Before the Bell: Flash PMIs and Federal Reserve in focus December 16, 2020 The pound had a pretty good day yesterday as optimism grows that a UK/EU deal on trade could well be within reach after some positive comments from Irish PM Micheal Martin. “While we’ve been here many times before, the prospect of an imminent deadline can help concentrate minds, and despite some push back over fear [...]
Trading platforms flying high on back of pandemic December 16, 2020 Trading platforms have reported record profits as more people stuck at home during lockdowns took a gamble on the stock markets.
FTSE 100 slips ahead of London lockdown as job losses mount December 15, 2020 The FTSE 100 slipped into the red as London prepared itself for a new lockdown and job losses climbed, with the index bucking the trend of European and US markets which rose amid positivity about coronavirus vaccines. London’s biggest index was down 0.5 per cent in afternoon trading to 6,501 points. The FTSE 250 was [...]
FTSE 100 lags but pound jumps as markets weigh Brexit latest December 14, 2020 The FTSE 100 lagged behind its European peers as the pound rose the most in nearly two months after the UK and EU agreed to extend post-Brexit trade talks. Elsewhere, stocks climbed strongly amid signs of progress in US stimulus talks, and as the country prepared to roll out the first coronavirus vaccines. London’s main [...]
Pound jumps more than one per cent after Brexit talks extended December 14, 2020 Investors have driven the pound up more than one per cent against the dollar and euro amid optimism about the extension of Brexit talks. Yesterday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen agreed to “go the extra mile” and extend the deadline for trade talks. Von der Leyen said [...]
Households could be automatically switched to cheaper energy tariffs December 13, 2020 Households could find themselves automatically switched onto cheaper energy tariffs under new government plans set to be released this week. The proposal is an attempt to crack down on energy suppliers which move customers onto higher “default” deals after their initial contracts end. The BBC reported that the plan would be unveiled as part of [...]
EU banks losing appetite for exposure to Brexit Britain December 12, 2020 Banks in the European Union may be losing their appetite for exposure to Britain, the EU’s banking watchdog said yesterday. There are concerns in the bloc that a no-deal Brexit, which is looking increasingly likely, could disrupt financial markets. Britain will stop having full access to the EU after 31 December, and many banks in [...]
Pound slumps as no-deal Brexit gloom hangs over markets December 11, 2020 The pound has fallen sharply against the dollar as markets react to the growing chances of a no-deal Brexit, with increasingly pessimistic noises coming from the UK and EU. Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday said there was a “strong possibility” the two sides would fail to reach a deal. Ursula von der Leyen, president of [...]
Green bonds: ESG, sustainable or impact investments? December 11, 2020 | City Talk In this article, we provide an updated estimate for the green bond premium (“greenium”) in the Euro (EUR) market. We validate the common hypothesis that green bonds tend to trade a tighter spread (lower yield) than comparable “brown” bonds, and we offer some conclusions on green bond investors. The first green bond was issued in [...]
FTSE 100 slips as no-deal Brexit comes into focus December 11, 2020 The FTSE 100 opened lower as investors digested the prospect of a tighter lockdown in London and a no-deal exit from the EU transition period. London’s blue-chip index fell 0.1 per cent to 6,594 points in early trading. The FTSE 250 of slightly smaller firms dropped 0.2 per cent. The pound – which has been [...]