The five ‘mega-forces’ to watch out for on the sharemarket in 2024

Investors are betting on interest rate cuts and an economic soft landing in 2024, after hopes that the US Federal Reserve has tamed inflation drove a powerful rally in the world’s biggest sharemarket this year, led by soaring technology stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 rose about 5 per cent over 2023, compared to the strong growth on Wall Street on the back of tech stocks: the S&P climbed 23 per cent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq soared 40 per cent. US shares were near all-time highs this week. The transition to a lower carbon economy is one factor that will shape 2024. Credit: AP Expectations about interest rate cuts have been a critical…