DEBATE: Should we be worried about a tech bubble? September 2, 2020 Should we be worried about a tech bubble, particularly in emerging markets? Tatjana Puhan, managing director and deputy chief investment officer at TOBAM, says YES. Over recent years, we see a clear trend of investors becoming exposed to higher concentration risk in specific sectors like technology. Having represented already a considerable risk exposure in major [...]
Covid-19 will hit emerging economies hard March 31, 2020 Coronavirus has stopped both the medical and economic worlds in their tracks. If last week’s preliminary data flashes are anything to go by, the global economy is en route to a recession that will surpass 2008 both in speed and in magnitude. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) estimated last week that the [...]
What do the financial markets hold in store for 2020? January 7, 2020 After the festive break, everyone in the City is slowly settling back into work. The opening week of 2020 has been hectic already, with oil and gold prices rising and stocks falling in reaction to tension in the Middle East. But what else are the financial experts and asset managers keeping an eye on for [...]
The ‘Brics’ concept is a lazy and misguided tool for assessing emerging markets June 24, 2019 Seen in hindsight, the “Brics” concept was the perfect analytical tool for our lazy age, making one big point that required little thought while ignoring the nuance that is the basis of all good political risk analysis. Coined in 2001 by then Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill, the idea that the rising developing countries [...]
London fintech player Worldremit raises $175m in series D funding June 3, 2019 London fintech startup Worldremit has raised $175m (£138m) in a series D funding round led by TCV, Accel and Leapfrog Investments. The cash will fund Worldremit’s plans to grab a greater share of the world remittance market, which was worth $689bn last year. Read more: Fintech startup Worldremit poaches former Paddy Power chief as its new boss [...]
Are emerging markets ready to fight back? May 21, 2019 You know there’s an underlying problem when investment firms start to cut exposure to a particular asset class. Goldman Sachs’ decision last week to slash exposure to emerging markets is an indication of the current situation for these economies. The bank’s asset management arm said that it had scaled back its “overweight” exposure to emerging [...]
US markets follow Europe downwards as China announces retaliation tariffs May 13, 2019 US markets have followed their European counterparts sharply downwards after the bell, following China's announcement of retaliatory tariffs on $60bn worth of US goods in the latest development in the two countries' trade war. Read more: Global markets in tailspin after Trump threatens huge China tariff rise The US’s S&P 500 opened down 1.8 per cent [...]
It’s time to stop arguing about expanding Heathrow – and get building May 2, 2019 Thankfully for the UK economy, the High Court yesterday quashed a challenge brought against the government’s decision to expand Heathrow Airport. No one questions the need for scrutiny. Indeed, detailed consideration for how to manage the impact of the expansion on local people – which for some will be significant – lies ahead through the [...]
What role does the state play in corporate governance? April 29, 2019 | City Talk What do the recent corporate governance scandals involving the Italian oil company Eni, the Franco-Japanese auto alliance Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, and the Canadian construction giant SNC-Lavalin all have in common? They each have a surprising culprit lurking behind them: the state. While corporate governance is intended to describe a system by which firms protect shareholder and stakeholder [...]
Unilever: Why there’s lots to like about this FTSE 100 star April 25, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. These first quarter numbers have been well received, and this market favourite still has lots to go for. Unilever (LSE:ULVR) shares surged to within a few pence of a record high last week as first-quarter trading figures heightened focus on whether this defensive and reliable dividend payer can offer [...]