 
Sarasin’s Strategy Outlook: The end of the beginning
Investors understandably remain perplexed by the countless macro risks they hear from central bankers and the financial press, in contrast to the consistent profitability reported by global blue-chips and the comparative confidence of their CEO’s, says the Sarasin Group in its latest forecast. |
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Getting the lean advantage in telcos
GCC telecom operators need to reduce waste and can achieve cost savings of up to 30 per cent, according to a new study by the Boston Consulting Group. “While some companies have set up rigorous cost reduction programs to protect profit margins, one-off cost reduction measures like cutting marketing spend, travel, advisory, and renegotiation of major vendor / supplier contracts are the usual suspects for immediate scrutiny,” says BCG. |
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Catastrophe experts urge congress to move forward with comprehensive disaster plan
Says five years after Katrina and America is unprotected from financial calamity. "When it comes to shoring up the financial system that stands behind homeowners, communities and insurers, we are no better off than we were when Katrina struck. Indeed, given the global economic conditions, we may even be worse off than we were five years ago," according to James Lee Witt, former Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. |
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Stock picking has never been so important, says Cartesian Capital
Stocks favoured by Cartesian includes British Gas parent Centrica, a company Hall believes should profit from householders’ drive towards energy efficiency. Cartesian will continue to place confidence in the performance of individual companies rather than macro developments, a stance that would only alter if there was a ‘full-blown resurgence’ in the recovery. |
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Soaring cost of living crushing students
NatWest unveils its seventh Student Living Index - an annual study of how cost-effective the UK’s major university cities and towns are for students, based on spending habits, and how students offset these costs. London leads on cost-effectiveness: London is the most cost-effective city in which to study in the UK, while York is the least cost-effective for the second year in a row. Bank of Mum and Dad dries up: nearly half (46 per cent) not receiving any parental funding. |
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Out of ammunition?
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, in his speech last week, showed his concerns about the possibility that the country could witness a double dip recession, stating that the economic outlook seems “inherently uncertain” and that the economy “remains vulnerable to unexpected developments,” according to the latest NBK money market report. |
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