Market Analysis
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The CMA CGM Alabama from Antalya to Antalya, the Taurus J from Tripoli to Benghazi, the VD Dubai from Marseille to Algiers, and the Janina from Skikda to Skikda (Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd) today. The...
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The danger of safety
Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety – Shakespeare. It is easy to argue the merits of safety. It is much harder to argue the case against, by reference to its opportunity cost. As a general observation, modern society appears to...
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What lies behind the euro’s resilience?
Ahead of the week’s start, throughout the weekend, Chinese official Manufacturing PMI and news of an agreement for the eurozone’s firewall heralded investor sentiment. Chinese PMI (Purchasing Managers Index) surprised to the upside coming out at...
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The phenomenal rise in Apple’s share price
Apple Inc became the world’s largest company by market capitalisation as the share price soared by over 50 per cent during the first quarter of 2012 giving a market value of circa $570 billion to the technology company. During the second half of...
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European stocks close lower
European stocks closed lower yesterday, with investors hesitant after recent gains on concerns over China and the eurozone and data showed the British economy in worse shape than first thought. Dealers said the losses might reflect profit-taking...
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Daily currency report
Sterling rallied to near 4½-month highs versus the US dollar as investors continued to sell the currency on the prospect of more Federal Reserve quantitative easing. The euro also reached similar heights against the greenback, supported by talk...
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The Devon Strait from Algiers to Algiers, the Oued Ziz from Khor Fakkan to Annaba, and the Mediterranean Sea from Mersin to Iskenderun (Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd) today. The CMA CGM Rabat from Skikda to...
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Beyond the Greek tragedy at Go plc
The financial results reported by Go plc for the year ending December 31, 2011 will, hopefully, mark an end to a sad chapter in the history of this fallen angel. Brought to the market at a valuation of €212 million in June 1998, Go quickly became...
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Bernanke is in no rush to shift policy
Forex investors hoping for a less dovish stance by Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke were left disgruntled as he kept the door wide open for more monetary easing. Bernanke, speaking in front of business economists on Monday said that “continued...
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Higher impairments lead to lower profits at Lombard Bank
Reporting season continued last week with three companies publishing their 2011 full-year results. Although the major announcements came from Fimbank plc (mainly related to possible changes in the shareholding structure) and Go plc (skipping the...
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European stocks mostly flat after disappointing US data
Europe’s main stock markets were mostly flat in a choppy session yesterday, after data showed US home sales fell unexpectedly in February and the announcement of the British annual budget. London’s FTSE 100 benchmark index of leading shares rose...
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Daily currency report
The spotlight will be on the UK market as chancellor George Osborne prepares to unveil the government’s 2012 budget update. Traders will immediately begin to price-in the potential ramifications on the British economy and its credit rating thus...
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The Alemania from Ancona, and the Pollux from Bejaia to Tripoli (Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd) today. The Regina Eberhardt from Marseille to Algiers, the Pauline to Taranto, the Holandia from Varna to...
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The largest sovereign default
It was a long wait, and it finally happened. After a number of attempts at formulating the voluntary private sector involvement (PSI) to restructure Greece’s debt, on March 9 the majority of private holders accepted to exchange their bonds for new...
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The euro back in support while gold pauses
Data for German producer prices (PPI), reported last Tuesday, showed that PPI registered a 0.4 per cent rise throughout February, easing from the previous month’s 0.6 per cent rise – the figure was moderately lower than the forecasted 0.5 per cent.
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A privatisation gone wrong for minority shareholders
Just under six years ago, in 2006, the government represented by the Ministry of Investments, Industry and IT signed a share sale agreement with Emirates International Telecommunications (Malta) Ltd, better known as Tecom, in respect of the entire...
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European stocks close mixed despite upbeat Fed outlook
Europe’s main stock markets ended mixed yesterday, a day after a bullish economic outlook by the US Federal Reserve sent Wall Street shares to their highest level since December 2007. At closing, London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index fell 0.18 per cent...
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Daily currency report
The US dollar’s trade weighted index, which tracks its performance against a variety of currencies, is fast approaching two-month highs after the US Federal Reserve gave no indication it plans to add to its quantitative easing program again. The US...
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The Ecem Kalkavan from Trapani to Catania, the Stadt Hameln from Agadir to Bejaia, the Karina from Marseille to Algiers, and the Thor Star from Tunis (Carmelo Caruana Co Ltd) today. The Stadt Schwerin...
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A look at the big picture
Sometimes it is good to lay off the day-to-day events and news dictating the high volatility existing on the markets today, and sit back and review the big picture. It is wise to understand why we are here and how we got here. As a result of World...
