FTSE 100 flatlines as Trump order ramps up US-China tensions August 7, 2020 The FTSE 100 flatlined on a choppy morning of trading after US President Donald Trump signed executive orders hitting Chinese firms Tiktok and Wechat, and Congress and the White House failed to agree on a stimulus plan. London’s blue-chip index was roughly flat at 6,027 points at midday. The FTSE 250 of mid-cap firms rose [...]
Gold consolidates near record highs as US-China tensions escalate August 7, 2020 Gold climbed further as demand for the precious metal surges against a backdrop of escalating US-China tension. The price of gold per ounce teetered between small gains and minor losses during the Asia session but seems to have stabilised around the $2,060 mark. It rose to new record highs in the early part of the [...]
Trump issues executive order against Tiktok and Wechat over China links August 7, 2020 US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order promising a ban on Chinese-owned apps such as Tiktok and Wechat within 45 days. The two apps must be removed from Apple and Google’s app stores and all business ceased with US companies by the deadline. Tiktok owner Bytedance is currently in negotiations over a sale [...]
Fortnite creator Epic Games raises $1.78bn August 6, 2020 Epic Games, the firm behind the popular online multiplayer game Fortnite, said today it has raised $1.78bn in its latest funding round, taking its valuation to $17.3bn. The latest funding round includes the $250m investment made by electronics giant Sony last month for a reported 1.4 per cent stake in the company. Other new investors [...]
Crypto trading volumes plummeted in June, but Altcoins are moving up July 14, 2020 This week the price of Bitcoin (BTC) started trading around $9,200 and quickly moved up to $9,450. A potential rally was rejected close to $9,500 and BTC’s price then moved back down to $9,150, but it has since recovered back to $9,300. Ether (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, had a similar price performance [...]
Sony injects $250m into Fortnite creator Epic Games July 10, 2020 Sony has invested $250m in the game studio behind Fortnite, giving the tech giant a reported 1.4 per cent stake in the business. Epic Games is now said to be valued at $17.9bn after the deal. The two companies said the deal will allow them to “broaden their collaboration across Sony’s leading portfolio of entertainment [...]
World reserve currencies: Is the US Dollars’ days numbered? June 30, 2020 “Every dog has its day” is an expression believed to have come from 405 BC when a Greek playwright, Euripides, was mauled and killed by a pack of dogs. An analogy to this tale could be the US Dollar. Is the end nigh? Has the mighty Greenback ‘had its day’? Having been on the boards [...]
Tiktok owner Bytedance sees revenue surge to £4.4bn, according to sources June 17, 2020 Bytedance, the Chinese company behind social media platform Tiktok, has seen a surge in first-quarter revenue to 40bn yuan (£4.4bn), according to two people familiar with the matter. The revenue boost marks a 130 per cent year-on-year increase, according to Reuters, citing two sources with knowledge on the matter who declined to be identified. Bytedance [...]
Tencent revenue rises as Covid-19 lockdown drives mobile gaming boom May 13, 2020 Tencent today posted a rise in revenue and profit for the first quarter as global coronavirus lockdowns boosted demand for its blockbuster mobile games. The Chinese tech conglomerate posted revenue of 108bn yuan (£12.4bn) in the first three months of the year — up 26 per cent year on year. Profit attributable to equity holders [...]
The Long Read: Sir Martin Sorrell on advertising, coronavirus and the new media landscape May 7, 2020 Sir Martin Sorrell has bestrode the ad world for decades – and in the midst of a global pandemic that has hit the industry hard, he’s understandably got some thinking to do. Christopher Jackson spoke to the ad mogul, and his interview for finitoworld – the organisation’s online magazine – is republished here. Prior to [...]