Immigration powers the City’s competitiveness: Don’t cut off the supply in the pursuit of an arbitrary migration target January 25, 2016 For centuries, the City has thrived on being open – open to those who want to come to a leading financial and business centre, work hard and contribute to the growth of the economy. And this openness is not limited to people from fellow European countries, but also to those spread across the globe. This [...]
Bitcoin: Banks are worryingly complacent about the coming digital currency storm January 25, 2016 The financial services industry is dangerously complacent in its approach to digital money. Some of the major banks almost look like they fear technological change that promises greater transparency, efficiency and security at a lower cost. Too many industry players and regulators have spent more time shutting down innovations than driving them. Barclays, Chase, Westpac [...]
Following the FTSE 100’s first weekly gain of the year, is the panic gripping global markets now over? January 25, 2016 Alexander Dryden, global market strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management, says Yes. Global equity markets have had a shaky start to 2016 which has come off the back of global growth concerns and investor nervousness. We had expected increased volatility in 2016, but the recent market pessimism had become excessive. Investors should remember that the global [...]
Q&A: Enotria’s CEO on acquiring Coe Vintners January 25, 2016 Troy Christensen, chief executive of Enotria & Coe, and Gary Edwards, growth and acquisition finance at Investec, explain the background, challenges, and motivation behind premium wine supplier Enotria’s acquisition of Coe Vintners. Why did Enotria decide to acquire Coe Vintners? Troy Christensen: Enotria was founded in the 1970s with the intention of bringing the best Italian [...]
Can your boss spy on your personal emails at work? January 25, 2016 Alarming headlines have appeared in the media recently, suggesting that bosses can now spy on their workers’ private emails with impunity. This worrying news follows a judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). But is it really a “snooper’s charter” for employers? What’s it all about? The case before the ECHR concerned a [...]
Blockchain payment revolution: How to ensure confidence in twenty-first century transactions January 22, 2016 We are on the threshold of a revolution in financial services which promises extraordinary leaps in efficiency for all kinds of transactions. And arguably the biggest obstacle to our society reaping the full benefit of this findustrial revolution is the issue of trust in transactions. When stock exchanges developed centuries ago, a handshake between (predominantly) [...]
Bernie Sanders: It’s not just the elite who should fear America’s leading socialist radical January 22, 2016 Brothers Larry and Bernie Sanders claim to be very close. Bernie (who is running to be the Democratic nominee for the US presidency) told the Daily Telegraph last year that he learned many of his views from his older brother. But Larry isn’t some US political luminary. Back in May, running as a member of the [...]
Will oil prices fall below zero? Fear more than fundamentals is driving markets lower January 22, 2016 Reporting by Clive Crude… How low can it go? This is the question every oil analyst is asking. First they thought $100 was the floor, then $70, then it was $50, then $25 and even $10 has been mooted. Yesterday, we read that “petrol is to be cheaper than water”. Today, leading energy expert Oli [...]
Are Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan doing more harm than good by donating towards the EU In campaign? January 22, 2016 Richard Stone, chief executive of The Share Centre, says Yes. The EU referendum should be decided by voters informed by a balanced debate of the key issues. That debate risks becoming emotive, for example, about immigration, or skewed by the weight of the political machinery of the state. By contributing to the In campaign, big business [...]
How to perform better at work: Relentless achievers have these key characteristics January 22, 2016 Be honest: do you consistently show up at work each morning with your best game on? Or is your working life just a race to catch up with yourself? Coping with relentless external demands usually requires remarkable levels of resilience, energy and stamina, both to perform and to energise others. Without this, we feel sluggish [...]