Latest Japan quake knocks FTSE despite banking gains April 7, 2011 BRITAIN’S top share index fell yesterday after a second large earthquake to strike Japan within a month knocked investor confidence, with traders wary of further losses once Asian markets open. The FTSE 100, which fell more than four per cent after the March earthquake in Japan, closed down 33.76 points or 0.6 per cent at [...]
Aftershock upsets Wall Street trading April 7, 2011 US STOCKS fell yesterday after a major aftershock hit Japan, which caused injuries and renewed concerns about industrial supply disruptions and nuclear power. Investors sought protection against further market declines, which sent the CBOE Volatility Index VIX up 2.2 per cent to 17.27. VIX futures also rose as investors bet the index could rise above [...]
FTSE nears seven-year high as M&S boosts retail sector April 6, 2011 BANKS helped drive Britain’s top shares to a near seven-week high yesterday following a Portuguese debt auction, while Marks & Spencer rose on better-than-expected sales, lifting sentiment in retailers. The FTSE 100 ended up 34.07 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 6,041.13, its highest closing level since 18 February. Lex van Dam, hedge fund manager [...]
Demand for tech stocks lifts Wall St April 6, 2011 THE S&P 500 index inched upward on relatively light volume yesterday, with investors adding to winning positions in technology stocks, but avoiding large bets ahead of corporate earnings due next week. After days of struggling, the broader market index broke above the closely watched 1,333 level. The next closely watched technical point is 1,344, the [...]
Forget the made-for-TV nonsense, the race is on to find real apprentices April 6, 2011 DAVID Willetts, the minister for universities and higher education, courted controversy when he suggested that graduates should consider starting a business if they were struggling to find work. But some of the City’s finest took this to heart and cooked up an idea to boost Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit and give the UK’s best and brightest [...]
Sun shines for the start of new tax year April 6, 2011 THE excitement of the end of tax year rush to fill up your tax free Individual Savings Account (Isa) may be over, but don’t fret. Yesterday’s sunshine and birdsong heralded the start of a new tax year and the chance to start investing in a new Isa. This tax-year also sees a rise in the [...]
Junior Isas to match adult savings funds April 6, 2011 IN LAST month’s budget, the chancellor announced the arrival of the Junior Isa scheme, which will become available in November of this year. The Junior Isa is a replacement for the Child Trust Fund (CTF), but will do away with the government contribution of the previous scheme (see the table below). The Junior Isa will [...]
Profit from the energy of Brazil’s private sector April 6, 2011 THE Brazilian stock market has beaten its fellow Brics – Russia, India and China – since 2002 and its future looks strong. Carlos de Leon, who manages the Allianz RCM Brazil fund, is an advocate for the country’s long-term potential. Whether in energy, healthcare, education or retail, de Leon believes that Brazilian companies will be [...]
FTSE lags over China’s rate hike and European debt fears April 5, 2011 BRITAIN’S top share index edged lower yesterday as miners fell on concerns that an interest rate hike in China could hurt demand for metals and banks dropped on worries over European debt. The FTSE 100 closed down 9.92 points, or 0.2 per cent, at 6,007.06, having rallied 7.4 per cent off lows hit in March [...]
Low volumes see Wall St tread water April 5, 2011 THE S&P 500 failed to break a key technical resistance level for a second day yesterday as low trading volume raised further questions about the market’s strength. The broader market index closed slightly below 1,333, a closely watched level as it represents double the low reached in March 2009. Trading volume was relatively low with [...]