Was Mark Carney right to absolve monetary policy of the blame for popular disillusionment with capitalism? Vicky Pryce, board member of CEBR, a former government economic adviser and co-author of It’s the Economy Stupid, Economics for Voters, says Yes. The impact of globalisation has on the whole been positive. It has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, created vast new middle classes and extended all our horizons. The consumer has [...]
Have investors jumped the gun in thinking that the era of low inflation is now over? Jason Hollands, managing director at Tilney Bestinvest, says Yes. Deep tax cuts, looser banking regulation, massive spending on infrastructure and the military, alongside higher tariffs on imports and tighter immigration restrictions – Donald Trump’s economic policies are inherently inflationary for the US economy, especially against a background of low unemployment. Global bond markets have reacted [...]
As he commits to stay until 2019, have political attacks on Mark Carney undermined the Bank of England’s independence? Kathleen Brooks, research director at City Index, says Yes. While the Bank of England’s decision-making has not been affected by recent political attacks, the fact that the government thinks that the Bank is fair game for criticism could undermine the perception of the Bank’s independence in future. Although it’s unlikely that it will take political [...]
With the FTSE 100 close to an all-time high, are UK markets heading for a fall? October 4, 2016 Jason Hollands, managing director of Tilney Bestinvest, says Yes. While it’s incredibly difficult to accurately call the top of a market, what we do know is that equities never rise relentlessly in a linear fashion, and the current bull market has run on for a very long time now, despite the headwinds of weak global growth [...]
Hong Kong: As protests continue, will civil unrest spread to mainland China? October 1, 2014 Jason Hollands, managing director at Tilney Bestinvest, says Yes. Sympathy with the Hong Kong protesters is likely to be in short supply on the mainland (residents of the territory are often seen as privileged), but the standoff presents a real dilemma for the Communist Party, which is going to extraordinary lengths to prevent the news [...]
Investment Comment: How to spot the dog funds – and what to do if you own one July 22, 2014 When it comes to crowing about so-called “star” performing fund managers and handing out endless awards, the investment industry certainly doesn’t hold back. Yet the simple fact is that, over the long term, after the impact of charges, many fund managers fail to deliver a better return than the benchmarks for the markets they operate [...]
