Why relief is behind this rally
10th April 2018 12:49
by Rebecca O'Keeffe from interactive investor
Share on
President Xi's speech overnight appears to have struck the right tone, providing some relief for investors who have been buffeted by the recent war of words between Trump and China over trade.
While there was already an overwhelming sense that Chinese officials were keen to achieve a negotiated settlement before the proposed tariffs do any lasting damage to either the Chinese or US economies, today's speech was the clearest indication yet that China is prepared to take concrete steps to address some of Trump's chief criticisms.
The big question is whether President Trump will now take the olive branch offered by Xi's conciliatory approach and dial down the rhetoric from his side too.
Corporate profits have taken a back seat to trade tensions and increased volatility over the past few weeks, but as the US earnings season starts in earnest this week, they will take on huge significance.
Source: interactive investor Past performance is not a guide to future performance
Equities received a huge boost when the US tax reform bill was signed into law in December and investors will want to see that this is feeding through to the bottom line to justify their continued faith.
A good earnings season would do a lot to regain some equilibrium and provide some much-needed relief and calm for beleaguered investors.
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.