Growth revised up as US heads towards rate hike May 27, 2016 The US economy grew a little faster than first thought in the first three months of the year, though expansion was still sluggish at just 0.8 per cent on an annual rate. First estimates earlier this month suggested the economy grew by an even more miserly 0.5 per cent, but the upward revision should provide [...]
These are the 12 jobs with the biggest payrises so far this year May 27, 2016 Fed up of waiting for a payrise? Perhaps it's time to start another career… New research by salary benchmarking site Emolument.com has identified the 12 jobs which have had the biggest pay increases so far this year – and, unsurprisingly, marketing tops the list. According to the research, salaries in marketing and communications roles have [...]
Oil prices fall back from $50 as supply concerns weigh May 27, 2016 Crude slumped today as investors worried higher prices would exacerbate the global oversupply. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell 0.8 per cent to $49.2 per barrel this morning. West Texas Intermediate crude, the US benchmarked, shed 0.8 per cent to $49.1. Read more: Oil and gas firms gear up for wave of M&A activity Oil pushed [...]
Forward misguidance: Unreliable central banks are fuelling market volatility May 27, 2016 At the bottom of every financial prediction or statement, often buried under mountains of small print, is a warning that past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. This is true whether we look at stock markets, investment funds or central banks. Since 2013, however, some of the world’s largest financial institutions have been [...]
Santander’s using blockchain right now May 26, 2016 Santander is the latest bank to experiment with blockchain technology, applying it to international payments with the promise of making the process quicker. It claims to be the first bank in the UK to use blockchain in this way, trialling it in an iPhone app used by staff that reduces the time it takes to transfer cash by [...]
Buy to let investors are feeling the heat: What are the alternatives for gaining exposure to residential property? May 26, 2016 The buy-to-let boom of recent years has fed the stereotype that Brits are uniquely obsessed with property. Yet statistically this appears to be little more than a myth. The latest data from Eurostat show that 64.8 per cent of the UK adult population lives in a property they own compared to an EU average of [...]
FedEx completes “historic” €4.4bn European deal May 25, 2016 FedEx has completed its €4.4bn (£3.3bn) acquisition of TNT Express, with the company describing the deal as a “historic event”. The company said in an announcement that the transaction brings together the world’s largest air express network and an “unparalleled European road network”. Read more: FedEx delivers on revenue in third-quarter results It said the [...]
Before the bell: What you need to know before the US market open May 25, 2016 Oil is climbing and China has fixed the yuan at its weakest level in five years. Here's what you need to know before the market open at 14:30 London time. The pre-market is pointing to a strong rise at the open. The S&P is up by 0.36 per cent, while the Nasdaq is up by 0.44 per cent. [...]
America under Trump: What would Donald do to trade, the dollar and investment in the US? May 25, 2016 Donald Trump is the last man standing in the Republican race for the White House. With six months to go until November’s presidential election, it’s almost certain Trump will stand against Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton. A businessman with no political experience, Trump has been pretty vague on policy details and some of his claims are so [...]
US new home sales figures lay foundations for June rate hike May 24, 2016 Sales of new homes in the United States jumped to their highest level since before the crisis, as the US economy picks up momentum in the second quarter. The number of newly-built homes sold – on an annual basis – hit 619,000, a jump of 16.6 per cent on last month and around 100,000 ahead of [...]