Money
Democracies slapped with Covid-19 debt bills
New Zealand is officially in a recession, while Australia is teetering on the brink
Some of the world’s island nations, which shut themselves off from the rest of the world during the global health emergency are paying a high price.
Economic data from New Zealand shows the country of five million recently entered aa recession—two consecutive quarters of negative growth.
Democratic nations were among those to implement strong health measures aimed to containing the spread of Covid-19.
However, funding the extra spending led to extra debt, which has been carried through the post-Covid environment.
Greg Jericho is the Policy Director at the Centre for Future Work at The Australia Institute, who said the pandemic was uncharted waters for many decision-makers.
“It’s always a little bit difficult to cast around blame for how governments and even central banks acted during the pandemic.”
The International Monetary Fund recently published data examining gross and net debt for 2022.
It showed G20 nations are bearing the brunt when it comes to post-Covid recovery.
“There was this sense that essentially the pandemic is gone.
“There was this since that we’re out of lockdowns and things will go back to normal. We have not grasped that it wasn’t a once in 100 year medical shock, it was a once in 100 year economic shock,” Jericho said.
Money
Global markets outperform US stocks by largest margin as AI tech rallies in 2025
Global markets outperform US stocks in 2025, marking widest gap since 2009 as international gains surge
Global markets outperform US stocks in 2025, marking the widest gap since 2009 as international gains surge
– Global markets outperformed U.S. stocks in 2025, with international equities showing significant gains.
– Helen Jewell highlighted that international performance was key, aided by the U.S. dollar’s decline.
In 2025, U.S. investors watching AI stocks closely may have missed the bigger picture: international markets delivered their strongest performance against U.S. equities in over three decades. While the S&P 500 rose just 15%, foreign markets outperformed by more than 10 percentage points, led by South Korea, Peru, and other European nations.
Helen Jewell, BlackRock’s CIO, highlighted that the dollar’s 13% decline earlier in the year further amplified returns for Americans holding foreign assets. This marked the widest performance gap since 2009 and reminded investors of the value of diversification beyond domestic tech giants.
Continued Tech Rally
Nvidia, Tesla, and Palantir Technologies emerged as the most-viewed ticker pages on Yahoo Finance in 2025. Nvidia alone attracted 250 million page views, while Palantir soared an eye-popping 140% for the year. Despite this hype, the S&P 500 lagged behind global peers, showing that concentrated U.S. tech gains can mask broader market opportunities.
U.S. stocks saw a boost after Micron Technology exceeded earnings expectations, jumping 10% on strong AI-related demand. The Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund also gained 1.5%, driven by semiconductor optimism. However, analysts warn investors to avoid over-concentration in U.S. tech, even if AI-driven rallies persist into 2026.
As portfolios prepare for next year, the key question is whether semiconductor demand will expand beyond AI applications. Diversification remains essential, balancing excitement over tech gains with the risks of narrow market exposure.
Money
Australia’s sharemarket set for weakest annual return in three years
Australia’s sharemarket set for weakest return in three years; gains from gold and critical minerals offset blue-chip losses.
Australia’s sharemarket set for weakest return in three years; gains from gold and critical minerals offset blue-chip losses.
Australia’s sharemarket is on track for its weakest annual return in three years, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index expected to finish 2025 up around 6 per cent. Investors are feeling the impact of major losses from blue-chip companies, including Commonwealth Bank and CSL, which have dragged overall performance.
Despite the slow year, certain sectors provided a boost. Gains were largely driven by surging gold prices and rising interest in critical minerals, helping offset some of the losses from larger companies.
Smaller companies in the resources sector outperformed their larger counterparts, highlighting a shift in investor focus towards niche opportunities and high-demand commodities.
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Money
US stocks surge amid AI hype despite market volatility
US stock market bounced back, S&P 500 up 16% in 2023, driven by AI excitement amid policy uncertainties.
US stock market bounced back, S&P 500 up 16% in 2023, driven by AI excitement amid policy uncertainties.
The US stock market has experienced a rollercoaster year, with the S&P 500 nearly entering a bear market in April due to tariff concerns. Investor sentiment shifted following policy changes from President Trump, setting the stage for a dramatic rebound.
By June, the S&P 500 was hitting new records, fueled by excitement over artificial intelligence and its impact on the tech sector. Corporate profit forecasts improved, contributing to an overall annual gain of 16%, despite ongoing market fluctuations.
Yet, the S&P 500 still trails international markets, reflecting lingering policy uncertainties in the US.
Investors are watching closely to see how domestic and global factors will shape the next year.
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