Normally staid bond markets seem highly strung lately, but there are reasons to hope for some loosening up

Economic data has been confusing for a while. Thankfully, there’s a central bank hiatus just big enough to slip Wimbledon into.

The Bank of England is throwing the kitchen sink at runaway inflation. Will it be enough, and are there some things that are outside its control?

UK inflation may shock gilt markets this week. But if so it’s likely to be a passing phase as price rises continue to cool over the summer.

Commodities have fallen from their lofty 2022 heights, so are they starting to get interesting again? The team discuss the fortunes of everything from foodstuffs to metals through energy, given the ever-changing backdrop for commodities. Meanwhile, is AI the revolutionary force people are excited about, or another fad generating a bout of market hype? Will long-time holding Adobe, a digital marketing tool supplier known for the humble PDF, harness AI or get eaten by it?

All eyes are on the direction of central bank monetary policy. After expecting a policy pivot, investors now think the most likely outcome is a skip in tightening followed by a hop to pause mode before a jump to interest rate cuts.