US stocks fall in Columbus Day light trade October 8, 2012 US stocks slipped in light trading yesterday, pulling back from recent five-year highs ahead of an earnings season expected to be weak. Trading volume was the lowest so far this year in a full session as the US government and the bond market were closed for the Columbus Day holiday. About 4.1bn shares changed hands [...]
Taking a long view: Radical ideas for the Conservative’s manifesto October 8, 2012 IF YOU’RE keen to catch sight of what the Conservative party might look like in a decade’s time, you should make your way to the Sonata room at the Hyatt Hotel in Birmingham at half past seven this evening. A fringe meeting there, organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Free Enterprise Group [...]
Businesses need to wake up to the real and present danger of cyber-crime is October 8, 2012 SPEAKING in Budapest, the Foreign Secretary William Hague recently announced that cyber-crime is “one of the greatest global and strategic challenges of our time”. In July, the director general of the Security Service Jonathan Evans stated that cyber security ranks alongside terrorism as one of the four key security challenges facing the UK. There is [...]
The Muslim world is opening up for Western investors October 8, 2012 AS INVESTORS and companies steer a course through social and economic turmoil, it is understandable that they are cautious of new markets. But, despite the volatility of the Arab Spring, it would be a missed opportunity to ignore the Muslim world. There are 1.8bn Muslims globally; the majority are spread across the 57 countries of [...]
Is Osborne right to encourage employees to trade workplace rights for tax-free shares? October 8, 2012 YES Carol Dempsey Employees owning shares in their employer is good for the business and can help drive the right behaviours. At first glance this new proposal seems simple and generous, and will be of particular interest to start-ups. But its success will depend on the detail and consultation will be crucial. For example, since [...]
Rapid Responses October 8, 2012 Public services [Re: Lessons to be learnt from government’s rail franchise fiasco, Thursday] Only the free market provides the incentives necessary to create an efficient operation. It is a public servant’s incentive to create complex organisations that voters can’t always understand and thus the argument will remain better management rather than better incentives. Tobias Wahl There [...]
Pessimism will engulf US corporate earnings October 8, 2012 EARNINGS season is underway. This week, investors will learn about the health of some of the biggest US companies. There is an air of pessimism. According to analyst surveys, earnings last quarter are expected to drop 2.4 per cent, and we may see more losses reported than profits for the first time in four years. But [...]
America’s fiscal cliff may bring a new level of pain October 8, 2012 THE term “fiscal cliff” may have only been coined as a phrase by Ben Bernanke as recently as eight months ago, but it’s likely to be used more frequently as we head into the year-end. If US legislators fail to act, a combination of sharp tax hikes and public spending cuts could have the potential [...]
The Tipster | Chequered outlook for Burberry October 8, 2012 CONCERNS over a slowing global economy have affected Burberry’s performance in Asia, a key growth market for the luxury retailer. The stock, down 36 per cent from its all-time highs in April, has come under further pressure after the World Bank reduced growth forecasts in Asia. Capital Spreads quotes a price of 1,011.4p-1,013.6p for Burberry. [...]
Obama’s isn’t the only job at risk October 8, 2012 BARACK Obama’s re-election hopes were given a boost on Friday with a strong non-farm payroll print, coupled with a significantly improved unemployment rate. With less than a month until the US presidential elections on 6 November, the crucial employment survey gave the Obama camp an unbelievable fall in unemployment – falling to 7.8 per cent [...]
