LLPs need to watch out for bullying risks February 22, 2011 THE pressure on partners to perform is a constant characteristic of a professional firm. In such an environment perhaps it should not come as a surprise when the behaviour of some high calibre individuals falls short of the mark. Generally, firms are alive to the dangers of employees being bullied, particularly following the case of [...]
CASE STUDIES| NEWS FROM THE COURTS THIS WEEK February 22, 2011 SHARE-RAMPING BAN UPHELD The Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery) has upheld the decision of the FSA to fine and issue a prohibition notice to a stockbroker involved in a share-ramping scheme. Graham Betton had 30 years experience and was the managing director of his firm. The scheme involved unauthorised trading of his clients’ accounts and [...]
FTSE falls to two-week low as chaos in Libya unsettles traders February 21, 2011 THE top share index fell yesterday as tensions in oil producer Libya sent crude prices sharply higher and jolted investors out of riskier assets such as banks and miners. The FTSE 100 index ended down 68.19 points, or 1.1 per cent, at 6,014.80, its lowest close since 4 February. It pulled back sharply after a [...]
Europe suffers in Middle East unrest February 21, 2011 EUROPEAN shares fell sharply yesterday after unrest in Libya fuelled concern over energy supplies and sapped investor risk appetite, with Italian stocks among the hardest hit. A rise in the level of violence between protestors and the government of autocratic Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi over the weekend prompted a broad-based share pullback across the region, [...]
Soft commodity traders could be hung out to dry February 21, 2011 GROUPS of older ladies like to coo over small children’s cotton socks, otherwise this soft commodity didn’t use to cause too big a stir. That is until now: in the last month the price has broken from a three-decade range, rocketing to $2 a pound – that is a 40 per cent increase since January. [...]
IRELAND’S ELECTION MAY ROCK MARKET February 21, 2011 CFD MARKET STRATEGIST, GFT NEWS of the civil unrest across north Africa, the Middle East and central Asia has rightly dominated the headlines this month. However, despite yesterday’s FTSE fall, equity investors have mostly brushed aside any concerns they may have and continue to buy dips whenever they occur. But it could be that political [...]
Don’t let your CFD provider take you for an expensive ride February 21, 2011 THE tail end of last week saw reports that the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) had upheld a barrage of complaints surrounding transaction charges on Contracts for Difference (CFD). With this in mind, what should you look out for and what should you do to keep your CFD earnings intact? Martyn Jones of the Financial Ombudsman [...]
THE TIPSTER February 21, 2011 SILVER surged to a 30-year high on Monday as Libyan unrest sent commodity prices soaring. Add this to the market’s talk of huge demand for immediate delivery of silver (the rumour on Friday was that the COMEX exchange was short large amounts of silver for March delivery). This talk of a squeeze added more than [...]
Partial G20 accord to give moderate lift to shares February 20, 2011 A mildly positive start is expected for stock markets this morning, as risk appetite returns after a G20 summit that resulted in few big surprises. GFT is quoting the FTSE 100 index to open up five points from Friday’s close, at a level of 6,087. Elsewhere in Europe the German Dax is called up seven [...]
S&P 500 is on a great rolling boil February 20, 2011 BRING up to a rolling boil then leave for…. How long exactly? That is precisely the question that spread betters everywhere are asking about the S&P 500. It’s been climbing for two years now, smashing through glass ceilings like a highly caffeinated new-age woman. But – realistically – how long can the rally last? The [...]