New Zealand has been one of the few countries to get the COVID-19 pandemic under control in short order. Since June of last year, the number of new infections has been practically zero. The travel bubble with Australia has also…
Highlights The Swiss economy will benefit from the pickup in global growth. The recent weakness in the franc has been a welcome development for the Swiss National Bank, but technicals suggest a coiled spring rally in CHF is likely.…
Highlights Q1/2021 Performance Breakdown: Our recommended model bond portfolio outperformed the custom benchmark index by +55bps during the first quarter of the year. Winners & Losers: The government bond side of the portfolio…
Prime Minister Ardern’s new policies to cool the housing market has brought a chill to the Kiwi. The 17.6% surge in house prices since last May prompted a slew of measures designed to tamp down on speculation and improve…
Highlights Global Duration: Markets are correctly interpreting the $1.9 trillion US fiscal stimulus package as a factor justifying higher global growth expectations and bond yields. Maintain a below-benchmark stance on overall global…
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand stood pat at its Wednesday meeting, maintaining its policy rate at 0.25% and keeping the Large Scale Asset Purchase Program at NZD 100 billion. The kiwi reacted positively to the news, rising against…
The New Zealand economy is doing well. The most recent Westpac consumer confidence came in at 106, which was above pre-pandemic prints of 104.2. Moreover, the latest labor market data has been strong. However, this reality is…