Landing, But Risks Remain, WGC Says
World

Gold to Take Hit if U.S. Economy Has Soft Landing, But Risks Remain, WGC Says

Gold prices are likely to take a hit if the U.S. economy achieves a so-called soft landing in 2024 and avoids a recession, despite rising inflation and interest rates this year, according to the World Gold Council.In its 2024 gold outlook, the industry body said the market is currently anticipating a soft landing for the U.S. economy—in which inflation falls without any significant negative side effects—which should boost the global economy with it. Based on past data, soft landings generally haven’t benefited gold, with prices either holding flat or falling.Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Spanish Political Turmoil Clouds a Sunny Outlook
World

Spanish Political Turmoil Clouds a Sunny Outlook

Spain remains in a period of deep political uncertainty that could threaten an otherwise strong economy, despite negotiations for a new government nearing a conclusion.“We are going to see a period of inflamed tensions and really intense political noise,” said Angel Talavera, head of European economics at analysis firm Oxford Economics.Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Where Is the Stock Market Headed? Big Money Pros Weigh In.
Money

Where Is the Stock Market Headed? Big Money Pros Weigh In.

This year has posed an unusual array of challenges for investors, and more could be in store. The major stock market indexes are still up in 2023, powered by a narrow slice of technology stocks, but have been losing ground rapidly. Bond yields have risen sharply, topping 5% on some government debt. The economic outlook is uncertain, the U.S. government has been in turmoil, and wars and conflict are spreading across the globe.This year has posed an unusual array of challenges for investors, and more could be in store. The major stock market indexes are still up in 2023, powered by a narrow slice of technology stocks, but have been losing ground rapidly. Bond yields have risen sharply, topping 5% on some government debt. The economic outlook is uncertain, the U.S. government has been in tur...