US sees small gains on slow trading day February 14, 2011 ENERGY and commodity shares lifted Wall Street to modest gains yesterday, but the lowest volume so far this year indicated the equity rally may be near a top. The Dow Jones industrial average dipped 5.07 points, or 0.04 per cent, to 12,268.19. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 3.17 points, or 0.24 per cent, [...]
Don’t blame speculators for soaring food prices February 14, 2011 Experts often tell us that retail investors should steer well clear of speculating in the soft commodities market. It’s too risky, they warn, with too many variables for the average private investor to make a fully informed choice. Chuck in a splash of unpredictable weather and a dash of political interference, and it’s all too [...]
GEOPOLITICAL RISK HAS NOT GONE AWAY February 14, 2011 CFD MARKET STRATEGIST, GFT The major US, European and UK stock indices continue to grind higher. Geopolitical concerns have been shrugged aside as investors bet that Mubarak’s departure will lead to a calmer period in Egypt and elsewhere. However, it would be premature to conclude that the intensity of the civil unrest across North Africa [...]
THE TIPSTER February 14, 2011 AFTER its troubles over the last few months it seems that Rolls Royce is continuing to impress potential clients. The continuous stream of servicing contracts is positive enough to keep the company share price recovering after the recent engine issues. The share price has continued this recovery since the issues towards the end of 2010, [...]
FTSE will open higher but relief over Egypt may wane February 13, 2011 A positive start is expected for stock markets this morning, continuing the relief rally that began on Friday when President Mubarak’s decision to stand down was announced. GFT is quoting the FTSE 100 index to open up 15 points from Friday’s close, at a level of 6,077. Elsewhere in Europe the German Dax is called [...]
From banker to barman: the man behind Boujis February 13, 2011 CHUCKLING at Prince Harry falling out of a nightclub just wouldn’t be the same if the club wasn’t a club like Boujis. Its reputation for exclusivity and A-list guests make it the ideal setting for high-class drama. Matt Hermer, the owner and entrepreneur behind the bar, however, is not as starry eyed about the place. [...]
UNIVERSITY IS A WASTE OF TIME FOR MOST February 13, 2011 ENTREPRENEUR, SJD ACCOUNTANCY I BELIEVE that for the vast majority, university is completely pointless. I think that three years of “further education” fails to educate the masses about real life and the ways of the world. It’s counter-productive and robs people of learning how the real world works, rendering them brain-dead system surfers. The media [...]
After Afghanistan, a battle with ice and solitude on the way to the Pole February 13, 2011 PRINCE Harry is not there when I meet the Walking with the Wounded trek team. They have just finished an eight-day training excursion in the glacial wilderness above the Norwegian ski resort of Beitostolen; their longest yet, an expedition that saw them trapped in their tents by 50-mile-an-hour winds for 38 hours on end. But [...]
Don’t trust everything people say February 13, 2011 TRADERS short on oil suffered a brief shock last Thursday. In early trading, a rumour began circulating, originating from a relatively minor Arab news site that the King of Saudi Arabia had died. Despite the implausible nature of the story – it was reported that King Abdullah died during a heated phone debate with Barack [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD February 13, 2011 COMPANY NEWS ● Barclays will release its full year results tomorrow. ● Miner BHP Billiton will release its half year results on Wednesday. ● French bank Societe Generale will release its fourth quarter results on Wednesday. ● On Thursday, bank BNP Paribas will release its fourth quarter results. ● BAE Systems will release its full year results on Thursday. [...]