The tide turns

Italians will head to the polls in the spring to elect their next government. Despite recent electoral reforms, Charlie Diebel explains why Italian uncertainty is unlikely to disappear.

With the global economy improving, central banks need to be ever watchful, and tighten policy in good time, to ensure siren calls on asset bubbles continue to ring hollow, says Michael Grady.

A recent trip to Central America and the Caribbean revealed much about the attractions and pitfalls of frontier markets, explains Aaron Grehan.

The US yield curve has historically provided an accurate barometer of the economic outlook. But it is wrong to conclude the recent flattening is pointing to a recession, argues James McAveley.

Global high yield has been among the stronger asset classes in 2017, but with spreads already squeezed, where can investors find value?

The bail out of two Italian lenders highlights that progress towards banking and fiscal union will be far from straightforward, argues Oliver Judd.

Since the financial crisis, bond volatility has fallen to historic lows. But changes to the structure of the fixed-income markets suggest volatility could be set for a comeback, creating risks and opportunities for investors.

As the mountainous scale of global debt continues to climb, investors are advised to heed the lessons of the past, argues Chris Higham.