Month: February 2020

(Bloomberg) — Boris Johnson’s regime change at the Treasury could herald yet more tweaks to the rules that keep Britain’s budgets in check.The shock resignation of Sajid Javid as chancellor of the exchequer last week robbed the new Conservative government of a fiscal hawk who moderated the big spending ambitions of the most powerful prime minister since Tony Blair.His successor, Rishi Sunak, must now work out with Johnson whether to stick to the budget limits set by Javid or, as many now expect, open the spending taps to charge up the economy as Britain embarks on life outside the European …read more […]

In the Virgin Islands, a Bulgarian movie star’s castle on a hill could be restored to its former glory, if it finds a buyer willing to drop $10 million. …read more […]

(Bloomberg) — Investors overseeing trillions of dollars are plowing money into U.S. government debt like never before, in a wave that’s only gaining strength as the spreading coronavirus casts doubt on the global growth outlook.Evidence of the insatiable demand can be found across the fixed-income universe. Pensions, which have been ramping up bond allocations for more than a decade after a change in regulations, now hold a record amount of longer-dated Treasuries. Bond mutual funds saw a historic inflow of money last year, with no sign of a slowdown. Even hedge funds have piled in.The wall of cash is a …read more […]

Pete the Planner: I owe $15,000 in credit card debt at age 69 and haven’t told my husband. What should I do? …read more […]

(Bloomberg Opinion) — The Covid-19 virus is a human tragedy for many who have been affected by it and it’s having a profound impact on the lives of a large part of the Chinese population. The impact on the rest of the world of the disease’s dislocation of the Chinese economy is yet to be fully felt. Forecasts of only a modest impact on oil demand worldwide are far too optimistic.A comparison of the latest forecasts from the world’s three big oil agencies — the International Energy Agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries …read more […]

(Bloomberg Opinion) — The Covid-19 virus is a human tragedy for many who have been affected by it and it’s having a profound impact on the lives of a large part of the Chinese population. The impact on the rest of the world of the disease’s dislocation of the Chinese economy is yet to be fully felt. Forecasts of only a modest impact on oil demand worldwide are far too optimistic.A comparison of the latest forecasts from the world’s three big oil agencies — the International Energy Agency, the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries …read more […]

(Bloomberg) — Deutsche Bank AG may have defused a potential land mine in its still-fragile turnaround.A once-treacherous decision about whether to retire one of the bank’s riskiest bonds in April has almost become a nonevent amid signs of progress in the overhaul and overwhelming evidence of the lender’s ability to sell Additional Tier 1 notes in a red-hot market. The bank has also avoided much of the opacity that riled Banco Santander SA bondholders ahead of a similar AT1 call decision last year.“They’ve done everything right, particularly since this is an asset class that’s created so many problems for them …read more […]

It’s a busy week ahead, with private sector PMI numbers likely to reflect the impact of COVID-19 on economies. Falling cases should soften the blow, however. …read more […]

U.S. financial markets will be closed Monday in observance of Washington’s birthday. …read more […]

It’s been a choppy weekend, with Bitcoin giving up on $10,000 to bring down the pack. A move through to $10,100 levels would deliver support. …read more […]