TRADING TIPS FROM THE FRONT OFFICE March 6, 2011 CONSULTING ANALYST, INTERTRADER DID you ever see the trading pit scene from the film “Trading Places”? Well in real life it is every bit as crazy and then some. In 2007, I visited the oil pit in New York. I got some rather unusual trading advice from a 20-year veteran of the pits. The floor [...]
Britain’s next generation needs to be powered by entrepreneurial energy March 3, 2011 IF WE had a thriving entrepreneurial economy,” says Peter Jones, the BBC Dragon, “the speed we’d come out of the downturn would be transformational, but our culture does not encourage it. We need to get serious about inspiring young people to set up businesses.” He isn’t wrong about our culture. Britain is lagging behind. We [...]
Five tactics for dealing with Schwarzenegger-sized egos March 2, 2011 YOU can’t be successful unless you can persuade people to do what is in your interests, but often before you can persuade them, you have to defuse their prickly egos. Chris St. Hilaire has dealt with some of the trickiest around – he worked as a communications strategist on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaign to become governor [...]
Hard work, not sisterhood, breaks the glass ceiling March 2, 2011 LATEST figures show that only 12 per cent of FTSE100 directors are women, or 5.5 per cent if you exclude non-executives. There has been much talk about a male conspiracy to keep women from having a seat on the board – and there is some basis to the assertion; people tend to hire in their [...]
ASK THE GURUS ARE DUVET DAYS ACCEPTABLE? March 2, 2011 Steve Leeson Operations Director, Financial Services, Morgan McKinley If you take unapproved “duvet days”, bear in mind that you run the risk of damaging your reputation. Earning the label of “work-shy” or “skiver” can seriously affect how you are viewed by your colleagues and may harm your long term career prospects. There are more effective [...]
Make sure you cash in on competing ISAs March 2, 2011 THIS year’s individual savings account (ISA) season is in full swing, as banks and building societies try to lure canny savers. The market for the tax-free savings accounts has been buzzing since the start of February, with 82 new launches or rate increases, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk. Patrick Connolly, at AWD Chase de Vere, the independent [...]
Don’t blindly follow the herds into the big cap funds March 2, 2011 DESPITE large-cap funds having underperformed against their small to mid-cap alternatives in recent years (see chart), figures would suggest that this year could see large-cap funds turn the tables. “We have certainly seen a lot more interest in equities, away from bonds and gilts,” said Andy Simpson at Schroders Asset Management, “though not as attractive [...]
How Egypt and Libya saw risk being redefined March 1, 2011 SPEND 10 years as a professional foreign currency trader, another four as a fixed income trader, then head up several global trading desks and you get a very close look at that rarest of forex animals: Speculatorus Supersuccessfulus. “Those who make the greatest gains,” says Dean Popplewell, “are always the most silent.” Popplewell himself is [...]
LABOUR DATA WILL BE KEY FOR DOLLAR March 1, 2011 DIRECTOR OF CURRENCY RESEARCH, GFT DESPITE continued turmoil in the Middle East, concerns over the Irish rescue deal and fears that rising commodity prices could snuff out the global economic recovery, the dollar can’t find a bid. Typically, in times of stress, the greenback rallies as investors seek safety and liquidity. So why is the [...]
THE TIPSTER STERLING ON A HIGH VS DOLLAR March 1, 2011 THE pound has broken through £1.6300 against the greenback for the first time in over a year, amidst signs of an upturn in the UK housing market. Strength here is going to make it that bit easier for the Bank of England to start hiking interest rates in the months ahead. Combined with renewed investor [...]