Recession is certain – City July 28, 2008 Analysts have declared a UK recession inevitable following official data showing that economic growth in the second quarter of this year slumped to its weakest rate in three years. The Office for National Statistics revealed last week that GDP rose by just 0.2 per cent in the three months to June, bringing the annual rate [...]
Avoid the equities wipe out by riding the fast-moving forex wave July 28, 2008 By spread betting currencies you can avoid the boom and bust bedevilling other markets, says Katie Hope Global currency trading has burst into popularity in recent times as investors try to profit from exchange rate fluctuations. The rapid moves of currency exchange rates are what attracts investors to the market. It’s fast-moving and exciting area. [...]
Retail sales reverse into biggest slump on record July 25, 2008 The biggest monthly fall in retail sales on record has heightened fears that the UK will fall into a technical recession. British retail sales slumped in June by 3.9 per cent, the sharpest monthly fall since the series began in 1986, bringing the annual growth rate down to 2.2 per cent, according to the Office [...]
Use spreadbets to protect you when markets are stormy July 23, 2008 Don’t worry about turbulent times: there is a simple and inexpensive way to shield your portfolio, finds Katie Hope Cash is king once again. Last week, research by Merrill Lynch found that fund managers were retreating to the safety of cash on fears that equities had further to fall. The worldwide poll of 191 fund [...]
Markets drive clever traders to scalping July 22, 2008 In sentiment-driven times, CFDs offer plenty of tricks and tactics, says Katie Hope With most things in life, the better you’ve planned, the better things are likely to go for you. But any boy scout applying the trusty “be prepared” motto to his investing tactics of late is likely to have been disappointed. Shares and [...]
IG eyes Japan as results defy gloom July 22, 2008 Spread betting company IG Group revealed yesterday it was looking at Japan as the next most promising area to expand into. The company, which already has offices in Australia, Singapore as well as Germany, Italy, France and Spain, said it was actively looking for opportunities, following regulatory changes which would allow it to offer its [...]
City: FTSE to bounce back July 21, 2008 London’s benchmark equity market could stage a dramatic recovery by the end of this year, according to leading strategists who predict the FTSE 100 will end the year above 6,000. Analysts at brokerages Charles Stanley and Brewin Dolphin expect the FTSE 100 to end the year at 6,800 and 6,200 respectively. The more optimistic forecasts [...]
Rising food costs getting you down? Try a spread bet July 21, 2008 A spread bet on commodities offers you an excellent opportunity to get even, according to Katie Hope You would have had to have spent the past year in a cave not to be interested in commodities. For car drivers, the price of petrol is an ever-growing concern, while rising food prices have caused riots in [...]
Fiscal rules to change July 18, 2008 Treasury officials are working on plans to reform Gordon Brown’s fiscal rules to allow for increased borrowing. The move comes as the government comes dangerously close to breaking its rules limiting public sector debt to 40 per cent of national income. Any changes are likely to be announced in the autumn pre-budget report, once the [...]
Surge in UK jobless July 17, 2008 Expectations that the Bank of England would keep interest rates on hold were heightened yesterday as official data revealed the number of people claiming unemployment benefit had surged by the highest monthly amount for 16 years. The Office for National Statistics said unemployment rose by 15,500 last month, after an upwardly revised 14,300 increase in [...]
