FTSE 100 peaks at 21-month high led by banks and energy March 23, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index rose 0.5 per cent yesterday, hitting a fresh 21-month closing high, led by commodity, enErgy and banking stocks as fears over monetary tightening effects ebbed. The FTSE 100 index ended 29.09 points higher at 5,673.63, after hitting an intra-day high of 5,695.94. It was the highest close since June 19 2008. [...]
Caterpillar leads as US stocks move up March 23, 2010 US stocks rallied yesterday, led by the tech, industrial and materials sectors, driving the Dow and the S&P 500 to 18-month highs. Signs of improved demand in the semiconductor industry and a broker’s positive commentary on Caterpillar lifted blue chips, while tech bellwethers Apple and Cisco hit 52-week highs, indicating increased optimism among investors. Kraft, [...]
Indian rate hike sets the scene for the rest of Asia March 23, 2010 SO FAR this year, the markets have been concentrating on the prospect of monetary policy tightening in China and what that will mean for global recovery. But while the Asian powerhouse has been slowly tightening here and there in an effort to cool its economy down, it was India that bit the bullet and hiked [...]
FISCAL POLICY LIFTS LOONIE AND SWISSIE March 23, 2010 As the first quarter of 2010 draws to a close, some currencies are enjoying a safety premium due to their superior fiscal and trade balance position. In Europe, the Swiss economy is currently running both a fiscal and trade balance surplus and it stands in sharp contrast to the much larger Eurozone economy. The single [...]
FOREX FLASH March 23, 2010 RATES FORCE JAPANESE TO LOOK ABROAD Japanese households are choosing to send their savings overseas at the fastest pace since 2007 as they seek out higher yielding assets. With benchmark interest rates only 0.1 per cent in the Asian country, investors are choosing to buy Chinese stocks and Brazilian bonds to gain exposure to high-yielding [...]
The Tipster March 23, 2010 UNSURPRISINGLY, it is sterling that will be in focus today with the Budget scheduled to follow Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon. This will keep the pressure on sterling against the dollar but the pound will remain susceptible to sharp rallies while it stays above the key Fibonacci technical support level of $1.4850. FX traders should [...]
Whatever you fancy in the long-term, there’s an ISA for it March 23, 2010 With tax hikes on the horizon as the general election looms, sheltering more cash in an ISA is a sensible move. The investment choices you make will depend on how long you wish to invest and how much risk you are prepared to take. But every new year there brings a new fad investment and [...]
An ISA in a fund can see you though tough times March 23, 2010 WITH an equities ISA you can shelter more money from the taxman than you can with a cash ISA – currently £7,200 a year in equities compared to a maximum £3,600 in cash (or £10,200 for the over 50s). This will increase to £10,200 for everyone from April 6, of which £5,100 can be in [...]
Easing central banks’ inflation targets would be a mistake March 23, 2010 SOVEREIGN debt has replaced the bank crisis as the biggest worry for investors. The problems in Greece have served to focus attention on the budget deficits of the entire southern Eurozone. And last week the head of sovereign risk at Moody’s, talking about the situation in the US and UK, said: “We expect the situation [...]
The budget is Darling’s last chance to convince voters and markets March 23, 2010 MORE than one budget is expected this year, and there is a good chance that tomorrow’s will be superseded by another once the election has been fought and won. But that doesn’t detract from the fact that there is still an awful lot riding on chancellor Alistair Darling’s words this week. Firstly, the budget provides [...]