Trade with care, as copper’s future looks uncertain April 4, 2011 TRADERS going long on copper over the last few years would have made enormous profits, as it rebounded from its collapse following the financial crisis. But its momentum has been flagging since February’s peak. There are still many copper bulls, but it is looking less like a one-way bet. Adding to the complexity of the [...]
THE TIPSTER April 4, 2011 THE Falklands rollercoaster continues. The latest twist is that Falklands Oil and Gas (FOGL) is to take over operatorship from partner BHP Billiton. This means FOGL maintains control over its exploration programme, but has the benefits of BHP sharing the costs of drilling and depositing funds in an escrow account. Investors may be tempted at [...]
FTSE expected to dip as traders take some profits April 3, 2011 The first 100-point gain for the FTSE 100 index on Friday since the start of the year is likely to prove too much of a temptation for those looking to bag some profits this morning, with the usual headaches still tormenting the markets: oil and the European debt crisis. In out-of-hours trading, GFT is forecasting [...]
Taking a punt on FTSE 250 companies April 3, 2011 THERE are tax, leverage and other advantages to using spread betting to get exposure to equities. For some investors, of course, these benefits may not offset the time and skill needed to negotiate the spread betting markets. However, some markets are easier than others to manage, with the FTSE 250 the best place to start. [...]
THE TIPSTER April 3, 2011 THIS week sees a fourth quarter trading update from Marks & Spencer. The impact of the VAT hike, rising commodity prices and careful consumers will make for interesting reading. With so many others on the high street struggling, there is no real hope of a good performance from M&S. Overseas ambitions may well help in [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD April 3, 2011 COMPANY NEWS • On Monday, investors will be keen to hear EnQuest’s view on the recent tax rise for North Sea producers that was included in last week’s Budget. The steady rise in oil prices should ensure a solid set of results. Future strategy and any change in production targets may have a further impact. [...]
Jim Mellon: wise words from a master investor April 3, 2011 WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE MARKETS TO TRADE IN? Forex and indices. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF SPREAD BETTING? Tax, convenience, leverage and cost. WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE MADE BY TRADERS? Sticking with losers. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON FOR A TRADER TO LEARN? Don’t trade unless you have a high degree of [...]
TRADE BETTER BY REVIEWING YOUR RESULTS April 3, 2011 TOM HOUGAARD CONSULTING ANALYST, INTERTRADER HERE is an exercise that my own trading coach Steve Ward taught me. I may be paraphrasing, but to the best of my recollection these are his exact words: “Tom, you will never make the progress you want, if you don’t go back and review your old trades. On your [...]
Real world social networking helps to keep the Silicon Roundabout turning April 3, 2011 FORGET Silicon Valley and Cambridge’s Silicon Fen, the Silicon Roundabout celebrated by David Cameron in a speech late last year is the UK’s newest and coolest hub of entrepreneurship. Dozens and dozens of IT start-ups lie just around London’s Old Street roundabout, spreading into Shoreditch and further east. The area’s cheap rent drew them in [...]
FTSE ends six-day rally after Irish bank stress test results March 31, 2011 BRITISH bank shares fell on further concerns about the state of finances in the peripheral Eurozone countries, dragging the country’s top shares lower by the close yesterday and ending a six-day winning run. Ireland said its four remaining banks require another €24bn ($34.1bn) to enable them to withstand potential losses from a worsening of the [...]