Small FTSE gain expected after capital reforms September 12, 2010 UK stocks are looking to extend recent gains, with traders keeping a broadly relieved but cautious eye on bank stocks as the weekend’s so-called Basel III meetings on European bank capital reform are mulled over. GFT is quoting the FTSE 100 index to open up 8 points from Friday’s close, at a level of 5,509. [...]
WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD September 12, 2010 Investors are using options to brace for big swings this week as Wall Street enters the peak of the most volatile month for stocks historically. Options on the CBOE Volatility Index, Wall Street’s so-called fear gauge, were one of the top-traded contracts in the options market as investors made bets on a sharp jump in [...]
For now, bet long on silver, but keep an eye on gold’s crash September 12, 2010 WHEN Archimedes was given the task of determining whether King Hiero’s commissioned crowd was made of real or fool’s gold, he merely had to sink back into the bath to work out the answer. Unfortunately, traders are experiencing a rather choppier period in their quest to work out if their gold assets are overvalued. With [...]
The zero-point spread has arrived September 12, 2010 INTENSE competition within the spread betting industry has driven providers to narrow their spreads. A decade ago, eight-point spreads were the norm, today the industry average is just two to three basis points. The most liquid markets such as the European indices and currencies often incur a spread of just one point, making it extremely [...]
THE TIPSTER September 12, 2010 Vodafone’s share price has performed really well in the last couple of weeks. Investors are pleased to see the management making all the right noises and implementing radical organisational changes. Confidence has pushed the share price to an impressive 26-month high. Bulls will be hoping for a move upwards to 170p and beyond. Capital Spreads [...]
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS GURU September 12, 2010 CHIEF TECHNICAL ANALYST sandy.jadeja@cityindex.co.uk Q. Dear Sandy, can the financial markets be predicted? A. The short answer is no. But many traders, especially newcomers to the markets, will search for the Holy Grail. They are looking for something which works all of the time or a strategy which can deliver large profits on a consistent [...]
Banks jump on Basel III talk as FTSE hits four-month high September 9, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index rose sharply yesterday to post a four-month closing high, as US weekly jobless claims fell more than expected and further eased concerns of the United States falling back into recession. Economy-sensitive banks were among the top gainers, up 2.3 per cent, also aided by expectations that the new Basel III capital [...]
Wall Street buoyed by upbeat jobs data September 9, 2010 US stocks rose yesterday as stronger-than-expected jobs and trade data helped lift optimism about the economic recovery, although sentiment was fragile as investors fretted over European banks. Financials, hit hard in the August downturn, were among top gainers as new US claims for unemployment benefits fell to a two-month low, while the trade deficit narrowed [...]
Don’t fritter away your cash on gratuitous advice fees September 9, 2010 MANY a City worker spends her hours turning over millions for institutional or super-rich private clients as a matter of course. But when it comes to managing one’s personal wealth, the right strategy can seem far less clear. The perceived security of an independent financial advisor (IFA) can seem appealing, but the fees of the [...]
PERSONAL FINANCE NEWS September 9, 2010 RETIREMENT ADVICE MOST SOUGHT Almost half of all consumers seeking independent financial advice last month sought assistance with retirement planning, the professional advice website unbiased.co.uk said this week. Retirement planning has remained on an upward trend since May this year. Consumers are also increasingly looking for specialist guidance on investment and savings. Karen Barrett, chief [...]