Those in the investment world are probably aware of the BRIC thesis brought forward by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill two decades ago. O’Neill suggested the high growth potential of emerging markets Brazil, Russia, India and China would ensure their weight in the world economy would rise substantially over the next ten years. But his…
You can wait your whole life for something to change, but when it does, blink and you will miss it. That is how it seems for the energy industry this week, after several huge stories piled the pressure on ‘Big Oil’. First came an International Energy Agency (IEA) report imploring oil companies to stop all…
After a strong April, May felt somewhat of a mixed bag for investors, particularly when stock markets suffered a correction in the middle of the month. However, as the month draws to a close, it is mostly only cryptocurrency holders and those who had banked on a warm and sunny May in Northern Europe who…
With a heavy heart – and a heavier bill – Aviva told investors this week that after a tumultuous year for the fund, the firm will shut its main UK Property Fund as well as its two feeder funds on 19 July and return cash to investors “in a fair and orderly manner”. The current…
After a long quiet spell, Europe is capturing investor interest once again, with the green shoots of a recovery now coming through. After a desperately slow start, vaccination programmes on the continent have stepped up greatly, with ever more jabs set to be delivered in the coming weeks. That, combined with warmer weather and a…
Beyond the directly virus-related stories, the week’s news has been dominated by cryptocurrency shenanigans and the return of outright war in the Middle East. Cryptos are the “Reality TV” version of markets – hugely fascinating but having not much to do with reality – and largely purchased by believers and speculators, rather than investors. Having…
Even by their volatile standards, this week has been a roller-coaster for cryptocurrencies. On Thursday, Bitcoin’s value dropped 10% to below $50,000, while both Ethereum and Dogecoin also slumped. Dogecoin – a cryptocurrency which started as an internet joke in 2013 – had already suffered a 25% drop at the weekend, after a whirlwind year…
A year ago, car rental company Hertz was on its knees, forced into bankruptcy amid longstanding problems and the sudden shock from the COVID-19-induced demand collapse, leaving it with few options and fewer funds. At the time, a ragtag bunch of retail investors bid up the stock in the suspicion markets had sunk it too…
Last week we wrote how the ‘sell in May and go away’ maxim has historically not shown much merit for investors. At the end of this week, some of our readers may look back at those sentences ruefully. Markets have certainly lost a bit of that exuberance displayed in recent weeks. However, the risen inflation…
Inflation is a hot topic for capital markets at the moment. Green shoots of an economic recovery are coming through all over the world, and investors are betting on a post-pandemic boom. Meanwhile, both monetary and fiscal policy is expanding, while consumers and businesses are regaining confidence to spend and invest. This is expected to…