Current market information and expert opinions 📈🌍📉
What’s happening on the stock markets? Which sectors and trends are currently popular on the market? Where is the global economy heading, and how are the latest economic developments affecting share prices? Here, our experts and fund managers provide answers to the most pressing questions for investors 👉
The semiconductor industry is considered one of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI boom. Investors therefore kept a close eye on the sector’s figures for the first three months of 2025. One thing became clear: the expansion of AI infrastructure continues to deliver good results for most chip companies – but the sword of Damocles in the form of impending US tariffs is still hanging over industry giants such as Nvidia & Co. Read more in today’s blog post.
Following the tariffs shock and the accompanying market turmoil, the deferral of said tariffs has led to a surprisingly rapid upturn on the equity markets. That being said, uncertainty remains high, even though the US reporting season has been positive so far. Read more in the market commentary by Gerald Stadlbauer, Head of Discretionary Portfolio Management.
The US government’s extensive tariff plans have been causing volatility on the stock markets since last week. Yesterday’s announcement of a 90-day pause for the new tariffs was met with relief by the markets – even though a further escalation between the US and China is on the horizon. We take a look at the current situation on the financial markets and analyse the possible consequences of an escalation in the trade conflict.
Inflation in the Eurozone is expected to fall further. According to initial estimates, the inflation rate fell more sharply than expected in August. With a view to the next ECB interest rate decision at the end of October, the question now arises: Do interest rate hikes now come to an end?
The sharp rise in interest rates is weighing more heavily on environmental and renewable energy equities than on assets from other sectors. Clemens Klein, fund manager of ERSTE WWF STOCK ENVIRONMENT, explains in an interview why this is the case, why environmental shares remain very attractive, and why this could even be a good time to enter the market.
The stock markets have recently come under pressure due to several factors. Both the higher dollar exchange rate and the higher oil prices and yields on the bond market are weighing on prices. Chief economist Gerhard Winzer assesses the current situation in his blog article.
The European Central Bank has raised the key interest rates probably for the last time in this interest rate cycle. But the rising oil price poses a risk that the ECB has only taken a pause.
Once again it’s all about interest rates this week. Will the ECB take a break this time and leave key interest rates unchanged? There is a lot to be said for it.
After a period of declining sales, the semiconductor industry is expected to get back on track and return to growth in 2024. In particular, chips developed specifically for AI applications are a big driver of the boom.
How do I choose corporate bonds for my investment? In the current blog article, our expert Johann Griener gives an insight into the currently achievable yields of different credit rating segments. He also explains the spread that can be achieved with corporate bonds.
In the past, sharp hikes in key interest rates often triggered a recession. After the latest economic and labour market data, hopes are growing for a soft landing of the economy.
At the annual meeting of central bankers in Jackson Hole Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, summed up the uncertain environment as “navigating by the stars in a cloudy sky”. This relates, among other things, to the uncertainty about the level of the neutral interest rate, the lagged effect of key-lending rate hikes on economic growth and inflation, and the drivers of inflation.
With a view to the Ukraine war, the multiple regions of crisis or the extreme inflation, one would be forgiven for thinking that sustainability issues were taking a back seat when it came to investing. Gerold Permoser, Chief Investment Officer of Erste Asset Management, claims that this is not the case and that there is a lot of potential for investors. In a recent press talk, he and Heinz Bednar, CEO, presented five key drivers for ESG investments.
After getting off to a good start at the outset of the year, economic recovery in China has recently stalled again. Following the lifting of stringent measures to contain the pandemic, the path out of the crisis is proving slower than expected. The flagging domestic demand as well as the ailing real estate sector, have recently put a damper on the world’s second-largest economy.
Interest ensures that the money in the savings account or invested in securities grows. If you have already saved or invested some money, you will receive interest on the interest again. This is compound interest. Compound interest makes your money grow even faster, especially if you don’t touch the money for years and interest rates are high.
Currently, the most important indicators point to average global economic growth and falling inflation. The probability of an immediate recession has decreased significantly. But the risks in the medium term remain. Chief economist Gerhard Winzer explains which three scenarios are currently emerging in the blog post.
Originally, the Danish company Novo Nordisk wanted to develop Semaglutid as a drug for diabetes 2 patients. However, the appetite-reducing effect of the drug soon became apparent, making semaglutide a miracle cure for obesity. While Novo Nordisk’s share price has risen significantly since then, possible side effects of the drug are now also being examined.
The decline in crude oil prices has led to a trend reversal in the energy market this year: while many power companies have recently raised their profit forecasts, the major oil companies suffered massively from the recent drop in crude oil prices. Meanwhile, in the effort to reach climate targets, the trend toward renewable energies continues unabate
Microfinance fund manager Martin Cech recently went on an investor trip to Uzbekistan. While he wrote about the banks and microfinance institutions he visited in the first part of his travel report, he describes his impressions of the visits to some borrowers in the second part.
Both the European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve in the USA raised the key interest rate by 25 basis points last week. However, both central banks signalled that the end of the cycle is near – or may even have already been reached after the recent rate hikes.
Martin Cech, fund manager of ERSTE RESPONSIBLE MICROFINANCE, visited a number of banks and microfinance institutions from the fund’s portfolio during an investor trip to Uzbekistan. He reports on his impressions in the blog post.
The stock markets are also usually a little quieter during the summer months. Many market participants take a break due to holidays and the general activity decreases. In any case, a look at some important charts indicates that no nasty surprises are to be expected during the holidays.
The Spanish economy is showing resilience, unlike other countries in the euro area. Now, however, the southern European country is preparing for early elections next weekend, with a tight race looming.
Can price stability, i.e. inflation of 2%, be achieved without a recession? The further decline in inflation in the US in June has raised expectations for this favourable scenario. However, a look in the rear-view mirror calls for caution. In the past, a central bank-induced decline in inflation has often been accompanied by a recession.
The automotive industry is slowly regaining momentum after the pandemic and supply bottlenecks. E-Vehicles are experiencing a real boom. How can you profit as an investor?
The global economy is proving to be increasingly robust against a number of headwinds. Due to the uncomfortably high level of inflation, the central banks are likely to stick to their tight interest rate policy for longer than expected.
The stock markets look back on a strong first half of the year. In addition to the already familiar factors of inflation and key interest rates, the trend topic of artificial intelligence (AI) came into focus. In this interview, fund manager Tamás Menyhárt looks back on the past six months and tells us what has to happen for 2023 to end as happily as the first half of the year did.
When should one invest one’s capital in the bond market and which maturity would currently be favourable? These questions are not so easy to answer and depend, among other things, on the preferences of the respective investor. In our recent blog, expert Johann Griener gives an insight into the current market environment and clarifies the most important questions about bonds and maturity.
The feared recession has so far failed to materialise and inflation is also falling. Nevertheless, the risks remain on the downside. What could be in store for the markets in the second half of the year?
The economy in Japan emerged from recession in the first quarter. Several important economic indicators signal an upswing after the Corona crisis and the Japanese benchmark index Nikkei also rose steadily recently.
The megatrend of artificial intelligence is also on everyone’s lips on the financial markets. Some companies from the AI sector have posted significant gains in their stock price so far this year. We show you with which investments you can profit from the AI boom and what you need to bear in mind.
Central banks remain on a restrictive course and hold out the prospect of further key interest rate hikes. Although there are some signs of a further decline in inflation, it is falling more slowly than expected. You can read where the journey could lead in the blog post.
ERSTE BOND EM CORPORATE becomes part of our sustainable Integration fund family. Péter Varga discusses what this sustainable change means for him as a fund manager and what it changes in his investment process.
This week, the markets are eagerly awaiting the upcoming interest rate decisions. The Fed in the USA will make the first move today, Wednesday. For the first time in the current cycle, no increase in the key interest rate is expected. For tomorrow’s interest rate decision by the ECB, on the other hand, the market expects a further rate hike of 25 basis points.
Inflation data in Europe recently showed a surprisingly significant slowdown. The decline in energy prices in particular had a dampening effect. Read our latest blog post to find out about the current inflation in the individual EU countries.
Surprisingly good figures came from the US labor market in the previous week. Despite the strong growth in employment, however, economic growth has recently been rather meager. Recession risks also remain at an uncomfortably high level.
The German economy slipped into a technical recession in the first quarter. What does this mean for the largest economy in the euro zone and what is a technical recession?
The representatives of the Democrats and the Republicans have reached an agreement in the dispute over the debt ceiling in the USA. The cap of $31,400 billion is to be suspended until 2025. Subject to approval in the House of Representatives and Congress, the agreement is positive for the financial markets. However, another effect could weigh on the markets further down the line.
Global growth is likely to cool significantly in the second quarter. At the same time, recession risks remain uncomfortably high, as Chief Economist Gerhard Winzer writes in his market commentary. The further course of negotiations on the US debt ceiling is also likely to cause tension on the market.
The volatility of bonds has increased significantly and is clearly higher than that of equities. What are the reasons for this difference in development?
The cloud business of the leading tech companies continues to boom. However, many see the future primarily in the potential applications of artificial intelligence. With billions in investments, Google parent Alphabet and software giant Microsoft want to take a leading role in the trendy topic of AI.
How much longer will the sideways trend on the stock markets last? Negative and positive factors balance each other out. One unresolved issue among many is the U.S. debt ceiling.
With the ERSTE REAL ASSETS mixed fund, investors can invest in real assets – and have indeed been doing so for two years now. On the occasion of the fund’s two-year anniversary, Philip Schifferegger, fund manager of ERSTE REAL ASSETS, is taking a look at the current market situation. He also explains why the fund is well equipped for both positive and negative market phases.
ERSTE IMMOBILIENFONDS is celebrating its 15th anniversary this month. The portfolio now comprises 85 properties in 10 cities with real estate assets of around EUR 2 billion. In this interview, Peter Karl, CEO of ERSTE Immobilien KAG, talks about the development of the fund and the challenges on the real estate markets in the face of rising interest rates and high inflation.
Most recently, central banks have signaled a somewhat less sharpish stance, as an effect of the rapid key rate hikes on the monetary environment has already become visible. However, recent economic data are dampening hopes for a rapid decline in inflation, as Chief Economist Gerhard Winzer explains in his market commentary.
Last weekend, for the third time in two months, a US bank found itself in turmoil. After Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) slid into crisis in March after customers withdrew billions in funds, First Republic Bank has now been hit. A look at the history books shows that banking crises and bank runs have happened time and again. However, the lessons learned from them helped to make the banking system more robust and stable.
The Greek sovereign debt crisis is now more than 10 years old. Many observers saw this event as the starting point of a never-ending story. However, if one looks at the recent past, Greece convinced with positive aspects. Many see the upcoming parliamentary elections on May 21 as the last major obstacle to regaining the country’s investment grade rating.
The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies sees the economies of Eastern Europe on a growth path. The bottom seems to have been reached. Now investing in the region’s leading companies?
The annual Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank bring together high-ranking representatives from business, the financial sector and politics. Fund manager
Tolgahan Memişoğlu reports on his impressions.
The global economy grew strongly in the first quarter of 2023. At the same time, inflation remains too high, which is why central banks will continue to pursue a restrictive monetary policy. Although growth indicators are good to strong, there are therefore increased risks of recession.
The hot phase of Turkey’s election campaign has begun, with parliamentary and presidential elections to be held simultaneously in the country on 14 May. In addition to the consequences of the earthquake disaster in early February, the Turkish citizens are also suffering from the massive inflation.
