Tausi Insider

Will the next bull market in stocks resemble the previous one? Don’t count on it. As major North American benchmark indexes rise from recent lows in October – punctuated by Thursday’s strong rally based on data that showed easing U.S. inflation in October – it is only natural to ponder whether the worst of this year’s sell-off is behind us. There are still many threats hanging over the market, of course. Inflation remains a threat, central banks will likely continue to raise interest rates, there is a looming recession and corporate profits are slowing. Nevertheless, observers are now wondering what themes might drive the next sustained rally and what leaders might emerge. There is a significant payoff for anyone who gets it right. Stocks that tap into sweeping secular trends can produce stunning long-term gains, in some cases not only leading the stock market over a number of years, but defining it. Think of technology stocks in the 1990s, the commodities boom prior to the 2008-09 f...

Oil prices rose over 1 per cent on Monday after China’s move to reopen its borders boosted the outlook for fuel demand and overshadowed global recession concerns. The rally was part of a wider boost for risk sentiment supported by both the reopening of the world’s biggest crude importer and hopes for less-aggressive increases to U.S. interest rates, with equities rising and the dollar weakening. Brent crude was up $1.29, or 1.6 per cent, at $79.80 a barrel by 1:29 p.m. EST (1829 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.32, or 1.8 per cent, to $75.09. “The gradual reopening of the Chinese economy will provide an additional and immeasurable layer of price support,” said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. The rally followed a drop last week of more than 8 per cent for both oil benchmarks, their biggest weekly declines at the start of a year since 2016. As part of a “new phase” in the fight against COVID-19, China opened its borders over the weekend for the first time in three years....