Global Investing

On Friday 283 companies in the S&P 500 had a dividend yield higher than the 10-year Treasury yield, at yesterday’s close this had fallen to 266 but remains very high compared to the last 5-years.

Italian consumer morale plunged to its lowest level on record in May as Italians’ pessimism over the state of the economy plumbed new depths.

Germany set a zero coupon on its new Schatz, the first time it has done so on debt of such maturity. The bid to cover ratio for the new bond at the auction was 1.7, compared with 1.8 at a sale of two-year debt on April 18.

The average yield at the sale was 0.07 percent.

London’s premier department store Selfridges has already opened a Christmas shop with festive decorations and accessories (Christmas comes 141 days early), so it is no surprise that some fund managers are already looking ahead for next year onwards.

David Miller, head of alternative investment at Cheviot Asset Management, thinks investment in the period 2010-2012 will be driven by the impact of demographic trends, such as Generation Y — those born since 1978, all of whom grew up with the Internet.

However, as far as investment markets are concerned Baby Boomers (1946-1964) are still in the driving seat both as spenders and savers.