Shop prices still falling as retail enters second year of deflation June 3, 2014 PRICES have now been falling for over a year in Britain’s shops, according to figures released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen today, with the continued recovery still putting little pressure on price tags. The BRC/Nielsen index registered a 1.4 per cent decline in prices overall. Food prices rose by 0.7 per cent, [...]
Euro inflation drops ahead of likely rate cut June 3, 2014 INFLATION across the Eurozone dropped in May, according to official figures released yesterday, giving the European Central Bank (ECB) its last price data before a major decision on interest rates tomorrow. Consumer prices in the Eurozone rose by just 0.5 per cent in the year to May, the joint-lowest increase since 2009. Inflation was similarly [...]
Why India’s political earthquake is the most significant turning point of 2014 May 19, 2014 GENOA – I find myself in this predictably beautiful Italian city, about to visit the house of Christopher Columbus. Like most American schoolchildren, I remember finding the fact that Columbus discovered the new world by mistake uproariously funny, as the “Admiral of the Ocean Sea” literally bumped into the Americas, sitting annoyingly in the way [...]
Why India’s political earthquake is the most significant turning point of 2014 May 18, 2014 GENOA – I find myself in this predictably beautiful Italian city, about to visit the house of Christopher Columbus. Like most American schoolchildren, I remember finding the fact that Columbus discovered the new world by mistake uproariously funny, as the “Admiral of the Ocean Sea” literally bumped into the Americas, sitting annoyingly in the way [...]
What you need to know before the US open May 15, 2014 A subdued open is expected for US markets today, with stocks futures suggesting little change. Consumer prices rose 0.3 per cent in April from March, predominantly on food prices, meaning the annual rate of inflation’s risen to two per cent. And jobless claims have shown that just 297,000 signed on for unemployment benefit for the [...]
Retailers cheer as Easter buyers flock to shops May 12, 2014 SHOPPERS flooded back to high streets and shopping centres this April, with sales surging during the late start to Easter, according to a major trade group. This mornings’s figures on retail sales from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG show a 5.7 per cent jump in spending last month, when compared to the same [...]
Why ECB pressers are suffering a bout of word “inflation” May 8, 2014 The European Central Bank is still ignoring the elephant in the room. We've got a policy decision and presser coming up from the central bank this afternoon, but analysts aren't exciting anything too exciting at either event. Yet Robert Kuenzel of Daiwa Capital Markets Europe says that the ECB "clearly understands that it is already [...]
Sterling’s enduring strength: Not the bad news some fear April 28, 2014 A strong pound brings opportunities for the discerning trader NEWS of a stronger pound is often accompanied by alarmist warnings over the consequences for the UK economy. Entrepreneur and economist John Mills has recently campaigned for a devaluation of sterling to boost British manufacturing competitiveness in the long term. And many fear that a stronger [...]
Here’s why 2014 could still prove a great year for Bitcoin bugs April 25, 2014 The past few months have proved to be a tough time for cryptocurrency Bitcoin. The MtGox exchange suffered a dramatic fall from grace, while the price of the digital currency has fallen by 37 per cent the year to date. However, things may be looking up for Bitcoin as venture capital money continues pour in [...]
Here’s why 2014 could still prove a great year for Bitcoin bugs April 25, 2014 The past few months have proved to be a tough time for cryptocurrency Bitcoin. The MtGox exchange suffered a dramatic fall from grace, while the price of the digital currency has fallen by 37 per cent the year to date. However, things may be looking up for Bitcoin as venture capital money continues pour in [...]