There’s still no such thing as a free lunch November 7, 2010 MILTON Friedman said that there is no such thing as a free lunch, but even he might have been surprised by the cost of a meal today. World food prices have soared back up to levels last seen in the crisis of 2007-2008, leading some to warn of renewed food riots. Russia recently extended its [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 7, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES DHL CHIEF PROMISES ACTION OVER BOMB FEARS The head of one of the three big air-express companies has reacted to the parcel bombs sent from Yemen and Greece by pledging better screening of customers and packages before they reach airports. “What we need to do is improve surveillance at the pick-up point, have [...]
Government to back Diageo China bid November 7, 2010 THE government will throw its weight behind Diageo chief executive Paul Walsh this week as the drinks giant bids for a controlling stake in one of China’s biggest spirits-makers. Diageo is awaiting clearance for the bid from Chinese authorities, with foreign takeovers usually viewed in a critical light. The coalition-led trade group arriving in China [...]
Growth in China on the cards at Boots November 7, 2010 HIGH STREET health and beauty retailer Boots hopes to make headway in China when its executive chairman travels to the country as part of David Cameron’s first official visit as Prime Minister. Stefano Pessina has reportedly organised talks with potential partners in Beijing and Shanghai while he is in the country, as part of a [...]
China offers to give help to Portugal November 7, 2010 PRESIDENT Hu Jintao said yesterday China will back Portugal’s efforts to deal with fallout from the world financial crisis, but stopped short of promising to buy Portuguese bonds as the debt-ridden country had hoped. “We are willing to take concrete measures to help Portugal cope with the global financial crisis,” he said after meeting Prime [...]
Stock markets are wrong about QE2 November 5, 2010 YESTERDAY’S stock market rebound is the proof that investors don’t always get it right – or at least, that they still love to get drunk on the prospect of cheap money. Stock markets in the US and UK jumped, taking equities back to the time when Lehman Brothers was just another big investment bank. One [...]
Chinese thirst sees money pouring into sales of fine wines November 4, 2010 WINE has gained more value this year than either gold or shares, driven largely by Chinese demand. According to research from the Bordeaux Index – which tracks live changes in the prices of 80 to 100 of the most traded wines – demand for fine wine grew by 26 per cent in the year to [...]
Time to reverse global imbalances November 3, 2010 THIS has been a pivotal year for global economies. But if 2010 is the pivot then next year will be the fulcrum. 2011 is likely to be the year for developing economies to crowbar the debt-laden west out of its economic woes. Archimedes of Syracuse once boasted that if he stood in the right place [...]
G20 PUTS FX MARKETS IN SHARP FOCUS November 3, 2010 DIRECTOR OF THIRD PARTY DISTRIBUTION, ETF SECURITIES CURRENCIES are currently very much in focus. Bizarrely, however, many investors shun direct currency exposure because they view currencies as being more volatile compared to other asset classes. This leads investors to play currencies through their asset allocation decisions rather than trading the foreign exchange markets directly. Indeed [...]
FTSE lifted more than one per cent on the back of strong corporate earnings November 2, 2010 STRONG corporate earnings hoisted Britain’s top shares by more than one per cent on yesterday, led by energy stocks after BP and BG Group results and ahead of the outcome of the eagerly awaited US Federal Reserve policy meeting. At the two-day meet in Washington which started yesterday, the Fed will consider the prospect of [...]