Tag Archive: Europe

  1. THE MARKETS

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    Germany may have clobbered Brazil in the World Cup quarter finals last week and went on to become the first European team to win the event in Latin America, but things back home in Europe weren’t quite so rosy.  (more…)

  2. The Newest European Import To The U.S. Is The Chip And Pin Card

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    Discussions about credit and debit card security were heating up even before retailers experienced data breaches last winter. Needless to say, after the breaches and a wealth of media reports touting the fact that Europe, Canada, and most of the rest of the world already have more secure payment systems than the one used in the United States, interest in replacing the current system there has increased. (more…)

  3. The Spring Budget Background

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    A year ago, nobody – including Mr Osborne – expected the 2014 Budget to be set against such a relatively benign economic background for the UK. In March 2013 the talk was of a triple dip recession, as the country had just recorded a contraction of 0.3% in the final quarter of 2012.  Inflation, as measured by the February 2013 Consumer Prices Index (CPI), was running at 2.8% and had been above its 2% target since December 2009.  In Europe the latest round of the Eurozone crisis was taking place, with Cyprus becoming the fifth EU member to seek a bailout. All in all, it was not a pleasant economic backdrop against which to present another austerity-as-she-goes Budget that promised a further £100bn+ government deficit for the coming year. (more…)

  4. The Markets

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    European Shares Track Falls In Asia and US
    Stock markets across Europe have opened lower, following sharp falls in Asia and on Wall Street.

    Investors have been rattled by weak factory data from both the US and China – the world’s two biggest economies. (more…)

  5. The Markets

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    Happy New Year!

    Traders are toasting the strongest year for the FTSE 100 since 2009 following a bumper crop of new entrants to the stock market. (more…)

  6. Is it the beginning of the end? Maybe….

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    Last Tuesday, Eurostat, which provides statistical information on the European Union (EU), announced that its flash estimate showed positive economic growth (up 0.3 percent) for the Euro area for the second quarter. Media outlets embraced the news with tremendous enthusiasm and some informed the world that Europe was, once again, on its feet. 

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  7. The Markets

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    Robert Burns, father of fourteen and writer of Auld Lang Syne, once said, “There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing.” Was he ever right!

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  8. Market Update

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    Like athletes testing their limits, the FTSE 100 and the FTSE All-Share Indices both almost hit new highs last week. The FTSE 100 closed the week above the 6,500 level for the first time in a while. Strong corporate earnings and good news from Europe helped support last week’s strong performance.

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