magazine archive
magazine archive
News
Fed signals strong economy can withstand several rate hikes
Thursday 03 Feb 2022The press conference which followed the Federal Reserve’s meeting on 26 January continues to reverberate around the market. US stock indices dropped more than 1% and bond yields moved higher in the immediate aftermath to reflect a tougher line on interest rate hikes. The message dashed any hope...
Market veterans call out US stock market bubble
Thursday 27 Jan 2022Most expert observers see the current stock market sell-off as a healthy correction and the rotation out of high growth technology shares into economically sensitive shares as logical given rising rates. However, two veterans of the investment world see the world rather differently and believe we...
Unilever is the next FTSE 100 takeover target
Thursday 27 Jan 2022Domestos to Marmite maker Unilever ( ULVR ) was the biggest riser on the FTSE 100 on 24 January, gaining 7% to £39.40 and in the process recouping all the ground the shares lost following the recent revelation of its failed bid for GlaxoSmithKline’s ( GSK ) consumer healthcare unit. The catalyst...
Big strategic moves for FTSE 100 miners Rio Tinto and BHP
Thursday 27 Jan 2022FTSE 100 mining group Rio Tinto ( RIO ) has endured decidedly mixed fortunes year to date. First, the Anglo-Australian business saw its $2.4 billion lithium project in Serbia cancelled by the country’s authorities. The move has prompted some to wonder if it was a form of retaliation for Serbian...
Netflix needs to find new ways to grow revenue
Thursday 27 Jan 2022A substantial slowdown in subscriber growth at Netflix is putting severe pressure on the share price and has raised concerns about the competitive environment faced by the business and whether it may have reached saturation point. The company’s latest update (20 Jan) saw it forecast just 2.5...
THG’s shares take another hit on growth and margin setback
Thursday 20 Jan 2022Online cosmetics and health products seller THG ( THG ) continued to suffer large share price declines, with investors giving the thumbs down to its latest trading update (18 Jan). At face value, revenue growth of 38% for 2021 looked impressive. However, markets are forward-looking and guidance for...
Why China has bucked a global trend by cutting rates
Thursday 20 Jan 2022In an attempt to revitalise the economy, the People’s Bank of China has reduced the rate at which it provides one-year loans to banks by 10 basis points. Critically this is the first time that China’s central bank has cut its interest rate in nearly two years, and contrasts with the approach taken...
Oil hitting $100 could take the FTSE 100 to new record highs
Thursday 20 Jan 2022With Brent crude oil at seven-and-a-half-year highs above $88 per barrel there is mounting speculation that prices could hit $100 for the first time since 2014. The FTSE 100 is also within striking distance of the 7,903.50 intra-day high attained on 22 May 2018. Oil producers are among the big...
The trusts trading well below their 10-year average valuation
Thursday 20 Jan 2022The increased popularity of investment trusts is reflected in a pronounced narrowing of the average discount to net asset value (the value of a trust’s investments minus any liabilities) across all trusts over the past decade. Data from the Association of Investment Companies and Morningstar shows...
Unilever’s food arm could be sold amid shift in strategy
Thursday 20 Jan 2022U nilever ( ULVR ) has had three bids for GlaxoSmithKline’s ( GSK ) majority-controlled consumer healthcare unit knocked back, the latest offer pitched a bumper £50 billion. Investors are concerned the Dove soap-to-Marmite maker may stretch its balance sheet by overpaying for the Glaxo’s consumer...