Q4 Begins Amidst Turbulent Markets and Uncertainty
The final quarter of the year is about to begin, but investors are facing a challenging backdrop. The third quarter has been marked by turbulent bond markets, which have seen global borrowing costs reach their highest levels since the 2007-08 financial crisis.
Despite this, major world stock indexes remain near all-time highs, up over 12% for the year thanks in part to artificial intelligence (AI) euphoria. However, Q4 has plenty of uncertainties, including the ongoing war in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the November 3 US midterm elections.
Investors will be keeping a close eye on employment and inflation data, with the September nonfarm payrolls report due out on Friday expected to show a rise of 100,000 jobs. The unemployment rate is forecasted to remain at 4.2%.