Pacific Perspectives
Investors turn to the ‘HALO’ trade amid war, AI jitters
As the conflict in the Middle East rages on and investors wait for the next catalyst to set in motion either a dramatic rebound in the sharemarket or a prolonged period of volatility, strategists are…
The S&P 500 shrugs off 1% and 2% daily drops all the time. Investors can, too, financial advisors say
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/05/stock-market-drops-investors.html
Nvidia CEO Huang says $30 billion OpenAI investment ‘might be the last’
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the company’s recent $30 billion investment in OpenAI “might be the last time” it invests in the artificial intelligence startup before it could go public toward the end of the year. Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/04/nvidia-huang-openai-investment.html
As the conflict rages on, it’s inflation, not war, worrying investors
Investors may have hit the panic button on Wednesday on fears of an extended conflict in Iran, but strategists are still expecting equity markets, which have until recently been trading at or near record levels,…
‘Benign’ market reaction to Iran conflict threatens to turn violent
Goldman Sachs chief executive David Solomon said he was surprised that global markets did not react more violently to the wave of missile strikes between the United States, Israel and Iran given the growing likelihood…
Wilson makes ‘modest profit’ betting against Australian sharemarket
Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson says he has sold an investment that makes money when the Australian sharemarket falls, netting a modest profit, after Treasurer Jim Chalmers attacked him in parliament for talking down the economy.…
The U.S. is not the place to be for investors in 2026 so far. Where they are turning to for gains
One significant trend has emerged this year: The biggest winners this year are abroad. Emerging markets stocks represented by the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) are higher by more than 7% this year, while all non-U.S.…
What’s next for global markets as oil surges and stocks plunge on Middle East conflict
Assets from stocks to bonds sold off across the globe on Tuesday, as the intensifying conflict in the Middle East fueled risk-off sentiment. It came as the U.S.-Iran war entered its fourth day, marked by more…
March rate rise on the cards after Bullock’s reality check
Bond traders have ramped up their bets for another interest rate increase in Australia this month after Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock issued a warning to the market that every policy decision was “on the…
Global gas supply crunch looms as Qatar halts production
Australia’s LNG exporters are set to benefit from a surge in prices after the escalating war in the Middle East forced major gas producer Qatar to halt operations, but industry analysts say their capacity to…