Category: Market commentary & Uncategorized
November saw the G20 group of world leaders meeting in Canberra. The summit was notable for the new sport invented by the great and good: a bizarre game of musical chairs in order to avoid being photographed sitting next to Vladimir Putin!
Category: Market commentary & Uncategorized
In all the time weâve been writing these market commentaries itâs difficult to remember a more turbulent month than October 2014.
Throughout the summer we have been writing about events in the Ukraine and the worries that conflict posed for Europe. Fortunately we now have a ceasefire in the region â and Russia and the Ukraine have just concluded a deal (brokered by the EU) for supplies of gas to resume. Just as well, last week the temperature in Kiev dropped to five degrees and 60% of Government buildings were without any heat.
Category: Market commentary & Uncategorized
Throughout the summer this bulletin has been focused on events in the Ukraine, now we have an admittedly uneasy truce in the region and the focus of the worldâs discontent has moved elsewhere. At time of writing, pro-democracy protesters are occupying the streets of Hong Kong and a coalition of 40 countries is in the early stage of an attack on ISIS â the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
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Category: Market commentary & Uncategorized
The phrase âthe world looked a dangerous placeâ has been used many times to describe the status of the markets. Never has that seemed more true than in August.
In Northern Iran/Iraq the Islamic State continues to gather momentum and the world expressed outrage at the murder of US journalist, James Foley.
Category: Market commentary & Uncategorized
Where to start this month? Until July 16th it was an easy decision: the happy, smiling face of German Chancellor Angela Merkel as her boys lifted the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Argentina. A booming stock market, huge trade surplus â and a trophy from Sepp Blatter. What more could a country want?
Category: Market commentary & Uncategorized
June was a good month for British and Chinese manufacturing, a disastrous month for General Motors (GM) and sadly, the England team who can now be found on the beaches of the Algarve. At least they escaped the anger directed at South Koreaâs players, who were pelted with toffees on their return to Seoul!
