Iron ore prices are set to crash by 40pc. Here’s why December 13, 2013 Demand for major commodities was strong this year, but supply topped it. When it came iron ore, demand outweighed supply on a relative basis because it was stronger and there was marginal shortage in the market, but many analysts don't expect that to remain the case. By 2015, Goldman forecasts "major oversupply" of iron ore, [...]
We need to stop playing politics with aviation and go for growth December 11, 2013 IT is time for our political establishment to get its act together and take the tough decisions this country needs. The case in favour of airport expansion is overwhelming. Britain has failed to build a single new full-length airport runway anywhere in the South East of the country since the Second World War (City Airport, [...]
Why the 50-year bull market may end with a whimper not a bang December 9, 2013 MY NEXT Gresham professorial lecture has the provocative title “Was Karl Marx always wrong?”, but those wanting a detailed dissection of Marxism should stay away. Rather, I used this to highlight one of the important phenomena of our times – the falling share of labour incomes of GDP. The fall has meant a growing share [...]
What you need to know before the open – 09/12 December 9, 2013 A positive start to the week's trading is expected today, with a very thin macroeconomic calendar ahead of us for Monday. Analyts forecast that the FTSE will open higher on momentum from Friday's US session, record highs on India's Sensex stock index, and the better than expected Chinese inflation data published this morning. Morning all. [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 09 December 2013 December 9, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES HSBC eyes listing of £20bn UK bank HSBC has sounded out investors about a flotation of its UK arm, in a move that would realise value from its high street banking business and address regulatory pressures. The bank has in recent weeks asked investors whether they would support the sale of a sizeable [...]
Are all virtual currencies in danger as China cracks down on Bitcoin? December 9, 2013 The founder of virtual currency Peercoin, Sunny King has warned the he does not rule out the possibility of governments banning virtual currencies. His comments follow Chinese authorities’ recent crackdown on the use of Bitcoin by financial institutions. Speaking to CNBC on Friday, King said: I wouldn’t eliminate possibilities that they [China’s authorities] issue a [...]
Are all virtual currencies in danger as China cracks down on Bitcoin? December 6, 2013 The founder of virtual currency Peercoin, Sunny King has warned the he does not rule out the possibility of governments banning virtual currencies. His comments follow Chinese authorities' recent crackdown on the use of Bitcoin by financial institutions. Speaking to CNBC on Friday, King said: I wouldn't eliminate possibilities that they [China's authorities] issue a [...]
Buyers rush for gold after worst quarterly fall in 35 years December 4, 2013 November has seen a hefty increase in gold sales with buyers outnumbering sellers two to one, according to BullionVault. The gold and silver exchange used its investor index to show that buyers had taken advantage of the falling gold price to grow their holdings. The index is sentiment indicator of the 50,000 people who use [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 04 December 2013 December 3, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES IBM legal challenge to India tax claim IBM has launched a legal challenge over an estimated $800m tax demand from India’s revenue department – becoming the latest major western multinational to find itself ensnared in a payment dispute in Asia’s third-largest economy. The company’s move follow a series of recent high profile tax rows [...]
3 reasons why a free trade deal between the EU and China is a match made in heaven December 3, 2013 David Cameron's recent call for a free trade deal between the European Union (EU) and China was met with icy scepticism from the EU. David Cameron criticised those who wanted to erect a "bamboo curtain" between China and the EU. However an EU spokesman said in a press conference that any such deal would be [...]