Still no clear sign of recession in the months ahead, but no catalyst for fears to subside yet either.

We hosted a breakfast for founders with the following female investors: Saranyah Douse, investment manager, Octopus Ventures, Kimberly Martin, regional head, Boost and CO and Harriet Rosethorn, investment manager, Puma Private Equity.

Rising interest rates, slowing GDP growth and war have rocked markets. Stock prices say recession is locked in; but as Ed Smith explains in this nine minute video, we’re not so sure. It’s a significant risk, but there’s more resilience in today’s economy than many investors think.

Rising interest rates, slowing GDP growth and war have rocked markets. Stock prices say recession is locked in; we’re not so sure. It’s a significant risk, but there’s more resilience in today’s economy than many investors think. 

Our latest edition starts by comparing and contrasting the current outlook with 1970s ‘stagflation’. New this quarter are regular feature articles looking at one of our long-term investment themes and a topic with ESG implications. This time we consider opportunities in sustainable agriculture and what the war in Ukraine means for the green energy transition.

Responsible investment – thinking about environmental, social and governance issues as an investor and shareholder – is a priority at Rathbones.

Risks of higher inflation and slower growth have gone up, and so too have the number and degree of uncertainties around the investment implications.

Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists have traded fire and recriminations in the annexed territory of eastern Ukraine, taking the region to the brink of war.

It’s been a difficult start to the new year for investors, with the global equity benchmark falling into so-called ‘correction’ territory. We can't say for sure when the pain will end, but for the reasons set out in this update, we are confident the correction will be short-lived.

After a stunning second quarter for economic growth and corporate profits as the world started opening back up again, investor optimism has been tempered. Growth is slowing down in China, the first major economy to regain its lost output, and the global economic recovery seems to be coming off the boil too. Still, we think going from great to merely good will still be good enough.

Investor optimism spread over the second quarter as economies around the world continued to reopen and many aspects of our lives returned to normal. Successful vaccination programmes and stimulus measures across the developed world improved the global outlook.

This year has started off on a positive note, with vaccination programmes making rapid progress and keeping investors optimistic about the prospects for the global economic recovery. While bond markets experienced some volatility during the first quarter, the situation stabilised towards the end of the period.