BIG DATA BY NUMBERS January 25, 2012 40 % projected growth in global data generated per year versus 5 per cent growth in global IT spending €250bn potential annual value to Europe’s public sector administration – more than the GDP of Greece 235 terabytes of data collected by the US Library of Congress in April 2011 £600bn potential annual consumer surplus from [...]
Bury bonds in tax-efficient Isas to avoid digging deep January 25, 2012 HIDDEN among the carnage following the implosion of Lehman Brothers in 2008 lay an opportunity to profit from corporate bonds. And for those who weren’t busy stocking up on water, guns and canned food, corporate bond funds have proved an invaluable hedge against volatile and broadly weak equity returns and inflation’s creeping decimation of their [...]
FTSE takes a breather as clouds gather over Greece January 24, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index retreated from six-month peaks yesterday as Eurozone debt woes prompted investors to take profits in banking stocks and rebalance portfolios in favour of high dividend payers. The fall on the London bourse chimed with weaker equity performance in Europe and the United States, on worries that Greece could be heading for [...]
New Europe drama closes Wall Street’s winning run January 24, 2012 US stock edged lower yesterday, ending a five-day rally for the Standard & Poor’s 500, as talks to resolve Greece’s debt crisis hit a snag and earnings from a number of blue chips disappointed. Greece moved closer to the possibility of a chaotic default as talks to restructure the country’s debt stalled. However, the US [...]
Yet another fine mess in the search for a European solution January 24, 2012 EURO-DOLLAR had another up and down ride yesterday. The release of better than expected Eurozone PMI composite figures gave the pairing an initial jump, but this brief optimisim that pushed euro-dollar up to $1.3062 quickly subsided when markets were reminded that the Eurozone is fundamentally more than a little shaky. Finance ministers rejecting a 4 [...]
THE TIPSTER January 24, 2012 BOTH the cricket team and the national currency are enjoying a good start to 2012, as the Aussie rallies on good economic data from China and the US that has emboldened the optimists in financial markets. A twelve-week high for this raciest of risky currencies however means that it is starting to look vulnerable to [...]
On its silver anniversary as Olympic sponsor, Visa looks for a golden 2012 January 24, 2012 COUNTDOWN TO THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES 184 DAYS TO GO Visa Europe’s Colin Grannell explains the three ingredients for the perfect Olympic brand association Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BRAND’S PRIMARY REASON FOR BEING INVOLVED WITH THE GAMES? A. We’ve just celebrated our silver jubilee as a top, worldwide Olympic Games sponsor; London will be [...]
FTSE hits a six-month high as Greek fears recede January 23, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index hit a six-month closing high yesterday, fuelled by banks and commodity stocks, as fears receded over the potential for a messy Greek default in Europe’s debt crisis. The UK benchmark index ended up 54.01 points, or 0.9 per cent, at 5,782.56, its highest close since 29 July. Banks rose, with investors [...]
US stocks pause after rally January 23, 2012 US stocks ended little changed yesterday as investors took a pause from a recent rally, awaiting earnings from bellwethers such as Apple later in the week. The S&P 500 is up nearly five per cent so far this year as an improving US economy has boosted investor optimism. The Dow and S&P 500 both had [...]
Looking for the next threat to your returns January 23, 2012 THOUGH difficult to predict which of the many hotspots of conflict – military or political – will flare up next, with crude and equity prices moving in close correlation with risk sentiment, it is worth looking at the risk hotspots that have the potential to drive price over the coming months CRUDE BEHAVIOR Crude prices [...]
