Market Analysis
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Global shares rally after US agreement
World stock markets surged yesterday in a roaring start to 2013 after US lawmakers clinched a deal to avert a feared “fiscal cliff” of drastic tax rises and automatic spending cuts. Investors welcomed news that the US Congress had finally approved...
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Shipping movements
These vessels are expected in Malta: The Qingdao Tower from Antwerp to Pireaus (Thomas Smith Shipping) tomorrow. The Cathrine Rickmers from Algeciras to Leghorn (Thomas Smith Shipping) on Sunday. The Jaguar from Benghazi to Benghazi and the BC...
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High yield equities as bond proxies?
With investment grade bond yields at current levels, some income seekers appear increasingly willing to take on lower quality credits in a bid to maintain the same absolute income. They do so with the central assumption that bonds are a ‘safe’ asset...
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Fiscal cliff concern spurs dollar safety bid
Shinzo Abe officially took the helm as the new Prime Minister of Japan on December 26 following the Liberal Democratic Party’s electoral victory. Since assuming power, the new Japanese Government is continually exercising pressure on the Bank of...
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Bond redemptions due in 2013
As the year is quickly coming to an end, it is the time for financial commentators and other journalists not only to look back at what happened over the past 12 months but also to comment on what’s in store for next year. Among the corporate...
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US stocks lower as ‘fiscal cliff ’ talks to resume
US stocks dipped yesterday amid ongoing investor uncertainty as President Barack Obama headed back to Washington to try to secure a year-end ‘fiscal cliff’ deal with Republican lawmakers. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 16.14 points (0.12...
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Investors warming to share issues as bond fashion fades
After a year marked by strong demand for selected bonds, investor fashion looks set to switch back to equities next year on the back of more positive macro-economic prospects. Some investment bankers will welcome the change. Companies and their...
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Shipping movements
These vessels are expected in Malta: The Pelleas from Port Said to Genoa (Thomas Smith Shipping) today. The Lana from Antwerp to Pireaus (Thomas Smith Shipping) tomorrow. The Maersk Eindhoven from Suez Canal to Valencia, and the Alexander Maersk...
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2013 – Not if, but what
The performance of almost any asset class was positive this year. It was a question of degree, driven significantly by a catch up in valuations as systemic risk was reduced. Following on from such a performance will be difficult in 2013 but the...
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Stalled US budget talks lift dollar
The yen slipped close to a 20-month low against the US dollar at the start of the week after newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe increased pressure on the Bank of Japan to boost its inflation target in its meeting next month. The Nipponese...
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Highly profitable year for MIH
Mediterranean Investments Holding plc, the joint venture between the Corinthia Group and the National Real Estate Company of Kuwait, is set to generate substantial profits in 2012 from its Palm City development. After completing the extensive...
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European stocks close higher in ‘Santa’ rally
Europe’s main stock markets closed higher yesterday, with Paris’ CAC 40 advancing 0.44 per cent to 3,664.59 points, its highest level this year. London’s FTSE 100 index of leading companies rose 0.43 per cent to 5,961.59 points, while Frankfurt’s...
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Shipping movements
These vessels are expected in Malta: The CMA CGM Lavender from Pireaus to Pireaus, the Thebeland from Tripoli to Tripoli, the Furth from Gemlik to Varna, the CMA CGM Cendrillon from Port Said to Genoa, the Mont Ventoux from Benghazi to Benghazi, the...
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2012 – the year to overcome fears
2012 is slowly drawing to a close. What’s done is largely done. In many ways, 2012 has been a good year for investors, especially those who focused primarily on bond markets. But this is not how it started. We entered 2012 in a state of trepidation...
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A game changer for the Japanese yen?
Japanese elections gave the week’s start a new tinge of optimism, as news hit the wires that the LDP party had won the general elections. This was in line with expectations, but the stronger results are expected to give the LDP-led coalition...
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Maltapost debt-free again
The September 2012 full-year results published by Maltapost plc last week may have surprised many investors in more than one way. Pre-tax profits declined by 32 per cent to €2.1 million – but many market participants possibly expected a worse result...
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European equities rise on Fed stimulus hopes
European stocks rose yesterday on hopes that the Federal Reserve would announce more stimulus measures, while investors digested the news that a Greek debt buy-back scheme designed to release much-needed EU-IMF bailout funds appears to have...
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Shipping movements
The following vessels are expected in Malta: The AS Cypria from Pireaus to Pireaus (Carmelo Caruana Co. Ltd), and the Don Pascuale from Port Said to Genoa (Thomas Smith Shipping) today. The Rosa from Buenos Aires to Montevideo and the Maersk Essex...
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A look at 2013 and beyond
Using credit as your primary asset class in your investment strategy in 2012 would have produced some very attractive high single digit or low double digit returns. The extent of such returns would have been dependent on a number of factors such as...
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Euro brushes off concerns about Italy
After a nervous start to the week on global financial markets, global shares and riskier assets edged higher on Tuesday, but gains were subdued as investors awaited the outcome from the Federal Reserve’s end-of-year meeting. The euro snapped a...
