STRATEGY BEAR EYES A CELEBRITY LIFESTYLE
SOCIETE Générale’s notorious über-bear strategist Albert Edwards has an axe to grind – and this time, it’s nothing to do with those of a sunnier disposition predicting equities are set on an unflinching upward course.
Edwards, in his regular research missive yesterday, told the moving tale of his recent summer holiday, when he nearly lost his wedding ring while swimming in the sea. Apparently, the ring slipped off because Edwards’ missus has recently insisted that he lose some weight, and the trinket has now had to be transferred permanently onto his left middle finger.
“Who can guess at the consequences of this?” grizzles our bear. “Who knows how many women will fail to realise I am married and proposition me? Other equity bears, after all, get invited to high profile celebrity parties by Roman Abramovich…”
He’s speaking, of course, about the Chelsea FC tycoon’s glamorous New Year’s Eve party on the Caribbean island of St Barts at the turn of the year, when fellow gloom-and-doom economist Nouriel Roubini partied the night away with Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé and actor Jason Statham.
But it’s certainly a change of tune for Edwards, who told The Capitalist at the time that he was happy spending the 31st December in front of the telly with his wife. Clearly the life of Riley has its attractions after all.
IT’S A SHOE-IN
Sneaking into Harry’s Bar on Ironmonger Lane on Wednesday evening for a cheeky after-work drink or six, The Capitalist was greeted by a sight which some thought was lost to the City for ever.
There in the bar was a happy little party from Evolution Securities’ technology and retail teams, busy celebrating a colleague’s birthday.
Salesman Damian “Sparky” Sparke in particular was extremely merry indeed, putting the rest of them to shame with his slick moves on the dance floor… but only after he’d downed a fair bit of champagne out of his own shoe. Now there’s a throwback to the good old days if ever there was one.
WINDING DOWN
City superwoman Nicola Horlick has kept an unusually low profile so far this year, since her investment trust Bramdean Alternatives was snapped up by Aberdeen and renamed last November. And with not so much as a ripple to disturb the smooth waters of Mayfair, it nearly passed by unnoticed that Horlick’s holding company, Bramdean Group, is now being wound up after it was placed in members’ voluntary liquidation.
Apparently, Horlick herself is now keeping busy working as a consultant for Aberdeen, though there’s no word as yet on what’ll happen to the investments she was telling The Capitalist about last year, including a couple of funds buying into musical scores from top movies…
MONEY HONEY
Has it really been that long? That’s what the traders at the New York Stock Exchange were asking themselves yesterday as CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo, the original “Money Honey”, turned up to ring the opening bell to mark 15 years since her first live report from the exchange.
A decade and a half later, she’s still reporting and has two books under her belt: Use the News: How to Separate the Noise from the Investment Nuggets and Make Money in Any Economy, and her latest tome The 10 Laws of Enduring Success. The Brooklyn girl certainly done good.