2018 proved to be a very difficult year in the markets with virtually all the major markets that we cover ending in negative territory
With just seven months to go, the prospect of a ‘no deal’ Brexit looks increasingly likely.
On Tuesday, 3rd November 2020 the United States will go to the polls to elect its next President. All the indications are that Donald Trump will stand for a second term and if the words of Bill Clinton – “It’s the economy, stupid” – are to be believed, he will win.
August used to be known as the ‘silly season’. Everyone who made the news was away on holiday, nothing happened and newspapers were desperate to fill their pages. So rather more obscure stories made it into print…That, of course, was before Donald Trump. And Brexit. And Venezuela, Argentina…
For British companies who rely heavily on the E.U. export market, Brexit has been a nightmare, to say the least. Until recently, though, the full effects on British exporters have been unclear.
Trump’s presidency has seen U.S. trade policies return to a bygone era of protectionism. At the start of July, the U.S announced $34 billion of tariffs on Chinese goods, suggesting that Trump has China firmly in his sights.
The news in July really could not have been much worse. The threat of a trade war between the US and China simmered throughout the month, and then on 31st July President Trump ramped up the tension with proposals of a 25% tariff on $200bn (£152bn) of Chinese imports.
Expect the Iceberg Lettuce to replace Bitcoin as the new default currency of the internet. Maybe it’s time to get out there and plant lettuce in the back garden… or perhaps instead you should be considering a crop of avocados…
May was another month with the usual mix of good and bad news in the UK. RBS kicked off the month by announcing the closure of 162 bank branches. As online banking and mobile apps continue to bite into retail banking you do wonder just how many high street branches there will be in ten years’ time.
When we leave the European Union we will also leave the EU customs union. The question we all want to know the answer to is ‘what does that mean for me?’ Well first, let’s have a quick reminder of what the customs union is.