Three weeks before election day, the race for the White House is wide open: While Kamala Harris is ahead in the nationwide polls, Donald Trump is currently likely to be ahead in the crucial “swing states”. In any case, the economic situation and mood in the USA are likely to play an important role in the race for the presidency.
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Who’s afraid of Donald Trump?
Election Day in the US is getting closer and closer: Who is afraid of a Donald Trump presidency again? How might the stock markets react to the election result? A high-level panel discussed this at this year’s Erste.Investment.Forum.
Mobility of the future: is the solution electric?
The European automotive industry is undergoing a transformation on the one hand, and is in crisis on the other. Both consumers and carmakers in Europe seem to be struggling with the question of the future of mobility. We therefore take a fact-based look at the direction in which the (car) journey could go.
Strong US labor market report: just an outlier?
In September, the US labor market performed surprisingly well, with significantly more new jobs created than expected. This has pushed back concerns about an impending recession, which is positive for the financial markets. Was the strong labor market report just an outlier, or is the US Federal Reserve perhaps on the right track to achieving the hoped-for “soft landing”?

Tense situation in the Middle East: Will oil prices rise again?
Oil prices have fallen significantly in the year to date, which also had a noticeable dampening effect on inflation. However, this could change with the further escalation in the Middle East. Following the Iranian missile attack on Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced retaliation.
Emerging markets bonds and sustainability: How do these two go together?
Lower interest rates in the USA mean that investments in emerging markets are becoming more attractive. The ERSTE RESPONSIBLE BOND EM LOCAL fund, which received the Austrian Ecolabel in August, could also benefit from this.

Is the AI Rally Nearing its End?
Following this week’s interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve, shares related to artificial intelligence (AI) applications are once again in the spotlight. Investors are hoping that AI will have a positive impact on the business figures of the key players. With the ERSTE STOCK TECHNO fund, you can invest in the most important companies in future technologies.

Interest rate cuts at the door
After the rapid and sharp interest rate increases in 2022 and 2023, the pendulum is now swinging in the opposite direction. After the European Central Bank (ECB), the US Federal Reserve will cut key interest rates for the first time this Wednesday, thus initiating a new cycle of interest rate cuts. What does all this mean for the economy and what conclusions can be drawn from it for investments?
Risk of recession in Europe? Labor market data under the microscope
In recent weeks, there has been much discussion about the so-called Sahm Rule – a usually quite reliable recession indicator in the US that was triggered in August for the first time since the coronavirus crisis. There is no corresponding indicator for Europe so far, which raises the question: What is the risk of recession with regard to the European labor market?
Eastern Europe: Economies expected to outperform Euro Area
Weakening growth in the eurozone has been an issue on the markets for some time now. In the Central and Eastern European countries, however, this is largely a non-issue. According to forecasts, the region is also likely to grow faster than the eurozone this year. Private consumption in particular has recently proved to be a growth driver. However, the tense situation in German industry is causing concern.