US interest rates and gold: what’s next for global markets? June 17, 2019 | City Talk This week’s main focus across financial markets is likely to be the US interest rate decision on Wednesday evening (19:00 BST). There is unlikely to be any actual change to interest rates but, as usual, traders will be watching out for clues about the Federal Reserve’s sentiment on the state of the economy and future [...]
Ted Baker share plunge fails to attract buyers June 17, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Despite sinking to prices not seen since 2012, investing in Ted shares remains hugely speculative. Ted Baker (LSE:TED) shares are trading at levels not seen since November 2012 after another profits warning accelerated the de-rating of this former high-flying lifestyle brand. Whereas Ted’s shares had once been reassuringly expensive at around 30 times [...]
UK households positive about future finances for first time in eight months June 17, 2019 UK households have turned positive about their future finances for the first time since November last year as wages continue to grow. Financial health expectations for the next twelve months moved into the positive in June, according to the latest IHS Markit household finance index. Read more: UK households set to spend £63.4bn on international [...]
Morrisons and Amazon: Retail’s newest BFFs June 14, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Extending its relationship with the world’s biggest retailer is shrewd business by Morrisons’ CEO. The quiet revolution at Morrisons (LSE:MRW) under chief executive David Potts continues to impress after the supermarket chain extended its partnership with online giant Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN). Whereas its rivals have looked to grow through consolidation – with Tesco (LSE:TSCO) buying Booker and Sainsbury’s (LSE:SBRY) trying to [...]
Why the world economy is like a wobbly bike June 14, 2019 | City Talk Three months ago we said “the easing in US-China trade tensions, more flexible central banks and the benefits of lower oil prices should stabilise activity later this year and support an upgrade in our global growth forecast for 2020”. However, two of those supports have now fallen away and we are more reliant on looser [...]
Brent crude soars after Gulf of Oman tanker attack June 13, 2019 | City Talk An attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman sent crude prices up on Thursday, putting the industry at the core of rising tensions in the region. As the US Navy said it was assisting the tankers in waters close to the Strait of Hormuz, Brent crude surged as much as 4.5 per [...]
The high five: your guide to the most valuable start-ups June 13, 2019 | City Talk It was the year of America’s 200th birthday, of a scorching heat wave in the UK followed by a huge sterling crisis, and it was the year that the only unelected president in US history, Gerald Ford, went down at the polls to the former Governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter. Less remarked at the time [...]
Dividend star British American Tobacco gets cheaper June 13, 2019 | City Talk The well covered payout is an invite to income seekers, but the shares are falling after this update. This relatively upbeat first-half trading statement comes against what has been a torrid time of late for British American Tobacco (LSE:BATS). Last year was an “annus horribilis” for the company, with the shares halving in value amid concerns around [...]
DEBATE: Should we get rid of best-buy lists for investment funds following the Neil Woodford scandal? June 13, 2019 Should we get rid of best-buy lists for investment funds following the Neil Woodford scandal? Shaun Port, chief investment officer of Nutmeg, says YES. As the Financial Conduct Authority highlighted in its 2017 study, there are concerns around links between funds on so-called “best-buy lists” and the platform providers. The suspension of the Woodford Equity [...]
The potential consequences of the Tenant Fee Ban June 13, 2019 Welcome to a new era, where unscrupulous letting agents are no longer allowed to demand that tenants pay hundreds of pounds in unjustified fees. The new law has been several years in the making, but at the start of this month, it finally became illegal for letting companies in England to charge tenants rip-off fees. [...]