Global Macro Events Continue to Take Center Stage February saw markets continue to inch upward because of a temporary resolution to the Greek debt crisis. A second bailout was approved by European leaders, pending a bond swap in which private creditors are expected to accept a write-off that would significantly reduce Greece’s sovereign debt. Also
A Strong Start to the Year The S&P 500 has risen by almost 7% so far in 2012, causing investors to wonder whether the economy is slowly improving or whether this growth was merely the result of the January effect. Global economic news have generally been positive-it included China’s slight drop in fourth-quarter GDP (as
2011: A Look Back 2011 ended with the S&P 500 almost flat after a tumultuous year. As Europe continued to be of concern, markets loved the coordinated central bank maneuver that ensured liquidity across global financial systems in order to calm panicky investors. Although a global economic slowdown is very real, given the possibility of