By Jan-Patrick Barnert, Bloomberg markets live reporter and strategist
Stock markets are entering the new year with sluggish momentum and subdued sentiment, leaving equities vulnerable to a list of near-term risks that could trigger volatility at a moment’s notice.
The record-breaking rally of 2024 stalled last month on the back of November’s US election-driven surge. The S&P 500 notched its third-worst December of the past two decades, while global stocks closed the fourth quarter in the red for the first time since 2018. And today Chinese stocks are heading for their worst start to a year in nearly a decade.
