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.