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The big surprises of 2023 and what it means for 2024
Published Wed, Dec 27, 2023 · 05:00 AM
INVESTORS have plenty to celebrate in 2023. As measured by the MSCI World Index, global equities grew over 20 per cent while long-term interest rates fell, leading to price gains for bonds. This is a pleasant surprise, as at the start of the year.
Many forecasters were expecting a recession in the United States due to the elevated inflation: 6.5 per cent for Consumer Price Index (CPI) and 5.7 per cent for core CPI against the Fed’s target of 2 per cent.
Several market pundits also expected inflation to be sticky due to a myriad of structural dynamics such as de-globalisation and energy transition.