Beware Bitcoin’s bite – why crypto-currency futures might make a risky investment deadly December 13, 2017 Deutsche Bank has raised serious concerns about the risk posed to the global financial system by Bitcoin. It’s not the first to red flag the crypto-currency and warn investors that it is a potentially dangerous financial instrument to get involved with. Others have warned about the dangers of a Bitcoin bubble. European Central bankers have [...]
Beaumgarten explosion: Gas prices soar after a deadly explosion at an Austrian pipeline hub December 12, 2017 An deadly explosion at a major gas pipeline hub in Austria today caused the UK’s natural gas prices to spike. The Beaumgarten site in Austria pumps gas throughout Europe from Russia. Gas Connect Austria, the operator, said the site had been shut down, and the fire brigade said one person had been killed and 18 [...]
Saudi sell-off puts a lot at stake December 12, 2017 Oil is getting more expensive. The price of crude recently jumped after OPEC agreed to extend the production initially agreed in November 2016. Having fallen to $29.64 dpb (dollars per barrel) in January 2016, it now looks settled at round about $50-60. It’s vital for the global economy that the price of oil settle. Since [...]
Editor’s Notes: Conspiracy theorists will always join the dots they want to see, bitcoin’s energy boom and the LSE row has left everyone weaker December 8, 2017 Before the fortuitous turn of events that took me into journalism, I did a lot of work with think tanks. These organisations come in all shapes and sizes – some are small, scrappy policy shops while others are quite grand, well-funded institutions. What they all tend to have in common is a staff of smart, [...]
Bitcoin bubble will crash after price hits $60k in 2018 – Saxo Bank’s outrageous prediction for year ahead December 7, 2017 With talk of bitcoin being a bubble, but an astonishing rise in price that appears to show no signs of abating, could the cryptocurrency be set for even more eye-watering increases? Saxo Bank certainly thinks so in its annual list of “outrageous” predictions for 2018, eyeing it hitting $60,000 – before it crashes, that is. [...]
Making voices heard: What Elena Baturina would do if she were London mayor for a day December 5, 2017 Elena Baturina has played an active role in charitable causes for many years, through her Be Open Foundation, supporting international projects in the field of arts, culture, design, education and sport. The Be Open Foundation currently supports the Mayor’s Fund for London’s City Pitch programme and London Children’s Festival, themed ‘Mayor for the Day’. How [...]
The time has come for western firms to take Ukraine seriously December 4, 2017 Four years ago, Ukraine hit the headlines when millions of its citizens took to the streets. They were protesting against their government’s decision to withdraw from signing a major agreement with the EU. The powerful protest resulted in a new government, with a pro-EU agenda. Russia retaliated by annexing Crimea and steering a subsequent militant [...]
Russia collusion: US President Donald Trump says he’s not worried about Michael Flynn’s guilty plea December 2, 2017 Donald Trump said he was not worried about what Michael Flynn will tell investigators after the President’s former national security advisor yesterday pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI because there was “absolutely no collusion” with Russia. “What has been shown is no collusion. There’s been absolutely no collusion so we’re very happy,” Trump told [...]
Kaspersky Lab: The government has issued a warning over Russian anti-virus software December 2, 2017 The government has set out a warning about the security risks of using anti-virus software made by Russian companies. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) director Ciaran Martin yesterday wrote to government departments saying anti-virus software made in Russia should not be used for systems related to national security. Martin said the NCSC was [...]
The FTSE 100 hangs on to 7,300 but ends the day lower December 1, 2017 The UK’s bluechip index finished the week just above 7,300 after a steep drop late in the day. The FTSE 100 index ended down 0.36 per cent, or 26.18 points, at 7,300.49. “A 2.2 per cent, $64 per barrel-hitting surge from Brent crude, and subsequent gains from BP and Shell, helped the FTSE ignore the [...]