EURO-DOLLAR TRADE IS AN UGLY CONTEST September 28, 2010 DIRECTOR OF CURRENCY RESEARCH, GFT LET’S just retrace Tuesday’s euro-dollar price movements. First, the pair rallied in early Asian trade when a Wall Street Journal article reported that the Fed is considering a quasi-permanent QE policy, raising fears that the central bank will eventually monetise more than a trillion worth of US debt. Then, before [...]
Donald has vindicated Monty’s faith September 27, 2010 LUKE DONALD got his big chance to vindicate his place on the European Ryder Cup team at the weekend – and he took it with both hands. Colin Montgomerie’s biggest dilemma in selecting his 12-man team for Celtic Manor was who to pick from Donald, Paul Casey and Justin Rose. Omitting the world’s No7 player [...]
Price of gold could hit $1,500 September 27, 2010 THE price of gold could reach record highs of up to $1,500 (£949) an ounce in the next twelve months delegates at the London Bullion Market Association (LMBA) annual conference said yesterday. The majority of delegates saw the price of gold rising to $1,406 an ounce by September next year but 32 per cent of [...]
Lurking behind the financial crisis: the Fed puppeteer and the trader September 27, 2010 I WANTED it to be like that Quentin Tarantino movie: every person should come away with a different picture. I wanted to almost do it with no judgment.” Andrew Ross Sorkin is in London for the Samuel L Johnson literary awards after Too Big To Fail, his best-selling account of the financial crisis, was short-listed [...]
September was golden but cooler days are due September 27, 2010 SEPTEMBER’S prodigious rally in the American S&P 500 index has taken many investors rather by surprise. Despite falling yields on US Treasuries and gold rallying, the index is on track for its third-best monthly performance in the past decade. The S&P 500 has been driven higher by tech stocks, which have risen 12.71 per cent [...]
Opening gains likely as winning streak continues September 26, 2010 ANOTHER positive open is expected for UK shares this morning, following on from a fifth straight week of gains. GFT is quoting the FTSE 100 index to open up 10 points from Friday’s close, at a level of 5,608. The German DAX 40 is expected to open up 12 points at 6,310, and the French [...]
Off-piste: the pre-snow joys of Chamonix September 26, 2010 ASK MOST people what comes into their head when you mention Chamonix, and they’ll say skiing. But the mountain capital of the world has much more to offer, especially when the snow disappears from everywhere but the highest peaks. Home to over eighty nationalities – making it one of the most multicultural places in France [...]
M&B profit fed by food sales September 23, 2010 PUBS and restaurants group Mitchells & Butlers yesterday reported a surge in food sales in recent weeks and said it was looking to make acquisitions as it re-shapes itself into a food-led business. M&B, which has over 2,000 pubs and restaurants and whose brands include Harvester, All Bar One and Toby Carvery, reported a 4.4 [...]
Simplicity is often a virtue September 23, 2010 WITH markets still directionless and a second-half slowdown looming, those with savings are increasingly looking into more exotic ways to preserve their nest-egg. The desire for safety combined with sinking government bond yields has fed demand for a series of structured products for private investors – that is, investment vehicles that promise a defined return [...]
THE TIPSTER September 22, 2010 Mitchells & Butlers has lost ground this month despite last week reporting it is paying around £20m for 22 Ha Ha Bar & Grill restaurants. Can today’s trading update, which analysts expect to provide positive news, help lift the stock back up above the 300p level? ShortsandLongs.com has a rolling spread of 294.5p-296.1p. The afterglow [...]