Tech stocks – slow-down or slump? July 27, 2021 With the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating the shift towards a digital-first world; technology stocks rose to all-time highs in 2020, as people spent more time online.1 However, as economies have begun to reopen following the rollout of highly effective coronavirus vaccines; tech stocks sold-off as investors rotated towards sectors set to benefit from reopening. In this [...]
China crackdown weighs heavily on global markets July 27, 2021 Global stock markets notched losses on Tuesday as investor sentiment soured on concerns that Chinese authorities may over-extend their regulatory crackdown. The US’ main benchmarks dropped during the opening session, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq registering the worst performance, down 1.76 per cent. The blue-chip S&P 500 fell 0.78 per cent, while the Dow Jones lost [...]
Podcast: Matthew Halstead, Trustee and Co-Creator of sidekick, on mental health, the importance of community and reaching a ‘career pivot’ July 26, 2021 Listen now on Spotify, Apple podcast, Soundcloud or the ICAS website. Matt lives in Hampshire with his wife and daughter. Previously a Samaritans volunteer, he loves an open and honest mental health chat which lead him to co-create the sidekick charity, because he believes mental health support should be accessible to all. He runs Noctis, a small consultancy offering commercial [...]
Exclusive: London Mayor urges China to respect ‘one country, two systems’ principle in Hong Kong July 23, 2021 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called on the British government to continue applying pressure on the Chinese government to respect the Sino-British Joint Declaration. In an exclusive interview with City A.M., Khan commented that new laws in Hong Kong have severely limited the rights and political freedom of Hongkongers, which is one of the reasons [...]
Crypto is a risky business – but we can make our own financial decisions July 23, 2021 Bitcoin is holding steady above $32,000 as we close in on the weekend.
Listed luxury: Ermenegildo Zegna’s decision to go public comes at a crossroads for high-end fashion July 23, 2021 Luxury Italian brand Zegna has decided to go public via special purpose acquisition (SPAC), in an interesting blend of the old and the new. The move to go with a listing model that some still consider untested for the long term comes after a track record of over a century of excellence in high quality [...]
Analysis: Freedom is on its last legs in Hong Kong as Beijing takes control of children’s books July 23, 2021 It is almost a parody of the stereotypical authoritarian coup. But it’s real, and horrifying. Three members of Hong Kong’s union for Speech Therapy have been arrested for writing a “seditious” children’s book called “The Guardian of Sheep Village”. The story about sheep and wolves has a thinly veiled political message and now seemingly even [...]
Screenshot: Have Bezos and Branson ushered in a new era of space tourism? July 23, 2021 This week **Media Moment of the Week: Badger, mushroom, snake **Have Bezos and Branson ushered in a space tourism boom? **No more chill for Netflix Media Moment of the Week: Badger, mushroom, snake Want to feel old? The iconic animated badger video (you know the one) is now almost 18 years old. Aside from lamenting [...]
The world’s most refreshing summer drinks, from Ribena to Rooh Afza July 22, 2021 What do you drink in heatwaves? A lightly chilled Bardolino or an easy-drinking Beaujolais? Cider? Coconut water? Homemade elderflower cordial? Iced mint tea? Robinson’s Barley Water? Sachets of healthy, re-hydrating Dioralyte? For me it has to be Ribena. Dr Vernon Charley, a scientist at Long Ashton Agriculture and Horticulture Research Station near Bristol, invented “Ribena” [...]
Steve Jobs’ 1973 application to be auctioned in original format AND as an NFT July 21, 2021 Steve Jobs’ hand-written 1973 job application is set to challenge the traditional perceptions of value in a landmark auction that may prove the acid test for the NFT (Non-Fungible Token) market.