Forbes: More Upside In Gold Prices

By SIMON CONSTABLE

This month's rally in gold prices may not be over.

That's because investors are still heavily betting on a decline in the value of the precious metal. When speculators overwhelmingly bet in one direction then a move in the opposite way is often the result. Read more here.

Forbes: Gold Outperformed Bitcoin In October

By SIMON CONSTABLE

When investing in alternative assets gold remains the king.

The yellow metal performed far better than the world's best-known cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, during October's market volatility. Read more here.

John Batchelor Radio Show: What Does Brexit Do For Scotland?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Mid East Eye: Saudi Economy May Pay High Price for Khashoggi Killing

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Saudi Arabia’s economy will likely pay a high price over the recent killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a sordid affair that sparked global outrage and which may prompt some action by the United States and other governments.

However, the longer-term issue is that investors will likely shun Saudi Arabia because the killing highlights the kingdom’s political instability, and that shakiness is something from which investors tend to shy away or exact a high price. Read more here.

Forbes: Message From The Bond Market -- More Turmoil For Stocks

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Already stocks have had a volatile fall, but it could get even worse.

That's because a change in the bond market is pointing to a sharp decline in stocks unless something changes, according to one analyst. Read more here.

Forbes: The Italian Financial Mess Ain't Over Yet

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The disagreement between the European Union and the recently-formed Italian government coalition, ain't over yet.

Quite the contrary. It could run and run, according to a recently published report. Read more here.

Photo by Emma Fabbri on Unsplash

Forbes: How A Small Scottish Biotech Firm Could Win A Decisive Battle Against Cancer?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

A small Scottish-based biotech company could soon win a decisive battle in the war against cancer. 

NuCana, led by biotech industry veteran Hugh Griffith, is developing therapies that could radically change cancer treatment. Despite only being founded in 2008 the firm has already captured the interest of investors with good results from clinical trials of the compounds. Read more here.

Barron's: Get Ready for Big Oil Stocks in Europe to Rise if Prices Do

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Favorable valuations, a change in investor outlook, and a surge in oil prices could lift the stocks of major European oil producers.

“If you have a broad rally in energy, I think it is safe to say that both European and American investors will look at some of the big oil names globally and find them interesting,” says Steve Chiavarone, a portfolio manager at Federated Investors in New York. “Those companies with bigger dividends will become attractive again.” Read more here.

Korn Ferry: Europe’s Rattling Political Power Plays

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The upheaval keeps building up across western Europe’s political landscape. Germany’s center-right parties, which the country’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, represents, are increasingly getting squeezed at the polls. In Italy, the coalition government is having trouble developing a budget. And across the English Channel, the UK prime minister’s cabinet is in turmoil while Ireland’s president faces five challengers in an election on Friday.

Pundits have their own views on each country’s issues, but private-sector leaders are likely to see a simple lesson across the board: When the landscape changes, fundamentals become ever more important. Read more here.

Korn Ferry: Picketing for Equal Pay

By SIMON CONSTABLE

For years, it was a topic that would surface in studies and headlines, but rarely beyond. Then several countries began to get serious, requiring companies to report differences in gender pay gaps or trying to close it themselves. A few big firms spent millions trying to make up the pay difference between men and women in the same job. Read more here.

Forbes Russia: Time to Bet on Putin

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Санкции против Ирана, который скоро будут введены, а также невысокие котировки будут способствовать повышению стоимости акций российских компаний в краткосрочной перспективе. Хотя это ралли может продлиться недолго, там тем не менее существует возможность получить некоторое количество легких денег.

Read more here.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Barron's: It’s Time to Bet on British Stocks — Even With Brexit Looming

By SIMON CONSTABLE

It’s an opportune time to bet on British stocks.

The country’s economy is strong, stocks are inexpensive relative to those in the U.S., and when the Brexit drama passes, the pound sterling should rise.

Investors playing a likely rally should purchase the iShares FTSE 250 exchange-traded fund (ticker: MIDD.UK). Read more here.

Forbes: Time To Bet On Putin?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Love him or hate him, now might be the time to place a bet on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Not exactly him, but rather the Russian stock market. Read more here.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

SFS: Borrowing and Business -- What You Don't Know Can Hurt Your Finances

By SIMON CONSTABLE

So, you’re feeling confident enough about your business to go shopping for a loan. 

Congratulations! But before you start looking you should understand these five important areas impacting loans, beginning with the difference between interest rates and APR. Read more here.

Korn Ferry: Has Brexit Hit the Disaster-Prepping Phase?

The EU and UK split-up is still not until the end of next March, but the warnings have already begun--with the British government preparing citizens for a world with no agreement or regulations set between its own country and Europe. Indeed, one memo sounds very much like a disaster-prep, suggesting companies stockpiling goods and products. Read more here.

Barron's: Bayer Battling Back Against Legal Woes

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Shares of struggling German health-care and chemical giant Bayer revived a bit on Thursday as the company got at least a temporary reprieve from a huge jury award that held its weed killer Roundup liable for a plaintiff’s cancer.

There is likely to be more positive news for long-term investors, as this and related cases against Roundup proceed through the court system. Read more here.

Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

WSJ: A Replacement for Libor Gains Traction

By SIMON CONSTABLE

A benchmark borrowing cost known as the secured overnight financing rate, or SOFR, is gaining traction as a replacement for the better known but sullied Libor as the rate underpinning a range of global debt instruments. Read more here.

Avsankur©, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Barron's: Italian Bonds Are Cheap — but for Risk Takers Only

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Italy’s political circus is sending local bond prices tumbling and yields higher. But the country’s real economic risk also offers a contrarian opportunity to buy long-dated Italian bonds at discounted prices.

“If you think the current political situation gets resolved, then Italian bonds offer really good returns,” says Ihab Salib, head of international fixed income at money-management firm Federated Investors. He concedes that this isn’t a consensus opinion. Read more here.

John Batchelor Show: The Euro, Brexit etc.

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Photo by Maryna Yazbeck on Unsplash

Forbes: Why Investors Should Expect Gold To Jump

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Gold traders are now extremely bearish on the price of gold bullion.

It's a sign that the price of the yellow metal will likely jump. Read more here.