Watson's Daily

Thursday 21/10/21

In MACRO, ENERGY AND CRYPTO NEWS, inflation growth eases - but wages, paint prices and utility bills rise - SMRs could be the future of nuke and Bitcoin hits a new high. In CHINA CRACKDOWN NEWS, new home prices fall…

Wednesday 20/10/21

In SUPPLY CHAIN & CRYPTO NEWS, businesses say supply chain strain is to continue, restaurants and hotels face huge inflation and P&G ups prices while a Bitcoin ETF starts trading and Facebook launches a digital currency wallet. In POST-CORONATRENDS NEWS,…

Tuesday 19/10/21

In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, speculation increases over an early UK interest rate rise and the merits/downsides of an online sales tax while French presidential hopeful Zemmour makes waves. Russia keeps gas prices up, Goto Energy goes under and the…

Monday 18/10/21

In MACRO & SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, China's GDP growth slows, the Bank of England hints at an interest rate rise, China's energy crisis shows no signs of easing and Sunak mulls cutting VAT on energy bills. In JOBS & CONSUMER…

Friday 15/10/21

In MACRO, OIL & ENERGY NEWS, China's producer prices shoot up, shalers face higher costs and energy companies get sneaky with direct debits. In SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, Biden's 24/7 approach has flaws, butchers are given visas, supply chain woes broaden…

Thursday 14/10/21

In MACRO, COMMODITIES & CRYPTO NEWS, US inflation rises, the UK economy picks up (but MPC members are banned from talking), Vietnam's recovery sputters, coal stages a comeback while aluminium and zinc prices hit new highs. US>China on crypto mining....…

Wednesday 13/10/21

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, NEWS, Germany's woes continue, the IMF downgrades the UK and recession fears rise, Maersk swerves Felixstowe and supply chain problems hit bikes and builders while Philip Morris and CureVac get involved in new vaccines. In CONSUMER…

Tuesday 12/10/21

In MACRO & SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, everyone's talking about an interest rate rise, the oil price goes stronger and Felixstowe gets overwhelmed. In CONSUMER NEWS, confidence takes a beating, Christmas dinner will be more expensive, companies indulge in shrinkflation and…

Monday 11/10/21

In MACRO, OIL & SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, the UK interest rate may rise earlier than expected, oil prices look likely to strengthen and retailers charter ships. In REAL ESTATE NEWS, we take another look at Evergrande's repercussions, UK mortgage rates…

Friday 08/10/21

In MACRO & GAS NEWS, both the ECB and Bank of England are worried about prolonged inflation as UK households face rising house prices, rail fares and secondhand car costs. Russia has gas and Ireland caves to Biden. In SUPPLY…

Thursday 07/10/21

In MACRO, MARKETS & ENERGY NEWS, Germany starts coalition talks against a backdrop of weak demand, inflation spooks markets while Poland and New Zealand increase interest rates and utility bills are set to go higher on expensive gas that Putin…

Wednesday 06/10/21

In SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS, Facebook faces a lot of questions and Ofcom cracks down on TikTok, Snap and OnlyFans. In REAL ESTATE NEWS, China's property situation is set to have repercussions while New York gets stronger. In RETAIL & CONSUMER…

Memes and avatars: What’s the tea on NFTs?

In What's the story?, The original image of the “Side-eying Chloe” meme was sold at auction as a “non-fungible token” (NFT) for £54,000. Bids kicked off at 5 Ether, the equivalent of £11,000 and it was bought by 3F Music..…

Tuesday 05/10/21

In MACRO, OIL & SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, the German economy heads for slowdown, US oil hits a seven-year high, the UK fuel shortage is set to continue and the pork industry faces challenges. In RETAIL NEWS, US retailers fear a…

Monday 04/10/21

In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, China sends ripples around the world, Ovo eyes Bulb and nuclear power goes up the agenda. In EMPLOYMENT NEWS, staff shortages continue, Sunak pledges a boost and there are appeals for HGV learner loans. In…

Friday 01/10/21

In MACRO, ENERGY & CRYPTO NEWS, China's manufacturing activity slows, Germany's inflation hits a 29-year high, UK GDP grows faster than expected, a new subsea cable project launches, Ofgem braces for another collapse and there are varying opinions on crypto.…

Thursday 30/09/21

In ENERGY, FUEL & FURLOUGH NEWS, the UK plans to kick China out of nukes, China itself suffers with coal shortages, 3 more UK energy suppliers go bust, fuel deliveries are prioritised and furlough comes to an end. In RETAIL…

Wednesday 29/09/21

In MACRO & GAS NEWS, the pound suffers from inflation and debt concerns, the government takes over Southeastern, wholesale gas prices keep rising and Serica benefits. In FUEL & CAR NEWS, the UK panic eases, fuel prices may be higher…

Tuesday 28/09/21

In ENERGY, FUEL & MACRO NEWS, China power outages hit supply chains, US LNG exporters aim to step in, the UK's fuel problem spreads, the case for nuclear power strengthens, oil prices head for $80 and the Bank of England…

Monday 27/09/21

In MACRO & SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, Scholz's SPD wins, the US supply chain is struggling, businesses say that UK visa changes aren't enough, Shapps' longer hours plan hasn't worked and we take a look at the current petrol pump crisis.…

Friday 24/09/21

In MACRO, OIL & GAS NEWS, the Bank of England leaves inflation unchecked, oil production is set to rise in the US, winners emerge on gas price increases but Europe looks like it'll be next for CO2 shortages. In CHINA…

Thursday 23/09/21

In MACRO, EVERGRANDE & ENERGY NEWS, the Fed edges towards raising rates, Germany has a wobble, Evergrande calms fears, the US wades in to the gas drama and two more energy companies go bust. In M&A AND IPO NEWS, Netflix…

Wednesday 22/09/21

In CLAMPDOWN NEWS, we look at Evergrande and the wider China clampdown as the US Treasury imposes sanctions on a crypto exchange. In GAS NEWS, the IEA urges Russia to boost supply to Europe, the UK returns to square one…

Tuesday 21/09/21

In MARKETS & ENERGY-RELATED NEWS, Evergrande rocks global markets, Kwarteng reassures on gas, CO2 problems persist and mini-nukes could be the solution. In M&A AND INVESTMENT, Shell sells assets to ConocoPhillips, EA buys Playdemic, Pimlico Plumbers gets bought, Mishcon de…

Monday 20/09/21

In GAS & MACRO NEWS, gas shortages hit the US and UK, energy prices are set to push up inflation, chicken producers face CO2 shortages and Japan narrows down PM candidates to a choice of four. In UK CONSUMER NEWS,…

Friday 17/09/21

In MACRO, ENERGY & LOGISTICS NEWS, the US economy shows resilience, BoJo has an eye on the next election, Sunak is to unveil new fiscal rules, higher gas prices trigger fertiliser problems, Maersk goes bananas and Yodel heads for strikes.…

Thursday 16/09/21

In MACRO NEWS, the OECD bigs us up, UK inflation growth continues and BoJo has a reshuffle. In CONSUMER/HIGH STREET NEWS, UK house prices drop, fire at a substation could lead to blackouts, employment recovery could see bumps, Inditex recovers…

Wednesday 15/09/21

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Norway goes left and Chevron commits to clean energy. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, US consumers continue to spend, UK job vacancies rise, Amazon and Deliveroo offer free delivery and JD Sports has a corker.…

Tuesday 14/09/21

In CHINA CLAMPDOWN NEWS, Beijing is to break up Alipay, Tencent and Alibaba are to open up and Soho China falls through the floor. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, energy prices and global house prices rise while Primark and Shein…

Monday 13/09/21

In MACRO, TRADING & CRYPTO NEWS, growth slows in the UK economy, Le Pen sets the stage, investors have a wobble on Chinese stocks and South Korea does a major crypto crackdown. In ELECTRIC VEHICLE-RELATED NEWS, everyone fights over nickel…

Friday 10/09/21

In MACRO & TRADING NEWS, the ECB slows bond-buying, Cathie Wood cuts China positions and NFT mania continues. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Mastercard buys CipherTrace and Buy Now Pay Later legislation drags on. In POST-CORONATRENDS NEWS, workers return to the City,…

Thursday 09/09/21

In FINANCIALS & CRYPTO NEWS, PayPal buys Paidy, BlackRock raises $1bn for a China mutual fund, the SEC moves on Coinbase and Bitcoin steadies. In RETAIL NEWS, more retailers warn of shortages - including Halfords - while Morrisons heads for…

Wednesday 08/09/21

In MACRO & CRYPTO NEWS, Germany and Norway elections get closer, Sunak sets the date for the Budget, tax on dividends rises and El Salvador's bitcoin launch stutters. In SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, Ikea sees furniture shortages and Iceland says the…

Tuesday 07/09/21

In MACRO NEWS, Germany's economy loses momentum and the FCA wants to tighten up on crypto "influencers". In PRICE INFLATION NEWS, Aluminium hits new heights, electricity and gas prices rise and UK builders face rising materials costs. In CONSUMER NEWS,…

Monday 06/09/21

In UK LABOUR/SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, the CBI reckons the labour shortage could drag on, UK hotels face staff shortages, Wagamama's can't find enough chefs, logistics boss calls for the shortening of driver training, M&S worries about an import crisis and…

Friday 03/09/21

In TECH NEWS, Alibaba tries to suck up, Apple relents and WhatsApp gets whacked. In CONSUMER/HIGH STREET NEWS, gas prices look likely to rise, UK wages increase but "buy now, pay later" customers get pursued while retail footfall increases and…

Thursday 02/09/21

In MACRO, MARKETS & CRYPTO NEWS, China manufacturing activity slows, hog stocks fall as China recovers from swine fever, the Dax grows and the SEC boss turns focus onto crypto. In SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, Walmart adds 20,000 workers to improve…

Wednesday 01/09/21

In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, Brazil's recovery falters, Vietnam suffers, Eurozone inflation climbs to a new peak and Aluminium prices hit a 10-year high. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, US consumers stockpile loo roll, UK consumers save, the end of…

Tuesday 31/08/21

In MACRO, SUPPLY CHAIN & BUBBLE NEWS, the Eurozone recovers, German inflation hits record levels, UK business confidence reaches new highs, supply chain issues highlight employee conditions and we look at five bubbles that could burst. In TECH-RELATED NEWS, China…

Friday 27/08/21

In LEISURE & TRAVEL NEWS, British Airways plans a budget airline, Soho House talks a good game, Peloton cuts bike prices and PureGym prepares for flotation. In CONSUMER TRENDS NEWS, HP and Dell see strong PC demand, shoppers stay at…

Thursday 26/08/21

In MACRO, CRYPTO & INFRASTRUCTURE NEWS, South Korea raises interest rates, German business confidence continues to waver, UK services confidence wobbles, the FCA gives up on Binance, HS2 gets scaled back and Wales ponders mini-nuke power. In SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS,…

Wednesday 25/08/21

In MACRO & OIL NEWS, a big US spending package is in the offing, the oil price rises and JPMorgan sells oil and defence while Maersk goes greener. In SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, Asia's Covid impact has global implications, industries across…

Tuesday 24/08/21

In MARKETS & MACRO NEWS, equity and commodity markets strengthen but the UK recovery slows as manufacturing is hit by supply chain disruption. In POST-CORONATRENDS NEWS, City airport is returning to growth, the West End is moving in the right…

Monday 23/08/21

In SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, Container ship demand looks set to continue, the UK refuses EU truck drivers and food firms employ prisoners. In CONSUMER TREND-RELATED NEWS, cinemas pin hopes on blockbusters, PayPal is to let users trade crypto and UK…

Wednesday 11/08/21

In MACRO, MARKETS & CURRENCY NEWS, US infrastructure gets a massive boost, investor confidence in Germany wanes and sterling strengthens. In TECH NEWS, SoftBank is set to avoid China, a Newport Wafer alternative appears, Arm benefits from semiconductor shortage and…

Tuesday 10/08/21

In VACCINE, COMMODITIES & CRYPTO NEWS, BioNTech benefits, oil has a wobble, Aluminium prices continue to rise, the Bank of England ponders "Britcoin" and we see why CBDCs cause concern for banks and how crytpto exchanges plan on going mainstream.…

Friday 06/08/21

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Biden outlines EV targets, the Bank of England acknowledges inflation and WPP sees an ad rebound. In CONSUMER-RELATED NEWS, Amazon's the latest employer to delay an office return, wages rise and car sales fall. In REAL…

Thursday 05/08/21

In MACRO, MARKETS & SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, Germany's Greens make up ground, the UK's pingdemic holds back growth, the LSE looks at rule changes and the lorry driver shortage continues to bite. In BATTERY & CAR-RELATED NEWS, Tesla has a…

Wednesday 04/08/21

In CHINA CRACKDOWN NEWS, Tencent tries to appease, Alibaba takes flak, Beijing freezes Ericsson out and Hong Kong gets trickier. In M&A NEWS, UK firms get record approaches, Sweaty Betty is snapped up, Sanofi buys Translate Bio and PepsiCo offloads…

Tuesday 03/08/21

In SUPPLY CHAIN NEWS, Germany and the UK have supply chain problems and M&S offers £2k to drivers. In BANKS & FINTECH NEWS, HSBC sees its profits more than quadruple, Goldman Sachs ups its pay, Sunak refuses to lift the…

Monday 02/08/21

In CONSUMER, JOBS & JABS NEWS, the US consumer spends as companies pay higher wages, UK employers pay golden hellos and offer more remote working, banker bonus caps look like disappearing, French and British resist "passports" and Pfizer/Moderna increase prices.…

Friday 30/07/21

In MACRO, VAX & SCANDAL NEWS, the US has a wobble, German inflation hits new highs, Biden calls to pay vaxxers, AstraZeneca mulls its vaccine future, Nikola's Milton is charged and Didi considers going private 😱. In POST-CORONATRENDS NEWS, Airbus…

Thursday 29/07/21

In BIG/FIN/TECH NEWS, Facebook grows, Robinhood prices up its IPO, Shopify stays bullish on online shopping, Samsung has a corker and Welsh chips highlight China wobbles. In BANKS NEWS, Deutsche Bank has a great quarter, Santander benefits from cribs and…

Wednesday 28/07/21

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Xi's education crackdown is part of something bigger, the IMF upgrades our GDP forecasts and the FCA relaxed SPAC rules. In TECH NEWS, Chinese tech stocks tank while Google, Apple and Microsoft report big profits. In…