McDonald’s profits fall as US diners stay away April 22, 2014 MCDONALD’S has suffered another sluggish quarter of sales in its key US market, dragging group profits down, as the fast-food giant struggled with fierce competition, weak consumer spending and a cold winter. Group like-for-like sales rose 0.5 per cent but US sales fell 1.7 per cent, which the hamburger chain blamed partly yesterday on the [...]
Polymetal commits to London listing as gold production rises April 22, 2014 RUSSIAN precious metals miner Polymetal said yesterday that it has no plans to move its listing from London to Moscow, as it unveiled a 34 per cent surge in gold output in the first quarter. The FTSE 250 company, which fell out of the top 100 index last year, shrugged off recent proposals from Russian [...]
London Report: Glaxo pharma deal puts FTSE market on high April 22, 2014 CORPORATE activity in the pharmaceutical sector yesterday pushed Britain’s benchmark stock index to a two-week high and to within sight of a peak for the year so far. Drugmaker AstraZeneca rose 4.7 per cent, with trading volumes in the stock more than three times its 90-day average, after the Sunday Times reported a £60bn approach [...]
It’s time to read the writing on the wall: Why the West no longer exists April 22, 2014 WHATEVER the final outcome of the violently simmering crisis in Ukraine, and however likely it is that that embattled state will remain caught in Russia’s crushing embrace, the greatest global political risk can’t be found in Kiev, eastern Ukraine or any of the other hotspots that get the media so excited. It lies in the [...]
Asian markets flat as Chinese shares disappoint April 22, 2014 Asian shares are broadly flat as weak Chinese shares offset a positive day on Wall Street.The Chinese Enterprises Index fell by one per cent to its lowest point in nearly four weeks. Fears over a slowdown in the Chinese economy were reinforced over the past week as Great Wall Motor and Air China reported poor [...]
It’s time to read the writing on the wall: Why the West no longer exists April 21, 2014 WHATEVER the final outcome of the violently simmering crisis in Ukraine, and however likely it is that that embattled state will remain caught in Russia’s crushing embrace, the greatest global political risk can’t be found in Kiev, eastern Ukraine or any of the other hotspots that get the media so excited. It lies in the [...]
Ukraine will only be the start April 21, 2014 Traders set to increasingly feel the pinch from flare-ups in petro-states FOR ANY traders not paying close attention to energy markets, recent events will have come as a rude awakening. Brent crude shot up from just above $104 per barrel in February to over $109 at the end of last week, while energy firms embroiled [...]
Why Europe’s options for diversifying its energy supplies are strictly limited April 21, 2014 CONFLICT in Ukraine has added another major geopolitical risk for energy markets in 2014. Gazprom’s cancellation of gas price discounts in Ukraine at the start of April significantly raises the risk that Russia will use short-term gas supply cuts for political leverage. While a short-term disruption this spring or summer would have muted market impact [...]
Geopolitical risks to support the oil price – despite demand growth drop April 21, 2014 THE BOOST the energy sector received up until early March is unlikely to be repeated as we move into the second quarter. Oil traders will be keeping an eye on several issues. China, the world’s biggest importer of oil, saw a dramatic reduction in February imports, after a record high in January. If this trend [...]
Nato steps up military activity in east Europe April 17, 2014 DEFENCE organisation Nato has stepped up its military presence in eastern Europe amid concerns that the interim government is losing control of a tense standoff with pro-Russian forces. Secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen confirmed yesterday that additional planes, ships and land vehicles will be deployed to prepare for intervention. “NATO will protect every ally and [...]