Contributor: Kerry Craig | J.P Morgan Asset Management

The end of the rate hiking cycle could lead to higher equities and a rally in bond markets as yields fall.

The near-term risk surrounding the real estate market, and in particular the office sector, are less acute than first thought for regional banks.

A summary of the factors driving markets over the last month, covering the global economy as well as major asset classes, complete with Guide slides.

Stay informed on the current economic landscape and gain valuable investment perspectives from industry experts.

The hawkishness of the U.S. Federal Reserve at its December meeting set the tone for markets in December, even as there is clear evidence that inflationary pressures are easing across large swaths of the developed world.

November was a strong month for risk assets even as economic data in many parts of the world continued to deteriorate. The market was buoyed by the prospect of slowing inflation and that central bank policy would shortly follow suit.

October saw a return to risk as equity markets gained and bond yields fell. The slowdown in the pace of rate hikes by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and Bank of Canada and messaging from others, was interpreted as a signal we are passing the peak in monetary policy hawkishness.