Watson's Daily

Friday 05/05/23

In MACRO, MARKETS & OIL NEWS, the ECB raises rates, the CMA vies for global impact and Shell unveils record profits!. In TECH NEWS, the big AI meeting happened and we look at why everyone is scared, how lawyers are…

Thursday 04/05/23

In MACRO, MARKETS, OIL & GAS NEWS, the Fed raises interest rates, LSE listing rule changes cause debate, oil majors rake in the trading revenues and France is left behind on gas. In TECH NEWS, AI faces a UK review,…

Wednesday 03/05/23

In MARKETS, MACRO & OIL NEWS, UK listing rules get a revamp, UK manufacturing is in a rut and BP unveils "heinous" profits. In TECH/AI NEWS, an AI pioneer departs with a warning, education companies take an AI hit, Amnesty…

Tuesday 02/05/23

In BANKS NEWS, First Republic gets picked up by JP Morgan. In BUSINESS, CONSUMER & EMPLOYMENT NEWS, defence spending broadens, UK SMEs feel more confident, European shoppers push back, staycations herald good news, NDAs face scrutiny and grads have difficulties…

Friday 28/04/23

In MACRO, OIL & BUSINESS TRENDS NEWS, the US economy slows, the UK keeps the majority of European laws, Argentina's interest rates head to eye-watering levels, BP resists pressure, China focuses on foreign businesses and the UK gets its mojo…

Thursday 27/04/23

In TECH NEWS, the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard deal gets booted by the CMA, Meta ends its slump and Tencent continues to search overseas. In FINANCIALS NEWS, First Republic can't shake off contagion worries and Standard Chartered rides high. In CONSUMER &…

Who Cares About….Web 3.0?? by Andrew Spencer

What's the story?, What's all the fuss about Web 3.0? Why is it interesting?, It could be the biggest shake-up of the internet since its creation!. So what?, Web 3.0 is coming but we don't know quite how or when…

Wednesday 26/04/23

In TECH NEWS, European tech laws loom large, Twitter looks unprepared, Microsoft and Alphabet outperform expectations and Microsoft promises to unbundle Teams. In CONSUMER, RETAIL & LEISURE NEWS, UK grocery price inflation stays high (probably due in part to consumer…

Tuesday 25/04/23

In MACROECONOMIC NEWS, US plays Pacific wargames, Australia overhauls its defence strategy, across-the-board export sanctions on China are rejected, India's population overtakes China's and the ECB looks likely to keep raising rates. In TECH NEWS, Apple wins its Epic Games…

Monday 24/04/23

In MACRO, MARKETS & COMMODITIES NEWS, UK inflation speculation continues, Wall Street comes up with a new fear gauge, BP is going to feel the pressure and central banks buy gold. In TECH NEWS, the US increases chip pressures re…

Friday 21/04/23

In TECH NEWS, Insta retreats, Meta and the metaverse look tricky, Google plans to use AI for ads, Twitter cuts legacy check marks and China's drone supremacy causes concern. In RETAIL & CONSUMER NEWS, Whole Foods talks cuts, Ikea announces…

Thursday 20/04/23

In MACRO & CRYPTO NEWS, the Fed warns of mild recession, Bailey lays the ground for more interest rate rises and we look at why crypto needs to change. In FINANCIALS NEWS, the ECB and BoE talk about strengthening banks,…

Wednesday 19/04/23

In MACRO, GAS & CRYPTO NEWS, UK inflation is expected to dip, EU gas storage levels are high but Putin makes more threats and Coinbase sets its sights on the UK. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS NEWS, VW commits to…

Tuesday 18/04/23

In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, China's economy expands, Lagarde warns of US-China consequences, China retaliates while some of its companies relocate and lithium prices weaken. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Apple makes a splash, US banks see withdrawals, EY makes cuts and…

Monday 17/04/23

In MACRO NEWS, we look at the effect of strikes on the UK economy, BT's war games simulating a Taiwan invasion, G7 minister promises on fossil fuels and the vulnerability of US LNG projects. In FINANCIALS NEWS, the Bank of…

Friday 14/04/23

In MACRO NEWS, China shows restraint, the UK flatlines, BP commits to Gulf of Mexico and Teck rejects Glencore again. In FINANCIALS NEWS, the LSE is to clear crypto trades, Twitter does a tie-up with e-Toro, Hunt looks at raising…

Thursday 13/04/23

In MACRO & CRYPTO NEWS, the Fed warns of mild recession, Bailey lays the ground for more interest rate rises and we look at why crypto needs to change. In FINANCIALS NEWS, the ECB and BoE talk about strengthening banks,…

Wednesday 12/04/23

In MACRO, COMMODITIES & BITCOIN NEWS, we see a gloomy IMF, Glencore upping the ante and Bitcoin breaking $30k. In TECH NEWS, Biden considers AI rules, China proposes new AI rules and SoftBank commits to a stateside IPO. In FINANCIALS…

Tuesday 11/04/23

In MACRO NEWS, China ups the ante with Taiwan and we look at the positives of the CPTPP. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER NEWS, US companies see a massive fall in profits, Europe's biggest SPAC closes, the first batch of China…

Friday 07/04/23

In MACRO NEWS, the IMF predicts gloom, China uses its grip on rare earth materials, Binance gets an Ozzie push-back and UK regulators turn their attention on finfluencers. In TECH NEWS, brands increase TikTok spending, Google cracks down on loan…

Thursday 06/04/23

In FINANCIALS NEWS, the Swiss government cuts CS bonuses, hedge funds rake it in on bank turmoil, BlackRock gets called in to manage asset disposals, a new European defence ETF launches, Vanguard looks to exit China and VC funding for…

Wednesday 04/04/23

In MACRO NEWS, sterling rises, BoE economists debate the next interest rate move, China continues to retaliate and Shell is set to get $1.2bn. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Wall Street suffers Citrix impact, Dimon blames regulators, Credit Suisse investors vent and…

Tuesday 04/04/23

In OIL NEWS, the price jumps on OPEC's production cut, we look at the reasons behind the cut and how it helps US shale while Putin pushes exports to a new high. In TECH NEWS, we compare GPT-4 and Bard,…

Monday 03/04/23

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, China retaliates, Finland's PM loses election and oil prices surge. In FINANCIALS NEWS, the Credit Suisse takeover gets investigated, financial regulators ponder the future, UK vetting rules in finance get relaxed and thousands of City…

Friday 31/03/23

In MACRO & ECONOMIC INDICATOR NEWS, the UK joins the CPTPP, Finland is cleared to join NATO, inflation falls in Spain and Germany while deal-making falls but UK business confidence rises. In BANKING NEWS, we reflect on the current crisis…

Thursday 30/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, Britain progresses towards the CPTPP, Shapps reiterates commitment to 2030, Spain tries to address pension shortfall and Erdogan tries to curry favour with lower energy bills. In FINANCIALS NEWS, UBS goes backwards to go forwards and Binance…

Wednesday 29/03/23

In MEDIA & LEISURE NEWS, UK broadcasting rules get a massive overhaul, Disney ditches the metaverse and William Hill gets a big fine. In TECH NEWS, Apple launches BNPL in the US, Twitter changes the rules, chipmakers face a dilemma…

Tuesday 28/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, Russia and China retaliate against the West, Hungary gets behind Finland's NATO application, Netanyahu delays judicial reforms, Binance is threatened with a trading ban and the Treasury shelves plans for an NFT. In TECH NEWS, the US…

Monday 27/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, Putin plans nukes in Belarus and Russia adopts China's renminbi. In BANKING NEWS, we look at the ongoing impact of the current banking crisis. In TECH NEWS, we look at the practicalities of banning TikTok in the…

Friday 24/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, the Bank of England raises interest rates. In TECH NEWS, TikTok continues to fight, Beijing gets involved and Allen & Overy plugs AI. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Block gets hammered, Cenkos and FinnCap get together and Amigo Loans…

Thursday 23/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, the US raises rates, UK inflation rises, Macron digs in and oil heads for $90. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Yellen's remarks temper relief, the Credit Suisse/UBS story rolls on, PacWest gets cash and Coinbase gets a warning. In…

Wednesday 22/03/23

In MACRO, ENERGY & BITCOIN NEWS, we see the upshot of the Xi-Putin summit, Ukraine bagging a $15.6bn IMF loan, Rolls-Royce turning the screw as energy prices fall and bitcoin's boom during banking's bust. In BANKING NEWS, Yellen wades in…

Tuesday 21/03/23

In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, Xi Jinping meets Putin, Macron survives and a US firm offers mini-reactors. In BANKS NEWS, First Republic's deal fails to satisfy and Credit Suisse repercussions echo. In CONSUMER & CONSUMER GOODS NEWS, UK house prices…

Monday 20/03/23

In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, Xi Jinping visits Putin, Putin visits Mariupol, Macron faces big protests and Nucleo raises money to build small nuclear reactors in the UK. In BANKS NEWS, UBS rescues Credit Suisse, First Republic limps on and…

Friday 17/03/23

In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, the ECB raises rates, Macron aims to force through pension reforms, criticisms of Hunt's Budget come through, Argentina looks forward and the palm oil dispute highlights differences. In FINANCIALS NEWS, First Republic gets rescued, Credit…

Thursday 16/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, we take a look at the budget and its winners and losers. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Credit Suisse causes a massive panic, Stripe raises money and Charles Schwab limps on. In TECH NEWS, the metaverse hits actual reality,…

Wednesday 15/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, we look at who benefits from Aukus, US inflation slows, Argentina's breaks 100% (!), Hunt is set to unveil the Budget and the UK is about to remove Malaysian palm oil import tariffs . In BUSINESS, EMPLOYMENT &…

Tuesday 14/03/23

In SVB NEWS, we take another look at what happened over the weekend and the potential impact. In AUTOMOTIVE-RELATED NEWS, VW chooses Canada for its battery plant, Porsche gets a boost, Amazon and Rivian look to end exclusivity and Direct…

Monday 13/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, Xi Jinping and Rishi Sunak commit to military spending and Saudi Aramco posts record profits. In SCANDAL NEWS, we look at what went wrong with SVB and the subsequent impact. In TECH NEWS, Tim Cook has high…

Friday 10/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, Biden talks big tax rises, US-Europe friction continues and the US imposes sanctions on Chinese companies. In TECH NEWS, Apple and Foxconn move closer to more India production, ASML's ban hits Chinese companies and WANdisco falters. In…

Thursday 09/03/23

In MACRO, ENERGY & CRYPTO NEWS, Germany rejects the EU's engine ban timetable, the UK looks likely to avoid recession but growth will be meh, Cornwall could be the key to a different power source and crypto bank Silvergate winds…

Wednesday 08/03/23

In MACRO, COMMODITIES & ENERGY NEWS, Jay Powell talks bigger interest rate hikes and we look at the latest nickel news while National Grid fires up coal plants. In TECH NEWS, TikTok woes continue, Twitter faces more scrutiny, AI faces…

Who Cares About….CBDCs?? by Haamsaaveni (Hamsi) Kumar

What's the story?, What's all the fuss about CBDCs? Why is it interesting?, Most of the world's central banks have their own CBDCs at various stages. So what?, CBDCs are coming but we don't know quite how or when yet!

Tuesday 07/03/23

In MACRO & MARKETS NEWS, we look at US/China/Taiwan wobbles, differences between markets and another crypto scandal. In TECH NEWS, Twitter has yet another malfunction, TikTok tries charm and Intel could be held back by the Chips Act. In CAR…

Monday 06/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, China announces its lowest GDP target for decades but could also transform Putin's fortunes. In BUSINESS TRENDS NEWS, we see that US listed tech companies continue to face challenges, that deglobalisation pushes automation, that international schools look…

Friday 03/03/23

In MACRO NEWS, we look at China's tricky position, a Russia sanction crackdown and pressure on the ECB. In TECH NEWS, ESG causes a kerfuffle, Bridgewater cuts jobs, Revolut posts its first annual profit, Vanguard gives up and Chinese banks…

Thursday 02/03/23

In MACRO & CRYPTO NEWS, the West wants the UAE to clamp down on Russia sanction-dodging, Germany's inflation jumps, hopes increase for post-Brexit financial regulation progress, the BoE hints at peak interest rates and there's more crypto drama. In FINANCIALS…

Wednesday 01/03/23

In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, inflation hits, the Treasury reviews energy subsidies, Shapps extends coal-burning plant usage, Sainsbury's slims down, M&S rolls out more self-service tills, Ocado racks up losses and AO World gets a boost. In AUTOMOTIVE-RELATED NEWS, Berlin…

Tuesday 28/02/23

In MACRO NEWS, we see a new Brexit agreement and bickering over funding. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, consumers face higher bills and weaker house prices while Lidl rations salad and Primark expects higher profits. In TECH NEWS, Canada bans…

Monday 27/02/23

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, a Brexit deal is afoot, British companies get more optimistic, war drives US oil exports to Europe but frackers are only seeing limited gains. In MANUFACTURING NEWS, Adani companies lose $145bn in one month, Thales…

Friday 24/02/23

In MACRO & CRYPTO NEWS, China backtracks, Turkey cuts interest rates and SBF faces further charges. In TECH NEWS, Alibaba posts sales growth, Apple continues with China, Nvidia and WPP benefit from AI as AI replaces Web3 as the hot…

Thursday 23/02/23

In MACRO, ENERGY & COMMODITY NEWS, the Fed talks of more rate rises, Citi thinks UK inflation could breach 2% this year, Japan tries to address its falling birth rate, Eskom drama intensifies and Rio Tinto takes a hit. In…

Wednesday 22/02/23

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, US concerns about rate rises hit markets, chances of UK recession recede, Russian oil exports to China rise and Ineos moves into US oil and gas. In TECH NEWS, we look at further developments in…

Tuesday 21/02/23

In MACRO NEWS, we see contrasting views re Ukraine from the US and China. In RETAIL NEWS, M&S gets sporty, the UK runs short of salad, Morrisons cuts prices again and Tesco announces a pay rise. In TECH NEWS, Kyocera…