SGM-FX insights

Prada   Fashionistas keenly anticipating the Prada Resort Japan fashion show on 21 May are set for disappointment. While Japan remains a key market for Prada the Milan based company has postponed the show due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Watch out for news of concerns regarding the potential impact on the mega Japan event for […]

Continental chaos   This morning I bring you a story from Europe that should show you just how vulnerable the financial world has become and therefore just how unstable it could prove to be during in the coming year. It comes in the form of fixed income products in Europe that, let’s not forget, have […]

Okayama and the Hadaka Matsuri   This weekend saw the Annual Naked Festival or Hadaka Matsuri in Okayama, Japan’s Honshu Island when 10,000 male participants braved the cold weather clad only in loincloths- fundoshi and white socks-tabi. First they run around semi naked and then around 10pm on Saturday night priests threw bundles of twigs […]

U.K. Chancellor Quits Unexpectedly   A headline like that would in former times have prompted a fall in GBP of at least a cent and definitely more at times of financial crisis. Yesterday of course GBP firmed sharply against EUR and USD in particular, which just reflects that Sajid Javid was considered damaged goods by […]

Eurovision   Resistance, support, reversal and jargon. Is pretty much what you’ll receive if you try and research the Euro’s sell-off since December 2019. If you try and read a forecast about what is going to happen to the Euro from here you’ll find even more nonsense. Here’s the truth of the matter:   The […]

Singapore Money Management   In the wake of the Hong Kong demonstrations and the recent questions as to the HK authorities’ management of the Coronavirus outbreak, Singapore is making much of the fact that the number of applications for money management licenses in Singapore has increased from an annual average of 180 to 200 in […]

Oh that’s where I left it!   It takes a big lens to capture a clear image of a piece of paper from tens of metres away. But in most of those circumstances what takes far more skill and consideration is the hand placement, angle and speed of travel to ensure the photographer achieves the […]

U.K.: Home of EVs?   With PM Johnson setting out his stall for the U.K. to lead the world in manufacturing electric cars, it would look to be more of an aspirational vision than an actual one since the U.K. currently has a small fraction of the global EV market. However with decisive fiduciary action […]

US Election: Democrat Runners…28 down to 11…   Ahead of the key date of Super Tuesday March 3 2020 when 16 states are up for grabs in the primaries, some of our readers have questioned how best to categorise the Democrat challengers, so we have distilled the now 11 runners- 8 men and 3 women […]

Goodbye and good riddance!   If you hadn’t noticed, the United Kingdom has left the European Union. You could be forgiven for not having noticed because by design of the Withdrawal Agreement, nothing changes until the transition period is concluded. However, at the formal and legal level the departure has taken place: the UK’s flag […]

Aston Martin   Phew. It really was last chance saloon for the iconic carmaker when Lawrence Stroll, the FI investor opened his wallet on Friday and hey presto a GBP 500 Billion bailout was secured. Lawrence Stroll made his money by being an early investor in brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors and Polo […]

Hydrogen: it’s back and this time it’s different…and it’s green   Older readers will recall the Zepellin, Hindenburg that unfortunately exploded on May 6 1937 in New Jersey killing 36 of the 97 passengers. Now hydrogen filled airships are making a come back as firstly they are green and secondly due to improvements in technology […]