US stocks rise and Apple hits its peak February 13, 2012 US stocks rose yesterday, with the S&P 500 near seven-month highs, after Greece’s parliament approved reforms needed to qualify for a bailout and avoid an unruly default. Apple shares closed above $500 for the first time after a gain of 1.9 per cent, leading the Nasdaq Composite to close at a more than 11-year high. [...]
Freeing Abu Qatada showed that Europe is the new judge of Britain’s national security February 13, 2012 THE release on bail yesterday of the terror suspect Abu Qatada has generated headlines around the world. Once described by a Spanish judge as “Bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe”, Qatada is wanted in a host of countries on serious charges. Our own courts and Home Office regard him as a direct threat to our [...]
The Greek riots have unmasked its tragic future February 13, 2012 THERE is a sense of malaise in Brussels after the terrible riots in Greece over the weekend. Their growing ferocity and frequency mean that EU politicians dismiss them at their own peril. In fact, this could be a glimpse into Greece’s future. Assume everything goes to plan and the Eurozone manages to muddle through; by [...]
A nation of tax cheats changed by new rules February 13, 2012 TAX evasion is rife in the UK. In the last few months a friend of mine has spent over £1,000 on various household jobs. On each occasion the labourer was paid in cash. Was VAT included? Did the workman pay income tax? I have other acquaintances who consider themselves left of centre politically, but do [...]
RAPID RESPONSES February 13, 2012 Parental guidance Well written, David Crow [Too many children are being taken into care, last Friday]. In a free society such as ours, surely it is better to leave children in the care of their parents rather than in institutions – we must give back to parents, often single parents, the responsibility and authority they [...]
THE HUNT FOR YIELD HAS LED INVESTORS TO APPLE February 13, 2012 FX 360 ONE of the absolute truths of the current investment climate is that investors are desperate for yield. With both the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank emulating the Bank of Japan by keeping rates at near zero per cent for the foreseeable future, savers have become starved for return. For example, in [...]
Charting your way to trading profits February 13, 2012 REVERSAL DOUBLE TOP DOUBLE top and double bottom chart patterns are straightforward to spot and can be seen across a range of different time frames, both in long and short-term charts. “Double tops are important to look out for, as are double bottoms,” says Ian O’Sullivan, head of sales for SpreadCo. “They confirm a resistance [...]
THE TIPSTER ROCKY ROAD PAVED WITH CHOCOLATE HEAVEN February 13, 2012 CHOCOLATIER Thorntons will be hoping it can keep investors sweet, when it releases its latest update this week. Its Christmas update provided little cheer, and it is somewhat hard to believe that the market for slightly upmarket chocolates has improved in any way during the post-Christmas season – even if some Britons might have turned [...]
Analyst picks for 14 February 2012 February 13, 2012 STRATEGIST JOHN KICKLIGHTER My pick: Short S&P 500, long euro-Swissie, long dollar-yen Expertise: Fundamental and technical analysis with risk management Average time frame of trades: 1 day to 1 week The prevailing risk appetite run that has guided the markets since the beginning of the year has been impressive, but also looks to be a [...]
Greece’s latest austerity promise isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on February 13, 2012 LONG-TERM investors could be forgiven for putting their hands over their ears at the mere mention of the Eurozone – at the very least it will better assure their continued sanity. But traders are cut from a different cloth and see opportunities in volatility. Despite the relief following the latest agreement for the Greek government [...]
