Market & Portfolio Update - January 2025
Global share markets had a positive month, ending December up +0.9% in local currency terms. This caps off a strong year, with global share markets up +26% in 2024.
The US was the primary driver of global returns, as inflation cooled and consumer spending remained strong throughout the year. Investors were also bullish on strong earnings growth for tech companies, and stocks surged following Donald Trump’s re-election in November.
The New Zealand share market also had a strong year, ending up +12% in 2024 – its best performance since 2020. Some of this gain is attributable to investors anticipating a more positive business environment. Starting with an initial cut in August, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) cut rates by a total of 1.25% during the year. These cuts were in response to domestic inflation falling from 4.7% to 2.2% in 2024, back within the RBNZ’s target range of 1-3%.
Market & Portfolio Update - April 2025
Global markets began April with some volatility as investors digested “Liberation Day” tariffs announced by the Trump administration. In particular, investors feared a tariff war would lead to higher inflation, lower global growth, and the potential erosion of the historic ‘safe haven’ status enjoyed by the US dollar. However, the markets recovered a significant portion of these losses following the announcement that all reciprocal tariffs except China’s would be delayed for 90 days. Due to the volatility, global markets were down -3.8% for the month.
Staying Cyber Smart
At Lifetime, looking after your financial wellbeing includes helping you stay safe online. Lately, we’ve seen an increase in online scam attempts across the financial sector here in New Zealand, so we thought this was a good time to share a few friendly reminders on how you can stay protected.