The City

Lies, damn lies and (economic) statistics, part 1

These past few weeks have brought some important economic data that continue to support my view that the US and by extension global economy has weakened over the past year. And it might be even weaker than official economic data suggest.

You can’t stop it. You can’t avoid it. You can only prepare…

AI is about to boost the global economy by $200 trillion. That’s 85 times bigger than crypto… four times the size of the S&P 500… and almost double the entire global economy…

An evening in Covent Garden

Last week, Southbank Investment Research held an exclusive event for members in the heart of London’s West End. There were four guest speakers in attendance in the capacity-crowd room. Topics included the outlook for the economy, government policy and what investors can do to protect themselves from both.

The SMR revolution is not about nuclear, it is about bite-size electricity

No doubt you’ve noticed the flurry of nuclear power news over the past two weeks. Especially when it comes to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). But why now?

Time for a Trial of the Pyx for Andrew Bailey

For 850 years, the UK has held a ceremony to check whether the currency of the realm has been debased. It’s called a Trial of the Pyx. And it’s time for one now.

The Federal Reserve cuts rates. So what?

US interest rates are finally headed lower It is probably too late to prevent a recession Do financial markets reflect reality? Long anticipated by the…

The gunpowder that blew up Liz Truss is still there

In 2022 and 2023, vast losses in the bond market blew up US banks, UK pension funds and the UK government. 2024 has been quiet. But the losses are still there.

A British champion hiding in plain sight

The rise and fall of Intel has valuable lessons for investors about the lifecycle of business and the innovator’s dilemma. But who is replacing it at the helm of the most important industry in the world?

The stock market smells trouble ahead

Industrial commodity prices have been declining Cyclical stocks have been underperforming Signs are growing the global economy is slipping into recession As a relatively small,…

Natural things have limits. We’re at one.

Tomiko Itooka is the world’s oldest living person. She is only 116 years old. Not 300 years old. Financial indicators, such as debt and market prices, have their limits too.

Where left is right, and right is left

The European political centre continues to crumble In the UK, Labour will struggle to raise revenue In desperation, they might do something radical If ever…

Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to sell the moon

Overindebted governments are so desperate for revenue that they’ll soon band together to auction off trade rights, mining rights and real estate… in space.

Who really fired Liz Truss?

At the time, it seemed so simple. The tax cuts had blown out the budget deficit. All that borrowing meant interest rates would go up. And so bonds crashed.

The dirty power pandemic exposed

Renewable energy is wreaking hidden havoc on our electricity grid. But the economic costs are growing too large to ignore. This secret will come out.

The great lighthouse mystery

In today’s issue: What is the proper role of government? If they don’t provide for us, who will? The answer shouldn’t surprise you… No, this…

The £22 billion black hole bogeyman is a distraction for a £2 trillion pound nightmare

It’s one big canard. But it does have a purpose. You see, the Labour government is under strict orders from its real masters. Those actually in control.

Taylor Swift joins the inflation bogeyman party

Inflation takes many forms. Indeed, there are inflation ‘bogeymen’ hiding just about everywhere, ready to spring on us unaware. But are they acting alone, or in concert, directed by their handlers?

Chariots of Fire

The first Olympics that I recall properly are those of 1976, held in Montreal, Canada. This year, they’re also being hosted in a French-speaking city, albeit one a bit closer to home….

How do you deal with a problem like the yen?

Whenever exchange rates and the nature of money itself become a problem, leaders meet somewhere swanky to rewrite the rules of the global monetary system.

Will lower rates prevent a recession?

Interest rates may now be on the way down but is that going to be enough to prevent a recession? To support the stock market? Perhaps not, as we have already observed this past week.