Skills gap is bigger threat than Brexit: Talent shortages to hit UK economic growth, warn finance chiefs September 4, 2015 Top UK finance chiefs are more unnerved by their lack of access to talented labour than they are by the threat of Britain leaving the EU, the Bank of England hiking borrowing costs or even the abrupt slowdown in China that has sent shockwaves throughout global financial markets. Fear over dwindling access to skilled [...]
The UK’s skills shortage is getting worse: It’s time for a shake up in the classroom and the boardroom September 3, 2015 There’s an elephant in the boardroom. According to a survey of the finance directors of many of the UK’s largest companies, it casts a greater shadow than China or Brexit or the hacking horrors of cyber attacks. It’s the new number one at the top of Britain's risk registers – the difficulty of recruiting [...]
FTSE closes up after positive Ashtead results – London Report September 3, 2015 Britain’s leading share index ended higher yesterday, buoyed by results from industrial equipment hire group Ashtead and by opening gains on Wall Street. The FTSE 100 closed up at 24.77 points, or 0.4 per cent, at 6,083.31, broadly in line with European indexes and Wall Street. Stocks were more upbeat as investors bet that the [...]
US supply data sends oil prices tumbling again September 3, 2015 CRUDE oil prices fell again yesterday, on news that US stockpiles rose again last week. Global benchmark Brent crude was back to trading below $50 per barrel, despite earlier gains, in a marked departure from the three-day bull market seen over the last few days of August. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also fell, [...]
Wall St rises, but fears grow over volatility – New York Report September 2, 2015 Wall Street shares jumped almost two per cent yesterday in the latest volatile session as investors weighed the impact of a stumbling Chinese economy and global market turmoil on the Federal Reserve’s impending decision about when to raise interest rates. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 1.82 per cent to end at 16,351.31 points.The S&P [...]
China markets make swift recovery from low open, indicating possibility of state-backed buying September 2, 2015 After a steep fall at the start of trading, Chinese markets made a rapid recovery, with the Shanghai Composite finishing just 0.2 per cent down, while the Shenzhen Composite ended just under two per cent lower. Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 opened slightly higher, rising 0.7 per cent to 6,100 points in early trading. [...]
FTSE closes three per cent lower as China outlook worsens September 1, 2015 The FTSE 100 closed more than three per cent lower, at 6,058 points, after another day of weak economic data from both China and Europe. Other European markets followed suit, with both the Cac and the Dax finishing 2.4 per cent lower. Meanwhile, US stocks also dropped, with the S&P 500 and the Dow [...]
Biotech and ethical funds were best-sellers as global markets sold off September 1, 2015 Biotech and ethical funds have topped rankings of the most popular investments for savers during last week’s market carnage. The last seven days was disastrous for markets around the world as sharp falls in Chinese equities – dubbed “Black Monday” – caused panic to spread. Stock exchanges across Europe and the US fell, with [...]
China’s economic woes continue as factory activity contracts at fastest pace in three years September 1, 2015 Here we go again? Shares closed lower in China this morning, after manufacturing figures showed the sector in the world's second largest economy contracted last month at its fastest pace in three years. Read more: China warned: You don’t know what you’re doing The official purchasing manager's index (PMI) was 49.7 in August [...]
China stock market crackdown: Chinese government arrests nearly 200 over ‘illegal rumour-mongering’ August 31, 2015 City figures launched a broadside against China’s government last night, after authorities spent the weekend rounding up nearly 200 people deemed guilty of “illegal rumour-mongering”. Beijing appears to have lost faith in its ability to stem a decline in China’s shares through large-scale purchases. Instead, it has turned on traders, social media users and [...]