THE TIPSTER | Rebuilding dominance September 24, 2012 AS TALK of a housing recovery gains momentum, investors may be looking to add growth-orientated stocks to their portfolio. Persimmon has seen tough times since the onset of the financial crisis, with shares falling from their peak above 1,500p. However, the house builder has added 67 per cent to its share price this year and [...]
Traders fear nervous consumers September 24, 2012 THE link between the willingness of a consumer in Indianapolis to go out and buy a new car and the volatility of an exchange-traded derivative may not be immediately obvious. But, in a world where central banks have long since abandoned traditional monetary policy, interest rates are at rock bottom, and the US Federal Reserve [...]
Analyst picks for 25 September 2012 September 24, 2012 CURRENCY STRATEGIST CHRIS VECCHIO My pick: Long Australian dollar-dollar Expertise: Fundamental and technical analysis Average time frame of trades: A few hours to a few days A descending trendline from the highs of 9 August and 23 August has kept the Australian dollar-dollar pair supported over the past four days. A base could now be [...]
Bank to update on UK lending September 23, 2012 THE UK corporate week begins with a busy day today, as a raft of companies update the market. Dairy Crest, Manganese Bronze, Qinetiq, Finsbury Food, Shore Capital, A.G. Barr, Brady and Petra Diamonds are all set to give reports. Tomorrow brings further company news from Albemarle & Bond, Close Brothers, and The Daily Mail and [...]
Wall St The week ahead September 23, 2012 US stocks could struggle to stay close to nearly five-year highs this week as worries mount about third-quarter earnings and the market appears primed for a pullback from recent stimulus-driven gains. A bevy of economic reports, including durable goods orders, will grab attention, particularly after the Federal Reserve unveiled its plan on 13 September for [...]
Absolutely inconsistent funds September 23, 2012 ABSOLUTE return funds aim to deliver positive returns – even in falling markets. Unlike other fund sectors, which are defined by the assets they hold, absolute return is defined by its performance. The sector has £24.7bn of funds under management, about 4 per cent of the retail fund market. However, some experts are concerned that [...]
Being a plucky trailblazer can leave you spitting feathers September 23, 2012 THERE is always a lot of talk about first mover advantage. But is it overrated? The benefits are quite clear: being first to the market means you may have a monopoly, with no competition. This allows you to charge a higher price than otherwise. The other big benefit is that your brand becomes strongly associated [...]
FTSE drifts lower as fears over UK’s economic outlook leads to caution September 20, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index wilted yesterday after economic data painted a bleak picture of prospects for a rebound in activity in the United States, Europe and China, heightening concerns over company earnings and valuations. The UK’s FTSE 100 closed down 33.84 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 5,854.64, continuing to edge away from 6-month highs [...]
Morale on Wall Street bucks weak US data September 20, 2012 THE DOW industrials ended slightly higher last night while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq cut most of the day’s losses in a sign that investor sentiment remains generally positive despite several weak manufacturing surveys from around the world. Pockets of strength included housing, with an index of housing stocks up 0.8 per cent, following [...]
Surge in banking shares helps FTSE to maintain its near 6-month high September 19, 2012 STRENGTH in banks and energy stocks hauled Britain’s leading share index higher yesterday as fresh central bank stimulus moves, this time from the Bank of Japan, whetted investors’ appetite for riskier-perceived assets. The BoJ joined in recent action from the US and Europe with bond purchases designed to kick-start its economy as central banks aim [...]