European bond yields fall further after Draghi’s hints at quantitative easing August 27, 2014 European bond yields fell again on Wednesday, as the knock-on effect from a speech by European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi continued to quell investors' fears over muted growth. Germany's 10-year yield fell to 0.9 per cent in London (and a record 0.91 per cent in New York), while Spanish 10-year yields fell to [...]
IMF chief Christine Lagarde under investigation by French court August 27, 2014 International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde has been put under formal investigation on suspicion of "simple negligence" by a French court. Lagarde was questioned for 15 hours on Tuesday by the Court of Justice of the Republic over her involvement in a long-running political fraud case involving controversial French businessman Bernard Tapie, who was awarded [...]
Burger King tax row hits Warren Buffett after Tim Hortons takeover announcement August 26, 2014 Burger King and US tycoon Warren Buffett were forced to defend a £7bn (£4.25bn) takeover of Canadian chain Tim Hortons yesterday amid mounting political tension in America over tax inversions. The Miami-based giant said it would buy the coffee and doughnut chain for $11.4bn and relocate to Ontario, Canada – seemingly to benefit from [...]
Francois Hollande gives ex-Rothschild banker Emmanuel Macron top economics job August 26, 2014 Embattled French President Francois Hollande announced his new government yesterday, replacing his rebellious economy minister with former Rothschild banker Emmanuel Macron. The 36-year-old was previously Hollande’s economic adviser, and takes the place of Arnaud Montebourg, the firebrand socialist who trashed the government’s economic policies in a speech last weekend. Macron is viewed as a reformist [...]
Boris takes first step towards return as MP August 26, 2014 Mayor of London Boris Johnson has taken the first step towards rejoining the House of Commons by submitting his application to stand as the Conservative candidate in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in 2015. The incumbent MP, Sir John Randall, is stepping down at the next election and Boris is favourite to take his place and [...]
Ride a black swan? WPP’s Sir Martin Sorrell adds Russian crisis to his list August 26, 2014 The Sochi Winter Olympics in February were a key turning point in the West’s deteriorating relationship with Russia, says WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell who now lists the Russian crisis as the most threatening of his unknown unknowns – or “black swans” – supplanting the Eurozone debt crisis. “I think we made a mistake [...]
London Report: Draghi QE hint sends banks and FTSE up but Antofagasta falls August 26, 2014 BRITAIN’S top equity index rose yesterday, with financial stocks outperforming, amid expectations of new economic stimulus measures from the European Central Bank. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed up by 0.7 per cent, or 47.51 points, at 6,822.76 points – its highest closing level since early July. As the FTSE was closed on Monday due [...]
Boris is wrong: We should not subvert the rule of law to fight the terrorist threat August 26, 2014 IN A typically verbose article for the Daily Telegraph, the mayor of London Boris Johnson has warned of the “tide of terror” that will “eventually lap at our front door” if something isn’t done to curb the advance of the Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East. But while Johnson is right that we should [...]
As President Hollande purges leftist rebels, can his reform plans revive the French economy? August 26, 2014 Yannick Naud, portfolio manager at Sturgeon Capital, says Yes. The forced Cabinet overhaul and dismissal of three top ministers underlines the political crisis facing President Francois Hollande, as he seeks to balance pressure to reduce France’s budget deficit with domestic demands to revive a stalled economy. France can’t afford to wait any longer and should [...]
Boris Johnson’s parliamentary voting record: Yes to hunting, no to the EU August 26, 2014 Boris Johnson has been out of parliament for six years. As mayor he has been pro-business and is quoted as saying: "I'm a one-nation Tory. There is a duty on the part of the rich to the poor and to the needy, but you are not going to help people express that duty and satisfy [...]