Kingfisher (KGF) shares have dived underwater to the tune of 3.5%, but failed to resurface in the wake of a busy set of FY 2016 results. Underlying pre-tax profits +14.7% on sales +8.7% suggests nice margin expansion, even if flattered by a Brexit-weakened GBP. A dividend +3.3% is also good news. And although the Chairman…
Macro observations After the twists and turns of last week’s central bank updates, a relatively light week for macroeconomic data thrusts the spotlight onto speakers on both sides of the Atlantic to provide foreign exchange markets with direction, while the build up to the official triggering of Article 50 begins in earnest. The single most…
As I wrote in yesterday’s blog, the March 2017 meeting of the Federal Reserve could prove to be an odd affair. Indeed, it turned out to be so. The central bank raised interest rates by 25 basis points from 0.75% to 1%, in its second rate hike in 4 months and its third since the…
17 Mar DigitalLook Accendo Markets research analyst Henry Croft said the safe-haven yellow metal was “struggling to overcome $1,231” as it looked to continue its Fed-inspired rally to fresh March highs. http://www.digitallook.com/news/commodities/commodities-metals-crude-trade-sideways-with-gold-facing-resistance-around-1231oz–2580186.html 16 Mar Business Insider The UK Index ‘s rally comes “thanks to investors ignoring the Fed’s rate hike to concentrate on an unchanged…
At 6pm this evening, the US Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates for only the 3rd time in the past decade. Yet to call this raising of interest rates in itself a market moving event might be a misnomer. Instead, many investors are instead likely to focus on forecasts, including the Fed’s famous…
Macro observations Possibilities and probabilities headline this week’s foreign exchange forecasts, as three major events will keep investors busy right the way through until Friday. We begin with probabilities, something that the US Federal Reserve has been playing with for the past fortnight. The FOMC, the committee in charge of setting monetary policy in the…