Looking at the net movement over the past 10 years there is a mixed picture: Broadly the USA has done best; Bank of America +1066%; JP Morgan +756%; Wells Fargo +505%. Europeans the worst Deutsche -595, Intesa -11% and Unicredit -86%. But having said that, ING +332%, KBC +742% and Skan Enskilda +417%. In the UK there is a bit of both: HSBC +63% and Barclays +216% versus Lloyds -32% and RBS -42%. Those with plenty of sub prime lending and those slow to react to the financial crisis have suffered the most. The USA was the fastest and most interventionist and the results speak for themselves.
My comments earlier this week about what some call the dismal science have resulted in quite some postbag from our readership! Hamish McRae a highly distinguished economist and financial journalist has the last word on this one:
“There are 3 kinds of economists. Those that can add, and those that can’t”
Most successful chimpanzee on Wall Street
Before you reach for the Complaints Procedure button, I am not being un pc. In 1999, Raven a 6 year old chimp, became the 22nd most successful manager in the USA after choosing stocks by throwing darts at a list of 133 internet stocks. That index named inevitably MonkeyDex achieved a 213% gain and outperformed more than 8000 brokers. Here at SGM-FX we do not have a chimp but we do have a champ called Charles when it comes to market analysis!
Discussion and Analysis by Humphrey Percy, Chairman and Founder
Click Here to Subscribe to the SGM-FX Newsletter
Related Insights
Daily Brief – A short lived short squeeze?
Charles Porter
Tue 9 Dec 2025
A short lived short squeeze? Sterling is undoubtedly benefitting from a short squeeze. Traders on net had increased positions that benefit from Sterling’s demise leading into the budget. Depending upon the participant’s persuasion, that could have meant gaining an outright short exposure to the currency or, in a more mild form, trimming any or all […]
Daily Brief – Sterling slides
Charles Porter
Thu 18 Dec 2025
Sterling slides Sterling took a leg lower ahead of the European open yesterday. Despite some tentative signs of recovery, GBP was still unable to claw back losses incurred during yesterday’s session. Before we cover the cause and implications of yesterday’s stumble amongst GBP crosses, let’s look at why the Pound was set up for a […]
Daily Brief – No bumps in the road
Charles Porter
Tue 23 Dec 2025
No bumps in the road The first three weeks of December were characterised by a heavy data and central bank schedule. Last week saw multiple G10 central banks release their latest monetary policy decisions following the release of economic data in the sessions prior. The government shut down earlier this quarter did little to help […]
