CASE STUDY REGUS – ANTHONY BROWN, GLOBAL DIRECTOR March 28, 2012 One of the biggest challenges of video conferencing is that, because of so many early launches, people can have a misconception of video conferencing as being crackly and poor quality. But video communication has now come of age, not just with the HD picture but also the sound. With stereo audio and HD video it [...]
Apple gains again despite Wall St slide March 27, 2012 US stocks retreated from near four-year peaks yesterday, while a batch of large-cap shares hit new highs, with the help of portfolio managers snapping up top performers near the end of the quarter. With the first quarter ending on Friday, portfolio managers adjusted holdings by buying some of the best performers to dress up their [...]
Oil stocks lead the FTSE 100 lower despite good gains in bank shares March 27, 2012 HEAVYWEIGHT oil stocks dragged Britain’s top shares lower yesterday, reversing earlier gains that had been driven by strength in banks and miners, as investors proved loath to push the blue-chip index back up to 2012 highs. The FTSE 100 index closed down 33.15 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 5,869.55, near session lows having swung [...]
Dow Chemical sets infrastructure gold in its sights as a top sponsor March 27, 2012 COUNTDOWN TO THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES 121 DAYS TO GO Q What was your brand’s primary reason for being involved with the Games? A Dow became the official chemistry company to the Games and a worldwide sponsor in July 2010, when it announced its partnership with the IOC. That runs through 2020. Dow has [...]
Helicopter Bernanke hints at QE3 March 27, 2012 THE dollar had a roller coaster ride yesterday as Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke gave an indication that a third round of quantitative easing could be on the cards. Speaking at the National Association for Business Economics Conference in Washington, DC, Bernanke stated that, though there has been some strengthening of labour market conditions, long-term [...]
THE TIPSTER Swiss franc finds itself in neutral territory against the dollar March 27, 2012 WITH the dollar taking a hit this week, the Swiss franc has rallied to four-week highs against the greenback. But right now, the pair is in the middle of nowhere, with good support waiting below to offer buy opportunities at SFr0.8950 and strong resistance sitting above at SFr0.9150. Might be best to wait and see [...]
Bernanke’s words boost US markets March 26, 2012 THE S&P 500 rebounded from its worst week so far this year to retake a four-year high yesterday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke signalled supportive monetary policy will remain even though the job picture has begun to improve. The three major US stock indexes climbed 1 per cent or more and all 10 S&P [...]
FTSE posts a two-week high on upbeat data and US policy March 26, 2012 BRITAIN’S benchmark share index posted its biggest daily gain in two weeks yesterday, as expectations of looser US monetary policy and brighter German data gave investors fresh reason to push the market towards a retest of recent eight-month highs. The FTSE 100 closed up 47.81 points, or 0.8 per cent, at 5,902.70. A surprise improvement [...]
INNOVATIVE SHOE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY COULD ALLOW NIKE LEAP TO NEW HEIGHTS March 26, 2012 FX 360 ONE of the more bizarre footwear trends to recently hit the streets of New York is the foot glove fitness shoe that literally has space for all the five toes mimicking the look and feel of someone walking barefoot. These fitness shoes, which have become all the rage among long distance runners, are [...]
Potential pitfalls ahead for the euro March 26, 2012 THOUGH Europe seems to have moved past its calamitous period of bumbling from one disaster to the next, there are still potential pratfalls ahead for the euro. The two biggest obstacles this week are signs of German slowdown and wobbles in the expansion of the Eurozone’s rescue infrastructure – also heavily dependent on the German [...]