Capitalise on bear squeezes to short cable March 16, 2010 IT DOESN’T take a lot to move the pound nowadays. Whether it’s weak data, a policymaker speaking or a ratings agency firing another warning shot over 10 Downing Street – and there have been plenty of all three over recent weeks – sterling is only responding in one way at the moment: down. Against the [...]
Banks and commodities gain strength after S&P reassures on Greek debt March 16, 2010 BRITAIN’S top shares gained 0.5 per cent yesterday lifted by strength in banks and commodity issues after reassuring news on Greece’s debt situation and as investors awaited the outcome of a US Federal Reserve meeting. At the close, the FTSE 100 was 26.58 points higher at 5,620.43, having closed 0.6 per cent lower on Monday. [...]
Intel leads the way as Fed decision lifts Wall Street March 16, 2010 US stocks rose to a fresh 17-month high yesterday after the Federal Reserve held benchmark rates near zero and maintained its pledge to keep them low for an extended period. The central bank also pointed to increased momentum in the economy’s recovery, and that, coupled with strength in Intel, helped the Standard & Poor’s 500 [...]
Fed wins in Dodd shake-up March 15, 2010 THE Federal Reserve would take on a greatly expanded role in financial regulation under new legislation unveiled yesterday by a top US Senate Democrat, in a push to move ahead with the regulatory reform that has been a top priority of President Barack Obama. The bill by Senator Christopher Dodd would give the Federal Reserve, [...]
Stall in US production as Fed meets on rates March 15, 2010 US industrial production braked sharply in February, held back by severe winter storms that slammed parts of the country, while manufacturing activity in New York state stalled this month, figures showed yesterday. Analysts said the data did not alter their views that the factory-led economic recovery remained on track, given weather disruptions and the fact [...]
MOMENTUM IS DRIVING THE MARKETS March 15, 2010 WITH the days getting longer and the Cheltenham Festival kicking off this afternoon, there is a palpable feeling of optimism around. Despite little in the way of bullish news last week, stock indices puffed and wheezed their way higher. The S&P made its highest close in 17 months – breaking back above 1,150, which was [...]
Federal Reserve retains powers March 14, 2010 The Federal Reserve would win sweeping new powers over nonbank financial firms and keep much of its authority over banks, under revised legislation to be unveiled today. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd was poised to release a bill that leans heavily on the Fed, sources said.
2010 is the year for small caps March 8, 2010 AFTER small caps’ excellent 2009, many were left wondering whether such a performance could be repeated in 2010. Neil Hermon, portfolio manager of the Henderson Smaller Companies Investment Trust, certainly thinks so. Hermon says that smaller companies have the ability to outperform this year thanks to a weak sterling and improved mergers and acquisitions (M&A) [...]
Riverside views and posh Euro nosh March 8, 2010 Battery 34 Westferry Circus E14 8RR Tel: 020 8305 3089 Cost per person without wine: £55 YOU have to really want to go to Battery to make it inside. In the Phillipe Starck-designed space formerly occupied by the now-defunct restaurant Ubon, it’s at the top of a building within the cloistered Four Seasons complex in [...]
Fed retains bank oversight March 7, 2010 The US Federal Reserve will retain regulation of banks with more than $100bn (£66bn) despite calls from Congress for a single regulator to supervise all banks. In other regulatory reform, the government is also introducing a new regime aimed at dealing with systemically important institutions that are failing. New rules would allow it to wind [...]