Watson's Daily

Thursday 23/01/25

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Trump gives Putin an ultimatum, US stocks gain, China tries to boost stocks, Goldman bets on a UK rate cut frenzy and Reeves gets feistier while cocoa prices skyrocket, crypto execs fret and energy changes. In…

Wednesday 22/01/25

In MACRO NEWS, the Trump effect continues and the UK government faces employment issues. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, Monzo leans stateside, German EV sales plummet, Waterstones booms, Premier Foods has a decent Christmas and Marston's says cheers. In TECH…

Tuesday 21/01/25

In TRUMP NEWS, we look at what he said, what he did and what the impact was of his inauguration. In UK NEWS, Reeves approved looser limits on mortgage lending and backed a third Heathrow runway, hospitality and retail face…

Monday 20/01/25

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Trump makes a splash, UK ministers look at compromises on the workers' rights bill and the sluggish job market points to recession. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, UK growth slows, pressure builds for rate cuts, Battersea…

Friday 17/01/25

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we take a look at the implications of a ceasefire, China magically hits its growth target, the UK's growth rate surprises, UK goods exports hit lows, English councils face an audit fee hike, pension funds get…

Thursday 16/01/25

In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, there's a Gaza ceasefire, global leaders warn of conflict risk, US inflation rises, Germany's economy shrinks, UK inflation falls and we look at the latest on SMRs and nuclear fusion in the UK. In CONSUMER…

Wednesday 15/01/25

In MACRO NEWS, South Korea's president is arrested, the new French PM opens up, Reeves doesn't discount an emergency Budget and the UK economy veers towards stagflation. In TECH NEWS, the EU and UK watchdogs consider tech probes, OpenAI makes…

Tuesday 14/01/25

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the US imposes more export controls, AI is set to power demand for new US gas power plants, Mexico promises, Spain suggests a 100% tax, Germany faces a meat and dairy ban and Woking seeks forgiveness.…

Monday 13/01/25

In MACRO NEWS, we look at California wild fires and Trump's impact before even reaching office. In RETAIL, CONSUMER & LEISURE NEWS, Walmart reins in climate commitments, Nike does discounts and Soho House looks to go private. In TECH NEWS,…

Friday 20/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged, central bankers are in a quandary, Trump sticks his oar in, hedge funds cash in on crypto, Aim companies are likely targets and we see that the LSE…

Thursday 19/12/24

In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, the Fed cuts rates, China concerns increase, Japan leaves rates unchanged, UK inflation rises while its factories suffer, Sam Altman's nuke start-up gets some AI love, energy firms get a grid boost and electricity prices…

Wednesday 18/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, everyone bends the knee to Donald, Musk attacks F-35s, US retail sales increase and we look at Brexit impact, wage increases and Poland auctioning butter. In AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, Nissan and Honda consider a merger, Huawei makes…

Tuesday 17/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Lagarde hints at more cuts, Scholz loses the confidence vote, the EU takes us to court, UK private sector hiring drops, Argentina's economy exits recession and bitcoin hits new highs. In TECH NEWS, TikTok meets Trump,…

Monday 16/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, China retail sales growth slips, ructions continue in South Korea, the LSE sees the biggest exodus since the financial crisis, LNG freight rates collapse, Britain joins the CPTPP and UK-India trade booms while UK manufacturing confidence…

Friday 13/12/24

In MACRO NEWS, the ECB cuts interest rates, Spain faces a budget battle and the UK labour force survey failure continues to have repercussions. In TECH & MEDIA NEWS, AI content-scraping rules continue to cause friction, Broadcom booms, Google plants…

Thursday 12/12/24

In MACRO NEWS, US inflation rises, South Korea's president remains defiant, Starmer is to hold talks with the EU on defence, a big civil service cut is imminent and business leaders warn Reeves. In PROPERTY NEWS, housebuilding still faces hurdles,…

Wednesday 11/12/24

In MACRO NEWS, China sticks with its GDP target, UK public sector workers face resistance and the pound rises versus the euro. In TECH NEWS, Brussels probes Google and Meta, Nvidia can weather China, SpaceX's valuation booms and GM gives…

Tuesday 10/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Syrian rebels look to consolidate while nations pause asylum claims, China eases its monetary policy as its trade numbers disappoint, hiring falls in the UK but businesses are positive about 2025, Canal+ is to list imminently,…

Monday 09/12/24

In MACRO NEWS, we look at developments in Syria, China's disappointing inflation numbers, South Korea's ongoing drama, Trump saying that he won't ditch Jay and UK gloom. In TECH & MEDIA NEWS, TikTok faces uncertain times, ad revenues head to…

Friday 06/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the French farce continues, Starmer sets out milestones, investors buy US stock funds and Qatar buys Typhoons from the UK while Equinor and Shell merge their UK oil and gas assets. In M&A NEWS, Thames Water…

Thursday 05/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS,Barnier gets ousted, South Korea's turmoil continues, the OECD raises UK growth forecasts, bitcoin hits $100,000 and cocoa's about to go bananas. In MANUFACTURING NEWS,Northvolt's prospects look grim, GM takes a big hit, petrol cars get rationed,…

Wednesday 04/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we look at some major K-drama, weak economic Aussie growth, troubles with UK data, ageing UK nuclear power plants getting their retirement extended and the rise of the crypto zoo. In TRADE & EMPLOYMENT TRENDS, China…

Tuesday 03/12/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the EU birth rate falls, German job cuts hit hard, Michel Barnier faces the sack and the UK regulator makes positive noises about Shein. In AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, Stellantis slides, GM decides to exit a Michigan EV…

Monday 02/12/24

In BUSINESS TRENDS NEWS, Chinese exporters scramble ahead of the deadline, UK businesses are gloomy by M&A activity increases, Compass chases deals in Europe and Games Workshop looks set to join the FTSE100. In AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, Stellantis's chief resigns, JSW…

Friday 29/11/24

In RETAIL & CONSUMER TRENDS NEWS, American retailers inject the FOMO, UK retail footfall drops, Morrisons scales back its use of Ocado, Dr Martens shares rise despite loss and toymakers target adults. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Aviva has another go at…

Thursday 28/11/24

In MACRO & MARKETS NEWS, Keir Starmer gets invited to Europe and we look at ongoing London market gloom. In CONSUMER, RETAIL & LEISURE NEWS, the Budget dents confidence, Ikea warns of higher prices, Pets at Home falters and Mitchells…

Wednesday 27/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, an Israel-Lebanon ceasefire begins, Fed officials are cautious on cuts, Wall Street backs the UK and orange juice prices boom. In RETAIL NEWS, Nordstrom gets more confident, Urban Outfitters sees rising sales, Shaftsbury talks a good…

Tuesday 26/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Trump threatens China, Canada and Mexico, the UK government continues in defensive mode and crypto Brits watch bitcoin hit $95,000. In RETAIL & LEISURE NEWS, Macy's has a problem, UK retailers warn, Aldi and Lidl get…

Monday 25/11/24

In BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT TRENDS, we take a look at defence, German exporters, agriculture, accountants and investment while workers seek new jobs and salaries rise. In TECH & MEDIA NEWS, Huawei launches its own phone with its own software, TikTok…

Friday 22/11/24

In MACRO & COMMODITY NEWS, Gensler quits, we look at the upside of Trump's tariffs, Adani drama tests India's reputation, public sector pay drives government borrowing, the CMA looks like it'll change course, consumer confidence returns and BP approves a…

Thursday 21/11/24

In MACRO NEWS,UK inflation rises and bitcoin edges closer to $100k. In TECH NEWS, Nvidia does it again, Apple tries to appease Indonesia, Palo Alto disappoints, Sage jumps and ProRata.ai signs up UK publishers. In RETAIL NEWS, Target misses expectations…

Wednesday 20/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Putin prepares to weaponise energy, Starmer sidesteps criticism, the government's picking sides, farmers protest, labour market data continues to be dodgy and US companies stockpile. In RETAIL & LEISURE NEWS, Walmart booms, consumers get hit, Mulberry…

Tuesday 19/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS,the G20 falters on support for Ukraine, Hong Kong sentences pro-democracy activists, Starmer talks a good game but the UK is exposed, Budget fallout continues, Trump dabbles deeper with crypto and the outlook for gold looks good.…

Monday 18/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we look at war, ongoing Trump impact, a struggling UK government, gold's wobble and lithium scepticism. In RETAIL NEWS, Shein plans a 2025 London IPO and Sephora plans more UK stores. In MISCELLANEOUS NEWS, trading assets…

Friday 15/11/24

In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, Jay Powell talks interest rates, we look at business trends for the UK and European gas prices power up. In RETAIL & LEISURE NEWS, Burberry plans a turnaround, WH Smith aims to expand in the…

Thursday 14/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, US inflation rises, we see more Trump impact, China braces itself, we look at how Spain is outperforming its neighbours, why Labour is losing council seats, Reeves's plan to consolidate council pension funds and bitcoin's march.…

Wednesday 13/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we take a look at more reaction to Trump's victory and an exciting new development in nuclear fusion. In TECH NEWS,there's discussion about Musk's potential influence on AI while Amazon, Baidu and Softbank make AI advances,…

Tuesday 12/11/24

In MACRO & MARKETS NEWS, Brussels looks to boost spending for defence, the Trump pump takes effect and go-private levels hit a three-year high. In BUSINESS TRENDS, Japan's on the verge of an energy storage boom and the NIC changes…

Monday 11/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, there's still a lot of reaction to Trump's victory, the UK Budget and the HMRC gets a surprise £700m windfall. In TECH NEWS,Big Tech waits in anticipation and TSMC is on the verge of stopping the…

Friday 08/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the Fed cuts interest rates, Trump's re-election prompts further reactions, the Bank of England cuts interest rates, big business warns of Budget impact, the government considers alternatives for HS2 and there's trouble in the North Sea.…

Thursday 07/11/24

In MACRO NEWS, we look at Trump's victory, the impact, what happens now and the implications while Germany collapses and the UK reflects. In AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, BMW's profits plummet and used car sales hit new highs. In RETAIL & LEISURE…

Wednesday 06/11/24

In MACRO NEWS, we look at what will happen with another Trump presidency and continued reaction to Reeves's Budget. In AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, Honda disappoints, Europe's woes continue, Ferrari bucks the trend, EV prices are slashed and UK motor finance is…

Tuesday 05/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, things gets tetchy ahead of US election night, farmers react to the Budget and we look at energy developments. In TECH NEWS, Indonesia gets feisty and Musk makes a play. In RETAIL NEWS, UK retail sales…

Monday 04/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we have a look at what might happen the day after the presidential election, China turns the screws, Reeves rejects NI rise push-back, India experiences an investor wobble, Opec+ members unite and the IEA has faith…

Friday 01/11/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we look at further reaction to the Budget, the surprise inflation rise in the eurozone, Shell's calls for certainty and some interesting business trends. In TECH NEWS, there's a Wall Street sell-off, Apple starts its AI…

Thursday 31/10/24

In MACRO NEWS, we take a look at yesterday's Budget, the US gets a boost, Germany's GDP grows and gold demand is strong. In TECH NEWS, Meta's earnings beat forecasts, Microsoft benefits from AI, Samsung's chip business has a wobble,…

Wednesday 30/10/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the EU goes ahead with tariffs on Chinese EV imports, Germany looks precarious, UK borrowing costs hit a new high, we look at the effects of a Trump victory, Saudi's PIF changes focus and BP's profits…

Tuesday 29/10/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Spain bucks the Eurozone trend, chances increase of a UK rate cut and Musk gets sued for his giveaway. In FINANCIALS NEWS, Lloyds braces for impact, HSBC beats expectations and UK banks prove their resilience. In…

Monday 28/10/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Japan's election result poses more questions, Aim listings hit a new low, a steak chain considers a listing and oil prices weaken. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, lawyers deal with Budget inquiries as company founders look…

Friday 25/10/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the IMF says Europe will lag the US, UK consumer and business confidence wobbles, English councils are gloomy, we look at what Reeves needs to do and Indonesia wants to join Brics. In RETAIL-RELATED NEWS, luxury…

Thursday 24/10/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, I bring you a ton of stuff on the US election, the Bank of England's reaction to slowing inflation, Reeves' imminent rule change, investor trends and war developments. In REAL ESTATE NEWS, we consider whether the…

Wednesday 23/10/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the US economy's on a roll, Britain gets an upgrade, councils face further turmoil and the London living wage is set to rise. In RETAIL & LEISURE NEWS, Halfords warns of uncertainty, Holiday Inn sees growth,…

Tuesday 22/10/24

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Trump closes the gap on Harris, China stimulates, Goldman predicts more interest rate falls, gold hits a record high, Maersk boosts guidance and UK worker reforms are going to cost. In CONSUMER TRENDS, alcohol demand drops,…

Monday 21/10/24

In MACRO NEWS, we look at global confidence, the race to "unretire" and another review of HS2. In TECH NEWS, Chinese AI groups drive down costs, personality comes to chatbots and investors look to data centres. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER…