COP21 and how to profit from tougher environmental regulation: Investors buy shares in companies which make the world cleaner, greener and safer after the Paris climate talks December 1, 2015 As global leaders meet this week in Paris at the United Nations climate conference, there’s only one industry welcoming the prospect of greater regulation – the firms which help people comply with the rules. This latest round of climate talks, known as COP21, involves 160 countries debating ways to tackle climate change. While the [...]
Why Saudi Arabia won’t back an Opec output cut – CNBC Comment December 1, 2015 What do you do when your carefully crafted plan simply doesn’t pay off? Do you abandon it, cut your losses, but risk losing face, or hold on, risking further economic pain? Saudi Arabia’s oil minister must be pondering that very question ahead of the December Opec meeting. Exactly one year ago, Saudi Arabia, Opec’s largest [...]
Deferred pay-offs: Executive pay should be linked to long-run performance December 1, 2015 With activists anxious for the UN’s climate change conference in Paris to reach an agreement limiting the average global temperature increase to 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels, many commentators warn against the catastrophe which awaits us, and the benefits which might come from deferred gratification. Long espoused by successful business leaders, like Amazon’s Jeff [...]
Euro-dollar trader? Look elsewhere this week November 30, 2015 With the euro tumbling nearly 950 points since mid-October, how much further can euro-dollar drop? Some say to $1.0450, others parity. We don’t disagree with either of these outlooks and the FXCM SSI index shows that retail traders are still net long the euro-dollar. As it’s a contrarian indicator, it suggests we should remain net [...]
China dominates sentiment in listless market – eToro Tips & Picks November 30, 2015 If there are no unexpected developments in the Middle East or any other major news events, the next few days are likely to be reasonably quiet for the US and European markets. Investors seem to be watching and waiting ahead of Friday’s US non-farm payrolls report and Janet Yellen’s speech. Even if the markets [...]
Property of the Fortnight: The £15m penthouse at the heart of the Swinging Sixties November 30, 2015 If only the walls could speak in this £15m penthouse, they could spill the beans on some of the biggest stars of the Swinging Sixties. Sitting across the top two floors of the Curzon cinema in Mayfair, this impressive 3,469sqft property is the home of Dave Clark, the musician and manager of Beatles’ rivals The [...]
Focus On Dalston: Why City workers still dig it November 30, 2015 Dalston may have become a byword for a certain type of bearded hipster in recent years, but there’s much more to the area than meets the eye. While Hackney has been through a tremendous change, Dalston has probably seen the greatest amount of it next to Shoreditch. There are now too many hot bars and [...]
Top tips for first-time buyers in London November 30, 2015 Getting on the property ladder is hard work, especially if you’re looking to buy your first home in London. According to Savills, the average deposit for a first time buyer is currently 68 per cent of their household income, but that rises to 177 per cent in London. But with a couple of helpful announcements [...]
HSBC Lloyds Barclays Santander Nationwide Standard Chartered face Bank of England stress tests November 30, 2015 NULL