Copper will remain strong in 2010 despite Chinese policy tightening February 3, 2010 CASTING an eye back over 2009, copper was clearly one of the standout performers. Its price has risen 126 per cent over the past year, fueled by rising expectations about the global economy, China regaining its voracious appetite for industrial metals and a weakening US dollar increasing copper’s attractiveness (it is priced in dollars). After [...]
USE COVERED WARRANTS TO TRADE GOLD February 3, 2010 A RALLY in the price of gold towards the end of 2009 began speculation that the commodity downturn was over and fuelled the belief that the financial markets were starting to recover. Now, after growing a mere 0.1 per cent in the last three months of December 2009, the UK economy has officially crawled its [...]
FTSE falls ahead of BoE decision February 3, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index lost 0.6 per cent, snapping a three-session winning streak with investors turning cautious ahead of today’s Bank of England monetary policy decision and Friday’s US jobs report. At yesterday’s close, the FTSE 100 index was 30.16 points lower at 5,253.15 after a see-saw session, having reversed from an intraday peak of [...]
Dow hit by healthcare concerns February 3, 2010 US stocks mostly fell yesterday as Pfizer’s disappointing outlook weighed on the health sector, and President Barack Obama’s pledge to complete banking and healthcare reform revived fears of increased regulation. Obama reiterated his commitment to overhaul the healthcare system and impose stricter regulatory reforms on Wall Street, underscoring the political risk that has driven US [...]
Exchange traded bonds arrive in retail market February 3, 2010 FOR investors wanting to diversify their investments, bonds have always been an attractive option. However, until now retail investors who manage their own portfolio would have found it difficult to try and buy UK bonds. Earlier this week, though, the London Stock Exchange launched an electronic retail bond-trading platform, and for the first time investors [...]
INVESTORS FLOCKING TO SAFE HAVENS February 3, 2010 SENTIMENT in the foreign exchange market has changed dramatically over the past week as investors increasingly question whether the strong performance of risk assets in 2009 can be sustained in 2010. Monetary policy tightening in both China and India have made investors much more wary. As Greece’s debt problems have come to the fore in [...]
CAREERS CLINIC February 3, 2010 I’ve been with my company four years, and have recently been passed over for a significant promotion I thought I’d get. I’m disappointed and surprised, and don’t feel the company have seen the best of me. What can I do? THE very first thing you need to do is find out why you haven’t been [...]
Terry refusing to cave in to pressure as Capello aide Pearce slams witch-hunt February 3, 2010 EMBATTLED England captain John Terry has received a ringing endorsement from the national coaching set-up as manager Fabio Capello ponders whether to strip him of the armband. Terry has so far resisted huge pressure to relinquish the honour following tabloid allegations that he had an affair with the ex-girlfriend of England colleague and former Chelsea [...]
Defoe’s got it licked for Spurs February 3, 2010 JERMAIN DEFOE rediscovered his scoring touch with a stunning hat-trick as Tottenham finally saw off FA Cup giant-killers Leeds at Elland Road. Defoe had scored just once in five games before last night but ruthlessly cut through Leeds with a clinical treble to take his goal tally for the season to 20 and earn his [...]
The A-Team meets James Bond in this gung-ho mercenary adventure February 3, 2010 FIRE FORCE BY MATT LYNN Headline, £12.99 by Jeremy Hazlehurst YOU’VE got to hand it to Matt Lynn, he can certainly write a first line. “Until you’ve sat down to a game of poker inside Africa’s most brutal jail, you don’t really know what it’s like to sweat,” begins his second novel. No man, surely, [...]