Gold and the Vix: why the two fear indices matter June 11, 2012 FOR the last four years, pictures of traders with their hands on their faces have been a staple of financial newspaper picture desks. And that doesn’t seem to be anywhere near to ending. Markets are jumpy, with the doomed €100bn gamble to bail out Spain’s banks. But volatility and market uncertainty needn’t be traders’ enemy [...]
LONDON REPORT June 10, 2012 THE week starts with a quarterly trading statement from grocer Tesco, which is expected to report a fall in earnings because of tough economic conditions and fierce competition. Tomorrow will see the release of the UK’s latest industrial production and manufacturing data, plus a speech from Paul Tucker, deputy governor of the Bank of England. [...]
WALL ST THE WEEK AHEAD June 10, 2012 US stocks will get a lift today after Eurozone finance ministers agreed to lend Spain up to €100bn (£80.8bn) to help its battered banks. The surprisingly large amount of aid removes a huge cloud that has been hanging over financial markets, with investors fearing that a banking crisis in the Eurozone’s fourth-largest economy could have [...]
Ella’s Kitchen has been cooking on all cylinders June 10, 2012 ANY parent fighting against the near-impossible battle to keep their toddler’s diet healthy will have heard of Ella’s Kitchen. Gracing the shelves of the nation’s supermarkets, Paul Lindley’s gastronomic creations are a contemporary take on uniform baby food and a healthy alternative to sweets for snacking kids. Lindley claims the success of Ella’s Kitchen is [...]
Smarta businesses could win £10,000 June 10, 2012 WHILE the Eurozone crumbles around us, businesses and entrepreneurs are working hard to build upon the shifting rubble. Here is snapshot of their latest activities: ■ The 2012 Smarta 100 competition launches today. It’s a celebration of the most exciting and disruptive small businesses, with a cash prize of £10,000 for the overall winner. The [...]
Hunt for treasure you enjoy – at least you’ll get emotional returns June 10, 2012 TO MANY, a report on “treasure” might not sound intrinsically financial, conjuring images of pirates, shipwrecks and chests stuffed with gold doubloons. However, owning items that are financially valuable, emotionally pleasing and culturally significant is a timeless tradition that shows no sign of abating. Treasure assets – items such as precious jewellery, fine art, wine, [...]
The case for investing in the artistry of rare gold coins June 10, 2012 THE rare coin market encompasses over 2,500 years of history. It’s dominated by a backbone of collectors who offer stability as long-term holders with a passion for collecting. Growth is currently coming from both collectors and investors. It is a result of a combination of very low interest rates, extreme volatility within traditional investment markets [...]
FTSE jumps as Chinese rate cut and UK services stats hearten traders June 7, 2012 BRITAIN’S top shares hit a three-week high yesterday as China’s surprise move to cut interest rates and firm UK services sector data boosted investors’ appetite for risk, although charts signalled strong resistance on the way up. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s comments that her country stood ready to use the existing instruments already created in the [...]
Investors find no sign of QE3 from Bernanke June 7, 2012 THE S&P 500 ended barely changed yesterday as optimism about China’s interest-rate cut was offset by Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s comments that dimmed hopes for more US stimulus. Both the Dow industrials and the Nasdaq ended off session highs, with the Dow rising modestly for the day and the Nasdaq slipping. Stocks lost ground [...]
FTSE rises after Jubilee holiday June 6, 2012 UK equities posted their biggest one-day gain in six months yesterday, catching up with the rest of Europe after a four-day weekend on expectations that weak data and the deepening Eurozone crisis may galvanise global policymakers into action. The European Central Bank left rates on hold and made no clear promise of future action, but [...]
