Now Birds Eye and Walkers are putting up prices after Brexit November 6, 2016 Birds Eye and Walkers are following in the footsteps of consumer goods giant Unilever in raising their prices following a slump in the value of the pound after Brexit. Frozen food brand Birds Eye could raise prices by as much as 12 per cent in the next month according to the Sunday Times, and pack sizes [...]
Oil prices climb back from earlier losses as dust settles on Donald Trump win November 9, 2016 Oil prices have recouped earlier losses as global markets adjusted to Donald Trump's election as the 45th US president. Global benchmark Brent crude was trading up 0.04 per cent, or two cents, to $46.06 a barrel in the early afternoon UK time. Prices fluctuated around four per cent between $44.40, the lowest level since mid-August, [...]
UK current account deficit £18bn bigger in 2015 than previously thought says Office for National Statistics (ONS) August 21, 2017 The UK’s mammoth current account deficit was £18bn larger than previously thought in 2015, according to revisions to the national accounts released today by government statisticians. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released the revisions today ahead of changes to how the national accounts are collated, which will be begin with revised national accounts figures [...]
Long-awaited FX global code of conduct is released, but does not ban controversial “last look” practice May 25, 2017 A further attempt to clean up the tarnished reputation of the FX market was launched today, with the release of a global code of conduct establishing common guidelines for good practice. Developed under the supervision of the Bank of International Settlements by the Foreign Exchange Working Group (FXWG), consisting of 16 major central banks, the [...]
Finally, all UK banks pass the stress tests: is now the time to invest? December 8, 2017 Imagine you emerged blinking from your bunker in the wake of this: interest rates up to 4 per cent the value of the pound down more than a quarter unemployment up almost 10 per cent residential property prices down by a third commercial real estate prices down by two-fifths world and UK GDP down 2.4 [...]
Debenhams target share price cut by Investec due to post-Brexit foreign exchange concerns and an expected slowdown in UK demand July 20, 2016 Brexit is beginning to bite for retailers. Investec this morning said Debenhams face a "foreign exchange headwind" that will hit the department store in 2018. Read more: Debenhams raids Amazon for new chief executive Retail analyst Kate Calvert cut Debenhams' target share price to 52p. The cut comes after analysts expressed concerns about Sports Direct at the beginning of the [...]
Donald Trump’s Presidential election victory could be good for London house prices November 9, 2016 Donald Trump may be about to take the White House, but here in Blighty we're more concerned about one thing: house prices. Thankfully, analyst Anthony Codling has already answered the question everyone was asking: what does a Trump win mean for London house prices? In the short term, he suggests, the London market may get a [...]
Twenty-one investment lessons from history September 6, 2017 Some investors give short shrift to analysis. They position portfolios to appease outside consultants, fickle clients, or their own institutional sales force. In many cases, they just buy what feels right. Other investors drown themselves in corporate road shows, insane travel schedules, monstrous spreadsheets. and detailed company reports, completely oblivious to the lessons of [...]
20 years on, could the Asian financial crisis be repeated? July 12, 2017 The Asian financial crisis of 1997 was a traumatic dislocation for financial markets that I experienced first hand, working as a fund manager for Schroders in Singapore. The fallout was shocking. The Indonesian economy, for instance, shrunk by 85% in US dollar terms during the aftermath, a contraction unthinkable today. Twenty years on, the pressing [...]
Diageo weighs London job cuts to boost profits September 18, 2016 Drinks giant Diageo – owner of Guinness and Smirnoff brands – is finalising plans to slash jobs at its London headquarters. A review of staffing at offices in Park Royal, northwest London, is expected to significantly reduce the 1,500 headcount, though the axe is expected to fall across Diageo’s operations around the world. A productivity programme [...]