Archive for February 2018
Glencore: An outlook for the world’s largest commodity producer
Rajinder Dhesi This week the commodities giant Glencore announced pre-tax earnings of $14.7 billion for 2017, a 44% rise compared to the previous twelve-month period. Its share price has subsequently risen by up 22% to 399.3 pence (21st February 2018). There are several reasons for this strong performance. First, and perhaps most significantly, the renewable…
Read MoreIndonesia – a worthy investment?
Danielle Cuaycong Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has experienced an increase in its sovereign credit rating. Indonesia’s upgrade to an investment-grade level Standard & Poor in May 2017 has indicated for the first time since the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis that Indonesia has an investment-grade rating by all of the ‘Big 3’ ratings agencies. Due…
Read MoreFinancial volatility poses problems for Chinese markets
Oliver Dyson Since the 2008 crisis, sovereign debt from the Emerging Markets has been on a steady rise. From the 146% to 217% increase in public debt across the IIF 21 countries (compared to aggregated GDP), it is clear that developing nations are more indebted today than at any point since the crisis. The same…
Read MoreThe transforming business of estate agents
Frances Senn It is widely accepted that most things are easier done online. Physically entering estate agents is becoming a thing of the past. Nowadays potential buyers often have completed a preliminary property search online prior to their visit. Online property search companies offer clever capabilities; filters, price ranges and property comparisons, with the aim…
Read MoreThe UK construction sector showing signs of stagnation coming into 2018?
Christopher Oufi Entering 2018, the UK construction scene hasn’t looked too promising as of late. February 2nd saw the release of the much anticipated IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI index. This seasonally adjusted index provides an indication of the current state of the sector. A posting of 50.2 for January was below the 52.2 from…
Read MoreSocial Media Junkies
Estia Ryan Social media – we all take part in it, some way or another. Whether it’s the recurring ‘ping’ from Messenger, Snapchat, or Instagram, the social-validation feedback loop is ruining productivity and attention spans. 50% of parents and 70% of teenagers feel urged to respond to these notifications immediately. Social media executives themselves are…
Read MoreThe digital Gold Standard?
Richard Holland Amongst the backdrop of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, a London-based FinTech company has teamed up with Lloyds Banking Group and MasterCard to bring the world’s oldest currency back into the digital age: gold. In November 2017, Glint launched its multi-currency account, app and card that allows customers to use gold to buy goods and…
Read MoreGold outlook for 2018
Veronika Tomilina The price of gold has fallen in recent weeks from highs of around $1360 towards the end of January. In this article I will discuss whether this downward trend will continue, and also consider the main factors that will influence gold price in 2018. 2018 is promising to have multiple rate hikes by…
Read MoreWhat has become of North Sea oil?
Alexander Le Grys In the past two months, there has been a certain buoyancy in the oil market. Brent crude oil prices reached below the $70 mark for much of January. As a result, 2018 looked to be a promising year for many oil-producing countries, particularly those that are not members of the Organisation of…
Read MoreChina’s green energy revolution?
Rajinder Dhesi China, the world’s largest energy consumer, has recently announced a new strategy to wean itself off its dependence on fossil fuels, which for the last two decades have powered the state’s unparalleled economic growth. Like other infrastructure projects, the scale of China’s foray into renewables is enormous; $136 billion was spent on renewable…
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