Why entrepreneurs in the developing world need new funding models December 12, 2016 Emerging and frontier markets face significant challenges – access to clean water, food security, financial inclusion, medical delivery. Increasingly, it is innovation-driven entrepreneurs who are providing effective and scalable solutions rather than aid agencies or governments. Traditionally, the focus of entrepreneurship in the developing world has been on creating small- and medium-sized enterprises serving local markets. [...]
With the Fed set to hike interest rates this week, will a stronger dollar pose a threat to the world economy? December 12, 2016 Craig Melling, investment manager at Progeny Asset Management, says Yes. The recent boost to the dollar since the US election has been welcomed by investors and stock markets alike. However, looking more closely at the impact of a surging dollar leads us to believe that this is a potential setback for the world economy. First, [...]
Investors eye prospects for 2017 tightening as Federal Reserve rate rise is seen as near certainty December 11, 2016 The US Federal Reserve is set to raise interest rates for the first time since December 2015 as it continues attempts to move away from a period of historically low interest rates, with investors set to focus on the prospects for further tightening over the course of 2017. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will [...]
Editor’s notes: Calm down, the banks are not about to run for the European hills December 9, 2016 The government has agreed to set out its Brexit plans to parliament. While this will fall short of outlining a full negotiation strategy, it has been welcomed by politicians and business groups as a necessary step towards providing some clarity. However, there appears to still be confusion in some quarters over the fate of the City, [...]
Revenge of the inflationistas: Trump has ushered in the end of the QE era December 9, 2016 After almost a decade of QE and loose monetary policy, inflation is nowhere to be seen in the developed world. Warning of upside risk in consumer prices has become something akin to crying wolf. But Donald Trump’s proposed fiscal measures could prove the missing piece of the global inflationary puzzle. As a result, inflation is [...]
US jobless claims fall as last US jobs data before Fed meeting supports rate rise case December 8, 2016 Claims by Americans for unemployment benefits fell this week, adding to the weight of positive economic data in the last jobs release ahead of next week’s update on monetary policy by the US Federal Reserve. The number of initial jobless claims fell by 10,000 to 258,000, marking the longest streak of claims below 300,000 since [...]
The euro plummets as the European Central Bank extends its quantitative easing programme, but taper begins December 8, 2016 The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced that it will extend its programme of quantitative easing until the end of 2017, although it will reduce the size of the programme. The euro surged briefly on the extension before plunging to wipe out all of the day's gains and fall by as much as 1.1 per cent. [...]
Was Mark Carney right to absolve monetary policy of the blame for popular disillusionment with capitalism? December 7, 2016 Vicky Pryce, board member of CEBR, a former government economic adviser and co-author of It’s the Economy Stupid, Economics for Voters, says Yes. The impact of globalisation has on the whole been positive. It has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty, created vast new middle classes and extended all our horizons. The consumer has [...]
Manchester City 1, Celtic 1: On-loan City winger Patrick Roberts embarrasses parent club but Sergio Aguero stand-in Kelechi Iheanacho spares hosts blushes December 6, 2016 Manchester City 1, Celtic 1 Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho showed that he is ready to fill the gap left by suspended top scorer Sergio Aguero by netting his fifth goal of the campaign on Tuesday night. The 20-year-old Nigeria hotshot equalised as City drew their final Champions League group fixture with Celtic, after the [...]
US services PMI grows at fastest pace since October 2015, pushing the Dow to fresh record highs December 5, 2016 The rise in new business growth drove US services to expand at the fastest rate since October 2015, according to a closely watched measure of business activity, adding to the weight of data supporting the case for a rise in US interest rates and pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average to fresh all-time intraday highs. [...]