We wrote about the astounding levels of new housing supply in central London a few weeks ago. Proof, we said, that in all markets, demand – and the high prices it brings – creates its own …
Markets work – even in London
Category: Blog
Twitter: why the shares are only for fools
I’ve been complaining for a few weeks now about the taxpayer rip off that was the Royal Mail initial public offering (IPO). But the post-listing leap in Twitter shares put that investment-banker miscalculation rather in …
The last great post-crisis credit trade
I wrote here about last week’s Sohn conference and the many stock and market tips that came out of it. I didn’t cover them all in the first column, so this is just a quick …
Five stock tips from the world’s best fund managers
More Sohn tips (see the original article here). Eashwar Krishnan of Tybourne Capital looked at the Asian media industry. He talked about the low levels of ad spend in Asia relative to GDP (around 1%) …
Get a payday loan, lose a house
We aren’t quite as down on payday lenders as most people – we recognise the brilliant simplicity of Wonga’s business model, for example, and we totally understand why people use it. See my last column …
A rare hint of value in the timber sector
There isn’t much around at the moment that comes really cheap. And anything that does tends to fit firmly into the ‘cheap for a reason’ category. But occasionally one comes across something that looks like …
More reasons to stay out of student accommodation
I wrote last week that student accommodation looks like a great investment – but one in which you absolutely must not invest. That view has been borne out nicely in the few days since. Knight …
Windfall taxes, and why windfarm owners should start worrying
Windfall taxes are back in the news. The only surprise is that it took this long. After all, governments in financial trouble have only two real choices: they can dramatically cut public spending; or they …
The bad news about the Grangemouth plant ‘rescue’
I went on Brian’s Big Debate on BBC Scotland earlier today. The main discussion, as you could probably have guessed, focused on Grangemouth. If you don’t know the story so far you can read it …
Why turn energy companies into tax collectors?
One of the things we didn’t get on to in the Great Debate was energy prices and how they should be kept low. My guess is that the audience (who seemed prone to wanting to …