Resilience, risk, and regulatory changes: What lies ahead for the UK finance sector January 3, 2019 As we look ahead to 2019, the banking industry could be excused for trying to catch its breath. A decade on from the financial crisis, the path forward still remains fraught with difficulties. Return on equity remains stubbornly low across the board, while cost-income ratios remain high. This year will clearly be defined through the [...]
With mobile technology, we can empower the world’s unbanked January 3, 2019 Financial inclusion must become the watch-word for 2019. An estimated 1.7bn adults worldwide do not have access to formal financial services – that’s 31 per cent of the adult population who do not have a bank account. Incapable of borrowing, saving, or investing money and protecting themselves, exclusion from the global money system denies these individuals [...]
From Brexit to tariffs, brace yourself for an uncertain 2019 January 3, 2019 Get ready for a 2019 full of uncertainty. On the political scene, headline events range from Brexit to the US-China trade tensions to EU reforms – all coming at a vulnerable stage in the business cycle, with half of US chief financial officers expecting a recession in 2019, and over 80 per cent by 2020. [...]
Chris Tremlett: Honours are there for the taking for England in 2019 with the World Cup and Ashes approaching January 2, 2019 England begin 2019 in a great place: full of confidence and with honours there for the taking. The tour of the West Indies, which starts this month, is followed by the 50-over World Cup and the Ashes, which are both on home soil. It is a combination which presents a brilliant opportunity. Having beaten India [...]
Why cryptocurrencies are here to stay December 21, 2018 If common perception is to be believed, we’re currently watching the death of cryptocurrencies. Without doubt, there is cause for some concern. This year has been terrible for speculators, with a deeply entrenched bear market taking hold, and the price of bitcoin falling by around 80 per cent. The year also hasn’t resulted in the envisaged uptake [...]
Don’t ruin Christmas by bringing Brexit to the dinner table December 21, 2018 The build up to Christmas has almost reached its agonising conclusion. Since November, when the first few flinching bars of Slade seeped from the radio, we’ve crawled through endless reels of TV adverts and Christmas lights. It’s nearly over, though; the bonus has been frittered on tat for loathed relatives, the out-of-office message is on, [...]
DEBATE: As the year draws to a close, do we still have reasons to be cheerful? December 21, 2018 As the year draws to a close, do we still have reasons to be cheerful? Viscount Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist, says YES. Yes, we do. A lot went wrong in 2018 for a lot of people; but a lot more went right. Levels of absolute poverty, rates of infant mortality, age-adjusted death rates [...]
The immigration white paper is a case study in self-sabotage December 21, 2018 If the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics is true, there are alternate worlds in which Ed Miliband beat David Cameron in 2015 and the Brexit referendum didn’t happen. In these worlds, the core of Wednesday’s immigration white paper would be a laudable liberalisation of non-EU migration to the UK. Instead, it’s a massive blow to our [...]
The best Christmas gift for rail users would be more competition and scrapping HS2 December 21, 2018 This week is set to be one of the busiest of the year for domestic travel. So, as London’s train stations are swamped with those endeavouring to get away for the their holidays, it’s worth dwelling on what would be the best Christmas present for travellers: a properly functioning rail system. Amid the whirlwind of [...]
Ollie Phillips: Johnny Sexton’s outstanding Ireland and dominant Saracens lead my 2018 roll of honour December 20, 2018 There is only one place to start a look back at rugby in 2018 and that’s with its best side. Ireland have been the undoubted stars of the last 12 months. They may not have overtaken New Zealand as No1 in the world rankings, but their first ever home win over the All Blacks last [...]