US investors braced for sign of rates hike – The week ahead on Wall St March 9, 2015 US STOCK investors may be bracing for further signs this week that the Federal Reserve could increase interest rates sooner rather than later, with retail sales expected to rebound after two straight months of declines. A pickup in retail sales could show consumers are benefiting from sharply lower oil prices, but analysts say spending in [...]
Bitreserve and CNET founder Halsey Minor talks dot-commers, virtual currencies and the Bank of England’s open-mindedness March 8, 2015 You might not have heard of Halsey Minor, but it’s likely that you’ve indirectly benefited from one of his many achievements. He’s one half of the brains behind CNET, the technology media website which, founded in 1994, was in the vanguard of internet firms, and is still one of the most-visited tech information resources in [...]
US non-farm payroll: Economy adds 295,000 jobs in February March 6, 2015 The US economy was inoculated from last month's bout of bad weather as jobs growth smashed expectations. Figures released by the Labour Department today showed that the US economy added 295,000 jobs in February, which was up from the 257,000 in January. This was above economists' forecasts of 240,000. This bumper figure pushed the dollar [...]
US stocks stall ahead of jobs report today – New York Report March 5, 2015 US stocks closed modestly higher in light trading yesterday as investors held back on big bets ahead of today’s jobs report, which is expected to be a big factor in influencing the timing of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Focus on the report was heightened as many investors see it as one of the [...]
Eat like an Oscars star: Now Aldi is selling Wagyu beef burgers March 3, 2015 We've had luxury wine, scallops and lobsters. Now Aldi is offering British customers Wagyu burgers – one of the most expensive types of beef – at knock down prices. For a limited time only the discount grocer will sell the premium products, made from New Zealand grass-fed cattle – for £2.99 for two. In [...]
Forget secular stagnation: America shows why the pessimists are wrong February 26, 2015 The US economic recovery is gathering momentum. January’s impressive labour market report showed that the US is in the midst of a long, sustainable upswing that could surpass any other business cycle in the post-1945 era. QE has proved to be a powerful monetary policy tool in the US. Low short- and long-term interest rates [...]
Dovish Yellen helps Dow rise – New York Report February 24, 2015 US Stocks closed at new highs yesterday as investors reacted well to remarks from Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen and Greece won EU approval for its proposed budget reforms. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 92.35 points, 0.5 per cent, to 18,209.19, while the Standard & Poors 500 gained 5.82 points, 0.3 per cent, to [...]
Why the US bull market still has further to run – Investment Comment February 24, 2015 Recent economic data from the US clearly indicates that the world’s largest economy is now much closer to reaching self-sustaining growth. The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) Manufacturing Index continues to show expansion, with its latest reading at 53.5 (albeit down fractionally from the previous month). The services-oriented ISM Non-Manufacturing Index – representing a much [...]
FTSE 100 closes at record high February 24, 2015 Having smashed its closing record earlier this week, the FTSE closed at a record high, finishing at 6,949.6 points. Earlier, it had breezed past its intraday record of 6,950 topping 6,957 in late afternoon trading. The index passed its 1999 closing record of 6,930.2 yesterday, gaining more than 20 points today after decision-makers in Brussels [...]
Yellen: Fed will drop the word “patient” before it hikes interest rates February 24, 2015 The US Federal Reserve's rate-setting committee will lose patience before it hikes interest rates, promised Fed boss Janet Yellen today – although she remained cagey about when that would happen. In prepared remarks to the Senate Banking Committee, she suggested there is no "given point" at which the Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) will decide [...]