FTSE posts a two-week high on upbeat data and US policy March 26, 2012 BRITAIN’S benchmark share index posted its biggest daily gain in two weeks yesterday, as expectations of looser US monetary policy and brighter German data gave investors fresh reason to push the market towards a retest of recent eight-month highs. The FTSE 100 closed up 47.81 points, or 0.8 per cent, at 5,902.70. A surprise improvement [...]
Reform of political funding mustn’t result in taxpayers carrying the bill for parties March 26, 2012 ALLEGATIONS that “the rich” can buy access to our politicians is massively damaging to our democracy. It is therefore critical that the government takes action after yet another money-driven political scandal this weekend, which resulted in the resignation of Peter Cruddas, co-treasurer of the Conservative party. Labour’s cash for honours scandal is fresh in many [...]
Making things is not a soft option in the UK today March 26, 2012 IN THE last twenty years, I have watched the decline of British manufacturing, particularly in my own textile sector. While prices for food and luxury goods have risen steadily, high street clothing prices have become so cheap that UK manufacturers cannot be competitive in the mass market. According to the Working Futures report, which analyses [...]
Serious economics is fun with a good guide March 26, 2012 I’VE been reading Economics Made Simple by the Adam Smith Institute’s Madsen Pirie. The book is a short, well-written and accessible overview of basic economics and serves as an excellent primer. It is accompanied by several witty YouTube videos that I heartily recommend. Many consider the rise of popular economics books to have originated with [...]
RAPID RESPONSES March 26, 2012 Noisy protest [Re: A third runway at Heathrow is essential if London is to be a globally competitive city, Friday] The author is obviously well-informed on the issue, so could he elaborate on the noise implications? He states that noise pollution will be “minimised” with a third runway. What does that mean? That there will [...]
INNOVATIVE SHOE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY COULD ALLOW NIKE LEAP TO NEW HEIGHTS March 26, 2012 FX 360 ONE of the more bizarre footwear trends to recently hit the streets of New York is the foot glove fitness shoe that literally has space for all the five toes mimicking the look and feel of someone walking barefoot. These fitness shoes, which have become all the rage among long distance runners, are [...]
Potential pitfalls ahead for the euro March 26, 2012 THOUGH Europe seems to have moved past its calamitous period of bumbling from one disaster to the next, there are still potential pratfalls ahead for the euro. The two biggest obstacles this week are signs of German slowdown and wobbles in the expansion of the Eurozone’s rescue infrastructure – also heavily dependent on the German [...]
THE TIPSTER BELLWAY HOPES TO BUILD ON BOVIS GAINS March 26, 2012 WHEN Bellway Homes brings its trading update to the market today, shareholders will be looking for any cracks in the brickwork. The recent figures release from its peer Bovis should give guidance as to what’s to be expected, and positive coverage across the sector from Credit Suisse will only add to the hope that the [...]
Six things to consider when trading soft commodities March 26, 2012 1 COMMODITY CATEGORIES Though most spread betters of commodities tend to focus on the energy sector and on hard commodities such as gold and silver, you can also take a position on softs. Typically listed are: cocoa, coffee, corn, lean hogs, live cattle, oats, soy, wheat and sugar. Commodities are then often split into various [...]
Dragon’s top tips for taming the lion March 26, 2012 AS A youngster growing up in Australia my first ambition was to be a bushranger just like Ned Kelly. This nineteenth century outlaw was our own Robin Hood, except that he fought against police injustice wearing his bullet-proof helmet and vest made from steel. Eventually caught and sentenced to hang, his last words were “such [...]
