Following our piece last week on hydrogen, one of our readers has asked a number of questions which others may also have wondered about. Here are the answers: there are currently only two models on sale; a Hyundai Lego and a Toyota Mirai. Both cost approximately GBP60k. There are also further models coming out such as the Riversimple Rasa, the BMW Hydrogen X5 and the Mercedes Benz GLC F Cell. However before you rush out and put your name down for one of these, while there are now 15,000 charging points for e vehicles, there are just 17 hydrogen charging points in the whole of the UK! Despite this GBP/EUR firm at 1.1977.
Always tricky to discern whether Marine Le Pen really does stand a chance of toppling the incumbent, however this time due to President Macron’s unpopularity and lacklustre campaign together with MLP’s conservative outfits and toned down rhetoric, as at Sunday evening it would look much closer this time, in fact too close to call given that MLP will face off Le President in the final round in 2 weeks time after securing 23% versus Macron’s 28% in the first round. One of the issues uppermost in voters’ minds is the cost of living and in particular the rising cost of baguettes, those delicious freshly baked long crisp rolls that are sacred to the French way of life. Baguettes have risen by approximately 15% in the past few months on the back of higher costs of both the ingredients and also the cost of the energy to bake them. EUR/USD 1.0875.
What to do about the stock market: 5 ideas
As we have said before, we are a FX company and do not offer Equity thoughts, however in order to offer our clients value in FX, we need to understand the implications for the other main Fixed Income, Equity and Commodity markets given the connectivity of markets. Here are 5 ideas for consideration when looking at investment portfolios as at the beginning of April 2022: 1. Consider adding to investments when dips occur that offer value: the current headwinds caused by Ukraine will drop in the next few months. 2. Consider buying stocks that benefit from Covid becoming endemic ie all those postponed medical procedures will take place and there is a large backlog of operations. 3. Consider buying stocks that will benefit from growth-growth will come back into vogue. 4. Inflation is here to stay so buy stocks that have sufficient buying power and can raise prices to offset inflation. 5. Invest in ESG as one thing is clear amid the banging of stable doors after the horses have bolted is that the energy crisis of Q1 2022 will spur action on developing independent sustainable energy.
It was this day in 1983 that Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes performed this number at the Academy awards in Los Angeles. The song had already reached Number One in November 1982, but not surprisingly since it captured the zeitgeist of the time, it was voted the best new original song. Here it is:
Who knows what tomorrow brings
In a world few hearts survive
All I know is the way I feel
When it’s real, I keep it alive
The road is long
There are mountains in our way
But we climb a step every day
Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high
Love lift us up where we belong
Far from the world below
Up where the clear winds blow
Some hang on to used to be
Live their lives looking behind
All we have is here and now
All our lives, out there to find
The road is long
There are mountains in our way
But we climb a step every day
Discussion and Analysis by Humphrey Percy, Chairman and Founder
GBP While the Bank of England’s decision to pause on raising rates by the narrowest of margins with voting 5-4, that resulted in GBP being sold sharply which reflects the market’s view that while inflation at 6.7% looked better than expected yesterday, the effect of higher oil prices and petrol and diesel at the pumps […]
Bank of England It is the big week in UK markets not because there is much doubt in the minds of economists that rates will go up once again on Thursday, but rather more because the “clever” money is predicting that this increase will be the last. What could go wrong? Assuming rates go up […]
UK Interest Rates Despite soothing words from BoE Governor Bailey last week on interest rates reaching the end of the rise cycle, wage inflation of 7.8% in the 3 months to the end of July plus unemployment a tiny bit higher at 4.3% both suggest that the end may have been called too early. So […]