Ignore the forecasts. No-one really knows what 2018 holds for markets December 21, 2017 | City Talk How will markets and the global economy perform in 2018? If you’ve not yet been confronted with a barrage of forecasts or predictions, then you’re likely to be in the coming days. Trying to predict what will happen next year has become as much a part of the Christmas tradition as turkey, presents and overindulgence. [...]
Britain is in for a rough ride next year; the EU holds all the cards ahead of Brexit trade talks December 20, 2017 | City Talk At times Brexit can seem like one giant wheeze invented to sell more newspapers. But even by the standards of Fleet Street’s saturation Brexit coverage, this week the press has really gone to town on the latest twist in the saga. On Monday night many newspapers got very hot under the collar after Michel Barnier, [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown’s five stocks to watch in 2018: From life insurance to Irn Bru to that well-known heritage check December 19, 2017 Investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown has set out its stocks to watch in 2018. And where its eyes are straying, others' are likely to follow. While some asset managers are predicting the return of volatility in what has been a relatively uneventful year for the UK stock market, Hargreaves Lansdown's equity analysts spread their bets across [...]
With or without a Santa Rally, the FTSE 100 looks a sick man compared to its peers December 18, 2017 | City Talk Over the past 25 years global markets have become accustomed to what is affectionately known as the Santa Rally in the final weeks before Christmas. This year, however, the FTSE 100 appears unlikely to have its spirits lifted by Christmas joy. In 18 of the past 25 years, the FTSE 100 index has rallied by [...]
Whether it has peaked or not, we’re playing a waiting game with inflation December 14, 2017 | City Talk On Tuesday, official data showed Consumer Price Inflation crept up slightly to 3.1 per cent in November. It was enough to oblige the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney to write a letter to the Chancellor, an event not unlike a naughty schoolboy writing a letter of apology to the headmaster. Mr Carney wrote to Philip [...]
Beware Bitcoin’s bite – why crypto-currency futures might make a risky investment deadly December 13, 2017 | City Talk Deutsche Bank has raised serious concerns about the risk posed to the global financial system by Bitcoin. It’s not the first to red flag the crypto-currency and warn investors that it is a potentially dangerous financial instrument to get involved with. Others have warned about the dangers of a Bitcoin bubble. European Central bankers have [...]
Saudi sell-off puts a lot at stake December 12, 2017 | City Talk Oil is getting more expensive. The price of crude recently jumped after OPEC agreed to extend the production initially agreed in November 2016. Having fallen to $29.64 dpb (dollars per barrel) in January 2016, it now looks settled at round about $50-60. It’s vital for the global economy that the price of oil settle. Since [...]
Sterling set to sail through choppy waters in 2018 December 11, 2017 | City Talk At the end of November, sterling hit a two-month high against both the Dollar and the Euro on the news that Britain may have finally agreed its divorce bill from the European Union (EU). But within days the thorny issue of what will happen to the Irish border after Brexit had replaced the money question [...]
Chocfinger melts: Hedge fund famous for betting on chocolate shuts up shop December 11, 2017 Cocoa trading king Anthony Ward, the founder of Armajaro Asset Management, announced today he has closed down his cocoa- and coffee-focused CC+ fund. The legendary fund helped Ward earn the name “Chocfinger”, due to the massive bets he placed on cocoa seven years ago which helped drive prices to 30-year highs. The fund’s closure follows [...]
Bitcoin mining explained: How it works, how much energy it uses and what needs to be fixed December 7, 2017 All eyes are on bitcoin at the moment. The cryptocurrency has staged a meteoric rise in 2017 that has attracted new investors, but, for many, question marks still surround bitcoin and the technology behind it. With recent reports pointing to the high energy cost associated with mining, the process used to create bitcoin, is there [...]