Expanding the Legacy
Expanding the Legacy
The withdrawal of banks from the high streets and neighbourhood corners is unsurprising. Today, most banks derive no more than three percent of their turnover from ‘traditional’ business operations such as fees and lending depositors’ cash to companies wishing to expand or families looking to buy a home. In 2022, the total assets of the financial sector in the UK amounted to a truly staggering $16.88 trillion - well over five time the aggregate output of the country’s entire economy. Those assets comprise mostly claims on other banks.
He lapped up life daringly, mastered the art of rebellion, and looked far beyond the horizon to find adventure and clam his restless soul. Just before the implacable woke crowd could ‘cancel’ him, biographer Sue Prideaux snatched Paul Gauguin from its claws. The French postimpressionist painter seemed ripe for the picking: the perfect candidate to be knocked off his pedestal, thrown from his perch, and relegated to the scrapheap of art history. It was not for a lack of trying that the über politically correct posse failed in its pursuit.
To placate its critics, the German government has temporarily reasserted control over the country’s borders. The measure is meant to stem the flow of immigrants entering the country to submit unfounded asylum claims. As of tomorrow, checks will take place on incoming traffic by roving border patrols.
The Republican campaign for the presidency is being shredded by an epic catfight between Trump groupies vying for the love and attention of their idol. Get the popcorn! Also: Kamala Harris Takes Advice from Chinese Sage and American Cheapskates Fail to Pay Up for Defence of Ukraine.
Whichever way US voters decide on election day, it’s the day after that causes most concern. A win by Donald Trump is unlikely to be contested by his opponents but promises to usher in a man who vowed to don the mantle of a dictator on his first day in office. Conversely, it is a foregone conclusion that a loss will be bitterly contested by Mr Trump.
It has all the trappings of a country - a government and parliament, army, courts, elections, passports, and a currency - but it doesn’t feature on any map other than as a terra incognita marked by a speculative broken line. However, this geographic entity has been in existence since 1991, yet the wider world stoically denies its existence. Somaliland seceded from greater Somalia in 1991 after that country’s dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, a major general who seized power in a 1969 coup, responded to local unrest by unleashing his army on the region and dismantling the economic and political power base of the Isaaq clan which had dominated the area since Medieval times.
The annual meeting of top businessmen, leading public officials, and a host of other VIPs in Davos usually sees emerging markets claim centre stage and draw attention to the marvels of their booming economies. Save for China, at this year’s Davos happening the world’s erstwhile movers and shakers are expected to tone down some.
The UK economy may be growing at an impressive clip: the spurt is powered by borrowed money and, as such, akin to a bubble. The same holds true for the seemingly impressive economic performance of the United States.
The ultimate networking event is set to kick off in a week with a record-setting 2,633 participants. The World Economic Forum (WEF) today released its list of invitees the organisation hopes to welcome in Davos, the posh Swiss ski resort where the event unfolds annually since 1971.
The triple terrorist attacks that rocked France last week will have a negligible impact on the country’s economy. According to Economics Professor Todd Sandler of the University of Texas Dallas business confidence is seldom affected when terrorists strike in advanced countries.
Most advanced economies are lagging in entrepreneurial vitality. According to a report published last week by the World Economic Forum, the most ambitious and innovative businesspeople are to be found in emerging countries.
In the wake of the terrorist attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which left ten staff members and two police officers dead, it is more important than ever to remember – and indeed emphasise – the difference between a faith and those who misuse faith to commit heinous acts.
After the Hellenic parliament on December 29 failed to elect a president in a third round of voting, triggering a constitutionally mandated snap election, yield on the benchmark ten-year bond jumped to over 9.7% (from its summer low of 3.5%) whilst shares on the Athens Stock Exchange plunged on average 11%.
Whilst financial markets globally have undergone substantial stress and change, an increasing number of mainstream investors see ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) integration as a way to improve their long-term financial performance and to respond to increased client demand for sustainable investments. This trend offers companies opportunities to attract long-term investors whilst, at the same time, reduce shareholder turnover by aligning their investment strategy with the real needs of their business and laying down the foundation for a sustainable future. Asset owners see ESG integration as an opportunity to generate long-term performance while fulfilling their fiduciary obligations, whilst investment managers see it as a way to improve risk management in the financial performance of their investment portfolio.