Is it time to invest in the remaining investment banks and assorted financial Institutions? OK they are not called investment banks anymore but we all know who I am talking about.There is a small sense of medium sized to large corporations finally starting to baulk at various new business tax burdens being continually levied in the UK.In separate stories we can see a number of companies considering moving capacity out of Britain to the continent...more
Many people are increasingly thinking about taking control of their finances; especially in the light of the positives and negatives drawn from the economic crisis.Being more tax efficient with your investments and savings is always a good idea. Looking to adjust existing stocks and shares portfolios is another sensible area of focus. And then there is looking at new investment opportunities.I would imagine that most readers would benefit from...more
I like to trade stocks and shares but what do when unemployment in both the US and UK keep increasing? Interestingly the major stock markets are also increasing.Unfortunately, equity markets are completely detached from the real economy. So as unemployment continues to rise, and is expected to continue rising throughout 2010, we could see the Dow Jones and FTSE 100 continue to rally.Yes the stock markets are supposedly forward thinking and investing in the future but the current picture is unclear. Looking at the UK, inflation looks like it will remain around its target of 2%. Of course controlling inflation is easier said than done. No one knows what affect the quantitative easing will have on the economy in 6 months time.The focus will be on the outlook for growth and indications of when the US, European and UK stimulus packages will end. Growth is returning but, with Governments short of funds, tax rises are expected in 2010. The little growth we have could quickly end.All-in-all the markets look like they will remain volatile for quite some time. It is not all bad news though. There are a few ways of taking advantage of the market volatility. One option is spread betting, with...more
The recent weakness of the US Dollar has certainly helped bolster the commodities futures markets. With most commodities, like Gold and Crude Oil, priced in dollars, any dollar weakness can help boost the commodity prices. Gold has shot up to $1,100 level. Whilst the price may have gone a bit too far, too quickly, the trend is firmly in favour of...more
The rose tinted view of financial data continues to drive the markets as more and more reasons are found to speculate on shares even as the driving impetus of the actual economy seems to be stuttering once again. As far as I can see, much of the data over the past months has been rather less cut and dried in favour of a recovery than the headlines...more
In a recent statement, Simon Denham of London-based Capital Spreads said, Sterling remains popular for the moment and it is difficult to be too negative on a technical viewpoint as the downside is definitely an unproductive area for the moment. The Euro continues to hold, in the main, to its gains over the last few months but the upside is beginning to look more difficult. Longer term investors, who have been piling into the Euro as, it almost seems, a quasi replacement for the Chinese Yuan, are pausing for breathe at the moment. It might be interesting to see what will happen if European growth starts to look less optimistic. The currency is overvalued by most measures and, while this state of affairs often continues for long periods where currencies are concerned, the swing backs can be very exciting indeed.That is all well and good but if you want to trade the currency markets what is the best way to do it? Many private investors are looking for fast and simple access to global markets and many are turning to spread betting.Before we proceed though, it should be pointed out that, as with all forms of investment, there is a downside and you can lose more than your initial...more
Do you find yourself looking for your dream home, but do not know where to start? You need to have a plan in place as a first step to owning your own home. When you plan ahead, you can be take more informed investment decisions. After all, purchasing...more
As the economic recovery continues, many people are considering gaining greater command of their investments. This is especially true after considering the good and bad points of how the credit crunch was handled.But what to trade, where to trade and...more
Investing in real estate can be quite frustrating at times. More often than not, the first time investors and buyers face a lot of problem in hunting down even the most basic information. The importance of online providers who assist in the entire...more
There are many of us who are very much eager and enthusiastic about procuring property for residential use or for our first business venture. For business owner, getting the right kind of space for setting up business is very much essential if they...more
Many people are increasingly thinking about taking control of their finances; especially in the light of the positives and negatives drawn from the economic crisis.Tax efficiency, opportunities in fluctuating markets, diversifying existing investment...more
Other than the pittance that The Globe and Mail pays me for my columns, I haven't received a paycheque in two years.Despite not getting paid by anyone, I never really retired in the work sense - initially I was sorting out what my new venture was...more