Trade’s influence on the two Koreas in one dramatic map April 11, 2014 If you had to pick one development of the 20th century that contributed most to human progress, what would it be? Don't rush to say the internet. While it may have improved communications, its first incarnations offered just marginal improvements over the telegram. If you want to choose something truly remarkable – that has seen [...]
This week’s 4 must-see charts April 11, 2014 The Fed’s pointless rate projections, encouraging signs in the Eurozone, emerging market stocks, and subdued UK mergers and acquisitions (M&A). We bring you some of our favourite analysts’ picks of the most important graphs this week, as well as a few choices of our own. Jeremy Cook, chief economist at World First Pay no attention [...]
Heartbleed Bug: Steps to take April 10, 2014 A flaw with many major websites – the Heartbleed Bug – means that users of those services will need to update their passwords. Sensitive account information and passwords may have been available to some with knowledge of the weakness. That vulnerability was only made public on Monday, and websites are starting to be updated. [...]
BP: From Russia with Love April 10, 2014 Many of the shareholder questions at BP’s annual meeting today were on the topic of Russia, Ukraine and the oil major’s stake in Rosneft. The FTSE 100 firm is particularly exposed to the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia over the sovereignty of Crimea, due to its near 20 per cent stake in the Russian [...]
Britain is Europe’s booming housing market April 10, 2014 That London’s house prices are booming is hardly a secret – prices shot up by 12 per cent in 2013, according to official figures. But what isn’t as well known is that the boom in London is in fact taking place even within a booming UK. The British market overall might not seem so buoyant. [...]
Why your morning cup of coffee might be getting more expensive April 10, 2014 Expect to pay a little more for your caffeine buzz in coming months. Coffee futures – the prices which traders have agreed to pay for beans in the future – have surged in price, and are at their highest level since February 2012. That suggests that investors expect coffee prices to move higher still after [...]
US first-time jobless claims fall to May 2007 low April 10, 2014 The latest US economic data shows a huge beat on initial jobless claims. They fell 32,000 in the week to 4 April, after a fall of 30,000 the week before. First-time jobless claims specifically have dropped to their lowest level since May 2007, or in almost seven years. The data, from the US Labor Department, [...]
Bank of England sits on its hands as rates held at historic lows April 10, 2014 No change from the boffins over at Threadneedle Street. The Bank of England's interest-rate setting committee has, as widely expected, elected to hold both interest rates and quantitative easing this month. That sees rates at their historic lows of 0.5 per cent, and asset purchases at £375bn in April. Ben Southwood, head of policy at [...]
Sainsbury’s offer value alternative to journo barred from Tesco dinner April 10, 2014 After reports that the Financial Times' senior retail correspondent, Andrea Felsted, has been barred from a Tesco journalist dinner this evening, a rival has put forward an alternative of their own. Grocers Sainsbury's suggests that Felsted might want to check out their £10 Bistro meal deal, for "any journos who find their dinner plans suddenly [...]
Atom Bank shows how Metro changed the industry April 9, 2014 When Metro Bank launched in 2010 it was a shock. Not just to the eye, with its bold, bright colours, but to the high street, its competitors – and the regulator. It was the first time a new bank had been given a licence in more than 100 years and the authorities were not prepared. [...]
