Lessons from the career of Amazon’s Jeff Bezos July 2, 2014 The remarkable success of Amazon’s founder shows the value of always asking “why”. Amazon recently turned 20, and Jeff Bezos, its founder and chief executive, can stake a fair claim as one of the most influential entrepreneurs of his generation. His company has reshaped the way books, clothes, electronics and thousands of other [...]
Focus on fees: How investors can build a low-cost portfolio July 1, 2014 Index and exchange-traded funds are increasingly popular, but don’t forget about platform fees With the new Isa (Nisa) rules now in force, investors are looking at how to get the most bang for their buck out of the new £15,000 annual allowance. And while the performance of investments is key, and low-cost tracking options will [...]
The new Isa: Three things you need to know about it July 1, 2014 The new Isa (Nisa) is a day old and, despite speculation that a rush of investor funds could wobble providers’ systems, savers shouldn’t be deterred from making the most of the enhanced benefits of the liberalised tax wrapper. What has changed? Among several new rules, the amount of money an individual can shield within the [...]
New Machiavelli: Political nous is crucial in offices July 1, 2014 Knowing your firm’s social networks will help you get things done. Niccolo Machiavelli gets a bad rap these days. His name is used as a byword for the ruthless scheming that makes some organisations toxic places to work. But according to a new paper – Power in Management and Organisation Science, by Peter [...]
CNBC Comment: Why Draghi can’t relax this summer June 30, 2014 WHO’D be a central banker? As soon as you restore bond and equity markets to calm or even optimism, investors start fretting about something else. Most major Western economies have returned to economic growth, and countries that were causing sleepless nights just a couple of years ago, like Spain and Ireland, appear to be market [...]
DailyFX Tips & Picks: Searching for volatility: What traders should look for June 30, 2014 THE DAYS when we would experience broad-based US dollar gains or sell-offs are long gone. With forex volatility reaching new lows, traders need to adapt and turn picky when choosing which currencies to trade. So what has been (and will likely continue to be) a good leading indicator of volatility? RELATIVE YIELD SPREADS With the [...]
DailyFX Tips & Picks: Analyst’s pick June 30, 2014 CHIEF STRATEGIST JOHN KICKLIGHTER My pick: Long Aussie-dollar, short Kiwi-dollar, short sterling-Aussie Expertise: Fundamental and technical analysis with risk management Average time frame of trades: One day to one week Market conditions are the number one concern moving through this week. The US Independence Day market holiday has a history of draining liquidity and anchoring [...]
How to combat productivity dips June 30, 2014 Discovering the secrets of your body clock can make a serious difference to efficiency Forcing yourself to work through the afternoon slump is often an unpleasant necessity – modern life rarely provides the opportunity to pay attention to our body clocks. But you don’t have to rely on cold, hard determination, brisk walks and endless [...]
The new Isa: How to make the most of your Nisa June 29, 2014 Despite dwindling interest rates, with the right approach, even sticking to cash can mean you are quids in Announced in the Budget, the new, enhanced and simplified Isa arrives tomorrow. Allowing investors to shield up to £15,000 a year away from the taxman – up from the current £11,880 limit for stocks and shares Isas [...]
The new Isa: Where to invest your beefed-up Nisa allowance June 29, 2014 The fund managers are tipping European equities and a focus on long-term capital growth through income With the new Isa (Nisa) annual allowance of £15,000 (up from £11,880 for stocks and shares Isas) due to come into force tomorrow, savers looking to top-up their investments are faced with a difficult choice. The popular play of [...]