Chinese New Year 2016: ‘Year of the Monkey’ sales boost expected as London brands race to attract Chinese shoppers February 1, 2016 Despite China's creaking economic slowdown and chaotic markets, London's shops could benefit from a boom in tourists over Chinese New Year. Tax-free incentives, a simplified visa programme and a new generation of shopping-mad millennials are behind the expected increase in Chinese spend, according to international retail specialist Global Blue. Chinese New Year takes place between 8 [...]
UK steel crisis: Union slams European Commission’s low tax on Chinese imports January 29, 2016 The steel industry has slammed the EU's failure to impose higher levy on Chinese imports of a steel product which is made in the UK, warning that it could lead to further job losses in the already stricken sector. Gareth Stace, director of UK Steel today warned that the European Commission's decision to impose low-level duties would [...]
Iron ore prices approach Rio Tinto chief executive Sam Walsh’s feared “fantasy land” level January 29, 2016 Iron ore prices are careering towards what one mining industry executive previously dismissed as “fantasy land” territory – and some analysts have warned it could fall even lower. Mining companies have been pummelled by low mineral and metal prices, forcing them to restructure their business models and scrap dividends. Iron ore prices are currently at $41 [...]
These were the biggest selling smartphone brands of 2015: How Apple and Samsung’s growth was overtaken by Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi January 28, 2016 Three smartphone brands grew at a faster pace than Apple and Samsung last year as sales across the world hit a record 1.4bn. Chinese smartphone makers Huawei, Lenovo and Xiaomi grew more than the world's two biggest smartphone brands as shipments increased by 10 per cent across the board. The rise of device makers in China signals increasing [...]
China: The end of dreams and the return of sanity January 25, 2016 Perhaps the most debilitating of all human emotions is disillusionment, for it marks the death of fond hopes, the painful recognition that dreams will simply not come to pass. It is this feeling – as much as any hard empirical data – that is driving the present market crisis in China, where not one but [...]
The FTSE crash is not Armageddon – but investors should still be light on their feet January 23, 2016 We all know that "hindsight" is the most successful trader in the world. Its performance has always been exemplary since time immemorial. However, alarm bells should have started ringing after the Shanghai Composite had added 150 per cent in value between June 2014 and June 2015, just when it was becoming decidedly obvious that China’s economy [...]
The bear is back in his cage: FTSE 100 gains and Japan’s Nikkei 225 roars into positive territory on global stimulus hopes from the European Central Bank’s Mario Draghi January 22, 2016 Finally some good news: the FTSE 100 got off to a flying start this morning, gaining up to 1.8 per cent in early trading as dovish remarks from Mario Draghi sent investors' spirits soaring. Global bourses surged, with Japanese stocks roaring out of bear market territory to make their second-biggest one-day gain in five years. The Nikkei [...]
S&P: China’s financial sector faces “tougher” 2016 January 21, 2016 Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has warned that China’s embattled financial sector must navigate an even tougher playing field this year. Mounting concern over the pace of China’s economic slowdown, coupled with falling oil prices, have sparked a sell-off across global financial markets since the beginning of this year. S&P said a slump [...]
Crashing markets don’t herald a descent into global recession January 21, 2016 So the FTSE 100 has joined a wide range of global equity indices now in a bear market. Having peaked in excess of 7,100 in April 2015, the rout in commodities has dragged the index of the UK’s 100 leading shares steadily down over the last nine months. To date there have been three notable [...]
Market volatility takes its toll on hedge funds, as returns slip to lowest levels since 2011 January 20, 2016 Hedge funds had their worst performing year last year since 2011, posting returns of 2.02 per cent, according to the latest data from Preqin. December was a tough month, with the funds on Preqin's all strategies benchmark posting negative returns of 0.4 per cent on average, bringing the total to five months with negative returns last year. [...]