Patron saint of retailers says co-ops won’t work for everyone January 29, 2012 RESPONSIBLE Capitalism. Moral Markets. Whatever you call it, the debate raging around executive pay and “predator” business shows no sign of dying down. All political parties have tried to claim the issue as their own, but they have struggled to articulate what a fairer form of capitalism might look like. Enter John Lewis, the patron [...]
Why Dexia’s bailout is a big mistake October 9, 2011 GET ready to short the euro, Eurozone banks’ equity and their subordinated debt. That was the advice contained in a note from David Roche’s Independent Strategy emailed out last night – and no wonder. Yesterday saw another outing of Merkozy, that fabled two-headed Franco-German super-politician. Some people got quite excited about the October deadline they [...]
Politicians fiddle while Rome burns October 20, 2011 SO Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy agree – there is a problem in the Eurozone, apparently, and something needs to be done about it. But as to what that should be, forget it. With this weekend’s get-together bound to fail, the EU’s so-called leaders may call yet another summit on Wednesday. The situation would be [...]
Politicians fiddle while Rome burns October 20, 2011 SO Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy agree – there is a problem in the Eurozone, apparently, and something needs to be done about it. But as to what that should be, forget it. With this weekend’s get-together bound to fail, the EU’s so-called leaders may call yet another summit on Wednesday. The situation would be [...]
AUSSIE COULD FALL BEYOND EXPECTATIONS October 4, 2011 VISTING Australia on business I am astounded at the cost everything. For an American, Sydney is now as prohibitively expensive as Zurich. A simple cup of coffee and a mineral water cost more than $12 at any sidewalk café. The high cost of living is a testament to the Aussie’s strong appreciation over the past [...]
S&P move would make EU stability history December 6, 2011 WITH member states coming to the grim realisation that if the Eurozone situation gets any worse they are going to be inflicted with Bob Geldof staging a charity concert for it, the S&P ratings agency drew that nightmare one step closer. I DON’T LIKE MONDAYS On Monday, the ratings agency put the bulk of the [...]
RAPID RESPONSES November 16, 2011 Ponzi pottiness The German government criticising the UK for not doing enough for the Eurozone really brings to mind a Ponzi scheme. Assume I don’t join a Ponzi scheme because I think it’s a Ponzi scheme but my colleague does in spite of my warnings. When the scheme goes wrong, if my colleague criticised me [...]
George Osborne has to hold his nerve – the UK economy needs vision, not populism November 21, 2011 EVERY day the pressure grows for the government to do something about growth. Usually this translates into calls for more borrowing and spending, special rules for struggling businesses, or other eye-catching initiatives. The government should resist. Recent history has taught us such quick wins often end up being own goals. They make the business environment [...]
George Osborne has to hold his nerve – the UK economy needs vision, not populism November 21, 2011 EVERY day the pressure grows for the government to do something about growth. Usually this translates into calls for more borrowing and spending, special rules for struggling businesses, or other eye-catching initiatives. The government should resist. Recent history has taught us such quick wins often end up being own goals. They make the business environment [...]
Crisis fails to dampen deal prices August 22, 2011 PENSION transfer prices have held up despite the market volatility linked to the sovereign debt crisis, experts said yesterday. America’s credit rating downgrade and the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis have had little impact on corporate bond yields, which drive the price costs of pension insurance buyouts and buy-ins – known as bulk annuities. Pensions consultant [...]