Obama’s path to popular prosperity February 11, 2013 The US immigration debate has implications for financial markets BARACK Obama, in his State of the Union address tonight, is expected to lay out an ambitious agenda for his final term in office. For now, staving off a growth-killing sequester or government shutdown next month is the main preoccupation of markets. But over the longer [...]
Analyst picks for 12 February 2013 February 11, 2013 CURRENCY STRATEGIST CHRIS VECCHIO My pick: Short Aussie-dollar and sterling-dollar Expertise: Fundamental and technical analysis Average time frame of trades: A few hours to a few days Amid weaker economic data coming out of Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions, both the Aussie and sterling have weakened, and the dollar has gained strength. US treasury yields [...]
Market braced for bad news in Inflation Report February 10, 2013 ECONOMISTS have warned that markets should be braced for bad news this week as the Bank of England releases its quarterly update on the UK’s financial outlook. “The upcoming Inflation Report is likely to project that inflation will still be clearly above the two per cent target two years ahead, and perhaps not even back [...]
US bull market to face further tests in March February 10, 2013 THE US stock market is no stranger to strong performances in January, only to see the lofty gains early in the year transition into months of grinding action that goes nowhere. That’s what happened in 2011 and 2012, and some analysts think 2013 could follow the same routine. Markets are higher this year in the [...]
Why sometimes it pays to return to square one February 10, 2013 JASON Goldberg and Bradford Shellhammer, founders of the overnight internet sensation Fab.com, were almost too busy for our conversation to take place. That may be an occupational hazard if you’ve made it your mission to “change the world”. Fab.com is the hugely successful flash-sale site, that sells design items as diverse as furniture and jewellery [...]
Chess players may be nerds but they sometimes pack a punch February 10, 2013 I THINK I closed my eyes as the other boy pounded my face, punch after punch. It seemed I had no defence. Trying to hit him back or to block him was just useless. The minister eventually broke us up, and it was only then that I burst out crying. “I didn’t come to church [...]
Buying an existing firm has its pluses February 10, 2013 ENTREPRENEURS found start-ups. Being entrepreneurial means starting a new company, with an original idea, or a more efficient process. Or so the old story goes. But does it need to be this way? Not according to professor Miguel Meulemann of Vlerick Business School in Belgium. Meuleman has launched a new initiative at the school – [...]
FTSE weighed by banks and luxury goods February 7, 2013 THE FTSE 100 fell sharply yesterday as traders took profits on an index that has outperformed Europe this year, with banks leading losses after comments by key policymakers. The FTSE 100 closed down 66.92 points, or 1.1 per cent, at 6,228.42, lagging major European peers. The index has been the stand-out performer in Europe since [...]
US stocks drop on fears over euro’s outlook February 7, 2013 US stocks declined yesterday, taking a step back from their recent advance, prompted by comments by the ECB president on the euro and Europe’s outlook. The euro currency dropped against the safe-haven dollar and yen, spurring a retreat from risky assets such as stocks, after European Central Bank president Mario Draghi said the exchange rate [...]
Fund managers help FTSE 100 edge up again February 6, 2013 THE FTSE 100 nudged into positive territory yesterday on a strong showing from asset managers following robust results from Hargreaves Lansdown, which outweighed declines in energy stocks. The FTSE 100 closed up 12.58 points, or 0.2 per cent, at 6,295.34, having risen 0.6 per cent the previous session after suffering its sharpest one-day percentage drop [...]