Using the Lipper Leaders scoring system to analyse the best-performing funds in the IA Global High Yield Bond sector.   Global High Yield Bond Funds invest in a diversified portfolio of bonds issued by corporations and occasionally governments worldwide, rated below investment grade (BB/Ba or lower), offering higher interest rates due to their increased credit risk. This time last year, I was somewhat sceptical as to the prospects for high yield. My rationale was that an increasing number of companies would be returning to high-yield markets to refinance over the coming years. Refinancing needs trend steeply upwards until 2029. That

Energy companies are facing a double headwind: proposed tariffs that threaten to dampen demand, and an unexpected increase in OPEC production that could raise global supply and place additional downward pressure on oil prices.  Although oil is not directly affected by tariffs, there are second-order effects of potential slower economic growth and reduced consumption. Oil refiners face a lower oil price environment which will compress refining margins. The three largest refiners in the U.S. — Phillips 66 (PSX), Valero Energy (VLO), and Marathon Petroleum (MPC) — have all seen significant earnings downgrades from sell-side analysts, according to LSEG I/B/E/S.  Using

The price of Bitcoin posted spectacular gains following the US election last year, with Donald Trump seen as a ‘pro-crypto’ president. The digital asset rose from $70,000 in early November to over $100,000 in December. However, its appeal as a store of value has declined somewhat amid a general sell-off in risky assets. One Bitcoin now trades at around $85,000. Meanwhile, gold has posted steady gains, rising to a record high of $3,230 last week. Since the election, returns for both the yellow metal and the most famous cryptocurrency are now closely matched, but gold’s much longer track record of

On April 11, 2000, the first two exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on the EURO STOXX 50 and the STOXX Europe 50 were listed on Deutsche Börse in Germany. With this listing, Merrill Lynch International brought a product to Europe which had been established in the U.S. since 1993 and laid the foundation for the European ETF industry. In addition to Germany, the trading of ETFs also began in Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K. over the course of the year 2000. Even as the first reactions to these new products were positive, no one at that time really expected the future

WASHINGTON, DC – The LSEG/Ipsos Primary Consumer Sentiment Index for April 2025 is at 52.8. Fielded from March 21 – March 26, 2025*, the Index is down 1.2 points from last month. *This month’s fieldwork was completed prior to the major tariff announcement on April 2, 2025, and the rescinding of many of those tariffs announced on April 9, 2025. The index has declined 2.5 points since February, continuing what has been an uneven start to 2025. It now sits about half a point lower than its reading from this time last year. Upload the full report here.

To download the full Weekly Aggregates report click here. Please note: if you use our earnings data, please source “LSEG I/B/E/S”. The Weekly Aggregates report provides updates on aggregate earnings revisions, growth rates and valuations. The numbers in the “Global Datapoints”, “U.S. Datapoints” and “Ancillary Data” sections are updated weekly. This report combines I/B/E/S’s unrivaled historical earnings database, in depth coverage of Wall Street analysts’ bottom-up corporate earnings estimates, and the analytic capabilities of the Proprietary Research group and desk-top solutions.

To download the full This Week in Earnings report click here. Please note: if you use our earnings data, please source “LSEG I/B/E/S” Aggregate Estimates and Revisions 25Q1 Y/Y earnings are expected to be 8.0%. Excluding the energy sector, the Y/Y earnings estimate is 9.6%. Of the 29 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported earnings to date for 25Q1, 65.5% have reported earnings above analyst estimates. This compares to a long-term average of 67% and prior four quarter average of 77%. During the week of April 14, 31 S&P 500 companies are expected to report quarterly earnings. LSEG Workspace offers

Click here to view the full report. Please note: if you use our earnings data, please source “LSEG I/B/E/S”.   S&P 500 Aggregate Estimates and Revisions 25Q1 Y/Y earnings are expected to be 8.0%. Excluding the energy sector, the Y/Y earnings estimate is 9.6%. Of the 29 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported earnings to date for 25Q1, 65.5% reported above analyst expectations. This compares to a long-term average of 67%. The 25Q1 Y/Y blended revenue growth estimate is 4.1%. If the energy sector is excluded, the growth rate for the index is 4.5%. LSEG Workspace is a complete solution

It has been a busy week for economists, especially for those engaged in financial markets. By our reckoning, the cumulative increase in the US effective tariff rate since inauguration day went from around 12 percentage points on Monday morning, to some 30 percentage points as US markets opened on Wednesday. It eased back to 28 percentage points before the end of the day, as blanket tariff increases above 10 percentage points on most countries were suspended, while the increase imposed on China was raised to 125 percentage points. On Thursday, that 125 percentage points turned into 145 percentage points and

Buying the dip is a good idea for at least one set of investors: CFOs. Chipmaker Broadcom unveiled a $10 billion share buyback plan, in a move that helps buffer valuations suffering even after Wednesday’s tariffs-rollback rally. Unlike many stock repurchases that tend to occur when prices are rising, doing so now would be a shrewd use of corporate capital to buck market trends. Broadcom’s program sends a signal that boss Hock Tan has unwavering confidence in a strategy to dominate the customized artificial intelligence semiconductor market for customers such as Google and Meta Platforms. He has done this before,

On April 11, 2025, the European ETF industry celebrates its twenty-fifth birthday. We would like to congratulate the industry with the publication of our annual ETF Yearbook, which provides an overview and analysis of trends in the European ETF industry and the wider ecosystem in 2024 and beyond. The ETF Yearbook analyzes assets under management and fund flows in the European ETF industry for 2024 from various perspectives. As a result, the ETF Yearbook offers unique insights and an unrivalled overview of the structure of the European ETF industry. In addition, the comprehensive analysis of fund flows identifies and describes

Click here to view the full report. Please note: if you use our earnings data, please source “LSEG I/B/E/S”. Russell 2000 Aggregate Estimates and Revisions The 25Q1 Y/Y blended earnings growth estimate is 0.3%. If the energy sector is excluded, the growth rate for the index is 9.4%. Of the 34 companies in the Russell 2000 that have reported earnings to date for 25Q1, 70.6% reported above analyst expectations. The 25Q1 Y/Y blended revenue growth estimate is 1.6%. If the energy sector is excluded, the growth rate for the index is 2.4%.   LSEG Workspace is a complete solution for research and