The Markets Daily

Covid-19 interrupted the normal operation of things globally, and continues to remain a threat to a return to “normal”. Some of Japan’s biggest metro’s are facing extended emergency conditions given the continued spread of the virus and Melbourne moves back to lockdown, while locally there is much speculation on the possibility of tightening of lockdown restrictions as the third wave adds pressure to our medical system.

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As I cower beneath a fleece blanket next to the heater with only my fingers peeking out enough to reach the keyboard, I realise that winter is here. Temperatures might be dropping but the general risk climate remains toasty and warm.

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The term ‘what a difference a day can make’ is tired and overused but oh so familiar.

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I’ve been following a crime documentary recording the most prolific art heist in history. The theft at Boston’s Isabella Gardner Museum in 1990 is still unexplained with more than US$500m of precious oeuvres unaccounted for. 

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It is always good news when there is a ceasefire, so the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after 11 days of intense conflict can only be seen as a positive development.

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Once bitten, twice shy. An appropriate idiom to characterise my own feelings on cryptocurrencies. There’s some measure of composure after the seesaw price action on Bitcoin in Asia this morning. That level of volatility is not particularly characteristic...

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After a really slow start to the week the news flow has intensified today. The major event for the day on the global front though will be the release of the Fed’s minutes. 

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The news feels quite slow today – that is not to say there is no news – just from an economic point of view, it has been thin pickings. Similarly, there aren’t too many data releases out today, but one which has definitely piqued concern has been the worse than anticipated 1Q21 contraction in Japan’s economy. 

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It seems a bit of a coincidence that Eskom begins stage 2 loadshedding one day before SA starts stage 2 of the covid-19 vaccine programme.

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Cocomelon is as familiar to parents or caregivers of toddlers as market axes are to traders. As one of its 100 million subscribers (not willingly, I assure you) I often find myself humming one of its many popular tunes. Sad, I know. Post traumatic stress some might call it, but truth be told, the show provided the inspiration for today’s title: Are we there yet?

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