City watchdog proposes clampdown on high risk spread betting instruments December 7, 2018 City watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today proposed a clampdown on the sale of certain risky financial instruments to retail customers, in a move that could hit the already struggling spreadbetting sector hard. The FCA proposed a ban on the sale, marketing and distribution of binary options to retail customers and a restriction [...]
Bitcoin crashes to 15-month low after SEC postpones ETF decision again December 7, 2018 Bitcoin has fallen to its lowest value in more than a year as it slipped closer to $3,000. The cryptocurrency hit $3,348 this morning, according to Luxembourg crypto exchange Bitstamp, after a sell-off starting late last night that saw it lose as much as 7.8 per cent in value to drop to its lowest point [...]
Huawei chairman steps into CFO role after Canada arrest sparked global sell-off December 7, 2018 Chinese tech company Huawei has appointed its chairman as acting chief financial officer following the arrest of CFO Meng Wanzhou in Canada. Liang Hua will take on the additional responsibilities of CFO after a turbulent day for the company saw its share price fall by 4.46 per cent. The news rocked markets, triggering a sell-off in Asia, Europe and the US as [...]
Volatile day for stocks after Huawei executive’s arrest sparks trade fears December 6, 2018 US stocks closed down today despite fierce fightback in the final hours of trading as the arrest of a top Chinese executive sparked a volatile day of trading. The Dow Jones fell more than 500 points at one point after the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of telecoms giant Huawei, reignited fears about [...]
Plenty for Just Eat to chew on as it falls out of FTSE 100 to be replaced by engineering firm Spirax-Sarco December 6, 2018 Just Eat shares were down five per cent this morning as the company took stock from being demoted from the FTSE 100 yesterday. The food delivery company, which has come under siege in recent years from competitors Deliveroo and Uber Eats, dropped out of the top tier index as FTSE Russell announced the winners and [...]
Oil prices drop as Saudis hint Opec output cuts could be lower than expected December 6, 2018 Oil prices have dropped sharply this morning as Saudi Arabia hinted that a proposed cut in output could be smaller than expected. International standard Brent Crude fell 4.9 per cent bringing the price to $58.71 per barrel. Oil producers’ cartel Opec is meeting today in Vienna in order to decide on a possible cut in [...]
UK Investors forecast returns of 8.1 per cent – with UK millennials expecting more December 6, 2018 | City Talk UK investors expect annual returns of 8.1 per cent over the next five years, according to a major new global study. The finding, part of the Schroders Global Investor Study 2018, marked a notable fall from an expectation of 8.7 per cent in the UK in last year’s study. The returns, based on the average expectation of [...]
FTSE 100 plunges to a two-year low as US-China trade war fears intensify December 6, 2018 The FTSE 100 plunged to a two-year low today as US-China trade war tensions weighed on European stocks. London’s main index fell by as much as 2.5 per cent this morning as blue-chip companies were burnt by fears that China and the US trade war could intensify after a key Huawei executive was arrested overnight. [...]
Culture and creativity will drive a new golden era for the UK and China December 6, 2018 The strength of Britain’s technological and creative industries, combined with the longstanding value of its archetypal brands, has given rise to a growing desire among Chinese companies to invest in the UK. This follows on from the strong trade ties between the two nations. The UK exported £22bn worth of goods and services to China [...]
Is DIY investing a cheap trick? December 6, 2018 | City Talk As passive investors, we sometimes get asked by clients and prospects: “Why don’t I just invest in passive funds and exchanged-traded funds (ETFs) directly myself?” And at first glance, DIY investing may seem like the cheapest way to invest. But some professional services can actually work out as a much more cost-effective means of investing, [...]