Jaguar Land Rover hit by stagnating Chinese market as losses mount February 7, 2019 Britain’s largest car maker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has endured quarterly losses of £3.4bn after taking a write-down in the value of its investments, amid falling Chinese demand. The results for the last three months of last year have left the firm expecting a loss for the full financial year for the first time in [...]
Siemens and Alstom merger plans blocked by EU antitrust regulators February 6, 2019 A planned merger between Siemens and Alstom has been stopped in its tracks after EU regulators rejected the deal due to competition concerns. The transportation giants had put forward plans to create a combined company with revenues of roughly €15bn (£13.2bn). Read more: Alstom and Siemens offer merger concessions to get EU on side But [...]
What is the outlook for interest rates in 2019? February 5, 2019 US Concern over the outlook for US interest rates was one of the dominant themes of 2018, especially as the year progressed. President Trump got involved in the debate, tweeting in December that it was “incredible” that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) was considering raising interest rates again. Despite the pressure from the president, the [...]
Despite 2018’s woes, could the year of the pig be a sign of good fortune for Chinese equities? February 5, 2019 Chinese stock markets were dogged with problems last year – pretty fitting given that it was the year of the dog. The country grappled with slower growth, a mountain of debt, and a trade war with the US, creating a tough environment for Chinese equities. The MSCI China index slumped by 14 per cent in [...]
The trade war in your head? A look behind the US-China feud February 5, 2019 As the US-China talks resume this week, the spectre of global trade disintegration on looms ever larger. There is one month for Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to strike a deal before the 90-day ceasefire in tit-for-tat rhetoric expires. At stake is $200bn of Chinese exports to the US, which will otherwise see tariffs rise [...]
China’s success among western firms will depend on the desirability of the brand February 5, 2019 Not a week goes by when there isn’t a data print-out of China posting the weakest number since… well pick a year. Last Friday, for example, the Caixin manufacturing survey posted a second consecutive month of contraction and the lowest reading since 2016. The slowdown has triggered a set of 2019 growth downgrades from the analyst [...]
Eurozone investor confidence slumps to four-year low as German slowdown and Brexit concerns hit the bloc February 4, 2019 Eurozone investor confidence has sunk to a four-year low as Brexit uncertainty and Germany’s continued slowdown added to the bloc’s woes. The Sentix Index, which monitors investor sentiment across the single currency bloc, fell to -3.7 for February, following a survey of more than 1,000 investors. Read more: Italy slips into recession as Eurozone growth disappoints [...]
How to reshape the financial system? First ditch the idea of the free market February 4, 2019 Nick Silver, Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow, Cass Business School, writes for The Conversation. First published by Amy Ripley (Senior Communications Officer) Ten years ago the financial system collapsed and governments around the world intervened to save it. Much of the subsequent legislation, regulation and angst has attempted to make the system less risky so it [...]
Government faces test as Chinese buyers line up for major UK energy grid February 3, 2019 The government's approach to foreign investment could be tested this month as Chinese buyers line up for a major UK energy network. State-owned operators State Grid Corporation of China and China Southern Power Grid are looking at Electricity North West, which is expected to fetch £2bn at auction, the Sunday Times reported. It has also [...]
Banking on diversification February 1, 2019 With a number of headwinds facing markets in 2019, it can be hard to see the wood for the trees. Alex Crooke, Fund Manager of The Bankers Investment Trust, explains how his team approaches the complexities of global stock markets. As we start 2019 there are plenty of reasons for investors to be cautious, as [...]