Why openness may be hurting your business August 11, 2015 Informing workers of executive issues could cause panic From compliance to corporation tax, transparency is increasingly expected of businesses. The advantages of openness are many, and it can lead to greater loyalty from both customers and colleagues. But there are also downsides to more radical forms of transparency, which may result in a fractured [...]
Oil prices: A game of chicken or headless chickens? – CNBC Comment August 11, 2015 Forget QE and low base rates, the real great global stimulus – in the form of tumbling commodities and most importantly oil – continues and it’s hard to see what’s going to change any time soon. This huge transfer of wealth from commodity producers to consumers has shown little sign of abating. In oil, the [...]
Bulls and bears clash over copper price: Buying opportunity or time to short? The outlook for the industrial metal August 11, 2015 Copper prices are at five-year lows and experts are divided over whether the industrial metal has further to fall – or is due for a rebound. In the last week traders have been going short copper in droves – betting the price will fall and making money when it does. US traders held net short [...]
Copper price rebound could spell success for Chile and Peru stock markets August 10, 2015 Chile and Peru’s stock markets could be set for a rebound if copper prices pick up, analysts are predicting. Economists expect copper prices to rise by the end of the year from their current multi-year lows. UBS is forecasting copper will reach $6,700, while Capital Economics expects $6,250. This could represent a buying opportunity for [...]
Non-farm payrolls shook opportunities out the market – eToro Tips & Picks August 10, 2015 AFTER last week’s payrolls in the US surprised with a weaker than expected reading, a previously directionless market has been opened up to a whole host of opportunities. Gold prices jumped aggressively after the US non-farm payrolls showed growth of 215,000 jobs rather than the expected 270,000. They had been hovering at lower support levels, [...]
The secret to successful career change August 9, 2015 Don’t worry about making the wrong decision – your skills are your currency It’s the time of the year when, once again, employers are investing in a range of programmes to attract and recruit a diverse range of young people. UK university leavers have more job opportunities available to them than at any other [...]
Saudi Arabia heads to the debt markets as low oil prices weigh on budget deficit August 7, 2015 Saudi Arabia will head to the debt market seeking $27bn as low oil prices begin to weigh on the country's finances. The Kingdom is planning its first sovereign bond issue since 2007, and reportedly hopes to raise $5.3bn each month until the end of the year through tranches of five, seven and ten-year bonds. [...]
Why the office is killing your creativity dead August 7, 2015 Staying late at work is a sign of inefficiency rather than dedication This short article was written in the following places: on the stairs of Opera Holland Park; by the carousel at Heathrow’s Terminal 5; at a themed house party; and at home while watching The Bridge. Inspiration never comes when required. The [...]
The case against career planning August 6, 2015 Seek to transplant your skill-set into new territory and be ready to manoeuvre For many, the path from university lecture theatre to a seat on the board seems clear enough, if you can get the intervening stages right. But the structures of companies are changing, and as organisations get flatter, the greasy pole may become [...]
Go commando: Military tactics for businesses August 5, 2015 Invest in onboard training and establish a dynamic of trust While the aggressive nature of business is often wryly compared with armed conflict, commerce might do well to adopt some military practices. According to a working paper by the US National Bureau of Economic Research, chief executives with military experience were found to be [...]