The year in preview: Our in-depth guide January 5, 2014 City A.M.’s journalists take a wide-ranging look at what 2014 has in store for the world of finance and business BANKINGRestoring faith means costly overhaulsA CAUTIOUS optimism pervades the British and European banking system at the start of 2014. The incoming economic recovery is at last improving customers’ creditworthiness, while the hard work running down [...]
Global Politics: India and Mexico will rise as Europe dies but the US will reinvent itself once again January 5, 2014 I HAVE long strongly advocated a modest proposal for my clients regarding global political risk: judge analysts as you would a plumber. If we do a good job, rehire us. If not, show us the door. For only by assessing real world outcomes can clients separate snake oil salesmen from the real thing. As I [...]
Investment Trends: A year for stock-pickers: 2014 investment winners and losers January 5, 2014 AFTER a surprisingly strong 2013 in many equity markets, I am cautiously optimistic for 2014. One of the key reasons for my slight wariness is that most of the predictions I am reading at the moment are unambiguously positive. There is an unusual consensus around a generally bullish outlook for stock markets, in particular those [...]
Arts and lifestyle highlights for the next twelve months January 5, 2014 From Glastonbury to Shakespeare to Matisse, you won’t be short of things to do in 2014 MUSICArcade Fire confirmed as headliners for Glastonbury 2014The Glastonbury 2014 lineup is being kept under-wraps until summer, but that hasn’t stopped rumours surfacing thanks to loose-tongued artists and hints dropped by organiser Emily Eavis. Arcade Fire instigated a flurry [...]
Why 2014 could be the year gold bounces back January 3, 2014 2013 was a dire year for gold prices, and today's two per cent gain does little to make the 28 per cent slump of last year look any better. But Capital Economics reckons that, with sentiment already so heavily negative, the risks for the coming year are firmly skewed to the upside. For starters, says [...]
What you need to know before the open – 03/01 January 3, 2014 A quiet and steady open is expected for European markets today, as significant data releases remain thin on the ground. US markets closed lower after their first day of trading in 2014, following data that suggested a slowdown in Chinese and US manufacturing expansion. From ETX Capital: At 0430 BST today, FTSE 100 futures are [...]
Here’s why Capital Economics thinks gold will bounce back this year January 2, 2014 2013 was a dire year for gold prices, and today's two per cent gain does little to make the 28 per cent slump of last year look any better. But Capital Economics reckons that, with sentiment already so heavily negative, the risks for the coming year are firmly skewed to the upside. For starters, [...]
Why you’d be “quite stupid” to stay out of the equity game in 2014 January 2, 2014 According to Saxo Bank's Head of Equity Strategy, Peter Garnry, 2014 is still a good year for equities. Despite worries that US Fed tapering will prompt a major correction, Garnry says there's still plenty of value to be had. Equities are drift assets… they rise because of nominal price increases… you would expect them to [...]
What you need to know before the open – 02/01 January 2, 2014 It's the first session of 2014, and European bourses are set to creep higher following their best year since 2009. Quieter trading (several markets are still closed for holidays) and weaker Chinese data are likely to cap gains today, with manufacturing sector data in focus. Mike van Dulken of Accendo Markets comments: FTSE 100 called [...]
Apple stock set to jump as US markets open December 23, 2013 Tech giant Apple is set to be greeted with approval by investors this afternoon. As US markets open at 2.30pm Apple shares could jump by four per cent on news that the company has agreed a tie-up with Chinese state-owned network China Mobile. The network has more than 750m subscribers – while the entire population [...]