Technology firms drive USsell-off November 19, 2009 Technology stocks drove a broad-based US sell-off yesterday as a brokerage took a dim view of demand prospects for the semiconductor sector, while economic data underscored the fragility of the recovery. Bank of America-Merrill Lynch cut its 2010 growth outlook for the semiconductor industry on concerns about a rising inventory glut. It downgraded 10 stocks, [...]
M&S and ITV brighten up dull day of trading for FTSE November 18, 2009 THE UK’s main market ticked down slightly yesterday, as an unexpected drop in US housing figures spooked investors and weakness in food retailers and tobacco firms outpaced gains in miners and energy companies. The FTSE100 closed 0.1 per cent lower at 5,342.13 with Cable & Wireless, Unilever, Vodafone and HSBC going ex-dividend. Marks & Spencer [...]
Poor building data halts Wall St gains November 18, 2009 US stocks broke three days of gains yesterday following worrisome outlooks from two major software makers and a surprising drop in home construction last month. But stocks sharply cut the session’s losses just before close as many investors pointed to a strong uptrend in equities that have pushed major indexes to 13-month highs in recent [...]
Why bonds are a boon for investors November 18, 2009 FOLLOWING his appointment as the CEO of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) this summer, Xavier Rolet announced plans to open a retail bond market here in the UK. He said: “There is a clear need, particularly in the SME sector, for a lot of companies to be able to tap the bond market, particularly for [...]
Boom-town Qatar is becoming the New York City of the Middle East November 18, 2009 WHEN chancellor Alistair Darling announced the introduction of a 50 per cent tax on all income over £150,000 from April 2010, there was immediately talk of a mass exodus from the City. High earners, said the chancellor’s critics, would look to preserve their wealth and firms try to attract the best talent. Some were expected [...]
FED IS STILL FUELLING THE RISK TRADE November 18, 2009 JANE FOLEYRESEARCH DIRECTOR, FOREX.COM CAUTIOUS expectations for growth in the world’s major economies haave seen market commentators predict that risk appetite will be pared back over the coming months. But despite all this talk, the risk trade suffered only a brief decline following the shock rise in the US unemployment rate to 10.2 per cent [...]
Now there is a new way for traders to play forex markets November 18, 2009 WITH more than $3 trillion traded in the volatile foreign exchange markets every day, private investors have increasingly been angling for a slice of the action. And last week, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provider ETF Securities launched a new way for individuals to gain exposure to the world’s most liquid market. The ETF-provider has launched Europe’s [...]
INVESTORS DIVERSIFY WITH ETFS November 17, 2009 NIZAM HAMIDHEAD OF SALES STRATEGY, SHARES IIT IS often said that one of the biggest advantages of having Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) in your portfolio is that ETFs are inherently diverse, because they are based on an underlying basket of securities and are available on a wide range of asset classes. The financial crisis highlighted [...]
A legal Big Bang is round the corner, but most City firms are unprepared November 17, 2009 Do lawyers have a good profile? “Compared with estate agents and gunrunners, then yes”, replies Ian Dodds, director of BarFutures, a barristers’ chambers. But, alas, compared with more worthy professions such as doctors and teachers “probably not”. Quentin Poole, senior partner at Wragge & Co, reckons if the question was put to him a couple [...]
