US authorities set $2.7bn new record for cartel fines June 24, 2015 AUTHORITIES in the United States are leading the way in cracking down on cartels, according to a new report out this week. The US Department of Justice has already imposed $2.7bn in cartel fines this year, according to research from the legal practice Allen & Overy. US penalties represent 85.6 per cent of the total fines handed down [...]
Five things you should know about Brexit and your finances May 17, 2016 Six weeks to go before the Europe referendum on 23 June and both sides are campaigning hard. Boris Johnson says the only safe option is to leave, while Bank of England governor Mark Carney cautions that it’s a dangerous choice, as everything from employment to food prices will be affected. We take a look at the [...]
Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen flags risk to growth from financial market turmoil February 10, 2016 US interest rates could stay on hold for longer if the current financial market volatility persists. Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen warned that continuing swings in financial markets could partially derail the economy's growth, and said financial conditions had already become "less supportive". However she dismissed the idea that the Federal Reserve may need to [...]
What will happen to UK equities if we leave the European Union? June 21, 2016 The pound and the FTSE soared yesterday, as the Remain camp wrestled back its lead in the polls. But the outcome of Thursday’s EU referendum is far from clear, with pundits saying that voter turnout will be pivotal in determining whether the UK stays or leaves. If Article 50 is triggered and sterling dives, what should [...]
Bank shares fall after China’s central bank suspends at least three banks from some foreign exchange business, reports December 30, 2015 Bank stocks took a hit in early afternoon trading after the Chinese central bank suspended at least three foreign banks from conducting some foreign exchange business, according to reports. Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland were down 1.81 per cent at 304.5p per share, while HSBC shares fell 1.52 per cent to 536.35p per share and Standard [...]
In defence of “tax havens”: Why the world would be much poorer without offshore finance April 8, 2016 Offshore financial centres (OFCs) have taken a bashing in the press in the last few days following the Mossack Fonseca leaks. But the truth is that the major OFCs are extremely well regulated and have been so for many years. It is far harder to set up a company in Jersey than in the UK, [...]
Small UK businesses fear EU referendum currency swings January 18, 2016 A large number of smaller UK businesses trading internationally are concerned about potential swings in the exchange rate caused by an EU referendum, according to new survey figures published today. The survey of over 1,000 senior decision makers at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) revealed 75 per cent of them feared currency volatility related to [...]
Citigroup reveals it could plead guilty in Forex investigation May 11, 2015 Citigroup has said it could plead guilty to antitrust charges relating to Forex manipulation. The US bank is one of six being investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ), over claims that employees colluded to change foreign exchange rates to boost their own profits. They are accused of sharing confidential information about clients [...]
Bumper dividend payments were a boon to investors trying to cope with intense volatility last year, according to Henderson Global Investors February 22, 2016 Bumper dividend payments provided welcome relief for investors throughout the world last year, during a period of intense volatility. With uncertainty prevalent in global markets during 2015, dividend income almost entirely compensated investors for the $1.3 trillion decline in the values of shares, a report by Henderson said this morning. Global dividends reached $1.15 trillion in [...]
The four key points from Janet Yellen’s speech at the Economic Club of New York March 29, 2016 Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen delivered a speech on the economy at the Economic Club of New York today. In case you missed it, here are the key points: Proceeding cautiously with interest rates Yellen believes the ability to deal with economic shocks is asymmetric. Because interest rates are near zero, she believes it's easier to respond [...]