Swiss stocks given all clear to resume trading in London February 3, 2021 Shares in Swiss companies will once again be traded on UK exchanges after Switzerland’s financial regulator gave the move the all-clear this morning. Since June 2019, a spat between the EU and Switzerland has meant that the bloc’s exchanges have been banned from Swiss shares. But with the UK no longer a member of the [...]
Gamestops? Shares plunge more than 50 per cent as Reddit rally retreats February 2, 2021 Reddit day traders’ hold on the market seemed to be running out of steam on Tuesday as the price of silver stalled and Gamestop shares plunged more than 50 per cent on the open. Gamestop has dominated the headlines in the past week after r/wallstreetbets took the fight to Wall Street’s hedge funds. The bricks-and-mortar [...]
Oil prices hit highest levels in a year as producers cut output February 2, 2021 Oil prices rose more than 2.5 per cent today to reach its highest since last February after major producers showed they were reining in output roughly in line with their commitments. Brent crude was up 2.5 per cent at $57.77 a barrel for its third straight day of gains and the highest levels in 12 [...]
FTSE opens up higher again in February rebound February 2, 2021 London’s main market opened up some 0.40 per cent higher this morning, continuing a positive start to the month after a volatile January. The FTSE 250, the second larger UK index, was up a similar 0.40 per cent, at 20,479. The rebound follows turbulence last week surrounding Gamestop and other companies targeted by both short-sellers [...]
The truthiness of ESG criticism February 2, 2021 | City Talk There are two often-repeated critiques of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing that I really can’t stand. They have the quality of truthiness about them and are what academics sometimes call “as if” arguments. For my younger readers, the term truthiness is defined by Wikipedia as follows: “Truthiness is the belief or assertion that a particular statement [...]
Rishi Sunak set to maintain triple tax lock despite Covid-19 deficit February 2, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak is said to have agreed to maintain the Tories’ so-called triple tax lock at next month’s Budget, preventing him from raising income, national insurance or value added tax. The chancellor had come under pressure from Treasury officials to shun the commitment made in the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto not to increase rates [...]
Robinhood raises $2.4bn in second cash injection as Reddit investors overwhelm app February 1, 2021 Robinhood has raised another $2.4bn from its shareholders after a turbulent week amid a surge of new investors piling into Gamestop. The online trading app today confirmed it had raised $3.4bn to invest in “record customer growth” including a $1bn injection on 29 January. Last week Reddit day traders flocked to Gamestop lifting its share [...]
Report calls on Government and FCA to ‘consider consequences’ for BoE boss Andrew Bailey over LCF collapse February 1, 2021 The Treasury and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) must consider what action to take against Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and two officials over their handling of LCF, the author of a report about the collapsed fund told MPs today.
Shares in Egdon and Europa pop as Lincolnshire field produces first oil February 1, 2021 Shares in UK onshore oil firms Egdon and Europa jumped today as the companies announced the first production from their Wressle site in Lincolnshire. The site, which was meant to produce its first oil last year, is one of few onshore oil developments in the UK. AIM-listed Europa saw its stock soar 15 per cent [...]
CMC restricts ‘memestock’ shorting amid Gamestop frenzy February 1, 2021 Trading platform CMC Markets has restricted short selling in Gamestop, AMC and other so-called “meme stocks” following an attack on hedge funds by Reddit traders. Last week day traders in r/wallstreetbets flocked to Gamestop lifting its share price to new heights in what some called a war against hedge funds. Gamestop is the most shorted [...]