Investment Officer Netherlands

Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive officer of JPMorganChase, has warned that global bond markets are heading toward a crisis unless policymakers act before markets force their hand, pointing to a compounding mix of persistent government deficits, geopolitical instability and inflation pressures that sovereign debt has yet to fully price in.

The Iran war has broken the trend toward greater convergence between yields on European government bonds. Yields rose particularly sharply in Italy and the United Kingdom, while countries such as the Netherlands and Spain managed to limit the damage somewhat.

Oil prices will have to climb much higher to stabilise global markets as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz deepen, JPMorgan said. For import-dependent Europe, the risk of slower growth and higher inflation is rising by the day.

Every time an oil crisis occurs, the recession scenario is immediately dusted off. The oil price rises, analysts pull out their charts, and within a week the first warnings appear that a recession is inevitable. But the relationship between oil crises and recessions is much weaker than is commonly assumed.

In times of uncertainty, it is even more crucial to invest in the human connection that is at the heart of private banking, said Stéphane Pardini, CEO of Wealth Management at Quintet Luxembourg, in an interview with Investment Officer.

From the 17th floor of the Rembrandt Tower in Amsterdam, Blackrock has a clear view of a market where scrutiny of its climate strategy is intensifying. Pension funds, policymakers, and activist groups are raising questions about the role of the world’s largest asset manager in the energy transition.

With no end to the war with Iran in sight, talk of a recession is resurfacing. Yet other indicators suggest that the bull market is far from over.

Geopolitical conflict and renewed inflationary concerns sapped the wind from high-yield sails.