The world of investing is often characterized by its cyclical nature, with periods of significant growth, known as bull markets, inevitably followed by periods of decline, or bear markets. Understanding the historical patterns of these market phases can provide valuable perspective for investors. A recent report from Mercer, titled "Bull & Bear Charts" as of June 2025, offers a deep dive into these trends for both the Australian All Ordinaries and the US S&P 500 indices.
Read MoreGlobal economic growth picked up in the second half of 2021 following the lifting of mobility restrictions, and is forecast to remain above trend in 2022. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been disruptive but is not anticipated to have a large or sustained impact on growth. Inflation in many countries has persisted at multi-year highs and has broadened in scope. Central banks in advanced economies still expect inflation to moderate, but have raised their inflation forecasts for 2022 and have emphasised the considerable uncertainty surrounding this outlook.
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