Bulls had a ball for 18 months, but when bears scooped in, the S&P 500 went into a tailspin and lost over 24% from its January record highs!
The markets have had a lot to worry about in 2022…
Persistent high inflation, central bank tightening, intensifying fears of a recession, worsening geopolitical crises, high commodity prices, disrupted supply chains, and a stronger dollar — all these have dampened investor sentiment and also enhanced volatility in the markets.
However, these issues seem to be well understood by the markets now…
At the beginning of the year, it was unclear how far inflation would surge and how aggressively central banks would respond.
But now, the core inflation in the US appears to be peaking, and markets are pricing in relatively aggressive tightening paths for most central banks.
Currently, other warning signs of a slowing global economy are popping up…
China’s economic woes continue to mount, showing no sign of abating…The Japanese Yen is depreciating at an unprecedented pace, while Europe’s energy crisis is forcing factories to go dark.
Additionally, developments in geopolitical powderkegs and increasing credit risks have posed new challenges to financial stability.
New macro, market and economic realities have replaced the earlier realities with new and equally troubling ones.
In this post, we will delve into the eight biggest macro trends and risks currently looming over the markets, so you can be better prepared to profit from the potential market drivers!