This analyst thinks consensus is wrong when it comes to US bond yields in 2014 January 2, 2014 Consensus view for growth in the US economy is nothing to shout about, says Societe Generale's Kit Juckes: 2.6 per cent, with CPI inflation coming in at a modest 1.7 per cent. Whilst there's nothing alarming about this, the economics community is looking for a 0.84 per cent two-year Note yield – the highest [...]
US jobless claims fall over Christmas period January 2, 2014 The number of people in the US claiming state unemployment benefit for the first time fell over the Christmas week to 339,000. Consensus had been for a fall to 334,000 from the previous figure of 341,000 (revised up from 338,000). The number of continuing claimants the week before (20 December) also fell to 2.83m – [...]
Why you’d be “quite stupid” to stay out of the equity game in 2014 January 2, 2014 According to Saxo Bank's Head of Equity Strategy, Peter Garnry, 2014 is still a good year for equities. Despite worries that US Fed tapering will prompt a major correction, Garnry says there's still plenty of value to be had. Equities are drift assets… they rise because of nominal price increases… you would expect them to [...]
21st Century Fox sells entire Star China TV stake January 2, 2014 21st Century Fox (21CF) and China Media Capital (CMC) have announced today that they've agreed a deal that'll see Star China's management team and CMC acquire 21CF's entire 47 per cent stake in Star China TV. The joint venture, which was formed in 2010 and majority owned by CMC, runs three 24-hour Manadarin [...]
UK manufacturing sector growth slows in December as Eurozone sees rosier results January 2, 2014 The UK's manufacturing sector saw slower growth at the end of 2013, according to Markit's purchasing managers' index (PMI). The survey for December came in at 57.3, remaining on track but just below the estimated 58.0 and November's 58.1. Rates of expansion in new orders and production stayed among the highest in the 22-year history [...]
Ophir leads FTSE 250 fallers on dud well January 2, 2014 Ophir Energy topped the FTSE 250 fallers this morning – down over ten per cent – after it announced that its deep-sea Mlinzi Mbali-1 well is water bearing. The well, which is off the coast of Tanzania, was the first in a series of high-impact, high-risk wells that the oil company will be drilling through [...]
Shell wraps up Repsol portfolio deal for $600m less January 2, 2014 Royal Dutch Shell shares are trading down just over one per cent this morning following news that its acquisition of Repsol's liquefied naturual gas (LNG) portfolio has been completed, but with figures altered compared to the original deal. Shell will pay $3.8bn (£2.3bn), compared with the $4.4bn price given in February, after "certain value adjustments". [...]
Chrysler deal sees Fiat shares rocket 14pc January 2, 2014 Fiat shares jumped 14 per cent this morning after the overnight news that the Italian company will pay an initial $3.65bn (£2.2bn) for the 41.5 per cent of Chrysler it doesn't currently own. The move will create the world's seventh-largest car company, allowing Fiat to integrate operations and maximise economies of scale. Fiat has had [...]
What you need to know before the open – 02/01 January 2, 2014 It's the first session of 2014, and European bourses are set to creep higher following their best year since 2009. Quieter trading (several markets are still closed for holidays) and weaker Chinese data are likely to cap gains today, with manufacturing sector data in focus. Mike van Dulken of Accendo Markets comments: FTSE 100 called [...]
Asian markets have kicked off 2014 cautiously. Here’s why January 2, 2014 It's been something of a disappointing start to 2014 over in Asia, as markets suffer on China's unimpressive manufacturing data and currency troubles. The yen traded today, but Tokyo's equity market is closed until Monday. Asia starts the year cautiously – ASX +0.44%, Shanghai -0.44%, Hang Seng -0.25%, Nikkei +0.69% – Gold $1222.10 – [...]