Market volatility takes its toll on hedge funds, as returns slip to lowest levels since 2011 January 20, 2016 Hedge funds had their worst performing year last year since 2011, posting returns of 2.02 per cent, according to the latest data from Preqin. December was a tough month, with the funds on Preqin's all strategies benchmark posting negative returns of 0.4 per cent on average, bringing the total to five months with negative returns last year. [...]
Investor optimism on world economy drops to four-year low – Bank of America Merrill Lynch fund manager survey January 20, 2016 Investors are at their most bearish on the global economy since 2012, according to survey data published by Bank of America Merrill Lynch today. The difference between the percentage of fund managers who said the economy would strengthen over the next 12 months and those that said it would not was eight per cent. The net balance [...]
US WTI crude oil below $27 as MSCI’s benchmark global stock index enters bear market territory January 20, 2016 US crude oil dipped below $27 per barrel today, while the MSCI's benchmark global stock index fell into a bear market. West Texas Intermediate crude, the US benchmark, slumped 5.73 per cent to $26.83 per barrel. And Brent, the global benchmark, shed 4.35 per cent to $27.51. Concern over lower for even longer oil prices have dominated Davos, an annual meeting [...]
BP boss Bob Dudley: Oil prices falling to $10 “not impossible” January 20, 2016 BP's chief executive, Bob Dudley, has said it's "not impossible" oil prices will fall as low as $10 per barrel, as some analysts have predicted. Standard Chartered previously warned a worse-case scenario could see oil fall to this level, because its being moved by changes in other assets prices such as the US dollar and stocks, rather [...]
Canadian dollar jumps as Bank of Canada holds fire on interest rates despite further fall in oil prices January 20, 2016 The Bank of Canada kept interest rates on hold today despite widespread expectations of a cut. The Canadian dollar, also called the loonie, rose 0.7 per cent against the US dollar. It now buys $0.6891. Interest rates were kept at 0.5 per cent, with the Canadian central bank confident that the economy would quickly adjust [...]
UK house prices: Bexley, Cambridge, Bristol and Bedford among the UK’s hottest property spots, while Aberdeen, Stockton-on-Tees and Bradford are “coldest” January 20, 2016 Cambridge, Bristol and Bedford are among the regional cities vying with Greater London as the top 10 hottest property spots in the country – but Aberdeen, Stockton-on-Tees and Bradford are where demand is weakest. That's according to online estate agent Emoov, which puts the London Borough of Bexley at the top of its index for the last [...]
US inflation rate climbs to highest since 2014 January 20, 2016 US inflation climbed to a rate of 0.7 per cent in December from 0.5 per cent the month before, according to figures released today. The US Bureau of Labor Statisitcs said inflation – as measured by the year-on-year change in the consumer price index – said average food prices had climbed 0.8 per cent while energy prices had [...]
Russian rouble falls to 18-year low against the dollar January 20, 2016 The Russian rouble has fallen to its lowest value against the dollar since its 1998 redenomination. The rouble has lost around 57 per cent of its dollar value since mid-2014, when oil prices began to decline sharply. Swings in the rouble have closely tracked movements in oil prices over the last two years. Crude oil [...]
UK unemployment drops to its lowest rate for over a decade, but earnings growth hits nine-month low January 20, 2016 Pay growth has fallen to a nine-month low, according to figures published this morning. Average weekly earnings not including bonuses rose 1.9 per cent in the three months to November compared with the same period last year, the Office for National Statistics said. It marks a slowdown from two per cent in the three months to October. [...]
Swiss Market Index plummets, down 3.5 per cent mid-morning January 20, 2016 The Swiss Market Index (SMI) fell dramatically this morning, down 3.5 per cent by mid-morning to 7,938.86, from a previous close of 8,223.76. Particularly poor performers included Zurich Insurance Group, which fell 8.4 per cent, offshore drilling company Transocean, which dropped 5.4 per cent, and Credit Suisse Group, which tumbled 4.8 per cent. Zurich's announcement [...]