December 2013

The EU finally agrees a landmark ruling over future bank failures

Mind The Gap

The days of European taxpayers footing the bill for bank rescues could soon be over. Overnight, officials in Strasbourg, representing the European Parliament and EU member states, agreed new rules for future bank rescues. Under the “bank resolution and recovery directive” created in Strasbourg, bond holders and large depositors will now be in the firing […]

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Why trading part time whilst in the 9 to 5 routine, can and does work for the majority of traders

Between the lines

The majority of retail traders are part-time, and we could put forward an argument that even the majority of experienced and successful traders are also part-time. In truth the actual ‘work’ we do on a day to day basis, once you’ve developed a trading plan that you can trade in a disciplined and emotionless manner,

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Main USA markets sell off due to monetary easing taper rumours whilst Greek unemployment rises to 27.4%

Morning Roll Call

The DJIA and other main USA indices suffered quite a significant sell off during the later stages of the New York session on Wednesday due to the (you’ve guessed it) rumours of the infamous taper arriving sooner rather than later. And the ripple-effect was also felt through the FX industry. Many analysts and therefore investors

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USA congress reaches deal but the debt ceiling impasse will be scrutinized again in the New Year

Mind The Gap

US budget negotiators late Tuesday night reached a deal to set spending levels until 2015, avoiding the latest debt ceiling deadlock in Congress. The agreement may herald the return of an era in which Congress can perform basic functions without the political rows that have threatened the US economic recovery in recent years. However, the

USA congress reaches deal but the debt ceiling impasse will be scrutinized again in the New Year Read More »

Volcker rule comes of age, E.U. banking union begins to take shape as Christine Lagarde defies the notion of a “jobless recovery”

Morning Roll Call

In a relatively quiet day for high impact news events on Tuesday, potential fundamental policy decisions took centre stage. There were two banking regulation news events that flew under the radar and failed to ignite the interest of the mainstream financial press; namely the Volcker rule finally coming into being and the start of the

Volcker rule comes of age, E.U. banking union begins to take shape as Christine Lagarde defies the notion of a “jobless recovery” Read More »

Sterling reaches a two year high versus U.S. Dollar as UK industrial production finds another higher gear

Mind The Gap

There was yet more promising data printed from the UK this morning with regards to the economic recovery of the country and unlike the data from sources such as Markit’s sentiment indices, this is as close to ‘fact’ as the UK can deliver. Despite the trade balance for the month remaining down at circa £9.7bn,

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Why bursting the bubble; discovering that there is no ‘Holy Grail’ of trading, finally leads to trader enlightenment

Between the lines

The term “Holy Grail” crops up regularly in trading discussions. The phrase has come to mean; the discovery of an infallible trading strategy and method that will lead to our trader unlocking a type of trading ‘code’, eventually opening a door leading to untold riches. The search for the Holy Grail is undoubtedly one of

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Greece experiencing record levels of deflation, Germany’s industrial output in surprise fall again, China’s yuan reaches twenty year high as the loonie falls to a 3 year low

Morning Roll Call

Despite Monday being a relatively quiet day on Wall Street there were plenty of high impact news events published and the customary chatter regarding monetary easing took centre stage, on both sides of the Atlantic, providing one of the major debating points of the day… Greece now appears to be locked in a deflationary economic

Greece experiencing record levels of deflation, Germany’s industrial output in surprise fall again, China’s yuan reaches twenty year high as the loonie falls to a 3 year low Read More »

Chinese inflation data improves, Germany’s exports rise, whilst Europe’s Sentix falls sharply

Mind The Gap

According to the latest COT report currency speculators are still bearish yen, a position reflected in yen falling versus the majority of its major pairs in the overnight trading session. In early news Germany’s trade balance was published, as expected it revealed a significant increase, with Germany exporting goods to the value of €99.1 billion

Chinese inflation data improves, Germany’s exports rise, whilst Europe’s Sentix falls sharply Read More »