The US investor’s weekly Barron’s isn’t renowned for its sense of humour but I couldn’t help but wonder if its editors were joking when they ran an article asking “Are You Ready for Dow 20,000?” Yes, that’s four zeros on the end, not three!

James Finucane, a highly respected stock strategist, has apparently been looking at the charts and reckons that the market has beaten itself up too badly, resulting in a series of buy signals. Finucane – who, according to Barron’s, was a world-class pool hustler in his youth – suggests that global governments have a “clear incentive to promote growth” whatever the cost, and that their support should act as a cushion for the huge wall of liquidity looking to move back into the market.