Financial markets gained in August as US shares recovered their losses and soared to new highs. The Australian dollar surged to nearly 74c by month-end as bearish sentiment drove the US dollar to multi-year lows. International shares also rose strongly in August but gains for unhedged investors were offset by a rise in the Australian dollar. Unlike in July, emerging markets retraced some of their gains as fresh tensions between the United States and China sent Chinese stocks tumbling. Government bonds largely also gave back some of their gains as faith in vaccine trials fueled investor optimism and a rise in bond yields. Listed property and infrastructure also gained on rising optimism about the path of economic recovery but the rising Australian dollar offset gains for unhedged investors.
