UK economy to shrink, but avoid recession for now May 23, 2022 | City Talk A combination of a weak March handover and the Queen’s Jubilee in June is set to see the UK economy contract in the second quarter. An easing of coronavirus restrictions resulted in the UK economy growing 0.8% over the first quarter. But this respectable outturn masked a deterioration in the monthly profile. After a 0.7% [...]
Why we still like Asian tech stocks May 23, 2022 | City Talk Asian semiconductor and IT stocks have had a difficult few months, but we see the sector as a long-term winner. Market trends in Asia this year have tended to see consumer, internet, semiconductor and technology stocks come under pressure. Internet stocks face ongoing regulatory uncertainties, while consumer companies face a profit margin squeeze amid cost [...]
Safe as houses? The inflation-busting benefits of investing in property May 23, 2022 | City Talk Real estate assets can generate significant returns for investors, with cash flows keeping up with (and in some cases exceeding) inflation levels. Although residential property can be a sound investment, it is also one of life’s essentials. Everyone needs somewhere to live. It is this basic human necessity that is the reason why housing is [...]
ECB’s Lagarde butters up markets for first rate hike in over a decade May 23, 2022 The European Central Bank (ECB) will hike interest rates for the first time in over a decade in July, its chief signalled today. President Christine Lagarde in a blog post on the central bank’s website said the committee of rate setters will take borrowing costs out of negative territory by September. The ECB has trailed [...]
‘Brexit is a mistake and London will be damaged’ warns Sir Howard Davies as NatWest chair claims ‘Boris Johnson hates the Treasury May 23, 2022 SIr Howard Davies, the chairman of banking giant NatWest, has called Brexit ‘a significant mistake’ as the City grandee said he is not very optimistic about the future of the UK. In fact, Sir Howard said he is concerned about the long-term impact Brexit will have on the City of London. In an interview with [...]
Traders increasingly short ‘awfully cheap’ Pound as inflation and cost-of-living crisis drive UK towards hard recession May 23, 2022 Traders are increasingly taking short positions against the Pound Sterling as the economic outlook for Britain deteriorates. Institutional investors, asset managers and other key players in the US, the world’s largest financial market, currently hold more than 128,000 short positions against the Pound, compared to just 32,000 long positions, according to the most recent figures [...]
1 Minute Market Rundown – 23rd May 2022 May 23, 2022 | City Talk Trade the ExtremesGBP Squeeze Higher ContinuesS&P 500 Teeters on Verge of a Bear Market Markets that close 20% below its peak level are defined as being in a bear market. The S&P is 19% down from its peak but with the Nasdaq and Russell 2000 27% off its highs, feels safe to say we have [...]
Recession concerns vie with inflation risk for investors in unpredictable market week ahead May 23, 2022 It was aother week of declines for US markets on Friday, with the S&P500 closing lower for the seventh week in succession, making a fresh 18 month low, and briefly retracing 50 per cent of the move from its 2020 lows to its record highs late last year. The Nasdaq 100 similarly pulled off new [...]
FCA chair questions watchdog’s role in crypto regulation May 22, 2022 The chair of the UK’s top financial watchdog has questioned the role it should play in crypto regulation after hundreds of billions of dollars was wiped from the value of the market in the past month.
Which?: Food prices climb a fifth in just two years May 21, 2022 Prices for some of the UK’s most loved grocery items have soared over the last two years, a new study has revealed. Supermarkets have hiked the price of 265 lines by more than a fifth, with Tesco raising the price of household favourtie Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut 21.4 per cent and Sainsbury’s lifting Warburtons’ four-seeded thin [...]