Letters to the Editor – 16/04 – Mansion tax-lite, Housing crisis, Best of Twitter April 15, 2014 Mansion tax-lite [Re: Why the Lib Dems’ new mansion tax-lite is just as ugly, yesterday] Alex Wild makes some excellent points on the unfair mansion tax. It would be nice to hear some intellectual justification from the likes of Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband. We won’t, of course, because there isn’t one. The politics of [...]
Why does it take the threat of a Russian invasion to stop EU protectionism? April 15, 2014 The European Union has proudly announced that it will be lifting €500m worth of tariffs on Ukrainian goods. The EU's magnanimous move covers 94.7 per cent of current tariffs on imports of industrial goods and all tariffs on Ukraine’s agricultural produce. Ukraine will not be required to provide reciprocity, but the EU will be obligated [...]
Asian markets dip as Chinese credit slowdown outweighs US optimism April 15, 2014 Asian shares are in retreat as tensions in Ukraine and the credit slowdown in China tempered investors optimism after improved US economic data. Western leaders have condemned Russia's President Vladimir Putin for escalating tensions in Ukraine where pro-Russian forces ignored warnings to leave areas of the eastern part of the country. Foreign secretary William Hague [...]
West eyes more curbs on Russia April 14, 2014 FOREIGN secretary William Hague has accused Russia’s President Putin of a “gross, deliberate and premeditated violation of the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine,” after pro-Russian forces ignored warnings to leave areas of eastern Ukraine. Arriving for talks in Luxembourg with EU foreign ministers yesterday, Hague said Russia’s claims that it is not behind the recent [...]
London Report: Ukraine fears prompt return to defensives April 14, 2014 A RISE in food and retail stocks, seen as “defensive” plays with investors worried by tensions in Ukraine, enabled Britain’s top equity index to inch higher yesterday. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed up by 0.3 per cent, or 22.06 points, at 6,583.76 points. Trading volumes came in at around 1.1 times above the index’s 3-month [...]
New York Report: Citigroup and retail figures lift US stocks April 14, 2014 US STOCKS closed higher yesterday as Citigroup’s earnings and strong retail sales gave investors reasons to buy equities despite a resurgence of geopolitical uncertainties. Equities opened higher as strong results from Citigroup and bullish retail sales data lifted sentiment, though shares lost ground in the last hour of trading. Both the Nasdaq and the S&P [...]
How the West’s utopians damned Ukraine to Russian dominance April 14, 2014 THERE is little doubt that Ukraine stands perilously on the edge of disaster, if not full invasion, as Russian troops assemble on its borders and pro-Russian activists violently demonstrate in key eastern cities. So why, in response, has the West floundered? There is a critical division between the major western foreign policy schools of thought [...]
Here’s what you need to know about today’s gold price surge April 14, 2014 Demand for the lustrous metal has seen gold prices hit a three week high, with geopolitical risks seeing investors move towards the safe-haven asset. Seen as a hedge against inflation, other metals have also spiked as tensions over Ukraine heat up. Palladium today sees an August 2011 high, as traders worry that US sanctions on [...]
Here’s what you need to know about today’s gold price surge April 14, 2014 Demand for the lustrous metal has seen gold prices hit a three week high, with geopolitical risks seeing investors move towards the safe-haven asset. Seen as a hedge against inflation, other metals have also spiked as tensions over Ukraine heat up. Palladium today sees an August 2011 high, as traders worry that US sanctions on [...]
What you need to know before the open April 14, 2014 Rising tensions in Ukraine are expected to hit European equities this morning. The Ukrainian government has begun a full-scale anti-terrorist operation, following the arrival of pro-Russian forces in several towns in eastern Ukraine. Russia has asked for a dialogue to be initiated, calling for Kiev not to use force. The rouble's currently down almost one [...]