London will find it hard to benefit from Chinese currency ambitions September 23, 2012 IT is meant to be the great new market that will transform the City’s prospects. In April, London hosted the launch of the first renminbi (RMB) bond to be issued outside Chinese sovereign territories. George Osborne hailed it a “significant moment”, as he declared his ambition to see London play a key role in the [...]
The City should put its financial expertise at the service of infrastructure September 23, 2012 INFRASTRUCTURE hit the headlines once again last week, as the Confederation of British Industry urged quicker progress on delivering major transport and energy projects. This is a contentious subject, and calls to fast-track spending in this area are nothing new. In fact, the government has already taken steps to underwrite up to £40bn of investment, [...]
Ten golden rules of investing September 23, 2012 IN THE case of the medical or engineering professions, there is usually a precise standard for a given procedure. In the investment industry, while this may be true with respect to ethics, not following others is the key to success when it comes to investment decisions. Indeed, you want to be ahead of the herd, [...]
Is Sir Mervyn King right to excuse failure to meet deficit targets on economic problems? September 23, 2012 YES Philip Shaw August’s borrowing figures were a little better than expected, but the seriousness of the UK’s public finances remains plain to see. Stripping out one-off factors shows that, so far in 2012-13, the deficit is running at £2.6bn per month higher than last year, leaving George Osborne struggling to achieve his aim of [...]
Rapid responses September 23, 2012 Good regulation [Re: Regulator: I’ll shoot first, ask questions later, Wednesday] I am disappointed by your paper’s coverage of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) likely new stance. Your coverage seems to confuse two quite different things: first, the expected new approach to dealing with any retail products that are likely to cause significant consumer detriment; [...]
Absolutely inconsistent funds September 23, 2012 ABSOLUTE return funds aim to deliver positive returns – even in falling markets. Unlike other fund sectors, which are defined by the assets they hold, absolute return is defined by its performance. The sector has £24.7bn of funds under management, about 4 per cent of the retail fund market. However, some experts are concerned that [...]
A pioneering approach to internet advertising September 23, 2012 WHAT DOES APPNEXUS DO? AppNexus is today’s most powerful, open and customisable advertising technology platform. The largest and most innovative companies in advertising (like Microsoft and eBay) build their businesses on AppNexus. We’re trying to establish a new standard for advertising technology, and we’re leading the charge to make online advertising a “force for good”. [...]
Being a plucky trailblazer can leave you spitting feathers September 23, 2012 THERE is always a lot of talk about first mover advantage. But is it overrated? The benefits are quite clear: being first to the market means you may have a monopoly, with no competition. This allows you to charge a higher price than otherwise. The other big benefit is that your brand becomes strongly associated [...]
Mentors are vital for entrepreneurs September 23, 2012 AT THE recent Made entrepreneur festival in Sheffield, business and enterprise minister Michael Fallon announced that the Mentorsme online portal – which connects mentors and mentees – has over 22,000 accessible mentors. That’s an awful lot of knowledge on tap. Setting up a business involves serious trials and tribulations. So speaking with someone who has [...]
Antarctica is a mysterious, icy wonderland and a visual feast September 23, 2012 THE Antarctic tundra is a black and white world, except for the occasional colourful beak, feather, foot or fin, or the blue ice and turquoise underbelly of a whale. While it is certainly remote and desolate, it is also pure and peaceful: it makes you feel alive. From October to March, there is no night [...]
