FTSE 100 surpasses 2016 highest point to close at record high as miners drive end-of-year gains December 28, 2016 The FTSE 100 surpassed its record highest close on Wednesday as investors started returning to their desks after the Christmas break. London’s blue chip index was one of the top performing indices worldwide as mining stocks drove it above its highest previous close to reach 7,106.08 points. That beat the 7103.98 point close set in April 2015. Sterling's continued [...]
Oil prices: Brent crude slips below $55 a barrel as stronger dollar and expected Libya output increase weigh on market December 23, 2016 There's been little Christmas cheer for oil today, with Brent crude has slipping below $55 a barrel after a stronger US dollar and higher estimated oil output from Libya weighed on the market. The global benchmark has slipped 0.54 per cent to $54.74 a barrel, while US sweet crude is down 0.59 per cent to $52.64. [...]
Are world stockmarkets good value going into 2017? December 22, 2016 | City Talk Global stock markets have seen a turbulent year, but surprised many with the resilience shown after the Brexit vote and the US presidential election result. Both the US and UK markets are significantly ahead of where they started the year, as is Japan, although Europe – which faces a series of major elections in 2017 [...]
Monte dei Paschi shares swing wildly as bailout fails but FTSE 100 and Europe shares flat December 22, 2016 Shares in Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) were swinging wildly on Thursday as investors digested the news that the Italian bank is set for a government bailout. Shares were suspended after steep falls. They closed at €16.30 on Wednesday, but traded at lows of €14.71 after opening at €15.00. However, they then recovered quickly [...]
This French energy giant thinks oil could be at $10 a barrel by 2025 December 21, 2016 Oil prices could fall to as low as $10 per barrel within a decade as a 'tsunami' of threats could undo demand. That prediction comes from Engie SA’s innovation chief, Thierry Lepercq, who says that oil demand will be hit on multiple fronts. He lays out five 'tsunamis': solar power, battery storage, electric vehicles, “smart” [...]
This is what analysts expect to happen to the oil price in 2017 (spoiler: things are going to get better) December 21, 2016 It's been a turbulent year for oil markets. After bottoming out at below $27 a barrel in January, global benchmark Brent crude looks set to end the year at more than double that price, averaging at the $55 a barrel mark. Analysts believe Brent crude will have an even rosier start to 2017, when prices [...]
The Dow closed just shy of the 20,000 mark today, while the dollar reached a 14-year peak December 20, 2016 The US dollar hit a 14-year peak today, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq closed at record highs as global markets continued to monitor fallout from yesterday's attacks in Turkey and Germany. The Dow neared the 20,000 threshold today, but it stopped just short at a record closing high of 19,974.01, up 0.46 per cent. The strong dollar [...]
Spot gold prices shed recent gains as investors steer clear of safe havens despite deadly attacks in Germany and Turkey December 20, 2016 Spot gold prices slid lower today, shedding gains made in the previous two sessions. The price of the yellow stuff fell 0.9 per cent to $1,127.94 an ounce in afternoon trading London time, according to data from Bloomberg, after optimistic remarks on the US labour market by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen strengthened the possibility of further interest rate [...]
Anti-fracking campaigners from North Yorkshire lose High Court challenge against fracking application December 20, 2016 The High Court has ruled that fracking can go ahead in Yorkshire after environmental campaigners lost their legal challenge today. North Yorkshire County Council granted a shale gas fracking permit to developer Third Energy in May this year, the first application to gain approval since a ban on fracking was lifted in 2012. Third Energy [...]
Should investors bulk up on bulk commodities ready for a bumper 2017? December 20, 2016 Resources firms were among the biggest victims when animal spirits were at their worst. Could they be among the biggest gainers now that fund managers have a spring in their step? Too much overcapacity, sluggish growth, debt piles, reduced dividends… Yes we’ve heard it all before. But 2016 has been another transition year for the [...]