Parliament scraps plans to exempt its own bars from 10pm curfew September 28, 2020 Parliament has U-turned on a decision to allow the sale of alcohol on its premises after 10pm despite a nationwide curfew, following furious backlash from MPs and unions. Licenced bars and catering facilities within the Parliamentary estate had initially been allowed to stay open after the 10pm deadline after ministers argued that MPs and peers [...]
Rugged beauty: exploring the diversity of Spain’s natural landscapes September 28, 2020 When pondering Spain, the first images that probably come to mind are long stretches of coastline swathed in golden sands, bustling plazas full of happy chatter, and plates of delicious local tapas washed down with cañas. And while all this does indeed exist in abundance, what often flies under the radar is the country’s assortment [...]
FTSE 100 climbs despite new coronavirus rules but US stocks mixed September 22, 2020 After plunging yesterday, the FTSE 100 rose despite the UK government imposing new coronavirus restrictions, while US stocks were mixed. The UK blue-chip index was up 0.9 per cent to 5,858 points in afternoon trading. That was down significantly from its opening figure of above 6,000 yesterday, however. The FTSE 250 had risen 0.2 per [...]
Republicans or Democrats: who is better for the economy? September 22, 2020 We’re in the midst of another US presidential election. And as we do every four years, we’ll hear talk about the presidential cycle and why Republicans, because of their more business-friendly policies, are better for the economy and stock markets than Democrats. But as with so much common knowledge, the evidence for this is much [...]
FTSE 100 and US stocks slip amid rising coronavirus cases September 18, 2020 The FTSE 100 and US stocks slipped as investors weighed up rising coronavirus cases and the latest decisions by the Bank of England and US Federal Reserve. London’s main stock index fell 0.5 per cent to 6,017 points at 3pm. Mid-cap firms were hit harder, with the FTSE 250 dropping one per cent. Read more: [...]
FTSE 100 and US stocks slide following central bank announcements September 17, 2020 The FTSE 100 continued trading in the red after the Bank of England announced it would keep monetary policy on hold, while Wall Street opened lower as tech stocks slumped. The blue-chip index dropped 0.7 per cent before inching up marginally to trade down 0.4 per cent after the bank said the economy’s recovery had [...]
Trump urges Republicans to go ‘much higher’ on stimulus September 17, 2020 US President Donald Trump has encouraged Republicans on Capitol Hill to come up with a more generous stimulus offer, as the White House tries to break the deadlock over the next package. Trump tweeted yesterday evening: “Go for the much higher numbers, Republicans, it all comes back to the USA anyway (one way or another!)” [...]
Federal Reserve holds rates steady in upbeat US economic forecast September 16, 2020 The US Federal Reserve opted to keep interest rates near zero today, but improved its projections for the US economy while it waits for inflation to improve. The Fed promised to hold interest rates until inflation gets on track to “moderately exceed” its two per cent inflation target “for some time”. Fresh forecasts showed it [...]
FTSE 100 falls but US stocks rise ahead of Fed decision September 16, 2020 The FTSE 100 fell but US stocks opened higher as investors awaited the latest decision from the US Federal Reserve and digested more economic data. London’s main stock index dropped 0.6 per cent to stand at 6,067 points just before 3pm. The FTSE 250 of mid-cap companies fell 0.1 per cent. Read more: UK inflation [...]
Average inflation targeting: what is it and what does it mean for investors? September 15, 2020 Late-August saw the Federal Reserve (Fed) hold its keenly-watched annual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium. Against a backdrop of the huge global uncertainty engendered by Covid-19, the focus on the conference was sharp. Central banks have implemented further substantial policy measures to limit the damage from the Covid-19 lockdown and maintain financial stability. Nonetheless, at [...]