Alex Rankine

Markets have swooned as central banks raise interest rates, leaving the era of cheap money behind.

There are worrying signs that inflation is becoming embedded in the economy, but many investors are struggling to adjust to the new reality.

Commodity prices have fallen back after spiking early in the year. Iron ore is down 36% from its March peak, while copper has lost 20% since 1 January…

South Korean stocks suffer from the “Korea discount” – with the country still classified as an emerging market, investors are reluctant to pay a premi…

The soaring price of gas could see the EU impose a cap on the price of electricity generated by nuclear and renewables, while signs of strain appear i…

Japan’s stockmarket has outperformed so far this year, with corporate profits at their highest since 1954 and a weak yen inflating overseas earnings.

The pound sliding against the dollar and the euro is symbolic of the UK's economic weakness and a sign that overseas investors losing confidence in th…

Brazil's Ibovespa stockmarket index has fallen by 9% since it peaked in April. But with an election in 2023 and current president Jair Bolsonaro on co…

Jay Powell delivered a hawkish speech on inflation at last week's Jackson Hole meeting. Alex Rankine explains what his speech means for markets.

Energy prices are exploding in value, and the European market has been particularly hit hard. Alex Rankine explains whether gas prices will still marc…

The S&P 500 index gained 17% between its June lows and 16 August, while the Nasdaq Composite rose more than 20%. So are stocks back in a bull market o…

European stocks are out of favour, with some analysts predicting their worst year since 2008. But the worst of the sell-off could be over, and Europea…

US inflation fell to 8.5% in July, down from 9.1% the previous month. But structural, not transitory, forces are pushing inflation higher. It could be…

Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan could mark a turning point as Western firms swap low costs for resilience, moving away from China to more “friendly” c…

The semiconductor shortage could soon become a semiconductor glut as demand for electronic gadgets falls while state subsidies could mean a surplus of…

Tighter monetary policy is weighing on several parts of the Australian economy, but commodities is providing some respite. Alex Rankine reports.

The Bank of England has warned that inflation will peak around 13% this year and the UK will fall into recession. Alex Rankine reports.

The gas-supply crisis is merely the most conspicuous sign of the complacency and drift besetting Europe’s largest economy. Germany’s national business…

Chinese house prices have fallen for ten months in a row, made worse by a residential “mortgage strike”.

Investors seem to think that a weaker US economy will cool inflation and see the Fed relent on interest rate rises. But that optimism may be misplaced…

The UK's blue-chip FTSE 100 index has been the best-performing major stockmarket index so far this year.

With Italy’s borrowing costs rising quickly, and inflation climbing, the European Central Bank has unveiled a new tool to help indebted states. Is it …

Emerging markets look cheap, but tread carefully – they tend to be highly cyclical and a global recession would weigh heavily on them.

Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt in May as soaring global food prices and a tourism slowdown collided with years of profligate state spending. Which c…

Chinese stocks are trading at an “undeniably cheap” 11.9 times earnings. But they are cheap for good reasons, and this may not be the buying opportuni…

Record high energy prices, the threat of recession in Germany and squabbling in Italy's government has left the eurozone fighting fires on all fronts.

Yields in the US high-yield bond market (AKA junk bonds) have soared to more than 8% since the start of the year as prices collapse.

In recent weeks investors had started to bet on signs that inflation may be peaking – but we’re in a new economic age. Expect high inflation to be her…

The price of copper has fallen to its lowest level since November 2020, with aluminium, nickel and many other base metal prices in freefall, too.

The value of the US dollar has soared as investors pile in. The euro has hit parity, while the Japanese yen and the Swedish krona have fared even wors…

After a two-year long worldwide boom in house prices fuelled by ultra-low interest rates, central bankers are tightening monetary policy and the globa…

As international sentiment sours on Hong Kong, other Asian financial hubs – primarily Singapore – are snapping up business.

As Russia cuts its gas exports to the EU, the price of natural gas continues to rise. Restricted supplies could see energy rationing and recession i…

Low growth, high inflation, central bank tightening, a strong dollar, and the risk of recession is proving a toxic cocktail for world stockmarkets – a…

Electronics manufacturers are moving into Vietnam, partly in response to manufacturing delays caused by lockdowns in China. The country’s textile indu…

The price of Brent crude oil is up by 475% since its March 2020 low. And when oil prices rise, people start to reduce consumption, leading to increas…