Economic growth and a little calm
Have been listening to this strange noise outside today – the pattering of much-needed rain. I appreciate if you are on holiday here it’s not so good but the ground needs it desperately so please forgive us!
Pleasing to see the latest Quarter’s economic growth rate at 0.4%. It is still lower than it should...
FTSE flies but what’s inside?
Welcome to a new all-time high for the FTSE100. Remember, it’s just a number and it’s the contents which are important and what are powering the underlying indices. Banks have been very strong (Lloyds’ results yesterday saw the shares at their highest since 2009) and now Rolls Royce is a major component too.
Oils are...
Wobbles at the top?
Hunting for safe havens
Markets continue to wobble
Oh dear, more uncertainties afflicting global markets as a consequence of the attacks on Iran and then the ramifications. They are dreadful and for the innocent people involved but as for the financial implications, on capital markets, maybe retrenchment reflects the ‘need’ for profit-taking it seems. This is even discounting unintended consequences, such as...
Uncertainty as US attacks Iran
So, early Saturday we awoke to news that bombings had taken place in Iran and the inevitable retaliation as a consequence. The weekend oil price jumped significantly and the world waits to digest the consequences.
It is too early to predict outcomes but the hope will be for a short, sharp shock and a return...
Some sad news
Good morning. Just a brief update for you but thought I should share some sad news as a special edition.
I should add too that there will also be a special pre tax-yearend newsletter in the post in a few weeks as well, reminding investors to use their various allowances.
Sad death
Mrs Jean Reed passed...
Dollar doldrums and silver surfing
Quietly and gently and perhaps almost unnoticed, the US Dollar had been seeing a drift downhill before strengthening again over last week. Against Sterling it has now been the lowest since September 2021, having fallen by over 26% since the Pound’s trough in July 2022.
We are not so unhappy as we have currency in...
Some growth but inflation bites
It’s been good to see some economic growth with an unexpected 0.3% figure in November. Services and production rose and construction fell. The results at least counter some of the previous slippage but won’t be giving a great annualised figure regardless – but all helping.
Likewise, whilst we read a colossal 700,000 graduates are unemployed,...