The week ahead

It was another strong week for sharemarkets around the world, once again led by the US. The S&P 500 posted its fifth consecutive weekly gain, which sees it up almost 15% this year and some 23.3% above its October 2022 lows. The Federal Reserve meeting was a highlight and while the US central bank left interest rates unchanged, further hikes could be looming in the months ahead. Meanwhile, the March quarter GDP report took centre stage here in New Zealand, but was it really bad enough to be considered a recession? We'll cover all of these developments and more, as well as sharing our thoughts about what investors need to keep an eye out for in the upcoming week.