Three potential nightmares haunting investors this Halloween

Barclays Smart Investor takes a look at markets

Equity and bond markets have been increasingly volatile in recent weeks as investors have reacted to rising US interest rates, concerns about the escalating trade war between the US and China, and the ongoing Brexit rumblings.

Much of the falls in equity markets in particular are so far down to little more than speculation, with company results remaining broadly robust across many sectors, but jitters are nonetheless turning into something more meaningful as losses start to accumulate. Are we at the end of the cycle of losses, or the start of something more terrifying such as a sustained downturn? Time will tell, but there are some potential events which are looming large in investors' minds. Below Will Hobbs, head of investment strategy at Barclays Smart Investor, looks at three potentially ghastly scen...