The Markets The World Bank cut its economic forecasts for 2015 and 2016 in a new note issued this morning. The Bank said that sluggish Eurozone performance, the state of Japan’s finances and slowing growth in a number of major emerging markets were the main reasons for its decision. Global growth of 3% is now…
Everyone seems to be concerned with what is seen as the largest economic tragedy of all time – deflation. If prices in Europe continue following the recent trend people are at risk of buying their bread, meat, fish, and clothing for less than usual. Can you imagine how chaotic paying less for your food, for…
When I tuned into The Super Rich and Us on BBC2 last week, I wasn’t surprised to see Jacques Peretti deriding the apparent evils of economic inequality. I was a little disappointed however that he didn’t have anything constructive to add to the argument. The whole programme seemed to be premised on an (unsubstantiated) assumption…
The Markets UK inflation fell to 0.5% in December according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics, the joint lowest reading since comparable records began. The drop surprised many analysts, with the consensus position ahead of the release being that inflation would drop to around 0.7%. The decline was driven by a fall…
by Frederik Vanhaverbeke In the latest of a new series for SBM Frederik Vanhaverbeke, author of Excess Returns: A comparative study of the methods of the world’s greatest investors, looks at how some of the world’s greatest investors are so successful. Volatility does not measure risk. … Risk comes from the nature of certain types…
FTSE 100 Morrisons (MRW) – In the six weeks to 4th January, total sales excluding fuel were down by 1.3% and LFL sales excluding fuel down were down 3.1%. Chief Executive, Dalton Philips, will leave after the year-end results. Meggitt (MGGT) – Meggitt Training Systems has won a $31.7 million contract for indoor simulated marksmanship training systems…
The Markets Goldman Sachs has predicted that the oil price could hit $40 (26.50 pounds) a barrel in the first half of this year, as the bank said it no longer believed that OPEC would agree to cut output in order to balance the market. The firm’s analysts commented that the levels of storage and…
December 2014 was an unusual month in the markets, with plenty of volatility and erratic movements being seen. On one side, oil prices nose dived, while the Russian economy sank with it. The Central Bank of Russia even had to hike its key interest rate by an astounding 650 basis points in a final desperate…
Shares in inhaled drugs specialist Vectura* (VEC) spiked last week on the back of news that New Drug Applications (NDAs) for its Ultibro and Seebri treatments for COPD were submitted to the FDA by partner Novartis in the fourth quarter of 2014. Vectura is eligible to receive milestone payments upon acceptance of applications by the…
As many observers of the financial markets will know, there is nothing quite so easy in terms of financial journalism to get readers interested than to discuss the plight of the supermarkets in general, and Tesco (TSCO) in particular. Somehow it is the case that rain or shine, private investor or hedge fund guru, we…
