Looking for the next threat to your returns January 23, 2012 THOUGH difficult to predict which of the many hotspots of conflict – military or political – will flare up next, with crude and equity prices moving in close correlation with risk sentiment, it is worth looking at the risk hotspots that have the potential to drive price over the coming months CRUDE BEHAVIOR Crude prices [...]
AUSSIE TOP MIGHT BE NEAR January 23, 2012 AS THE old adage goes, in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king. In the currency market the Aussie has become the one eyed man. Starved for yield, FX investors continue to flock to the Australian dollar, despite growing evidence that growth down under is decelerating quickly. Last week Australian employment [...]
Analyst picks for 24 January 2012 January 23, 2012 STRATEGIST JOHN KICKLIGHTER My pick: Short S&P 500 Below 1,300 Expertise: Fundamental and technical analysis Average time frame of trades: 1 day to 1 week The fundamental outlook for global growth and financial stability is crumbling and yet, risk-based assets continue to nudge higher. This disparity is founded in hope of unnatural calm and stimulus. [...]
Uncertainty holds sway over the FTSE January 23, 2012 GFT DAVID MORRISON The FTSE 100 fell 6 per cent last year, which was bad news for buy and hold investors. Its performance compared poorly with the major US indices: the Dow Jones Industrial Average managed a 5 per cent gain, while the broader-based S&P 500 index ended flat. Nevertheless, the UK index easily outperformed [...]
THE TIPSTER January 23, 2012 THERE is a lot of speculation surrounding oil explorer Rockhopper. With takeover talks lingering, it could only be a matter of time before an announcement is made. However, we have seen this stock rally from 30p to over 500p, and then drop like a stone to 150p, so the only thing we know for sure [...]
WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD January 22, 2012 STOCKS rising, bulls rampant are motifs you might pick if designing a coat of arms for Wall Street at the moment. But the motto should read: Caveat emptor. Yes, buyer beware. The S&P 500, a broad measure of the market valuation of the biggest US publicly traded companies, is up 20 per cent from its [...]
At least world won’t end in 2012 January 22, 2012 AMONG the many gloomy predictions for the coming year, what really catches the eye is the one that says the world will end on 21 December 2012. This is, debatably, the prognosis of the Mayan calendar of eschatology. If the world were really to end on that date, one suspects it would come as a [...]
A Brit in New York who is truly getting stuck in January 22, 2012 MOST students don’t even consider setting up a business, but at university Will Dean founded an alternative graduation t-shirt company to compete with UK universities’ offerings. He later took near-monopolistic control of the global supply of antique Bollywood posters. But this was small fry compared to his current company: Tough Mudder. After finishing university he [...]
We should embrace and foster success – not disincentivise it January 22, 2012 IT IS good news that Sir Richard Branson, still the UK’s most famous self-made businessman, will be speaking at this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Liverpool – the first ever to be held in Europe. Taking place from 9 to 16 March, this is the world’s largest gathering of “startup champions”. Branson says: “A [...]
Bank stocks lead the way as the FTSE continues its climb January 19, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index closed higher yesterday, led by banks after bullish earnings from their US peers and with hopes building that the recent coordinated action by central banks and the IMF would be enough to avoid an economic crisis. The FTSE 100 index rose 38.78 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 5,741.15, after breaking [...]