THE TIPSTER March 19, 2012 THE management statement from Punch Taverns later today should allow investors to decide whether the glass is really half full or half empty for the pub chain. Last year saw a de-merger and a run of poor results, and the share price in the first quarter of 2012 hasn’t seen much movement at all – [...]
A tough lesson in learning to trade March 19, 2012 THE LEX VAN DAM TRADING ACADEMY EDUCATION is an integral part of trading. When I started working at Goldman Sachs in 1992, I went through a nine-month training program before I did one single trade. The time was spent learning the technical skills that trading requires. I have not stopped learning since. That’s what I [...]
Analyst picks for 20 March 2012 March 19, 2012 CURRENCY STRATEGIST JOEL KRUGER My pick: Looking to buy euro-Swiss franc Expertise: Combining fundamental and technical analysis Average time frame of trades: 1 month to 3 months It’s hard to ignore the Swiss National Bank’s SFr1.2000 floor on the cross and the ability for the market to remain so well supported ahead of the barrier. [...]
THE WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD March 18, 2012 INVESTORS are beginning to wonder if this “Energizer Bunny” of a rally can just keep going without taking a break or a fall. Every Friday for the past couple of months, the question has hung in the back of investors’ minds: Is the stock market’s rally strong enough to continue without a correction? Even with [...]
Budget week will see Italy, inflation and retail in focus March 18, 2012 TODAY I anticipate a quiet start to the week, with a lack of economic announcements from the UK and the US. All eyes are likely to focus on the Eurozone as we get further indication of the health of one of its largest economies. Italy reports industrial order and sales numbers at 9am for January. [...]
UTILISE WHAT GOVERNMENT ALREADY GIVES March 18, 2012 EVEN the staunchest opponent of George Osborne would have to concede that there is no silver bullet to reduce the deficit and boost growth that can come out of Wednesday’s Budget. So, what do we expect? Clearly some quick, high level cost-cutting measures. The personal allowance is already pledged to increase to at least £8,105. [...]
Before introducing costly new schemes government should first do less harm March 18, 2012 LET’S face it. In asking for government favours entrepreneurs are a vested interest like all the rest. Because they aren’t collectivised in the same way as more experienced lobbyists, they don’t get the same hearing as big business. Yet what they lack in voice they make up for in value for money. Politicians are more [...]
Savour a Sipp, but fit it with your appetite March 18, 2012 THE popularity of self-invested personal pensions (Sipps) has risen impressively in recent years. They look like the perfect way to save for retirement – flexible, good value for money, and easy to access and control — and they fit comfortably with the growing view that we must engage with our pension and take responsibility for [...]
Diversification can limit rewards March 18, 2012 IT’S A truism of investment advice that an investor should be diversified. And for good reason – only a gambler would put all his money in a single equity in the hope of striking it rich. Yet it shouldn’t be forgotten that diversification comes at a cost – one that should be weighed principally against [...]
FTSE pulled down by poor showing from energy stocks March 15, 2012 Britain’s leading share index slipped yesterday, weighed down by weakness in heavyweight energy stocks after recent gains, with investors also looking ahead to futures and options expiries. At the close, the FTSE 100 index was down 4.71 points or 0.1 per cent at 5,940.72, having shed 0.2 per cent in the previous session following five [...]