Confidence wavers but the drug makers have the cure June 17, 2009 RECENT confidence of a quick global economic recovery wavered yesterday, with commodity stocks down on weaker raw material prices but pharmaceuticals and telecoms gaining. “The bulls have lost their swagger and after a week long stalemate, the bears appear to be winning the recovery debate. Financial markets have now broken out of last week’s unusually [...]
Metals lose their shine and oil slips on the strong dollar June 15, 2009 LOWER commodities stocks and the firm dollar took the FTSE 100 lower yesterday, losing 2.6 per cent, or 115.94 points, to close at 4,326.01. Volumes were about 76 per cent of its 90-day average daily volume, but the index has risen 25 percent since hitting a six-year low on 9 March. “The fundamentals of the [...]
Defensives beat a retreat as investors hedge their bets June 9, 2009 THE FTSE 100 ended flat yesterday, with commodity stocks tracking gains in raw material prices as the dollar eased but cigarette makers and pharmaceutical companies fell. The index closed down by 0.43 points at 4,404.79 in a choppy session, after losing 1.2 per cent on Monday. The weaker dollar boosted metal prices, which in turn [...]
The downturn has destroyed the myth of diversification July 15, 2009 MOORAD CHOUDHRYHEAD OF TREASURY, EUROPE ARAB BANK IN THE 1950s the economists Harry Markowitz, Franco Modigliani, Merton Miller and William Sharpe formulated their ideas on portfolio theory and corporate finance, which became the foundation of modern finance and fund management. These chaps were serious heavyweight thinkers, and rewarded with Nobel prizes. In the 21st century [...]
Heritage Oil slips as market talk fuels some profit taking June 10, 2009 THE large cap index gained nearly one per cent, or 31.96 points, higher yesterday at 4,436.75, driven by gains in mining and energy stocks, while banks rose on growing investor confidence. Mid cap Heritage Oil lost some of its recent gains, dropping nearly 11 per cent to 540p, amid profit-taking and some speculation that its [...]
Heritage Oil slips as market talk fuels some profit taking June 10, 2009 THE large cap index gained nearly one per cent, or 31.96 points, higher yesterday at 4,436.75, driven by gains in mining and energy stocks, while banks rose on growing investor confidence. Mid cap Heritage Oil lost some of its recent gains, dropping nearly 11 per cent to 540p, amid profit-taking and some speculation that its [...]
Economy fears hit oil, miners and banks but defensives fly June 16, 2009 THE FTSE 100 closed 0.1 per cent higher yesterday, recovering only a small part of Monday’s sharp falls as strength in defensive stocks was countered by falls in oils, miners, and banks. At the close the FTSE 100 was up 2.56 points at 4,328.57, rallying slightly after hitting a six-week closing low on Monday when [...]
Economy fears hit oil, miners and banks but defensives fly June 16, 2009 THE FTSE 100 closed 0.1 per cent higher yesterday, recovering only a small part of Monday’s sharp falls as strength in defensive stocks was countered by falls in oils, miners, and banks. At the close the FTSE 100 was up 2.56 points at 4,328.57, rallying slightly after hitting a six-week closing low on Monday when [...]
A banker’s bash at philosophy is short on logic July 8, 2009 GOOD VALUEBy Stephen GreenALLEN LANE, £20 SAMUEL JOHNSON famously opined about watching a dog walk on its hind legs: it is not done well, but you are surprised to find it done at all. Something of the same reaction seems to be behind the excitement generated by this book. It is laudable that Green, the [...]
Large cap index flat as lack of direction stalls progress June 4, 2009 Gains in energy stocks, pharmaceuticals and banks outweighed losses in miners yesterday, leaving the FTSE 100 0.1 per cent, or 3.52 points, higher at 4,386.94. “The market’s evenly balanced. It’s discounting good news so although it may go higher over the next few weeks, it is slightly overvalued,” said Graham Secker, equity strategist at Morgan [...]