Analysis

Emerging market debt held up well relative to other asset classes in 2008, and in 2009 has performed strongly as global financial markets have rallied.

The UK economy is struggling but it is not all bad news in the stock market.

Expectations that the July IPD Monthly Index would show an increase in capital values after two years' declining figures were not met, falling short at -0.1%.

It has, on the whole, been a positive time for markets, and enthusiastic investors have been rewarded accordingly.

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The S&P 500 has risen more than 40% since the lows witnessed earlier this year.

Corporate bond markets provided investors with great opportunities over the course of the past few months, contrasting with the view of many that the area is comparatively sleepy.

Despite frequent waves of negative news, there are several bullish trends emerging for the US economy and its stock market.

Since March this year the Asia Pacific markets have rallied strongly, as investors anticipated that loose monetary policy and government stimulus packages would be enough to trigger a recovery.

The overall economic picture, from the combined newsflow at macro and individual company level, is one of uneasy stability.