World Cup: Messi makes World Cup mark as Argentina made to toil by Bosnia June 15, 2014 ARGENTINA 2 BOSNIA 1 ARGENTINA superstar Lionel Messi lit up the Maracana Stadium last night with a sensational second-half strike to help see off stubborn Bosnia. The two-time World Cup winners struggled to break down Bosnia after taking the lead through an early Sead Kolasinac own goal, until Messi stormed through the defence to fire [...]
US could charge BNP Paribas over $3.5bn May 13, 2014 US OFFICIALS are reportedly pushing for a payment of more than $3.5bn (£1.78bn) from French bank BNP Paribas to put an end to an investigation into whether the group violated American economic sanctions. The country’s Justice Department has been attempting to identify financial institutions that circumvented its economic restrictions on certain countries, which include Iran [...]
French attack on US fines could make them worse June 3, 2014 THE FRENCH government’s attempt to stop US regulators fining national champion BNP Paribas could make the situation worse for the bank, lawyers warned yesterday. BNP faces a fine of as much as $10bn (£6bn) for alleged sanction breaking, in breech of US laws. French finance minister Laurent Fabius yesterday said the potential fine was “not reasonable,” and [...]
Geopolitical risks to support the oil price – despite demand growth drop April 21, 2014 THE BOOST the energy sector received up until early March is unlikely to be repeated as we move into the second quarter. Oil traders will be keeping an eye on several issues. China, the world’s biggest importer of oil, saw a dramatic reduction in February imports, after a record high in January. If this trend [...]
BNP Paribas fined $8,973,600,000 for breaking US sanctions June 30, 2014 BNP Paribas’ sanction-busting fine is 13 times the previous record BNP Paribas was hit with a record $8.97bn (£5.2bn) fine last night for breaking US sanctions from 2004 to 2012, and was condemned in the strongest terms for its persistent criminal actions. The giant French bank funnelled money from Cuba, Iran and Sudan through the [...]
Ukraine will only be the start April 21, 2014 Traders set to increasingly feel the pinch from flare-ups in petro-states FOR ANY traders not paying close attention to energy markets, recent events will have come as a rude awakening. Brent crude shot up from just above $104 per barrel in February to over $109 at the end of last week, while energy firms embroiled [...]
Trading the World Cup: Shrewd betters look to Argentina June 9, 2014 THE WORLD Cup kicks off in Brazil this Thursday, and some put the figure that is going to be wagered at a cool £1bn. It’s an extraordinary number, and quite what the bookmakers’ liabilities are on a win for the favourites Brazil is anyone’s guess. With raucous home support, and star names like Neymar, David [...]
It’s time to read the writing on the wall: Why the West no longer exists April 22, 2014 WHATEVER the final outcome of the violently simmering crisis in Ukraine, and however likely it is that that embattled state will remain caught in Russia’s crushing embrace, the greatest global political risk can’t be found in Kiev, eastern Ukraine or any of the other hotspots that get the media so excited. It lies in the [...]
It’s time to read the writing on the wall: Why the West no longer exists April 21, 2014 WHATEVER the final outcome of the violently simmering crisis in Ukraine, and however likely it is that that embattled state will remain caught in Russia’s crushing embrace, the greatest global political risk can’t be found in Kiev, eastern Ukraine or any of the other hotspots that get the media so excited. It lies in the [...]
France and Bosnia look World Cup bankers over the weekend June 19, 2014 BEN CLEMINSON PREVIEWS FRANCE V BOSNIA IF YOU like lumping on short-priced favourites then there’s plenty to get stuck into over the weekend. Italy at 4/7, Ecuador at 8/11, Argentina at 1/7 and Germany at 1/4 aren’t really my idea of great value punting, though, and I’m happy to just watch those jollies in their [...]